Mystery: The Witch of Desire

He used to be very careful not to touch anything related to the Fools at the Night Watch squad headquarters, but now, Klein can't care less about that anymore.

Taking four steps backward, Klein entered the gray fog and touched the deep red star representing his lover:

"The offspring of the evil god has descended."

"His growth was nurtured by the resentment of the poor."

"Miss, I need your help."

Finally, after a moment's thought, Klein added:

"Emily is dealing with that unfortunate woman who gave birth to the offspring of an evil god. My lover, please hurry."

After delivering the message to his lover, Klein went to the reception hall, where he saw Emily stiffly talking to Megaius about various things concerning Lanius.

Klein picked up the thermos, took out a cup, poured a glass of warm water, and placed it in front of Megas, bending down to put it down as he said:

"I have other things to take care of, I'll come back later."

As he stood up, he leaned close to Emily's ear and whispered in her throat:

"Keep her calm."

Emily gave a helpless wry smile and continued the stiff conversation. She noticed that Megas was getting a little irritable, her concentration fluctuating. Even though she tried her best to empathize with Megas and share her parenting experiences from a woman's perspective, it was to no avail.

Klein returned to the captain's office and found that Dunn had already gone underground. On the table was a translated reply from the "Punisher" team:

"Yes. We're coming right away."

The Holy Number Church of the Steam Church is located in the suburbs, and it takes a certain amount of time to get there even by airship. The fastest reinforcements to arrive at the moment are the Punishers.

Previously, Klein and Emily handled a case involving a substitute punisher who had gone out of control. Lanius's case had previously been handled by a substitute punisher, and now, thinking back, that out-of-control substitute punisher was indeed because of Megaius…

Klein paced back and forth into the corridor, unsure whether he was waiting for the captain to come out with the ashes or for reinforcements to arrive.

Sigh, I wonder if Miss Lover really knows how to teleport... Such a magical thing can't possibly work... Last time she suddenly appeared, she probably approached slowly by hiding behind an invisible barrier.

Klein walked around a few times and suddenly felt a sense of peace and tranquility, noticing that the gas lamps on both sides were all tinged with a deep blue.

In the dim and deep darkness, Dunn emerged from the underground staircase, holding a palm-sized square urn in one hand.

The box seemed to be made of pure silver, yet it also felt like bone. It was covered with mysterious patterns, and the closer Klein got to it, the colder he felt, as if a chill was rapidly seeping into his blood.

The icy blue light reflected off Dunn's face as he spoke to Klein:

"Go behind the Charis Gate and retrieve a highly offensive sealed artifact. Which one you choose depends on your own situation. I've already instructed Siga and the internal guards to be careful and avoid any potential threats. There are three level 2 sealed artifacts, which are..."

“Yes, I’ve taken Saint Selena’s ashes, so Siga and the Inner Guardians can’t leave their positions now.”

At this moment, Frye is on leave, Loyo is on rest, Cohen is out on a mission, and the bishop of St. Serena's Church has gone to the countryside to preach.

It's hard to say that Megos's arrival at this time wasn't part of an arrangement by that unknown entity...

“Okay.” Klein thought for a moment, nodded in response, and turned to walk into the ground.

As he approached the crossroads, he suddenly stopped and felt a spiritual fluctuation coming from beside him.

Klein's heart tightened, and he quickly turned to draw his gun, only to find nothing around him.

Was it because I was too nervous?

Klein shook his head and continued toward Chanis Gate.

……

Inside the reception hall of Blackthorn Security Company.

Perhaps due to the prolonged proximity to Megos, Emily was under immense mental stress and her body had been contaminated. She rubbed her forehead wearily and said:

"Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom."

After she left, Leonard gritted his teeth and sat down opposite Megos, talking about the newly discovered house where Laneus had rented.

But Megoss was clearly not interested in this handsome night watchman; her condition continued to deteriorate, and her complexion gradually turned sallow.

