Chapter 206: Grade 2 Sealed Artifact

Chapter Two Hundred Six
Grade 2 Sealed Artifact

Within the deep, tranquil underground corridor, the nearly four-meter-tall white-bone messenger clenched the folded letter and vanished before Klein’s eyes without causing any abnormal change.

Once only the elegant gas lamps embedded in the walls remained around him, Klein put away Azik’s copper whistle and continued toward Chanis Gate.

While writing the letter, he had already decided which Sealed Artifact he would choose next.

First, Grade 3 Sealed Artifacts were almost impossible to affect the baby inside Megose’s belly—unless it was something like the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem, an item that seemed to hide deeper mysteries.

But in this moment, in this situation, how could Klein have the spare mind or spare time to explore and research a secret that might or might not exist? Furthermore, Sealed Artifacts more or less all carried hidden dangers. They created great inconvenience for their users and could even bring danger. Therefore, Klein directly eliminated those Grade 3 Sealed Artifacts that would be unable to harm the enemy and might weaken himself instead.

Second, Tingen City’s Nighthawk team possessed no Grade 1 Sealed Artifact. Even Grade 2 numbered only three. Originally, that was not a secret Klein had the clearance to know. But because the situation was urgent, Dunn had decisively invoked emergency provisions and told him the general information.

Dunn Smith could not hold another Sealed Artifact while controlling Saint Selena’s ashes—not even a single one.

Behind Tingen’s Chanis Gate, the Grade 2 Sealed Artifacts were respectively 2-030, 2-078, and 2-105.

The name of 2-030 was “Never-Ending Poison.” It originated from a Beyonder of an unknown Sequence who had suddenly gone mad. He slit his own wrist and killed himself, letting the blood in his body flow into an ordinary small silver cup. But when all his blood had run dry, the cup still had not filled. The liquid within became crystalline, lustrous, and extraordinarily enticing. Even a Sequence 5 Beyonder had once failed to resist its temptation, drank the liquid, and died of poisoning on the spot.

After a victim died from the poison, the venom would seep bit by bit from the pores of their skin and gather together again. Compared with the beginning, there would be neither more nor less.

According to Dunn, researchers from the Sanctuary suspected that even high-Sequence powerhouses would die from it. The problem was that high-Sequence powerhouses almost certainly would not be tempted by that cup of poison. Moreover, the traits of 2-030 were so distinct that no one could drink it by mistake. If one wanted to poison such people to death, one would first have to capture and firmly control them, then forcibly pour the poison down their throats.

But if one could do all that, why go through such trouble?

2-030 would continuously tempt surrounding living beings to drink it. The user had to remain completely focused in resisting that power. The slightest lapse, and they would drink the poison in their hand like performing an ingrained habit.

Almost the moment Dunn finished describing it, Klein had already decided not to choose this Sealed Artifact.

2-078 was called “Death’s Door.” Its appearance was that of a completely ordinary wooden door. Any creature that passed through it would die immediately. No high-Sequence powerhouse had participated in testing.

It possessed living characteristics. It would constantly attempt to escape and could alter its appearance, disguising itself as one of the doors that had originally existed. If the user made a mistake and let it break free of control, they had to be careful not to pass through any door nearby. The best method was to stay where they were and wait for rescue—or directly break through a wall and leave.

Klein had considered using 2-078. But after weighing it repeatedly, he believed that the intuition of a mythical creature would definitely be sharp. It should be able to distinguish which door was Death’s Door. Therefore, the practical combat effect of this Sealed Artifact would not be especially good.

In the end, he decided to choose 2-105.

The name of this Sealed Artifact was “Vascular Thief.” It looked like a thick, rigid blood vessel. Anyone who touched it, whether protected or not, would have their life stolen. At first, the effect was not obvious. But if one continued contact without breaking away, after half an hour, visible external changes would appear. Dunn had said that a Sequence 5 cultist had once held out for two hours, transforming from a robust man in his thirties into a stooped old man with loose wrinkled skin, sparse white hair, and every tooth fallen out.

The greatest trait of 2-105 was this: whoever wore it had a chance to steal one ability from a target within a certain range. Even high-Sequence powerhouses could be stolen from, though the probability was comparatively low.

For the ten minutes during which the artifact’s power took effect, the one robbed would directly lose the corresponding ability, while the wearer would be able to use it proficiently. After ten minutes, the stolen ability would vanish, and the original owner would not recover it until the next day.

