Act 5: Il Sole (The Sun)

Foreword:

Even God cannot change the past.

--Aristotle

Andro shouldered his toolbox, mentally preparing himself for the coming storm.

The other three criminals from the Zhan Gang followed Zhang Congfeng, initially displaying a restless and dissatisfied attitude, until the priest, like them, without protective gear or winter clothing, crossed two iron ladders and reached the steep cliff covered with strange rocks, opening the door of the lighthouse.

Andro followed closely behind the priest and suddenly started chatting.

"The air blowing from the valley smells wonderful, Father."

Jiang Xueming: "In a good mood?"

Andro chuckled and replied, "Ah, labor reminds me of my days in Hedland, working by day and playing games by night. Everything was so simple, and we could even gamble a few rounds on Saturdays and Sundays."

Jiang Xueming: "Have you thought about the future?"

"Too far, too far for me." Andro shook his head, squeezed into the first floor of the lighthouse, put down his toolbox and began rubbing his hands; the extremely low temperature made him shiver.

Jiang Xueming didn't say a word, took off his coat, and threw it into Andro's hands.

At that moment, Andro looked at the priest in surprise—

"--Why are you helping me?"

Jiang Xueming: "Homo sapiens have a body temperature above 36 degrees Celsius. I also have a wool sweater, and I'll be moving around soon, so my hands and feet will start to get warm. This sweater is in the way—I'll give it to you."

This situation made A Jie waver. He moved closer to Big B and whispered, "This priest cares about us. Does he really intend to help us finish our work?"

The hardships of the journey had left Big B frustrated and resentful. Now he saw everyone as an enemy, and he was still plotting how to escape. He didn't intend to say anything—if he could take the priest hostage, he might be able to steal a car and leave this desolate valley.

But upon closer reflection, the clown realized that they had done the same thing when they robbed the infirmary last time, and had failed inexplicably.

Big B eventually gave up the idea, after all, one cannot fail twice in the same thing. He followed Andro's steps and climbed to the top of the lighthouse with the fuel can.

A Jie was going to another signal station to inspect and de-ice the cables, while Schopenhauer, who was injured, stayed on the first floor of the lighthouse. In case of an emergency, he could immediately notify the transport team and have people come to treat the wounded.

The tower's staircase was steep and rapid, and the three of them climbed very slowly. Halfway up, the fierce wind from the mountain ravine blew in through the ventilation windows, and Xue Ming felt his hands and feet begin to stiffen; his fingers gripping the iron railings almost froze to the steel pipes.

He was carrying a bucket of kerosene, and he couldn't use both hands to exert force at the same time. He could only walk up one step, stop, and make sure he could see the next step before daring to continue.

"Father, I thought you were just joking," Andro said, somewhat incredulously. "That bitch Havana wanted to kill the four of us brothers. I don't understand what grudge she held against us—why would she use such cruel torture to execute us?"

The lighthouse's spiral staircase is like a torture chamber, with the tower's steps and handrails serving as cold instruments of torture. Each time the lamps are relit, eight barrels of fuel are needed, and it takes an ordinary person twenty minutes to go up and down. The base station's research team often has to send out a team of twenty people to complete the task of relit the lamps. Havana's request for the four brothers of the War Gang to complete this task is undoubtedly an act of murder.

Yesterday, Andro ran up and down the stairs sixteen times, exercising continuously for nearly four hours on this deadly staircase. Including rest time, he barely managed to catch the cafeteria's lunch bell. He was covered in injuries from the falls and had several near-death experiences, only managing to grab Big B's body in moments of blurred consciousness to prevent him from tumbling down the tower's staircase.

"Havana was a diner of Saint Josh Joris; they shared the same menu and the same tongue." Unbeknownst to him, Jiang Xueming had moved to the front of the line: "The Hercules's officials wanted to put you on the table from the beginning, and now that he's dead, his diners are bound to carry on their idol's legacy—this is classic copycat behavior."

It wasn't until the priest spoke frankly and openly that Big B finally realized what was going on.

"--This woman actually dared to eat Blood-giving Monster? She's a lowly Homo sapiens! What audacity!"

