Chapter 148: Collapse

"So, all those people I perceived last night were sacrificed?"

The next day, early morning, Yun Mu, who had not rested all night, looked at the case report in her hands with a stunned expression.

"Yes." Brenna, who also hadn't rested all night, sat opposite her and nodded.

Last night, after they broke out of the Barrier, although Lucy said the Barrier had already vanished, the group did not act rashly.

They contacted the Guard Hall and had a large number of Steam Mecha, paired with Automatic Machine Soldiers, enter that district.

Encountering no combat, the people from the Guard Hall searched the buildings and found a total of fifty-six corpses.

And these dead bodies, after forensic examination, were all not the original residents of this housing area.

The state of these corpses was also extremely bizarre.

Despite having no external injuries, the blood within their bodies seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no traces behind.

In the rooms where the deceased were found, there were many special symbols drawn using fresh blood.

Yun Mu had shown the photos taken there to Lucy.

She claimed that the symbols in the photos possessed meanings pointing toward the Scarlet and opening the Gate.

Without a doubt, this was a sacrifice.

And it was precisely that sacrifice that sent Yun Mu and the others into the Barrier.

As an aside.

That Second-tier Transcendent whose blood scent Yun Mu found familiar was precisely one of the Second-tier Night Watchers who followed behind Father Yehua when he arrested her last time.

The guy who had his ribs broken by a punch from the Scarlet Knight back then was him.

It was just unexpected that after that, he would be captured by Natavia and used as a sacrificial offering.

This scapegoat was ultimately pinned on Yun Mu.

Simply unbelievable.

"Then what about the poor people who originally lived in that slum?" Yun Mu asked, having some faint guesses in her heart.

"Except for that Molike, the others were likely sent into the Barrier when the blood mist appeared last time," Brenna said in a somewhat low tone. "I'm afraid those monsters we encountered in the Barrier were transformed from the residents of the slum."

"."

Both were silent because of this news.

After a long while, Yun Mu finally asked: "Then what do we do next?"

"I plan to," Brenna paused, then said, "first contact that Father Chelman to see what he knows."

"It would be even better if the high-ranking Church official behind him is willing to communicate with us."

"Aren't the high-ranking members of the Church all supposed to be infected by Parasites?" Yun Mu asked with some confusion. "Is the person behind Father Chelman really on our side?"

"Let's try to communicate," Brenna said with some exhaustion. "Before the Night Parade arrives, only Father Chelman might bring us a breakthrough."

"Also," Brenna paused, hesitating, "we need more allies. Last night's matter was my carelessness."

Brenna lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke.

"If I could have thought more... perhaps Elena wouldn't have died."

Crystal-clear tears dripped from the corners of Brenna's eyes. As the night faded, in front of Yun Mu, she finally exposed her fragile side.

"It was my arrogance in thinking I could handle every possible situation, and it was also me, arrogant in thinking Elena wouldn't encounter that Scarlet Messenger..."

"Even, if it weren't for Miss Yun, I wouldn't have even found the exit to that mist!"

"I, I..."

Speaking to this point, Brenna was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Yun Mu had never seen Brenna like this; at this moment, she appeared so fragile, so heartbreaking.

She considered herself older than Brenna; after all, not to mention her two lifetimes combined, just before she transmigrated, she was already over twenty years old.

And Brenna, no matter how mature and steady she appeared, was ultimately just a sixteen-year-old Young Girl.

On Earth, at her age, she would probably still be in high school... Thinking of this, Yun Mu pulled Brenna into her arms.

"You have already done very well," she said.

"."

No one spoke; only intermittent sobs and suppressed crying remained in the room. Half an hour later... "How did you fall asleep?"

Yun Mu looked helplessly at Brenna, who was sleeping with her eyes closed in her arms.

"The time now is..."

She looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

Five-ten in the morning.

Although after becoming a Transcendent, theoretically speaking, even if one didn't sleep for a few days, it wouldn't have any impact.

But due to the influence of the human body's biological clock, not sleeping for a whole night still made one feel a little exhausted.

Not to mention that what they did last night would naturally consume a large amount of physical strength.

Even Yun Mu's Spirituality had not fully recovered yet.

"Ha~ I'll rest for a while too," she yawned slightly and said.

Carefully picking up Brenna, Yun Mu walked into Brenna's bedroom and placed her on the bed.

"Rest well," Yun Mu said softly after covering Brenna with the quilt.

She did not intend to rest in this room; after all, it was possible she might fall asleep and crawl into Brenna's bed due to the scent of her blood.

She planned to go to Elena's room, where... there was one person fewer forever.

However, just as she wanted to leave, a warm little hand grabbed her wrist.

Do we really need such a cliché? Yun Mu's footsteps paused slightly, and she turned to look at Brenna.

Only to discover that the other person was already awake at this moment.

"Today's events," she said with a slightly flushed face and a very faint voice, "you are not allowed to mention them to anyone!"

"I'm not that bored," Yun Mu said, somewhat speechless upon hearing Brenna's words.

"Mm."

Brenna lowered her head and said in an extremely faint voice, "Thank you."

"I'm going to rest now." After finishing her sentence, she tucked her head into the covers.

"Mm, get some good rest," Yun Mu nodded and said.

Brenna did not speak again, and seeing this, Yun Mu left her room.

"Phew, let's go check on Elena's room."

After leaving Brenna's bedroom, Yun Mu let out a small sigh and said.

She moved in the direction from her memory and soon arrived at the room where Elena usually lived.

This was her first time coming inside this room while Elena was not there.

A careful look around revealed that in Elena's room,

aside from the wooden bed used for sleeping and the clock hanging on the wall, various miscellaneous items were arranged in a very cluttered order.

Forty percent of them were clothing, props, and the like needed for training in various etiquette.

Twenty percent were various weapons and props used by the Shadow Guard, as well as items needed for maintenance.

The remaining forty percent were actually all sorts of strange kitchenware and books about Cooking.

These books and kitchenware were all well-maintained, showing that Elena was usually very attentive to these items.

"Let me borrow this for a short rest, Miss Elena."

Yun Mu lay wearily on the wooden bed and thought to herself.

PS: I originally wanted to use the "I can't do anything" meme.

But I thought it wasn't appropriate.

Besides, the original plan was to have Miss Yun sleep with Brenna.

But I thought that wasn't appropriate either.

So I had Miss Yun temporarily move to Elena's place instead.

(End of chapter)