Whether it works or not, it at least raises our chance of victory from five percent to ten percent. And I am, after all, the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck… Besides, our main goal is only prevention, to prepare for the worst possibility. We may not actually have to fight… I hope the helpers arrive quickly…

Klein stopped outside the guard room, no longer hesitating.

As for Sealed Artifact 2-105’s negative effect, he was not especially worried, because he did not intend to use it himself.

His plan was to hand it to Leonard. As for Klein, he had the Sunflame Charm and Azik’s copper whistle, though he did not know whether the latter would still be suppressed.

Poet classmate, it is time for you to reveal your true secret…

Klein muttered silently and saw Siga Teon standing at the entrance of the guard room.

The part-time author, with white hair and black eyes and a quiet temperament, remained silent for several seconds before saying, “You should guard Chanis Gate.

“I am stronger than you, and my experience is richer than yours.”

But you do not have a Sunflame Charm…

Klein smiled.

“Madam, I am already Sequence 8.

“Even here may not be safe. Those Sealed Artifacts with living characteristics behind Chanis Gate are probably stirring restlessly. If we fail, the people here will surely be unable to escape either.

“Heh. Our objective upstairs is to delay for time and wait for rescue. Perhaps that is even safer than staying near Chanis Gate.”

Siga Teon slowly pressed her lips together. Then, solemnly, she drew a crimson moon over her chest.

“May the Goddess protect you.”

Because Dunn had not had time to write a document, Klein could not directly enter Chanis Gate. He could only watch as Siga Teon pushed open a narrow crack and slipped inside.

Several minutes later, her figure appeared near the door. In her left hand, she held a thick, pale blood vessel stained with crimson.

Klein reached out and took it. At once, he felt as though faint electric currents were washing through his body again and again.

…

Inside the reception hall of Blackthorn Security Company.

Leonard had already shaken off his earlier stiffness. With no oddity left in his expression, he was talking about the newly discovered house Lanevus had once rented.

“Is that so? He never told me…”

Megose frowned slightly and gave a rather normal reply.

After speaking, she grabbed a handful of her golden hair. An entire clump came away. Casually, she tossed it into the trash bin nearby.

Leonard froze. Then, with difficulty, he swallowed. Cold sweat once again seeped from his palms.

…

With Vascular Thief wrapped around his left hand, Klein ascended the stairs step by step, returning to the second floor.

Beneath the eerie blue gaslight, by the door of the Nighthawks’ recreation room, he saw Dunn Smith standing quietly in his black knee-length thin windbreaker. Dunn’s eyes were deep, shadowed, and gray, just as they had been when Klein had “first” met him.

“Let me introduce myself again. Nighthawk, Dunn Smith.”

A voice from the past flashed beside Klein’s ears. In his mind, the image of Dunn half prone beside Kernli’s corpse suddenly rose again—the image of the Captain with blood staining his mouth.

After several silent seconds, Klein walked over, lifted his left hand, and said, “Captain, the one I chose is Sealed Artifact 2-105. I plan to give it to Leonard.”

Dunn nodded lightly. He did not ask why, instead pointing toward his office.

“The Sanctuary sent a telegram. They said they will immediately organize powerhouses to come here. We must delay as much as possible and wait as much as possible.

“They have not yet responded to the matter of those coincidences. I think either there is temporarily no conclusion, or the person handling the telegram does not understand the details and cannot make a guess. You know how it is. We are pressed for time, and telegrams cannot be too long.”

“Mm.”

Klein nodded. Approaching the partition, he looked toward the outside.

“How is the situation?”

“No abnormality for the time being.”

Dunn lowered his head and glanced at the saint’s cinerary casket resting in his left palm.

Seeing that Leonard and Megose seemed to be conversing smoothly, Klein did not go out and disturb them. He retreated to the entrance of the Nighthawks’ recreation room and stood there opposite Dunn across the corridor at an angle.

At that moment, Dunn suddenly gave a self-mocking laugh.

“I forgot one thing.”

“What thing?” Klein asked in puzzlement.

Dunn turned his head and looked at him.

“Daly asked me to explain it to you myself.”

“Ah?”

Klein froze, not understanding what the Captain meant.

Two seconds later, before Dunn could answer, realization struck him abruptly.

The reason Madam Daly had not replied in time was that she thought it unnecessary. She had directly passed the matter to the Captain and told him to explain it himself.

That—that means the Captain has no major problem!

In that critical moment, genuine joy suddenly surged up inside Klein.