Jiang Xueming: "That's why I said, Big B, you've become a protected animal. The cage is the safest place, and animals that escape from the cage are the best targets for poachers."

Andro: "I still don't understand, Father, why are you helping us? We are all sinners."

"Even God cannot change what has happened, cannot change the past." Jiang Xueming walked faster and faster, memorizing the stride between the stairs, his extraordinary adaptability allowing his legs to find a familiar marching rhythm. "The crimes you have committed should be judged by the court—not devoured by more terrifying demons."

"Oh my god! He actually cares about me!" Big B said in a pretentious, sarcastic tone, "He's so gentle! He even wanted to send me to the execution ground, how thoughtful!"

Schopenhauer, who was still keeping watch on the first floor, burst into laughter.

"Father! You're quite an interesting fellow! But in my opinion—you still haven't introduced me to the girls from Dream Paris, and that's something I don't quite agree with! At least not before I die."

Before he could finish speaking, Schopenhauer froze.

Because there was someone else in front of him--

--Jordi appeared out of nowhere in front of Schopenhauer and voluntarily released the special psychic power of [Return To Innocence].

No, it's less of a release and more of a transfer.

He unleashed a fierce punch at the spiral staircase, followed by a second combo attack from his spirit, and then a barrage of blows!

In that instant, Schopenhauer couldn't even get up to stop him. He was sitting next to the fuel depot on the first floor of the tower, scrolling through his phone, when he looked up and saw Jody, a man he had never met before, begin to display his Soul Power superpower.

At that moment, the spiral iron staircase slowly disappeared.

--Its steel bars, bolts, rivets, and other components gradually become transparent, transforming into something [non-existent] under the hammering of [Return To Innocence]!

Andro and Big B's memory of the road also became blurred; they couldn't see it at all! Terrified, they retreated, clinging to the cold tower walls, too afraid to move!

Jody erased the "presence" of the stairs and deliberately came into the sunlight, standing in front of Zhang Congfeng. He had obtained the two crucial items and was confident enough to kill this strange priest to eliminate any future trouble.

"Being suspended in mid-air must feel awful, right?" Jody, having eaten human flesh, had fully recovered his energy. His lips were black, and his eyes a strange, dark red. "Yesterday, when you were beating me up on the edge of the cliff, that's what I thought too! Father!"

"Why aren't you saying anything? Where are you looking? Are you searching for a foothold? Stop struggling, I've erased the existence of this staircase! Your brain and body will betray you!"

Xue Ming strained, gripping tightly the grooves and vents in the wall. He was sixteen meters from the first floor; a fall from there would mean certain death or serious injury. But his feet always landed on empty space, unable to reach the solid metal plate.

--This enemy seems to truly possess the divine power to "turn matter into air." He can no longer recall the exact shape of the spiral staircase, but he can barely reach two iron plates and find a foothold. However, the sensation under his feet is soft and yielding. His brain is also deceiving him, urging him to immediately change direction and step into the deadly air.

"What should we do next?" Jody's spirit emerged from her body once more.

--The magnificent peacock phantom delivered a powerful punch to Schopenhauer, rendering the elder brother of the War Gang unable to straighten up again.

Schopenhauer's face was shattered by the heavy punch from the emerald green bird feather, a bright red wound splitting open in his facial muscles and jaw, and his chin was broken!

But Schopenhauer's expression was unusually calm, even giving off a terrifying sense of dementia.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Blood was gushing from his throat, and his jawbone had been brutally torn off by Jody; that part of his body no longer belonged to him.

--[Return To Innocence] The true horror lies in killing without leaving a trace. The execution process is lengthy and cruel.

Schopenhauer's brain seemed to have entered a brief state of malfunction. He never thought he had a "chin" as an organ. He only felt a sweetness in his throat, and the spurting blood became reasonable. He lost his awareness of this part of his body and became a blood and flesh machine that could only scream. He climbed out of the tower by his survival instinct and completely lost his will to fight.

In Schopenhauer's eyes, the stranger who suddenly broke into the tower seemed to have done nothing, yet blood began to gush from his throat, and all his memories of his chin vanished!

"I'm going to eat you all up one by one, starting with this old cured meat."

