Chapter 543: The Man Who Devours Darkness

Time seemed to have stalled in this room. Xia De wanted to wait in silence for the doctor to speak again, but to prevent Yin Luna and Difa from losing patience and storming the clinic to finish the doctor off, Xia De spoke up:

"Because of some accidents at Lake View Manor, I was already guessing back then that you had been possessed by a demon."

This referred to the eerie figure that appeared behind the doctor when he used his Whispering Words.

"Yes."

"Do you remember the time we met at Anthem Square?"

"The time you went to peddle illegal magazines?"

"Mm... let's not mention that, but yes, that time. I met you and Mr. Alan Madison from the Sexes Higher Medical Academy. He chatted with me about some things from our group's past, mentioning the former team leader and the relic containment breach from years ago. It was then that I became completely certain about you and the demon... but I knew you could control that demon, so I didn't tell anyone."

In truth, he had mentioned the demon to Luweiya and Duoluqian, but he really hadn't mentioned the past events.

"Alan... most of the people who experienced that incident have left Tobeisk. You could only have heard about it from him."

The doctor leaned against the windowsill and let out a long sigh.

"I believe you can control the demon, and I originally intended never to mention this. But for some reasons, I was tracking the Pus of Man, and its trail eventually led here. Doctor, you canceled our group study session yesterday afternoon because you also went to the South City, didn't you?"

"Yes."

The voice was dejected and low.

"Then, you also saw Miss Feilian? You also arrived at the central Millwood Forest?"

"I saw Miss Feilian at the end; this matter has already spread through the local black market. Even I, as an eyewitness, still find it hard to believe. As for Millwood Forest... where is that?"

"You didn't enter the core of the dark domain?"

Xia De was somewhat incredulous.

"It's embarrassing to say, but I got lost. I could sense it, but the paths inside were too difficult to navigate."

Although the doctor had his back to Xia De, Xia De still felt he could believe these words. The doctor was acting alone and lacked top-tier insiders from the church; it was impossible for him to know about the forgotten core area in advance like Xia De did.

"Then, was the Pus of Man attracted by you?"

"No, it was captured by me. After Miss Feilian appeared and cleared the entire dark domain, I discovered that the main body of the Pus of Man was still alive. I immediately returned here and set up a ritual I learned from demonic knowledge, making it think there was a host here that perfectly met its requirements, and then I seized the opportunity to trap it."

This explained why the Pus of Man, which had originally intended to head toward Yodel Palace, had abruptly changed direction.

"Can the demon inside you really be controlled by you? Does devouring the Pus of Man really have no effect on you?"

Xia De asked again. Doctor Shi Nai De, standing by the window, turned around. His blue eyes looked at Xia De on the sofa, and he nodded slowly:

"At least I believe I am still in control of this terrifying power."

"That demon, what is its name? Does it have a widely circulated name?"

"I cannot say that."

"After all these years, have you never thought about getting rid of it?"

"No, it is my own willingness to coexist with it."

"Why?"

"I want to save Mr. Xie Erfu Tim and Miss Xia Na Aya. They were members of my previous group, and they saved me."

"They aren't dead?"

"They are dead, but their souls were snatched away—snatched by an existence even more powerful and evil than the demon inside me, an existence whose name I cannot even mention. To save them, I must borrow the power of this demon and keep it under watch."

In his left blue eye, a scarlet light lit up bit by bit; this was undoubtedly a sign of being possessed by the demon.

But compared to Dac Nisi, Doctor Shi Nai De was not at all frantic; instead, there was a sense of self-destruction amidst extreme calmness:

"Devouring the souls of evil people and devouring other demons allows me to become more powerful. In that accident many years ago, something evil, twisted, and terrifying—something whose name could not even be spoken—was released. I was saved by a noble person, and the demon inside me suffered damage that nearly destroyed it. At the very last moment, I agreed to its request and coexisted with it. It uses me to heal, and I obtain its power and keep watch over it."

This was similar to what Xia De understood:

"An elder of mine..."

He wanted to say "elder," but felt it wasn't quite appropriate:

"A friend of mine once said, cherish life and stay away from demons. These evil spirits from the Third Era will use all sorts of means to usurp our souls, and it is often only at the very last moment that we realize the demon's conspiracy."

Dac Nisi was the best example; he eventually learned of the conspiracy, but still willingly gave his everything to the demon.

"And Priest Ao Gu Si also told me that coexisting with a demon will never end well."

"The priest is, after all, an elder; he has always been right. I know that sooner or later, I will lose control of it."

The doctor's normal right blue eye and his left eye—which was pitch black with only a scarlet light point in the center—looked at Xia De simultaneously.

"Then why not seek help from the Academy?"

"Because I need its power. Only it can help me snatch back the souls of Mr. Xie Erfu Tim and Miss Xia Na Aya. Detective, you cannot imagine what my enemy is."

"An Evil God?"

"Not a god, but equally terrifying."

This world contains some hidden and eerie, extremely terrifying evil things that circulate in stories and legends, just like that ancient demon whose corpse alone was enough to form a "dark domain."

