Going Against the Grain

Lynn, what are you doing?

Lynn, do you really have a grudge against me?!

Constantine was genuinely stunned by Lynn's move this time. He was really going for self-demolition?!

"Lynn, you..."

"That thing has already noticed us."

At that moment, Lynn seemed like a completely different person—calm and frighteningly wise. "I don't think it's an ordinary demon. At the very least, none of the demons I remember were particularly smart.

"They worship strength, destruction, and ruin. They would never use something like binoculars to observe their enemies."

Shrugging, Lynn continued, "Kitty is so smart, but I still have to open the cans for him. Could that thing possibly be clearer-headed, more rational, and smarter than Kitty?"

Lynn's reasoning made perfect sense. Kitty, perched on his shoulder, nodded solemnly as well.

Constantine didn't want to admit it. His face still hurt, after all. But he had to admit that it made sense.

"So, what should we..."

Constantine suddenly realized something was wrong. Wait, I'm the leader here. Why am I asking him?!

"Fine, Lynn. By your reasoning, whatever's inside could be a living human, or perhaps a... particularly intelligent demon?

"It noticed us. It may have noticed me as early as the day I came here to investigate. The reason it didn't attack, I think, was because the timing wasn't right.

"It needs time! It may not have fully broken its seal yet!"

Constantine suddenly became a little excited. Staring gravely at Lynn, he said, "We're going back in now. We're finding that thing!"

Naturally, Lynn had no objection.

But just then, the seemingly ordinary town suddenly underwent some kind of change.

Thick white fog surged out from the depths of the town. As though driven by something, it swiftly enveloped the entire place.

Lynn and Constantine's vision was immediately blocked. They couldn't even see anything five meters away.

"Sigh. If old Batman were here, this would be so much easier."

Constantine looked confused. "What did you say?"

"Bats. They use echolocation. Didn't you go to school?"

Constantine couldn't be bothered to respond to him.

Although an unexpected change had occurred, exposing them and allowing their enemy to impose some kind of restriction on them, they had no choice but to go in now.

Especially Constantine. He believed an Archdemon in the town was slowly, inch by inch, breaking free of its seal. Every second counted, so of course they had to go in!

As for danger, Constantine had faced dangerous missions too many times in his life.

As for the one beside him...

Chain Hammer whistled through the air, showing not the slightest hint of fear.

"Let's go in."

After saying that, Lynn shoved Constantine, sending him into the thick fog first.

"I... you motherf—... Hiss! Haa...!"

Constantine's lungs didn't seem to be in very good shape. He had to take a deep breath at the drop of a hat.

"Hehe, don't be so mad. Here, I'll take the lead."

With a smile, Lynn patted Constantine on the shoulder, then lifted his Chain Hammer and gave it a shake.

The next second, under Constantine's astonished gaze, the Chain Hammer began to glow.

Lynn! And you said this wasn't a magical item!

"Lynn..."

Constantine's gaze was faintly resentful. Combined with his bruised eye socket, it was almost unbearable to look at.

"Oh, this thing? It's not much use. Anyway, if you get into danger and I throw the hammer end near you, figure out a way to touch it."

After saying that, Lynn lifted a leg and started forward, not looking afraid in the slightest.

"Wait."

Following behind Lynn, Constantine cautiously raised a hand and drew a spell formation while muttering an incantation. Then, an invisible spherical space spread outward, forming a hemisphere over the ground. At last, Lynn and Constantine no longer had to tread carefully with every step.

"Constantine, can't you make this thing bigger? Big enough to cover the whole town, maybe?"

Constantine ignored him.

His hand continued to move, and he kept chanting. A tiny black figure the size of a finger, curled up into itself, appeared in the hemisphere and floated in the air.

"This thing can sense demonic aura. The closer it gets, the more its body stretches out. The stronger the demon's energy is, the larger it becomes.

"However, while it helps us, it also lets the other side sense us.

"But they already know we're here anyway, so..."

Constantine shrugged and curled his lip.

"Got it. Let's go."

Lynn and Constantine began exploring the town along the streets. At first, they searched cautiously. Whenever they entered a house, one of them would always cover the other.

But as they explored bit by bit and found more and more empty houses, their movements became increasingly careless.

They finished searching an entire street and found nothing.

"Constantine, don't you have that thing you put on your eyes so you can see souls? You didn't spot even one? There were so many here earlier!"

The two stood at the intersection where numerous souls had previously gathered. But now it was as quiet as death. There was only their breathing, and the lantern in Lynn's hand swayed without any wind.

Constantine shook his head, his expression grave. "Actually, when we came in, I synchronized the spell formation with you.

"Did you notice anything?"

Lynn shook his head too.

"I think we should just go to the place that was glowing earlier. You kept saying there might be some kind of trap there, but it doesn't seem like we have any other options now, right?"

After pondering for a long time, Constantine nodded helplessly. "You're right."

They exchanged a glance, then turned together and looked in one direction.

It was the largest residence in town. Whatever had been watching Lynn earlier should have been inside that house.

Lynn still took the lead, with Constantine following close behind.

It didn't take long for them to reach the door.

"Lynn, I think we should split up."

Constantine said seriously, "One of us enters from the front, and the other goes in from another direction. What do you think...?"

Constantine looked utterly serious. Lynn looked at him with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, tucking in his chin until he had a second one.

"Mm... sure."

Lynn agreed rather readily. Constantine was a little caught off guard, while Lynn had already walked toward the entrance.

"Are you going to wait until I go in before leaving?"

"Of course not. Why would you think that? I'm heading over there."

The two split up.

Five minutes later.

Constantine circled around from the back to the front. "Lynn, Lynn? Lynn..."

"Ha! I knew you didn't go in!"

Constantine: "..."

You have no right to say that!

Not even bothering to say anything, Constantine smiled indifferently. Just as he was about to speak, a hollow, ethereal voice seemed to drift over from an impossibly distant place.

"Humans... leave this place... or... die!"

Hearing that voice, Constantine and Lynn's eyes both lit up. They exchanged a quick glance, kicked open the door, and rushed inside in a mad dash to outpace each other.

A verbal threat?

It had to be weak!

Don't let it get away!