Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 456: Section 209: To Capture Them All in One Fell Swoop_2

Chapter 456: Section 209: To Capture Them All in One Fell Swoop_2

When the Guards burst in, some struggled, some begged for mercy, and some were ready to resist, but in the face of rifle butts and bayonets, these mortals could only mark the end of their lives with each other’s screams and blood.

Malin, while watching the final acts of these Nobles and Merchants, gently patted the back of the Baby Spirit in his arms. The proximity to Negative Energy added some dark spectral colors to Malin’s eyes, but the affinity of Curse Nine allowed him to ignore the erosion of that Negative Energy.

In the end, he turned his attention to Peter, "Mr. Peter, humans always repeat the same mistakes. You know, in my eyes, your loyalty is the best gift you can offer your Lord of Justice. Yet some among you do not think so, forming factions, pursuing personal interests, assassinating in the shadows. Before my arrival, just how many wicked deeds had these parasites of the duchy committed? You, as their opponents, would also be aware...right?"

By the end, Malin patted the Baby Spirit, "Don’t be scared, I’m not angry with you."

The tiny Baby Spirit stopped fussing, lying in Malin’s arms, clinging to his neck.

After a long silence, City Lord Peter finally nodded, "Yes, Mr. Malin, we are aware. But you should also know that, although I am the lord of this city, in this city Doma and his accomplices possess strength that does not yield to ours. Thanks to you!"

He drew a circle with his foot.

Malin smiled and nodded to the City Lord, indicating he had passed the test.

"So, Mr. Andre, could you do me a favor and pry Lady Martha’s remains off the wall? Trust me, the lady’s bones are definitely harder than you think, so you can put a bit of effort into it."

Thus, Andre, the leader of a small faction that had kept his distance from the two sides from the start, approached the remains of the lady.

Malin whispered comforting words to the Baby Spirit in his arms, then casually looked over at the sweating City Lord Peter, "City Lord, I almost forgot to ask you a question."

"What question would you like to ask, Mr. Malin?" City Lord Peter lowered his head, showing humility to Malin.

"You had nothing to do with the death of Lady Martha’s husband, right?"

"Of course, Lady Martha’s husband died during a hunting party half a year ago, and I couldn’t attend due to an injury. I didn’t even see him for the last time," City Lord Peter responded immediately.

The circle at his feet certified his testimony.

Malin smiled with a nod, "Worthy of a City Lord trusted by the Lord Protector of Farole, City Lord Peter, it’s good that you can answer like that."

"It’s great to have your trust, Mr. Malin. Please believe us, every Noble present here wishes for the citizens of this city beneath their feet to live a better life," Mr. Peter appeared very proud and self-satisfied.

Malin looked at the circle beneath his feet with satisfaction, then glanced at Victor, "Mr. Peter is truly a seasoned Noble."

"Yes, Mr. Peter has done well in his duties," Earl Victor nodded in agreement.

Malin nodded, then stopped patting the Baby Spirit, "Mr. Peter."

"Mr. Malin, do you have any instructions for me?"

"When did you join the Order of the Secret Keepers in Rosslyn?"

The conversation halted there, and the scene once again fell into silence. When Peter glanced at Malin, and the moment Malin showed him the badge of the Secret Keepers, the man screamed, "It’s the Heretic from the Legacy Order! Kill him!"

He began to transform, Malin smiled and shook his head while the Guards raised their rifles and opened fire on Peter and his accomplices.

It seemed they thought regular bullets couldn’t harm them, so the City Lord and his subordinates didn’t bother to evade and were eventually brought down by concentrated fire, finally collapsing to the ground.

"Foolish traitors," Malin chuckled, gesturing for the Guards to drag the bodies away, then he turned to Earl Victor, "Rosslyn is indeed rife with heretics and evil. Tell everyone outside there’s no need for the dance anymore, arrest all the relatives of the criminals. Baron Tony, you see to it."

Baron Tony turned and left, while Malin was still comforting the Baby Spirit in his arms, seemingly listening to its whisperings, as if doting on the pitiable Wraith.

"Mr. Malin, could you stop holding that Wraith? Doing so is far too dangerous," Earl Victor said with a hint of fear as he looked at the Baby Spirit in Malin’s arms.

Seemingly moved by his words, Malin pondered for a moment and then nodded, "Yes, after all, this is not my child but yours, Victor. Embrace it, your eldest daughter." Malin released his hold, and the Baby Spirit in his arms turned and lunged toward Victor.

A guard reached for his gun, one had his head flown off by Fio, while another was flipped and smashed to the ground dead by Lorrin.

The Baby Spirit clung to Victor’s neck and the next second, mercilessly bit into his throat.

"Mr. Doma was working for you, and you betrayed it. The Baby Spirit in my arms always wanted to attack its father’s killer, not knowing that its true target was its own biological father," Malin said.

Standing beside Victor, Malin watched as he slowly stopped struggling and as the Baby Spirit crawled towards him. Malin, with a smile, reached out and lifted the youngling, watching the last traces of distortion fade from its eyes. Malin held it until the poor creature, which had always sought vengeance for the father it recognized, turned to ashes.

Then he raised his head to look at the remaining Nobles, "Mr. Yuda, young Mr. Jacob, would you grant me the answers to my questions?"

"Do you have any more questions?" Yuda asked Malin with a mixture of fear and trepidation.

"Whom do you serve?" Malin inquired, "Someone influential in Regensburg?"

"Yes."

"Then no worries, go on, from today, you’re the new City Lord of this city. Do well in your duties." After speaking, Malin turned to young Jacob, "I regret that I cannot help your father escape his suffering."

"No, my father has been completely twisted by Chaos; he always thought I was deceiving him, but he never imagined that his son was an Infiltrator of the Church of the Lord of Justice... My family is now reduced to just me," the young man said with a sigh, "May I take my leave now?"

"Go, get a good sleep," Malin nodded and watched him depart.

Then he turned to Mr. Andre, who had just removed Lady Anna from the wall, "Mr. Andre, are you the only one left? Should I address you as Mr. Andre, or by some other identity?"

"...People like me don’t deserve a true name," said the middle-aged man with a smile, "I was truly mistaken. When my daughter called you a merciless Judge, I thought she was talking nonsense."

"It’s because times have changed, those who can’t adapt to the times can only be knocked down by its tides," Malin mused, then turned to his daughter, "After you graduate, will you be coming back to visit or planning to return for good?"

"My father wants me to marry soon," the girl replied with a smile, "I really envy you, junior."

"Don’t envy me, each one of us walks a life path that diverges yet converges. Speaking of which," Malin turned to Mr. Bruni, "Mr. Bruni, what do you think?"

"I believe Lady Anna would be very satisfied," he replied.

"If the Lady is satisfied, that is for the best," Malin concluded with a sigh, "Mr. Andre, please ensure Lady Anna and her daughter are buried together."

"But..." "Consider it a request, think of it as my pity for this nameless child."