At this moment, Emily emerged from behind the partition, having shaken off her earlier stiffness. She smiled gently and continued her conversation with Megius, following Leonard's lead:

"I've heard that Mr. Lanius frequently travels to the East District. Does he own a factory there, or have shares in some companies?"

"Really? He never told me..."

Megoss frowned slightly and gave a fairly normal answer.

After saying that, she grabbed a handful of her blonde hair and casually threw it into the trash can next to her.

Emily watched all this with a solemn expression, while Leonard froze for a moment, swallowed hard, and cold sweat broke out on his palms again.

……

Underground, Klein emerged from the Charis Gate, ultimately choosing the sealed artifact "2-105".

This sealed artifact is called "Vein Thief," formed by the extraordinary characteristics of the thief. It takes the form of a thick, rigid blood vessel. Anyone who touches it, regardless of whether they are protected or not, will have their life stolen. At first, it is not obvious, but if the contact is not broken, corresponding external manifestations will appear after half an hour.

One experimental Sequence 5 cult member survived for two hours under the influence of the 'vascular thief,' transforming from a robust man in his thirties into an aged person with a hunched back, wrinkled skin, and all his teeth gone.

The most distinctive feature of "2-105" is that the wearer has the opportunity to steal an ability from a target within a certain range. Even high-ranking powerful individuals can be stolen, but the chance is relatively small.

Within ten minutes of the sealed artifact's power taking effect, the person whose power was stolen will directly lose the corresponding ability, while the wearer can use it skillfully. After ten minutes, the ability will disappear, and the person whose power was stolen will have to wait until the next day to recover.

"Whether it works or not, at least we've increased our chances of winning from five percent to ten percent, and I am, after all, the King of Yellow and Black who controls good fortune... Besides, our main purpose is just to prevent problems before they arise and to prepare for the worst; we might not even take action... I hope Miss Lover and the Punisher arrive as soon as possible..."

Klein no longer hesitated and went upstairs.

Chapter 194 Guardians and the Poor Fools

He wasn't too worried about the negative effects of the sealed item "2-105" because he didn't plan to use it himself...

His plan was to give it to Miss Lover, but if she didn't make it in the end, it could be given to Leonard or Emily.

With the "Vein Thief" wrapped around his left hand, Klein walked down the stairs, step by step, back to the second floor.

He saw Dunn Smith standing quietly in the doorway of the night watchman's break room under the dim blue gaslight, wearing a black knee-length trench coat, his eyes deep and dark, just like when he "first" met him.

"We are guardians, but also a group of pitiful creatures constantly fighting against danger and madness."

The sounds of the past flashed through Klein's ears, and a sudden wave of bitterness welled up in his heart.

The captain must have encountered a crisis like today before.

He probably lost many of his friends because of this.

Therefore, he would absorb the extraordinary qualities of his companions, carrying their destinies forward with heavy steps, until, at only thirty-something years old, his hair began to fall out and his memory became as forgetful as that of an old man...

Captain, we all have to survive...

Klein muttered to himself, walked over, and raised his left hand, saying:

“Captain, I have chosen the sealed item ‘2-105’.”

Dunn nodded slightly, without asking why, and instead pointed to his office, saying:

"The Holy Temple sent a telegram saying that they would immediately organize powerful individuals to come over, and that we should try to delay as much as possible and wait."

"Hmm." Klein nodded, moved closer to the partition, and looked outside. "How's the situation?"

"Nothing unusual yet." Dunn looked down at the urn containing the saint's ashes held in his left palm.

Seeing that Emily and Leonard were having a good chat with Megaus, Klein didn't go out to disturb them. He retreated to the door of the Night Watchers' Recreation Room, where he was diagonally opposite Dunn across the corridor.

In the sofa area of ​​the reception hall, Leonard watched as Megas pulled out handfuls of hair, his expression stiffening once again.

Meigoos, slightly annoyed, kept picking up her cup to drink water, her face contorted as she looked at the night watchmen:

"I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a little unwell."

