Out of control? Klein's heart tightened, and he almost blurted out the question.
Although Dunn and Old Neil often emphasized the dangers and probability of things getting out of control to him, this was still the first time he had encountered something like this. He felt a mix of fear, confusion, apprehension, and sadness.
"Of the cases we handle each year, a quarter involve Beyonder going out of control... and a large portion of that quarter are our teammates..." Dunn's words Blink through his mind, making his reactions seem sluggish.
Old Neil, however, having experienced too many similar incidents, immediately asked:
Where are the out-of-control individuals? What do they need us to do?
Klein was taken aback. He thought that a slippery, lazy "semi-retired" person like Old Neil would find an excuse to refuse Swain's request, or extort a large sum of money before trying to help. He never expected that the other party would not hesitate at all and immediately get involved, not caring about the difference between the Nighthawks and the Mandated Punishers.
Looking at Old Neil's serious expression, Klein suddenly understood something: whether they were Nighthawks, Mandated Punishers, or members of the Machinery Hivemind, their goal was to prevent supernatural forces from harming innocent people and to maintain the peace and stability of Tingen City. If they encountered dangerous and urgent situations, they would not shirk their responsibilities!
At this point, Swain replied with unusual brevity:
"Be my support!"
Without explaining why things went out of control or where the person who had lost control was, he strode towards the exit.
This former " Mandated Punishers " captain was clearly just an Old Man addicted to alcohol, yet Klein found himself unable to keep up with him and had to jog to barely stay afloat.
He glanced at Old Neil, who was showing signs of Aging, and saw that this " Mystery Pryer " had also started running.
Ignoring the gazes of the guards along the way, one wore an old naval officer's uniform, another a dark classical robe, and the third a knee-length black trench coat. They rushed out of the billiard room and out of the Evil Dragon Bar.
The customers, who were drinking, placing bets, and adding fuel to their tanks, instinctively looked away from the dogs catching mice and glanced at Klein and his group a few times.
"Is that Swain, the boss?"
Why is he in such a hurry to go out?
"Is someone defaulting on their debts and running away?"
Amidst the hushed discussions, some drinkers refocused their attention on the cages, cheering and shouting again to release the pent-up frustrations of the day, while others were more alert, vaguely uneasy.
Thump thump thump!
Klein and Old Neil followed Swain across the road and into the actual Dock Borough.
"On that ship," Swain slowed his pace, pointing to an inland river cargo ship moored not far away, "Two members of the Mandated Punishers team are on board dealing with that out-of-control guy, preventing him from entering the Tussock River. You help me influence him, control him, and leave the rest to me."
Old Neil, panting heavily, said:
"Okay, but... but you need to give me a minute, phew, a minute to get back into shape."
Swain nodded, said nothing more, and rushed onto the cargo ship to join the battle.
Hearing the sounds of fighting above, Old Neil glanced at the slightly nervous Klein, took out a silver piece the size of a baby's palm from a hidden pouch at his waist, and handed it to him, saying:
" The Sleeping Charm, the activation incantation is the Ancient Hermes for ' Evernight.' After reciting the incantation, infuse it with your Spirituality and throw it at the target within three seconds."
"Yes!" Klein reached out and caught it, feeling a surge of emotion.
The front and back of this talisman are engraved with incantations written in Hermes, as well as symbolic symbols, corresponding numbers, and magical inscriptions. He does not need to activate his Spirit Vision; he can perceive the hidden, tranquil, and profound mysterious power simply through Spirit Intuition.
Old Neil straightened up, took out the same silver talisman from his hidden pocket, held it in his palm, and jokingly said as he walked toward the cargo ship:
"Don't be nervous, relax, think about other things. For example, that talisman is something I lent you. If you use it, remember to make a new one and return it to me. Of course, you can wait until next month, when the material quota is restored, to do this."
This... truly lives up to the reputation of the experienced Old Neil... Klein put the talisman into his left pocket, reached into his armpit pouch and took out the revolver, adjusting the firing position and trigger.
"I think I'm not nervous anymore..." He held a gun in one hand and a cane in the other, and together with Old Neil, they steadily boarded the cargo ship via the gangway.
This cargo ship bears obvious signs of its time. Although it is powered by Steam and has an additional smokestack, it still retains the masts, sails, and other features of the past. Moreover, it has a metal hull, with some parts made of steel and many parts still made of wood.
The sounds of fighting grew increasingly intense. Just as Klein and Old Neil were looking for an entrance to the cabin, they suddenly heard a loud crashing sound mixed with a cracking noise.
The side of the wooden cabin cracked instantly, sending spikes flying, and a figure tumbled out, crashing into the ship's side.
Klein ignored the figure's injuries, his gaze fixed entirely on the Monster rushing toward the rift.
This Monster was over 1.8 meters tall, wearing a tattered shirt and trousers. Its exposed areas were covered with dark green scales, and the gaps between its hands and feet were covered with membranes, resembling the webbed feet of some aquatic animals.
It had a wrinkled head, from which one could vaguely make out a human shape, and slime was dripping from its scales.
Sizzle!
The dark green slime slightly Corrosion the deck, leaving distinct marks.
Bang! The Monster trying to break through the rift was punched in the side by Swain, and was knocked back two steps.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Swain, with his exaggerated muscles, was clearly no match for the Monster. Although his punches and kicks landed, they couldn't shatter the scales and cause any real damage. He was in a very sorry state and was on the verge of falling.
If it weren't for his amazing balance, and if there hadn't been another Mandated Punishers moving with him and firing shots to keep him occupied, Klein suspected that the Blue Eyes old man would have been beaten to death by the Monster.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Swain kept retreating and advancing, like a moth drawn to a flame.
However, Klein could sense that he was accumulating something, waiting for something.
Bang!
Swain was knocked back a few steps, which also blocked the view of the other Mandated Punishers.
The Monster seized the opportunity and immediately charged towards the rift.
It wanted to escape from the cabin and jump into the Tussock River!
Looking at the wrinkled, slimy head, Klein raised his right hand and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The silver Demon Hunting Bullets struck the Monster's torso as he expected, but only shattered the scales, embedding itself more than halfway into the shell.
The Monster let out a piercing scream, pushed off with its feet, and pounced like the wind towards Klein.
A strong fishy smell filled his nostrils, and Klein suddenly ducked and rolled to the side.
Clang! He felt the ship sway and some debris hit him.
At the same time, he heard an old and deep voice reciting incantations in Ancient Hermes:
" Evernight!"
Klein rolled twice more, not bothering to pick up his cane, and hurriedly raised his gun and looked up, only to see Old Neil calmly throwing out the talisman in his hand when he was not far from the Monster.
The thin silver sheet was quickly engulfed by dark red flames, emitting a soft popping sound.
A deep, tranquil power instantly dissipated, causing the Monster that had nearly smashed the ship's side to sway and its movements to slow down.
At that moment, Swain rushed out of the cabin, approached the Monster, twisted his waist and swung his arms, unleashing several punches like a machine gun, all of which landed squarely on the monster's head.
However, he could only create cracks, not inflict fatal damage, but Klein could sense that the Blue Eyes old man's accumulated power was about to reach its peak.
Bang! The Monster seemed to have recovered, swinging its forearm backward and sending Swain staggering back five steps, each step cracking the deck.
Seeing the Monster about to turn back, Klein jumped off the cargo ship and quickly pulled the " Sleeping Charm " from his pocket with his left hand.
Immediately afterwards, he fluently pronounced a word from Ancient Hermes:
" Evernight!"
Suddenly, Klein felt the silver talisman in his palm turn icy cold, like snowflakes accumulating.
Without thinking twice, he infused his Spirituality into the talisman, pulled on its shoulder, swung his arm, and threw it at the Monster.
At that moment, the Merfolk -like Monster had already leaped into the air.
The dark red flames instantly illuminated the surrounding darkness, and the faint explosions, like a Hypnosis prelude, quickly spread outwards.
Bang!
The Monster fell straight onto the dock, curled up into a ball, and briefly entered a semi-dormant state.
Just as Klein was about to rush to the ship's side and fire at the Monster's head, he suddenly saw Swain, whose naval officer's uniform was nowhere to be found, rush out and jump down after him.
He adjusted his posture in mid-air, his muscles bulging.
In Klein's Spirit Intuition, something that had been suppressed to the extreme erupted. Swain from the sky, crashing into the Monster, then straightened up and swung his fist down hard, hitting the monster's head.
Snap!
The Monster's head was shattered into pieces, with dark red blood and grayish-white brain tissue splattered all over the ground, accompanied by dark green slime.
"Is this one of the abilities of the ' Raging Folk '?" Klein stood beside the wrecked ship's side, muttering to himself.
Old Neil, clutching his left hand, moved closer and also looked down.
At that moment, Swain stood up straight, staring intently at the lifeless Monster at his feet.
He produced a dented metal flask from somewhere, tore off the lid, gulped down half of it, then tilted the flask, aimed it at the Monster, and poured the rest of the liquor all over it.
After doing all this, Swain seemed to age suddenly, and his back became more hunched.
Old Neil sighed, looked down at the scene below, and whispered to Klein:
"I know this out-of-control Mandated Punishers. He's been with Swain two or three decades, clearing out Water Ghost that came ashore to kill, and capturing evil Beyonder who tried to escape by diving down the Tussock River..."
He didn't continue, but Klein could sense the underlying meaning in his words:
This "guardian," who had performed many merits and killed numerous Monster, eventually turned into Monster himself.
This is not an isolated case; it is the possible fate of many Nighthawks, Mandated Punishers, and members of the Machinery Hivemind.