The judge

The record player in the café was playing a lilting song.

[Under the spreading chestnut tree

I sold you and you sold me

There lie they, and here lie we

Under the spreading chestnut tree-]

"Here's to a fruitful partnership!" Xia Xiu and Ximen shook hands warmly.

"Once we've completed the mission, we'll bring you your share of the spoils as well," Evan told Xia Xiu.

"Then I'll look forward to seeing you both." Xia Xiu smiled.

Xia Xiu had just shared his intelligence on Harry and Dorn with Ximen and Evan. In return, they would pay him an intelligence fee.

Of course, that fee would most likely come out of the pockets of Xia Xiu's two dear brothers.

"I'll be off, then. Take your time digesting the information." Xia Xiu excused himself first.

"Mm." Ximen and Evan were sitting on the sofa, carefully studying the intelligence Xia Xiu had given them. When they heard he was leaving, they merely offered a brief acknowledgment.

Watching the two men at work, Xia Xiu smiled with delight. He stepped out of the café just as a Shiba Inu passed by his feet.

Xia Xiu crouched down and rubbed the dog's head, ignoring its displeased gaze. Then, under its indignant stare, he left, whistling a cheerful tune.

Inside the café, the server approached just as Ximen and Evan finished discussing their respective assignments and were preparing to act.

"Gentlemen, including the gentleman who just left, your total comes to twenty Youyang Currency."

"That brat didn't pay?!" Ximen asked in astonishment. Beside him, the corner of Evan's eye twitched involuntarily.

"He said you two would pay for him."

"..."

"...Fine. Understood."

After settling the bill and leaving the café, Ximen and Evan saw the Shiba Inu lying miserably by the entrance. Both immediately thought of the blond boy and his radiant smile.

"Youngsters these days..." Ximen said with a troubled expression.

"Come on. We've got work to do." After addressing the sighing Ximen, Evan headed down the nearby street alone.

"Ah..." Ximen shook his head, then headed in the opposite direction.

Evan was heading to Harry's residence, while Ximen was going to the underground tavern Dorn frequented.

Brent, Block 104.

The basement of Harry's private residence.

With a feverish expression, Harry cradled a square glass vessel containing a writhing lump of flesh covered in runes. Carrying it, he passed rows of culture vessels filled with fluorescent green nutrient solution.

All manner of organs floated inside these vessels. A small portion belonged to animals; most were human.

Harry reached the far end, where an oval vessel filled with nutrient solution stood. He carefully tipped the lump of flesh into the solution, then sealed the lid.

"Just give me another month. Once I've finished deciphering the [Way of the Whole Flesh] in Adaposs's creation, I'll be able to advance in rank during the next Divine Feast ritual, ascending from Orin to Zend."

Harry's eyes brimmed with joy. Once he advanced in rank, he would receive more of Adaposs's attention and more resources. His life, which was nearing its end, would find a second spring.

BANG-

Beep, beep, beep-

A tremendous crash suddenly rang out. The entire basement shook violently, and the warning array sounded a shrill alarm.

Harry's expression turned exceptionally ugly.

Why?!

Why did something have to go wrong now, of all times?!

Harry looked through his surveillance array at the person attacking his residence. A burly man in a suit stood in his main hall, holding a rugged weapon in his right hand: a [Boltgun] powered by EVE Particles.

The BIO Species he had stationed around the residence for defense were being killed with a single shot each. But what caught Harry's attention was the emblem on the man's boltgun.

"Heaven?!" Harry went pale with shock.

In a panic, Harry grabbed the lump of flesh he had just placed in the culture vessel, took out an emergency teleportation scroll, and tore it open on the spot.

Nothing happened.

"Damn it, a Binding Field!" Harry roared in anger.

Fortunately, he had previously dug a tunnel in the basement specifically for emergency escapes. His only option now was to flee through it and blow up the entrance. Only then could he shake off Heaven's operative for good.

Harry immediately took the lump of flesh and ran toward the tunnel. As he ran, he could sense the BIO Species he had stationed disappearing one by one. The tremors from above grew more violent, spurring him to run faster.

Almost there. The tunnel's just ahead. All I have to do is...

BOOM!!!

A violent explosion erupted ahead, and the ceiling in front of Harry collapsed.

A two-meter-tall figure encased in gray armor appeared before Harry. Streams of incandescent vapor vented from the metal helmet. Its blood-red eyes stared at Harry like a beast watching its prey.

"Heavenly Armament... Inquisitor Class..." Harry said, his hands and feet turning cold. He stared at the golden wing on the shoulder of the man's powered armor, despair flooding his face.

The third tier of Heaven's three tiers and nine ranks, the pinnacle of the Holy Spirit tier: Principalities-the Principality!

"You certainly know how to hide!"

The voice came through the powered armor, sounding unusually hoarse.

The newcomer was Evan Lowell, a member of the Burial Agency's [White Gloves].

After entering Harry's residence, Evan had been beset by the BIO Species. Following his principle of efficiency above all else, he had simply pulled a boltgun from the [Heavenly Armory] and paid each of them his respects with a single shot.

He had not originally intended to deploy his Heavenly Armament. Every time he did, he had to activate his [Second Heart] to expand his flesh and raise his physical capabilities to the level required to wear powered armor. It was overkill for dealing with a small fry.

The reason he was using it now was that he had just scanned the entire residence with the [Laser Phase Positioning] thaumaturgy and discovered the underground tunnel and the fleeing Harry. Letting him reach that tunnel would have been troublesome.

"Damn it! Suffering Flesh Walker!"

Harry had no choice but to stake everything on this.

The Suffering Flesh Walker appeared, machete in hand. He roared and charged at Evan, bringing his coldly gleaming blade down in an unstoppable slash.

Hiss, hiss, hiss-

Scalding steam vented from Evan's helmet. He reached into empty space, sending ripples through it, then drew out a gray Chainsword.

Bzzzz-

"Heretic, you will die here!"

The Chainsword mercilessly tore through the Suffering Flesh Walker, splitting his body in two. Blood splashed onto the armor, only to evaporate in its astonishing heat.

Gulp.

Harry crumpled to the floor. His throat worked as he stared in terror at the metal hand reaching toward him.

Yarn above, what sort of...

CRACK-

(End of chapter)

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