Chapter 132
On the other side... a girl who bore a striking resemblance to the unconscious girl on the ground seemed slightly older in appearance, and the few pieces of rope at her feet that had not yet completely burned out seemed to tell the story to the Zuo Jian how she escaped.
But more importantly...
Their faces, the horns on their heads, and the tails behind them.
Drak... Drak in the photo...
Were they the adopted daughters of the Earl Warwick...?
Zuo Jian squinted, deep in thought.
At the same time, he glanced at the broken window beside him and the disheveled clothes on the standing Drak girl, which looked like they had been damaged in a fight.
Even through the torn outer layer, one could faintly see the arm bearing bloodstains.
Was there a third person in the room before? Was the commotion just now also caused by her fighting with the murderer?
Did she defeat the murderer of Earl Warwick, allowing him to escape through the window?
No, something's not right.
Zuo Jian seemed to sense something strange mixed in with his speculation, as if all his conclusions so far had been deliberately guided in a certain direction.
I have a feeling that I've overlooked something.
Regardless, communication must begin.
Just as Zuo Jian opened his mouth, a sudden burst of intense flames engulfed his face!
Eblana looked at Zuo Jian, who had suddenly fallen into thought, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Sure enough, the hastily arranged disguise was easily noticed for its inconsistencies, especially by some thoughtful individuals.
In that case... interrupting the other person's train of thought might be a good approach.
Seeing that Zuo Jian wanted to communicate, she raised her hand, and the flames she was born with gathered into a wave that rushed towards him! With scorching heat and a strong air wave, it was like a wave of flames.
The former stared wide-eyed at the oncoming flames; at that moment, everything around him seemed to freeze in time.
Damn it.
He regained his senses; he could now clearly feel the heatwave gradually encroaching upon him, but...
However, the body was unable to make a dodging posture.
This body is indeed too weak.
With no room to dodge, Zuo Jian took a deep breath, gathering all the flesh and blood he could freely manipulate into the shield-like structure in his hand, while simultaneously covering it with the constantly flowing blood vessels, allowing the blood to circulate rapidly within the shield to achieve a slight cooling effect.
Immediately afterwards, he turned to the side, moving the magazine of the Breach Spear away from the direction of the flames.
He dared not gamble that the explosive grenades inside the Breach Spear might detonate in his hand due to the high temperature...
This body lacks the physical strength of someone like Vouivre.
If he were to be hit by the simultaneous explosion of all the grenades in an entire chamber at close range, it would probably blow half of his body off.
While it's not a problem in terms of threat, it would be troublesome if this body lost contact.
"Heh, this is probably the most challenging thing I've ever done since I transmigrated, isn't it?"
As if talking to himself, Zuo Jian remarked that this weakened body actually made him feel a rare sense of tension.
Creak--
The spear tip pierced the floor, serving as a support for his body on the other end to prevent him from being thrown away by the heat wave, while he curled up behind the shield.
On his arm, which held the shield, numerous veins circulated blood heated to boiling, causing his entire arm to emit steam.
Eblana stood there, somewhat surprised, looking at the resolute figure before her, still standing firm amidst the flames.
This guy doesn't look that strong, but how can he withstand his flames?
Is it Originium Arts? Or is that shield some kind of special device? Never mind, it doesn't matter—it's about time.
She estimated the time, then stopped her Originium Arts.
In an instant, the raging flames vanished, leaving only a slightly unsteady Drak girl.
Eblana pretended to be panting heavily, then opened her eyes and stared intently at the man holding the shield in front of her.
Those clothes... were they from a gang? Now I remember, the teacher had indeed had dealings with some gangs in Londinium, and behind them often stood... Grand Dukes.
While deep in thought, Eblana feigned weakness, preparing to observe Zuo Jian's next move.
The attack just now should have disrupted the enemy's train of thought. What needs to be done now is to use the surrounding environment and clues to guide the development towards the direction we have predicted.
"Um, I'm not an enemy. Strictly speaking, I should be considered your adoptive father's friend..."
Just as Eblana had predicted, the man in front of her took the initiative to communicate.
Judging from the other person's expression, he also realized that he was a Drak... He also understood what Drak meant to Victoria at this moment.
Although it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, given the current situation, if she could use the gangs under the Duke's command to get close to them... she would have a chance to use her Originium Arts to manipulate one of them. Although it was extremely risky and the probability was very low, if she succeeded, the benefits would be immeasurable.
Eblana was considering her plan when she answered.
"Who are you...? Why should I believe you?"
In the past, Zuo Jian would probably have simply dropped his weapon and spread his arms to show that he meant no harm.