Xia De understood what the doctor meant; no one could help him, and he only trusted himself.

"Doctor, do you know what you are doing? You are devouring darkness, but one day, you will be devoured by this darkness."

"I understand, but I have inherited their wishes and have the responsibility to liberate their souls. I am willing to do this, even though I know myself that I might not have a good end."

The two looked at each other. Xia De did not fear the light in the doctor's eyes; after all, he had seen this look too often lately.

The light was dim. With the doctor standing with his back to the window, only half of his face was illuminated by the gas desk lamp. His expression was very calm, as if he had long expected that one day, he would have this conversation with someone:

"The souls of evil people allow me to draw power from sin, and the bodies of evil spirits and demons give me more sorcery. Devouring the Pus of Man allowed me to directly obtain two spiritual runes. Just the digested portion of its power has allowed me to even implant thoughts in dreams, use negative emotions to change the thoughts of the dreamer, and I can even feel that by digesting the other party, I can obtain even more power."

Pitch-black pus seeped from the doctor's strange eye, but it could only cover half of his face. Compared to the frantic and violent nature of the Pus of Man form of Dac Nisi, the doctor was truly extremely calm:

"But this is not enough. Over the past ten-plus years, I have devoured six evil spirits and demons, and the Pus of Man was the oldest one. But this is far from enough. I will continue to walk on this pitch-black path until the very end."

The power contained in these words made Xia De feel somewhat breathless. He had never imagined that Doctor Shi Nai De, who had always been kind to others, was carrying such a heavy secret:

"You also want to walk alone in the darkness until you are devoured by the darkness?"

This was what Dac Nisi had done.

"No, what I want to do is devour the darkness."

The doctor lowered his head slightly:

"As a psychologist, I perceive people's secrets, discover evil people, and act in secret to complete those tasks related to demons. This is what I have been doing for the past ten-plus years. Xia De, you are the first person to know this secret. Before this, I had never talked about this with anyone. I hope you can inherit my wish..."

"What wish?"

Xia De was somewhat puzzled.

"Once you discover that I have lost control, please kill me immediately." (Demonic language)

"Why me? Our group has more than just me."

He didn't care about being discovered by the doctor; he understood this language, and the doctor indeed didn't ask. The scarlet light in his eyes grew even more intense:

"The only people I can trust are you all. Priest Ao Gu Si is too old; although it sounds a bit unpleasant to say, I don't think he will live longer than I will."

Xia De did not disagree.

"Although An Na Te is young enough and healthy enough, she is always mysterious. Sometimes, I even feel that she carries a heavier burden than I do, a wish heavier than what is on my shoulders."

Xia De actually still couldn't disagree.

"As for Lu Yisha, among us, she seems like the only normal person. Her parents are both alive, her career is successful, and her original life never involved any earth-shattering secrets. I don't want to let the only normal person around me get involved in matters related to demons."

Xia De still couldn't disagree.

"As for you, Detective, I have demonic knowledge in my head. I know that since you have the 【Demon Hunter Seal】, it means you are the successor chosen by the Demon Hunters of the Third Era."

Looking at it this way, Xia De was indeed the most suitable person.

"You all always think my luck is very bad, but I personally feel my luck is very good. More than ten years ago, I didn't die; instead, I obtained power that ordinary Ringed Shushi could hardly imagine. For more than ten years, I haven't lost control; instead, I met you, and you obtained this seal to keep watch over me.

I never complain about my encounters because I always believe that fate has been protecting me."

Xia De's lips moved, but he didn't say the thoughts in his heart.

He also stood up and came to the window. He reached out and pushed open the window in front of them, letting the damp wind from outside pour into the room. The doctor, whose eyes had returned to normal, turned around and looked outside with Xia De:

"I will keep your secret, but your wish... I hope you can realize it yourself."

The Outlander said in a low voice.

The doctor laughed, but didn't speak.

"Then this matter ends here. I will tell my companions who tracked the Pus of Man with me that the Pus of Man has been eliminated."

He then thought of the box he was carrying on his back:

"This is also good. I can have more apples, pipe wrenches, women's clothing, and other messy things every week. Everything this summer has ended."

"No, the Pus of Man has not been eliminated."

The doctor reminded him.

"What? Wasn't it... by you..."

Xia De was somewhat surprised.

"You need to understand a very terrifying piece of common knowledge: most evil spirits and demons of the Third Era can be killed, but they can never be eliminated. The Pus of Man is the vicious pus flowing from the sores generated by the negative aspects of human nature. As long as there are intelligent beings in this world, and as long as there is human nature, it will never perish. I devoured it this time, which only means that this generation's Pus of Man has disappeared. It will eventually appear again one day, but that will be many years later, and it will need to develop again."

This was knowledge Xia De had never understood; even Priest Ao Gu Si hadn't mentioned it. Perhaps only a doctor who had mastered demonic power could know such secrets.

He learned the doctor's secret from the doctor's own mouth, but Xia De didn't intend to tell the Academy about their understanding and concerns regarding the doctor. The doctor was indeed capable of losing control at any time. Xia De would keep the doctor's secret, but at the same time, he agreed with the Academy's view: the doctor indeed needed to be closely monitored.