Jody held the mangled flesh from Schopenhauer's face, removed the bone fragments and teeth, and prepared to taste it, starting with her tongue.

"--Repent, Father. You must repent; repent to me, the true God, rather than to God."

"I am everywhere, I am always lurking around you, erasing things you are familiar with, and even erasing your existence."

"Imagine a day when everyone around you—your friends, your family, your companions—forgets you, they can't even feel your presence, and you can only tremble in my arms—I am your god."

As for how to kill you.

Jody swallowed the bright red tongue, then pulled a finely crafted pistol from his pouch. This was the weapon Havana had given him, standard equipment at Saladin's outpost.

He kicked the half-dead Schopenhauer aside, pointed the gun at the top of the platform, and then pulled the hilt of Berloberg's sword from his pouch.

"Your power comes from this sword hilt, doesn't it? At first, I was curious how you, a lowly wretch, could possess the divine power of a gunsmith. It turns out it's all because of the spirits of Berloberg. Now it belongs to me!"

Jody brought the sword hilt to her lips, greedily licking the medium's tongue.

--[Return To Innocence] allows him to easily enter and exit various rooms, so stealing the sword hilt is not a difficult task.

As for where the information on the sword hilt came from, it was all thanks to Commander Havana. During the Spirit Calamity disaster at Moon River Lake, Maquire was able to be saved by the two girls entirely thanks to the strip of cloth left on the hilt of the Berloberg sword as a clue. This crucial spiritual medium naturally came into Havana's sight.

"I can feel it! I can feel it!"

Jody turned his gun around and aimed it at Zhang Congfeng.

"It's talking to me. It's cursing at me."

"How furious, how icy the spiritual pressure."

Andro wanted to do something more, so he frantically poured the kerosene from the can beside him. But his fingers wouldn't twitch—

--The bullet struck Andro's elbow before it was fired, and the moment the [Expelliarmus Charm] took effect, the barrel of fuel was splashed back onto Andro.

Jody shouted excitedly, "Is this the power of the gunsmith! It's his combat experience! It's his divine might!"

"I surrender!" Big B seemed to have returned to the circus, resuming his old ways. "I surrender! I surrender! Sir! What grudges do you have that you don't need to hold against me? I'm just a small fry, I surrender!"

"Then I want you to kick that priest next to you down!" Jody turned his gun, locking it back on Zhang Congfeng. "If you do a good job, I'll spare your life!"

From this firing angle, Jody dared not fire again. The constant stream of combat experience flowing through Berloberg told him that the barrel of kerosene in Andro's hand was already flowing down the tower wall. If a bullet sparked and the kerosene exploded, he would not be able to safely evacuate this cold prison in time.

Big B looked shakily at his "companion" in front of him; he was still some distance away from Zhang Congfeng.

The priest walked at the very front of the group, at least three body lengths behind Big B, with Andro in between.

Andro couldn't open his eyes; a burning pain shot through them. The smell of blood was masked by the kerosene. He had been shot in the arm and was hanging from the tower wall by only one arm. His clothes were soaked with kerosene, making them slippery and heavy.

Xue Ming still had the Universal Elixir as a tactical reserve. He was prepared for the worst and was going to jump directly off the spiral staircase. Even if he was crippled, he should still be able to fight.

He was about to do that-

--Andro bit down hard on Big B's leg, tearing a deep, bone-revealing wound from Big B's unruly lower limb.

"Father!"

Andro howled, raised his injured arm, and took another bite. The cannibal's bite was incredibly strong, and blood gushed out from the large blood vessels in his arm and the femoral artery of his Big B. The blood was blown into mist by the cold wind, and when it was poured onto the iron stairs and handrails, it became a visible path.

Without any hesitation, Jiang Xueming stepped onto the iron ladder and ran down it.

Jody immediately aimed her gun, and the bullets struck the tower wall, causing flames to spread rapidly, about to engulf Andro.

The priest's movement speed exceeded Jody's expectations. The man was like a nimble ape, a ghostly figure leaping and running repeatedly between the complex spiral staircases, rapidly changing positions in rhythm with the gunfire—the iron plates of the staircase became the best cover, and every time a gunshot rang out, Jody struggled to lock onto the priest's figure.