After all... in the past, he wouldn't have needed these ridiculous weapons, nor would he have worried about being burned by the flames when he put away his shield.
Ah, such a frail body is such a hassle.
"Actually, I only chose to visit because Earl Warwick hadn't come to collect the goods he had entrusted to us."
"Look."
Zuo Jian pulled a list from his pocket, and the handwriting that appeared in the column for the person in charge was indeed that of Earl Warwick.
Seeing this, Eblana finally "lowered her guard" and somewhat doubtfully withdrew from her fighting stance, but she still protected the other unconscious girl on the ground.
"Phew, it's great that you understand."
With a long sigh, Zuo Jian lowered his weapon, though the shield remained in its simulated form.
"Who are you?"
Eblana looked up, asking with a mixture of wariness and doubt.
Zuo Jian paused for a moment, then gave her the kindest smile he could muster.
"Norman Smith."
"My name."
Upon hearing this, Eblana unconsciously clicked her tongue inwardly.
Who cares what your name is?
She thought the other person would reveal that they were a member of that gang.
With this, she might even be able to find out in advance which duke is backing her.
However, Eblana could only think about it, not express it directly.
"Eblana."
Have
Somewhat reluctantly, she gave her name to Zuo Jian.
"Eblana... Hmm, and also, aren't you going to untie the girl behind you first?"
At this point, Eblana turned around, looked at the unconscious Loughshinny behind her, and with a "worried" expression, immediately began to loosen the ropes for her.
"She is--"
"Loughshinny... my sister."
"Yeah."
Zuo Jian stepped forward and began to examine the damaged glass window up close.
Turning his head, he noticed Eblana secretly glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Earl Warwick, or rather, your adoptive father..."
"He's dead, isn't he?"
"... I regret."
Unexpectedly, Eblana did not show the extreme sadness that Zuo Jian had predicted.
On the contrary, she appeared... utterly calm.
It was as if it were not surprising at all.
But she can't say these things out loud; is she the type to keep her emotions hidden inside?
"What are your plans next?"
"Have no idea."
Eblana stood up and looked at the somewhat empty attic.
The servants had all run away, which confirmed her suspicions.
Now, only she, the man in front of her, and Loughshinny remain alive in the mansion.
"..."
She glanced at Zuo Jian beside her, waiting for him to utter that inevitable sentence.
Judging from their expressions, the other party definitely recognized their race; otherwise, they wouldn't have been so shocked.
Therefore, it would be a great achievement for a gang to offer two pure-blooded Drak to the Duke behind them, especially in this era.
Eblana has a deep understanding of the "value" of her bloodline and doesn't hesitate to use it.
But... why does this man look like he's deep in thought?
Shouldn't such a thing be done without hesitation?
Why did it take him so long to think about it?
Has she been isolated from the outside world for too long, making Drak's bloodline worthless?
Then, Zuo Jian looked at Eblana and Loughshinny in front of him, as if he had made a major decision, sighed, and then spoke seriously, saying the words that Eblana had been waiting for.
"If you really have nowhere to go, you can come with me."
Chapter 90, Sisters
"What's this?"
Eblana stood downstairs, watching as the lander slowly reversed, its trunk opened, and one wooden crate after another was pried open, revealing objects wrapped in paper inside.
"Earl Warwick asked me to... order some goods, mostly warm clothing and food. If I'm not mistaken, he intends to distribute them to the surrounding Tarans."
"I know, it's a very effective method. For him, it only requires a negligible price to establish a lofty image in the hearts of those Tarans."
"You don't seem to have a very good opinion of your adoptive father?"
Zuo Jian sensed that Eblana's attitude towards Earl Warwick was not like that of a normal father and daughter.
"Actually, he's the one who taught me these things."
The latter was more candid about this matter, since pretending to have a close relationship with Earl Warwick would only make her more likely to be exposed. Being honest about her part made it easier for her to maintain her facade.
"His exact words were, 'It's not even necessary to distribute these clothes and food to every single Tarans, but it's essential that they all see that they are indeed distributing food and clothing to the Tarans.'"
"Judging from the volume of orders, this doesn't seem like something they just want to do casually."
Zuo Jian checked the various supplies in the wooden crates. It was clear that, judging from the rations, almost every Tarans here could get a piece of clothing just for keeping warm.
"After all, for him, it doesn't make much difference in the quantity ordered, and he doesn't intend to save money in this regard."
"Did your teacher ever teach you how to evaluate someone whose heart is full of self-interest and evil thoughts, yet who does good deeds and righteous acts until their death?"
Zuo Jian looked at the box, then turned to ask Eblana.
"... a brilliant hypocrite."