Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam
Chapter 64: Never Abandon, Never Give Up

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Never Abandon, Never Give Up

Who in their right mind would live in a town where a tragedy occurred not long ago?

Clearly, that merchant caravan thought the same way. After noticing something amiss, no one dared to go to Riverside Town to find out more. They sped up their journey, and only upon reaching Ximu Town did they relax their strained nerves; the Hunters responsible for escorting the caravan were still shaken, preferring to stay in the Guild’s bustling lobby, unwilling to leave.

The smell of stew made their mouths water, while the horrific atmosphere silently spread.

Both Miss Keroy and Miss Zhao Cai were very straightforward individuals; they ate the stew ravenously while eagerly listening to Ave’s account.

"The caravan guards had three distinctly different descriptions of the creatures lurking in the town. Some claimed to have seen a hazy, translucent figure, others believed they were bandits planning to loot the town amidst chaos, while one person asserted they witnessed a creature crawling on all fours, with an exposed upper body, skin split open revealing bones."

Ave narrated her interview results while flipping to a certain page in the "Curses and Containment Object Terminology Reference Table."

Designated as ’SI-0051,’ the Reception Bureau named these twisted creatures ’Assemblers.’

The manual described the monster as resembling a spider sprawled on the ground, its body composed of various human organs, even its face stitched together from multiple faces.

Investigators first sighted the Assembler following an Evil God worship case when a family of five was slaughtered at home. Two investigators encountered the Assembler in an apartment that night; its body comprised tissues from the five deceased victims. The assault resulted in one death and one critical injury. According to the recollections of the severely wounded investigator, they were entirely unaware of the Assembler’s approach; it appeared almost instantaneously near them and launched the attack.

Assemblers are deemed extremely dangerous creatures that always appear after Evil God worship rituals, possessing intense life force and low-level self-healing abilities. All known forms of Magic and firearms may injure it, and the manual advises C-level and lower containment personnel to retreat immediately if confronted with an Assembler.

"The caravan guards accurately described all the characteristics of the Assembler, even though none had previously visited any site related to Evil God sacrifices."

Ave deemed this the most likely outcome; after all, Riverside Town had undergone an unprecedented Evil God worship just days earlier.

When Baron Gledin’s coalition force and Hunters arrived, they only cleared the bodies in the town; nobody wished to linger longer in the town. The tragedy in Riverside Town had been reported to Gear City’s branch, but the death toll and follow-up tasks far exceeded regular investigative work, causing a stall in further handling of Riverside Town’s aftermath.

"If the followers of the slumbering Evil God are hidden along the Empire’s border, Riverside Town is most likely their hideout."

Ave continued her analysis, pointing to the appearance of the Assembler, aptly confirming her speculation. "Some investigators believe Assemblers are dark creatures created by the Evil God Bajatous using the souls of sacrificed ones, and those Evil God’s Followers are highly likely to have mastered some means to command Assemblers."

The satisfied cat yawned and lazily curled up on Ethan’s lap, its lovely red eyes squinted to a tiny slit.

Miss Keroy listened intently, seemingly prepared for a confrontation with the Assembler.

Ave didn’t continue further.

Once she pieced everything together, the situation just stagnated.

If members of the Dream Eclipse really hid in Riverside Town, then per the Reception Bureau’s procedure, the safest method is to dispatch several intelligence personnel first to the town to gather information; even if they unfortunately fall, at least it’ll aid the Reception Bureau in assessing risks.

From a macro-logical standpoint, this is the safest approach, minimizing sacrifices while effectively avoiding catastrophic annihilation.

The sole issue is that this method costs lower-level investigators, which is why frontline investigator mortality rates have remained high for the Reception Bureau in recent years.

Gear City branch’s opinion is to maximize the ’Chicken Farmer’s value; after all, his remarks seem like padding, akin to a naturally blessed junior intelligence officer. If he could bring back beneficial intelligence for the Investigation Bureau, it would be a significant gain.

Ave instantly crumpled the branch’s suggestion into a ball and tossed it into the trash bin.

Ethan, being a strong candidate for her future assistant, certainly couldn’t be used as expendable asset; even if it meant using the branch chief to fill the gap, Ethan wouldn’t be considered.

But, the problem must be faced.

The news brought back by the caravan counts as a breakthrough, and someone has to go to Riverside Town to investigate.

"Since the caravan brought back the news, the atmosphere in the Guild has been tense. I registered a commission in the Guild Hall, but there were no takers."

Ave sighed; the Hunters are sharp, after all. Even if the reward was high, you need to be alive to enjoy it, right?

Riverside Town faced one of the rare tragedies in the Empire in recent years; if it weren’t for Baron Gledin deploying his Guard Corps and personally leading them, the Hunters wouldn’t have dared to go to Riverside Town. Among them, many didn’t understand the situation, responding impetuously in the heat of the moment.

Witnessing the grisly scene firsthand, many burly men almost vomited their guts out, leading several Hunters to depart from Ximu Town, hiding in Gear City to avoid trouble.

"In other words, today’s meeting theme is to choose a volunteer to go to Riverside Town."

Previously, Ethan would have undoubtedly been reluctant, but after learning about the Elemental Ascension Theory, he urgently needed a place for in-depth research.

He couldn’t wait to discuss Fireball Skill’s Ascension Theory with his dear bro, the Assembler.

Feigned hesitation, "Though it’s a difficult decision, only I—"

"There’s nothing hard about it."

Sister Bi’an, who had been eating quietly, suddenly spoke up. Taking advantage of everyone listening to Ave’s Guild insights, she teamed up silently with Miss Keroy to finish the stew pot entirely, leaving no broth.

With greasy lips, she licked them contentedly, waving one large hand, "Such situations often occurred in prior expeditions: sacrificing the least for the greatest outcome? No, that’s not my style. If we’re going, we’re going together! I won’t let anyone die in vain!"

Then, she gave Ethan an encouraging glance, "Even if confronted by Evil God’s Followers, I will ensure we escape!"

This initially cozy and inspiring scene left Ethan feeling cold inside.

Can’t you focus on eating your stew!

Why stir up trouble!

Who knew this whole pot of stew couldn’t keep Sister Bi’an’s mouth shut.

His dear bro, the Assembler, was still waiting in the town for him!

Ethan quickly turned to Ave, this matter was critical, and only a follower of the God of Truth could utter fair words.

"Sister Bi’an is right."

Ave nodded profoundly, returning Ethan a similar encouraging eye, "Only through joint effort can hope arise. Rest assured Ethan, we won’t abandon you."

Ethan’s vision dimmed.

You should return to Enlightenment Society for rebirth!

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