"How dare you use my spell against me?!"

Jody heard a roar and a terrifying figure pounced down from more than four meters above her head.

"[Return To Innocence]!"

The emerald green peacock avatar reappeared, and Jody's gun spewed forth continuous flames; he was extremely confident in his soul power.

This was the second direct collision of soul forces, and he still believed in the data on the books of [Return To Innocence] - the Polarized Sextant also gave a very high rating to the destructive power of Jody's spirit, with both destructive power and speed being [A] level.

In an instant, flames and a hurricane erupted on the first floor of the lighthouse.

A dazzling array of fist shadows intertwined with two illusory and flawless spirits. Jody's eyes went unfocused, and in that instant, he saw the steel arm of [Fragrant Dream]—only then did he realize what was happening.

The priest before me is none other than the gunsmith himself! No wonder this guy isn't afraid of the [Disarmament Spell]—it's a magical spell created by the gunsmith, based on his analysis and understanding of shooting angles and ballistics. How could I possibly defeat the gunsmith with firearms?!

This message must be sent out! It must be told to Judas!

Jiang Xueming held nothing back; he only wanted to keep Jody here. With his physical speed alone, he simply couldn't catch [Return To Innocence]'s fist.

The moment Fragrant Dream released its spiritual energy after leaving its body, Schopenhauer was driven to the Gate of Death by the terrifying Inspiration Pressure. The same was true for Big B, who was hanging on the tower. He vomited on the spot, was so frightened that he crashed into the scorching iron ladder, and rolled down the ladder with his body covered in burning kerosene, suffering head injuries, broken bones, and torn flesh.

Jody grew increasingly alarmed as he fought. After emptying his magazine, he saw not a single drop of blood. It seemed that all the bullets had been taken by the mysterious, armored cat. He felt his hands go numb, and it seemed that exchanging blows with this steel cat would only lead to his death!

But it's okay! It's okay!

"I'm the winner!"

As long as Jody continues to use the [Return To Innocence] ability to disappear into the darkness, people will gradually forget Jody's existence, even the gunsmith will forget about it.

He wanted to erase his own presence, to take this message back to Shambhala, to recall his spirit to maintain a state of unity between body and soul, and then leave the lighthouse and hide in the wind and snow.

Xue Ming pressed forward relentlessly, holding onto the emerald green peacock tightly and refusing to let go for a moment. If Jody dared to summon his spirit and stop attacking, Fragrant Dream's fist would smash the birdman's head in an instant!

The brief stalemate lasted only three seconds. Jody had already stepped one foot outside the door. He dared not waste any more words, holding his breath, hoping to find a moment of respite from this terrifying high-speed exchange of fire.

The turbulence created by the collision of the supersonic spiritual energy clouds almost blinded him, making him realize just how terrifying the gunsmith's fighting spirit was. In this environment, any mistake, any hesitation, or any retreat could end the battle the moment he was hit by a punch from the opponent's spirit.

His mental energy was being rapidly depleted. Jody felt that the meal of human flesh he had just eaten was a waste. His complexion turned extremely pale, and a cold wind, as sharp as a knife, blew into his mouth, quickly drying his eyes and mouth.

Left? Right? Left?! Or left?!

The ever-changing attack routes of Fragrant Dream left him overwhelmed. This spirit seemed to be a martial arts master, not simply using super destructive power and speed to decide the outcome as Jody had expected.

"Still on the left, too close! He seems to know my weakness! My left-right coordination isn't as good as Fragrant Dream's, I need to keep retreating."

I can't find the right moment to summon my spirit! I can't! If I give up now, if I run away now, I won't be able to react in time! The Fragrant Dream will kill me in an instant!

"Gunsmith!"

Jody devised a new strategy with his own body. He pulled out a lighter, and in the moment when Big B was delirious, the kerosene can landed next to the dying Schopenhauer, the fuel seeping into the crack of the basement door.

--At that very moment, Jody, in his spirit form, struck Fragrant Dream's right hand with a barrage of straight punches, trading blows for injury and creating scalding air at nearly 800 degrees Celsius.

"Are you trying to kill us both?! This tiny spark is enough to burn us both to death!"

The burst of light in the air ignited the fuel at Schopenhauer's feet. In the high-speed fistfight, the lighter cracked open. There were still more than 400 liters of kerosene fuel in the basement. If an explosion had occurred, they would definitely not have survived.

The flames, like a vicious crimson python, rushed straight towards the warehouse. If this python were to enter the basement, the lighthouse would transform into a scorching fireball, becoming the sun.

Just then, Schopenhauer struggled, and his already unhealthy spine cracked again. He suddenly collapsed onto the fuel-fueled road, screaming as he was burned by the flames. Blood kept gushing from his mouth and nose, and the air was filled with the smell of the Blood-giving Monster's flesh.

"You beast! You..."

Jody's eyes glazed over, and in the instant his fighting spirit wavered, Fragrant Dream's heavy punch slammed into his abdomen, scattering chunks of bone and flesh through a perfectly round gash!

The spirit, having returned to its original state, shattered along with Jody's physical body! His soul power was tattered, and his body was forced back several steps by the powerful force of the punch.

His eyes were filled with melancholy as he stood on the outside of the snow-covered tower, gazing at Death God through the doorway—

The gunsmith was catching his breath; the relentless attacks had exhausted the Night Demon.

This might be Jody's last chance: to take a punch from Fragrant Dream, then achieve the union of body and soul, erase his own existence, and escape into the shadows where no one can find him.

"Where are you running to?!"

Just as Jody was about to do so, a roar suddenly came from above.

A deep crater appeared in the tower's outer wall. Andro's eyes gleamed with fury, his body wreathed in flames of rage. With the panicked Big B under his arm, the two of them crashed straight down on Jody's head, slamming the Blood-giving Monster into the hard rock!

Jody almost lost consciousness from the pain; he felt as if his lower body had disappeared!

His head was embedded in one side of his torso, and his waist was broken, but he wasn't quite dead yet!

He had no feeling in either arm, and the gun and the hilt of Berloberg's sword fell to the ground together.

He was almost one with Andro, writhing amidst the bloody carnage, struggling to escape. His psionic powers remained effective and continued to work. Soon, the gunsmith and the blood-bearing units would forget his existence.

"Live on, live on. Live."

Jody had already climbed onto the living platform, with the gunsmith hot on his heels, following in Andro's footsteps.

Xue Ming couldn't see Jody, so he could only continue tracking along the "strange blood." But the fates of Schopenhauer and Andro behind him were unknown, and after such a fall, Big B was probably in grave danger.

He kicked and punched the irrigation canal on the living platform viciously. Jody suffered more and more damage. He was beaten and crawled all over the ground. His lower body was gone. The worm nest in his belly kept spraying holy blood. The hair on his face was also growing more and more. He was about to break out of the beast disease.

His arms were also unresponsive, so he could only rely on his shoulders to escape.

Having been struck by Death God, Jody's prayers seemed to have been rewarded.

Jiang Xueming left to check on the injuries of his brothers in the Zhan Gang.

--It took the invisible man more than forty minutes to barely crawl back to the cafeteria. He had completely disappeared below the waist, his legs were nowhere to be seen, his arms had become a burden, the cold wind had frozen his wounds into hard chunks of flesh, and green feathers were sprouting from his face and head.

He smashed his head against Havana's window, again and again.

"Havana, save me! Save me!"

With just one more bite of human flesh, he could return victorious.

The mere fact that "the gunsmith is not dead" was enough for him to claim a huge credit from Judas.

"Havana!"

He deliberately released his Soul Power, hoping to increase his presence in front of Lady Havana and have his warm home reopen to him.

But the black-haired woman ignored Jody; she simply stood by the window, curiously watching the immortal man.

She tried a few things, like getting an induction cooker and a cutting board, and looking out the office window to make sure no one else was around. Finally, she tied a napkin around her neck, trying to maintain her elegance, opened Saint Josh's cookbook, and her mouth watered.

Jody was nearly driven mad by the sight. Maintaining his movement and body temperature, he slid from the office window back into the road, too afraid to call Havana for help. He hid under the warm chassis of the icebreaker, intending to get a good night's sleep.

He didn't know if he would wake up.