Chief Occultist

Bronz stared at Mountbatten, a sharp light in his eyes.

"That soldier was already dead before the transformation."

"I don't understand what that means either."

"The wounds he suffered, the things embedded in his neck—"

Bronz gestured at his own throat.

"Some of them were bones. Enchanted bones."

"I know. Cult rituals are often like that."

"You don't understand."

Bronz looked deeply uncomfortable, his expression carrying an indescribable terror.

"Demon bones were inside his body. Before long, they would have transformed him. They knew that, so they killed him."

"You keep saying 'they.' Who the fuck are they?"

"We don't need to tell you anything we don't want to—"

Senai opened his mouth, but Mountbatten had always moved quickly.

Before the other two could react, a pistol had appeared in his hand, its short, thick barrel aimed at Senai.

"Explain this fucked-up mess right now."

Mountbatten ordered.

"Now."

"Oh, man, don't do this—"

Bronz groaned.

"Shut up. Don't think I won't point a gun at you too."

"Put the gun away."

Senai said.

"Give me answers first."

Mountbatten refused to yield.

The Inquisitor sighed and spread his hands, making sure the major general could clearly see his movements.

He reached toward his waist, tugged out his shirt, then pulled up both his coat and vest, exposing the firm muscles of his right side.

Now Mountbatten could clearly see the mark.

"Oh... fuck."

Mountbatten muttered with a tremble.

The Civic Temple.

"That corpse was one of ours,"

Senai said, lowering his clothes.

"He was discovered before we found him... We wanted to retrieve him."

"But his body was deliberately left there, wasn't it?"

"He was a good man named Zanjibari."

Senai said flatly.

"He operated while disguised as a soldier."

Mountbatten had a million questions to ask, but he also knew