Leonard Mitchell was about to answer when Emily spoke in a gentle and pleasant tone:

"Relax, this is just your mind. Your body is actually very healthy."

Leonard looked at Emily beside him with some surprise. He felt that this familiar night watchman had become somewhat unfamiliar. Her words carried a sense of closeness that made people want to believe her.

Suddenly, he pricked up his ears and heard an aged voice from the depths of his heart:

"She is not your companion; she is being impersonated by someone else."

Leonard was taken aback by what he heard, and his expression towards Emily instantly became alert, his already furrowed brows becoming even more serious.

"However, she seems to be on your side, and her goal should also be to deal with the evil god's offspring in Megoos's womb."

Leonard glanced at Emily with a skeptical look. At that moment, Megas seemed to be convinced by Emily, her emotions eased slightly, and her tense back relaxed.

Just as Leonard was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly saw Megoss tremble and reach out to grab her own face, tearing off a long strip of flesh, flesh stained with blood.

My face is a little itchy.

Megos smiled sheepishly, her mouth stretching all the way to her cheekbone, revealing her gleaming white teeth and bright red gums.

XXXX!

Leonard silently swore, feeling that the situation was deteriorating too quickly.

At this moment, the aged voice spoke again:

"The situation is beyond repair. Within five minutes, Megos's child will make a move."

Leonard, who was listening intently with his head tilted to the side, twitched his lips and his face turned ashen.

He glanced at Emily, who remained calm beside him, and then at the terrifying-looking Megalos.

He forced a smile and said to the two women:

"I'm going to the bathroom."

Emily didn't speak, but gave him a meaningful look, while Megos's tone became somewhat elusive:

"OK……"

She touched her belly and said:

"My...child...is a little uneasy..."

"He must be a very cute little guy. He will become well-behaved and sensible. In the name of the goddess, he will bring you holiness and honor, he will bring you peace and tranquility..."

Emily's tone became increasingly gentle and believable, giving Leonard the illusion that Megius was carrying not a child, but an angel.

Seeing that Megoss's condition had stabilized somewhat, he didn't delay any longer and quickened his pace to approach the partition.

After entering the corridor, Leonard, who intended to go directly to the captain's office to find Dunn, passed by the restroom.

Blackthorn Security Company's restrooms consist of two rooms facing each other, one for men and one for women.

After a slight hesitation, Leonard cautiously approached the restroom and slowly pushed open the door to the women's restroom.

He saw a blonde woman with a slightly dazed expression sitting fully clothed on the toilet, her light blue eyes staring blankly at the empty wall in front of her.

“Emily…”

Leonard murmured softly, lost in hesitation.

"You'd better not reveal her existence."

The aged voice spoke again.

"why?"

Leonard asked in surprise.

"She is stronger than all of you. Now, it would be a mistake to make an enemy of her." The old voice said slowly, "Moreover, haven't you noticed? There is someone in the enemy with extremely strong precognitive abilities. If you talk to the other Night Watchers about her, the enemy will definitely find out."

Leonard was taken aback by what he heard. After hesitating several times, he remained silent, quietly closed the door, and turned back into the corridor.

At that moment, he saw Dunn Smith carrying the saint's urn and Klein holding the 'Vein Thief', and he let out a deep breath.

Then, his expression hardened, and he said:

"Captain, I'm afraid it's too late. We must deal with Megas and the baby in her womb immediately, otherwise the entire city of Tingen will suffer huge losses. This is not something that can be avoided by simply evacuating the surrounding residents. I know you have already sent such a telegram."

Dunn frowned slightly and asked with unusual seriousness:

Are you sure the situation has deteriorated to this extent?

"Yes, in no more than three minutes, Megos will undergo a mutation, and her child will be born prematurely."

Leonard answered affirmatively, and then the aged voice spoke softly again:

"Get that sealed artifact from the Thief's Path; it will be useful to me."

Leonard glanced at the thick veins wrapped around Klein's hand and said in a deep voice: