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Soup! 6
Chapter 178 Noralia
Obviously, Fran couldn't have just stripped Detrick naked and left her in the abandoned building.
Not only does this little one need post-operative recovery, but she also has little ability to protect herself... Being able to escape here amidst the chaotic battle is already an extraordinary feat achieved through the combined effects of adrenaline and the will to survive.
The state of martial law in Mordway has not been lifted, and the Star Abyss Society will most likely send more personnel after discovering that a small team has lost contact.
This place could be locked down again at any time, so there's no way it's safe.
Out of concern for patient care and humanitarian principles, Fran used the massive steel tail of the chimeric spine "Sphinx" to lift Detricka up and bring her back to the clinic through the mist within the door.
"What an easy and pleasant house call! It didn't even take half an hour from start to finish. It makes me miss the difficulty I faced last month when I was fixing Ms. Tinuville's firewall..."
Fran raised his hand to cover his mouth and yawned, but he didn't seem to feel unsatisfied that the treatment had been completed too easily.
After all, she had Tinuville and quarterly outpatient visits from the borderlands last month, and she had just completed her first treatment in Grantham this month... all of them were heavyweight patients who were sure to pique her interest.
Therefore, the doctor's desire to heal others is currently stable and has not accumulated excessively.
"Since the Star Abyss Society has already lost its patience, I can no longer remain indifferent. I originally wanted to wait for the Hunters and the Star Abyss Society's assistance to arrive before starting the plan... However, where would be a better starting point?"
Fran touched his lower lip with his index finger, pondering the question.
"It's a pity, if only I were that guy Yaheng. He never thinks about anything other than killing the culprit."
Although the doctor's attitude and words suggest that ending the Star Abyss Society's plan would be easy, there are still many practical factors that need to be considered. If the Listeners feel that all hope is lost, it would not be surprising what kind of actions they might take in their hysteria.
Furthermore, even though they nearly wiped out Heyle through the dishonorable betrayal of the "War of Destruction" and have been plotting unspeakable experiments for a thousand years, it is also because of them that Gormouth has been spared from the invasion and slaughter of the evil creatures of the Abyss.
Of course, Fran would not waver in his decision because of this.
The troubles planted by Xingyuan Academy will eventually be triggered, and what she is doing now is simply detonating them before they unleash an unstoppable and terrifying wave.
To take it a step further... "Morality" was never a problem that troubled this doctor. Most of the time she was willing to follow the framework of worldly relationships, but not in all cases.
"Since the Six-Eyed Raven was the first to be attacked, let's activate the identity of the 'Hermit' and try to make contact with the Raiders. I think given their current situation, they won't refuse to help."
With each light step, Fran and Detricka, curled up on his tailbone, gradually blurred into the sea of fog, their figures becoming increasingly difficult to discern.
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Modway, Vanfna Street.
Rosalie, huddled in her bedroom, nervously bit her nails, a copy of the Mordway Evening Post delivered that day in her hand. The front page featured a banner that read, "Citywide Martial Law: Royal Court to Conduct Large-Scale Crackdown on Theft and Illegal Transactions This Month."
Most ordinary residents of Modwell simply thought this was a routine crackdown on thieves. Although traffic restrictions and curfews would cause a lot of trouble, they usually only lasted about two weeks... Similar things had happened before.
As a member of the Moon Familia and an investigative reporter for the Foy Daily, Rosalie possesses far more information than this superficial level.
This is the most serious purge, or rather, "secret war" that the Star Abyss Society has waged against the Six-Eyed Raven Cult to date.
As for the seemingly serious statements in the newspapers, they were merely a cover-up by the royal court on social media.
Although Rosalie was dressed in a reporter's uniform that she could wear in public, she showed no intention of leaving the house.
There's a curfew outside of Vanfna Street right now, and two large secret cults are locked in fierce combat. I'd be asking for trouble by getting involved in that kind of spectacle.
To be honest, I never thought I would personally experience the war that happened in my hometown in my lifetime... But on the bright side, almost every month, the Jurchens inevitably experience this kind of thing, after all, their lives are too long.
Oh well, whatever the outcome, it shouldn't affect the Moon Familia. All I have to do is stay home for a few days, get some sleep, and it'll all be over.
“Miss Rosalie, the Marquis of Jude requests an audience.”
Just then, the maid's voice came from outside the door.
The reason he chose this time to meet me is probably to give me some instructions. However, the Marquis was already quite detailed last time, and it seems he didn't leave anything out... Or perhaps it concerns Dr. Fran?
Rosalie pondered for a moment and walked toward the door.
The moment she turned the brass handle, a strong sense of foreboding surged within her. The maids in each area of Vanfna Street were assigned to specific areas, and they also took on some blood-related jobs, so contact was inevitable.
The voice just now sounded somewhat unfamiliar...
Perhaps it was the sensitive timing that made Rosalie wary, or perhaps Fran's blood brought some kind of special inspiration, but she was currently feeling restless and uneasy.
After a few breaths, Rosalie turned the doorknob all the way, and the door to her cottage opened.
The maid waiting outside drew an antique-style silver dagger from her sleeve the instant the door opened, and thrust it with all her might towards the chest of the person inside. The movement was swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
But the silver dagger did not produce the tangible sensation of piercing flesh; instead, it landed in empty space.
Rosalie wasn't behind the door; it was the blood tentacles summoned by the [S-912 Banquet Ring] that had just turned the doorknob. Even if she didn't want to believe it, the facts were undeniable…
An assassination attempt was launched in the town of Vanfna, which is controlled by the Moon Familia.
Taking advantage of the moment when the maid thrust out her silver dagger, the tentacles formed by the [Blood Control] technique instantly hardened into crystalline cones, piercing through the assassin's chest and abdomen in the blink of an eye, hanging her up.
This is, after all, a second-class superior secret technique that only the Red Cup High Priest can master skillfully, and it is extremely outstanding in both lethality and controllability.
"The Banquet Ring? That old bastard Jude actually gave you that thing..."
Her chest and abdomen were pierced extensively, and her internal organs were also punctured—a fatal wound, without a doubt. Yet, the maid still had the strength to speak, and judging from the sharp, conical teeth between her teeth, she was undoubtedly Rosalie's "comrade."
With the situation unclear and urgent, Rosalie knew she had no time to interrogate the maid.
She manipulated the spikes formed by her blood-manipulation technique, desperately drawing blood from her opponent until she was completely drained. For the Moon Familia, stripping them of their blood was one of the most efficient ways to kill them.
Rosalie only stopped using the secret technique after the assassin's body had completely turned to ash and shattered.
"What exactly happened outside? Why was there an assassination attempt on Vanfna Street, and why was it targeting me..."
She bit her lip tightly, her chest heaving with the intense drain on her spiritual energy.
This was the first time Rosalie had taken the life of a humanoid being, and the victim was also a member of the Moon Familia.
Even though she felt mentally shaken and her arms were weak, she had to do it. After all, the man had drawn his silver weapon and thrust it straight at her heart upon meeting her, clearly intending to take her life.
Could the chaos caused by the Star Abyss Society and the Six-Eyed Raven Cult have infiltrated the Moon Familia? Or are some people trying to take advantage of this opportunity? The assassins are also members of the Moon Familia, which means... the enemy also comes from within?
Rosalie took several deep breaths to calm her chaotic emotions.
Subsequently, relying on the Noralia family's secret talent, she absorbed the memories within the assassin's blood. This was the most direct and efficient way to obtain intelligence.
But a moment later, Rosalie inserted her index finger into the other person's throat and spat out all of the other person's "extracted blood".
This guy's blood contains some kind of toxic substance that can resist the spiritual essence passed down in the Noralia family... Although we failed to obtain her memories, this still proves one thing.
The assassins possessed an extraordinary, almost indistinguishable, knowledge of the Noralia family's talents, and they also had the ability to counter them. Clearly, no outsider could possibly possess such a level of secrecy.
Is it a traitor within Noralia, or infighting within the Murdoch family?
What was once a safe and warm haven now seems to be fraught with danger.
After a moment's thought, Rosalie decided to first seek an audience with Marquis Jude, and if that failed, contact the Elder Council. The Marquis's residence and the location of the Moon-Transformed Guards were the safest places she could imagine.
I hope this assassination attempt is only targeting me, and that chaos doesn't break out outside...
Rosalie sighed softly and silently prayed.
Her fears didn't entirely come true; the war and riots didn't spread to Vanfna Street, but things weren't entirely peaceful either. Many of the young members of the Noralian family were assassinated, mostly those who had been received by Jude... and not all of them were so lucky.
Even the Marquis Jude himself is currently in trouble.
He held a crystal wine glass with gold engraving in his hand, quietly looking at the "old friend" who had been with him since the beginning of a thousand years ago and had also fought with him to this day, standing in front of the mansion. His blood-red eyes couldn't help but show some complexity and heaviness.
“Bernhard Murdoch, you’ve finally crossed the line.”
"I thought that although people of the same tribe may have different ideologies, they could still find harmony and avoid escalating into war. And that would have been fine... But now you're bringing outsiders into our conflict. Isn't that a bit too hasty and short-sighted?" (Wan)
Upon hearing this, Bernhard simply remained silent and brooding.
Compared to Jude, who appeared to be middle-aged, this Marquess from the Murdoch family had white hair and beard and looked much older. But this was only a "perception"; his face had no wrinkles or dark spots and he still looked like a young man.
After a period of self-persuasion, he slowly picked up where Jude had left off.
"Jude, how dare you say that? Wasn't it you who first brought in the 'outsiders'? Signing the 'Bud Moon Oath' with those fragile blood bags of White Cup has completely disgraced the vampire clan."
"Hey."
Upon hearing Bernhard's words, Jude shook his head and took a sip of blood from his cup.
His expression was sarcastic and disdainful, as if he were watching an absurd comedy performed by comedians on stage.
"Do you still miss the old days when you were an undead? Drinking without taste, eating without satiation, your chest never rising and falling, your blood frozen solid. Do you really enjoy being a pale, moving corpse that would turn to ashes if exposed to sunlight?"
"Even though we can no longer bask in the sunlight, at least we have regained the qualities of the living, and we don't have to rot like corpses in a tomb."
"Without the help of the Examiner, without the oath under the budding moon, you and I are nothing more than watchdogs on chains, led by those Monroe nobles of Ahanta!"
His questioning was so forceful that he almost overwhelmed his opponent in both demeanor and aura.
"You stubborn fool who can't see the bigger picture, do you still think this is the beginning of a new millennium? If the Moon Clan is still a 'vampire' and still on the purge list of the Hunter's Funeral Court... we are all only fit to be rats in the gutter, hiding in the sewers and living in constant fear."
"Admit it! It was I who led the Moon Familia onto the path that holds the future, and you are nothing but a pathetic parasite coveting that fruit."
Previously, even when facing the conservative Murdoch faction, the Marquess of Jude would never have used such strong and aggressive language.
But now, the conflict between the two sides has escalated to the point of being irreconcilable, and he no longer has any reservations about it.
"you……"
Bernhard wanted to say something in rebuttal, but felt that whatever he said would be too weak and ineffective. However, he eventually came up with an argument that could attack the other party's points.
"And what about the blood plague? The price of betraying the great mother, an inescapable curse. Your decision will inevitably lead us all to contract this incurable disease and die from it. Is this the hope you speak of?"
Upon hearing his words, Jude burst into laughter for no apparent reason, freely expressing his emotions.
"Ha ha ha ha……"
"Unfortunately, before this, a professor from the White Cup brought a precious gift to the Moon Familia: a special treatment. Your so-called 'never retreat' is just self-deception."
As he spoke, he flicked his index finger, signaling the person behind him to emerge from the shadows.
That was Edros, the only son of Marquis Jude, whom countless high-ranking disciples declared incurable and who had been completely transformed into a mad beast by the blood plague.
“Edros? Impossible. I saw him reach the terminal stage of the blood plague with my own eyes. The disease even materialized and invaded his bone marrow…”
Upon seeing this unexpected visitor, Bernhard's expression and tone finally showed a clear wavering.
Then, his eyes revealed an undisguised drooling and greed, which was obvious to everyone.
Now that all pretense of civility has been laid bare and the conflict between the two sides is out in the open, seeking reconciliation is now an impossible pipe dream. Therefore... only one outcome remains in this struggle.
Winners stay, all go! (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the initial statement.)
"Pong!"
The two Marquises of the Moon each threw their wine cups in unison, as if the horns of a duel were sounding.
The slender crystal glass shattered into transparent powder, leaving only the bent and dented gold base, which clattered and rolled away into the distance.
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soup!
Chapter 179 Hiding in the Shadows
The art of manipulating blood, the rebirth ritual of harnessing shattered moonlight, and the physical strength of both sides, comparable to mythical creatures, imbued this clash of the Moon-Cherished Marquises with a strange and eerie beauty reminiscent of ancient epics.
Similarly, it was extremely tragic.
Severing heads, severing throats, cutting open chests and abdomens, severing limbs—no matter the injury, both sides would be fully restored in the next breath, and then plunge back into the life-or-death struggle. The two marquises, whose ideals had clashed since the beginning of a thousand years ago, had been silent and patient for far too long.
The outburst at this moment has been brewing for who knows how long.
The elegance of vampires or those favored by the moon, the etiquette or restraint of duels, were completely abandoned the moment the cup was thrown. Jude and Bernhard were like ferocious, inhuman creatures in an ancient gladiatorial cage, every move they made aimed only at erasing the other's existence.
For them, this was merely a "test".
As the first round of entanglement and struggle came to an end, both sides seemed to tacitly agree to retreat and stand still, and began to coordinate and sort out their own chaotic and turbulent spirituality.
"I must admit that I am still somewhat inferior to you in the old tricks of manipulating blood. After all, it has been a long time since I used my predecessor's skills, and I have become a little rusty recently."
Jude chuckled softly, his gaze falling on the skin on his chest that had been ripped open by the bloodthorn.
The blood manipulation techniques of the Clan of the Moon are quite effective when attacking their own kind, as they can inject their own blood into the wounds of their opponents, thereby inhibiting regeneration. This forced Jude to have the entire wound removed to eliminate the contamination and influence of foreign blood.
As old rivals who have been attacking each other for thousands of years, there is only one reason why he would speak out with praise at such a critical moment... that he himself had not suffered a loss in the confrontation.
Chibernhardt's gaze remained so somber and gloomy, accompanied by a hint of indescribable complexity.