Facing the last sunlight of late summer, both of them let out long sighs. The matter of the second Chosen One had ended, but new things had appeared again. Xia De found it hard to describe his current mood.

"Actually, you don't have to fear demons. Any power itself is just power. Demons, darkness, and even sin—when we face more powerful and difficult-to-defeat opponents, these can all become aids."

The doctor said.

Xia De agreed with this view; his "Chain of Great Sins" was not normal power either. He had even once thought that this power obtained from the flesh of desire was even stranger than a demon.

"Control the darkness, let light and shadow both become a part of yourself. I will walk alone in the darkness until I reach the end of this path and fall into the bottomless abyss. Because I inherited the wish, I am willing to devour the darkness."

The doctor's voice was faint yet firm. Xia De could feel the other party's strong heart and the will to shoulder responsibility.

Defeating darkness does not rely on light; the doctor had fully demonstrated this point. He transformed into a part of the darkness, devouring that vast and boundless power amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

It was just that the demon inside the doctor could even devour the Pus of Man. Xia De couldn't imagine just how powerful the other party was:

"Devouring the souls of evil people, devouring the power of demons, and then strengthening oneself... the doctor's story seems to be just the beginning."

A breeze blew across his face, and he listened as the sound of rain gradually became faint. It seemed like only a few minutes had passed, and this sudden light rain had stopped. The dark clouds dispersed, and the late summer sunlight spilled onto Tobeisk.

Xia De, whose heart was gradually relaxing, didn't know why a smile appeared on his face. Perhaps it was because the matter of Dac Nisi had ended, or perhaps it was because of the doctor's honesty.

Both hands rested on the windowsill, and he took a deep breath, breathing in the city air that carried the scent of Tobeisk. The streets below were bustling with traffic; civilization was pushing forward at this moment just as it had for the past hundred years. Here, there was light, and there was shadow.

"Then the matter is officially over. I've been exhausted lately. But Doctor, don't ask me about my relationship with the demon, or why I was tracking the Pus of Man. Take this as my reward for keeping your secret."

He suddenly said. The blue-eyed doctor was stunned for a moment, and a smile also appeared on his face:

"No problem, but pay attention to safety, Detective."

Xia De nodded, looking into the distance, taking in the city's skyline.

The metal pipes on the exterior of the buildings, just washed by the rain, reflected the sunlight. At the windows, little people were acting out their urban lives in the Steam Era. Thin mist lingered over the city, and black smoke from afar rose slowly, eventually merging into the world, or rather, being devoured by the world.

Xia De and the doctor faced the sunlight, with their backs to the darkness. Light and shadow intersected at the window. The people who had devoured the darkness were now watching this civilization.

The Outlander was fascinated by this scene, and accompanied by the breeze and the smile, "her" voice appeared in his ear:

【Sixth Era, General Calendar 1853, Autumn, Month of Harvest. Standing by the window with the one possessed by a demon, when you gaze upon this world, the world also gazes upon you. Devouring darkness within the darkness, calling upon connected power within the passage of time. You have personally erased the robe of darkness, yet you allow darkness to remain by your side. Outlander, the wind of time accompanies your breathing, the blood of chastity witnesses your growth, the curtain rises, and the story slowly unfolds. But, having seen the darkness, do you truly understand the original intent of darkness? And you, who devour darkness, do you know what awaits you next?】

"Actually, you don't have to mention the blood of chastity."

Xia De complained slightly in his heart, shook his head, and said with a smile:

"Doctor."

"What is it?"

Doctor Shi Nai De turned to look at him. Xia De, in front of the window, was relaxed and at ease:

"Compared to that Ivan Dac Nisi who would stop at nothing for power, you are the true man who devours darkness. I am very glad to have witnessed your story, to have witnessed these dark stories."

"No, I hope the man who devours darkness is you. You must remember, when I lose control, put on that ring and kill me with your own hands. The person wearing the ring will absolutely not be possessed by a demon... and also, who is Ivan Dac Nisi?"

Xia De smiled and didn't speak; instead, he reached out to unbutton his shirt collar, wanting to breathe the air properly. Now, no one could disturb his good mood.

He didn't care about devouring darkness; whoever wanted to block his path to the sublimation of the Twelve Divinities, he would devour them. He also didn't care about light and shadow, because he himself was in this place where light and shadow intersected.

Having figured this out, and thinking of Luweiya, thinking of the cat Mia, and thinking of everyone around him, he really felt he should have a vacation.

The 【Origin·Darkness】 in his pocket was emitting a faint light at this moment. In a trance, the doctor standing at the window with Xia De actually saw a dark golden old robe flash past behind the young detective.

But looking closely, there was clearly nothing there.

"A hallucination, perhaps?"

The middle-aged doctor shook his head.

A gentle voice reached Xia De's ear, and he felt as if he had been hugged from behind:

【Outlander, you have obtained new power.】

(End of Volume) ===== CHAPTER 544 =====