Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 160 - The Elite Have Arrived

Whoosh!

A shadow suddenly darted out from the black carriage. The moment the figure's toes touched the ground, it swerved in between the dense attacks of the Decaying Knights, and after a few agile maneuvers, it slipped into the armored carriage at the rear. With a loud bang, it slammed the iron door shut.

Cassius glanced inside the carriage; the eight people seated inside seemed intact, except for some tattered clothes and some minor injuries on a few people. Regardless, as he scanned from left to right, he noticed that everyone's spirits were exceptionally high. Especially the few older men, who seemed particularly exhilarated. After decades of cultivating their minds and bodies, they relished the chance to fight freely, thus awakening the vigor of their youth.

On the far right, Mi An, the Demon Lion, still maintained his elegant gentlemanly attire, with his striped suit perfectly intact. Only his slicked-back hair had come apart from the rain, loose, medium-length white strands coming down to frame his face and giving him a strangely wild and dashing appearance.

Cassius could sense a shift in Mi An's gaze.

In their first meeting, Mi An had exuded a kind of warm aura commonly associated with elderly people. Now, it had completely vanished, a sharp, devilish intensity in its place, like that of an eager young man. Mi An sat on one side of the carriage, continuously brushing his wet hair back. Cassius felt like offering him a cigarette, though he guessed Mi An was the type to prefer an old-fashioned pipe.

Mi An glanced at Cassius. "You're here? We're almost there, right?"

Cassius picked an empty seat at random and sat down. "About two hundred meters ahead. The carriage is starting to slow down."

Thuds echoed from outside as the Decaying Knights' weapons kept striking the steel carriage. The carriage was covered in multiple layers of iron plates, but most had already been stripped away. With enough time, the Decaying Knights would eventually break through the final layer.

Hardy the Winged Serpent, bare-chested and draped in a black cloak wiped a bloodstain from his hand as he turned to ask Cassius, "Cassius, did you count the number of Decaying Knights attacking us when you came over? It seems we're short three. Did they fall behind?"

Cassius smiled at his question from where he was sitting on his side. "Those three didn't fall behind. You took them all down, one at a time."

"Oh? How so?" Hardy raised an eyebrow.

He had already heard how Cassius described the Decaying Knights—undead skilled in various techniques, formidable masters of cold weapons, loyal guardians of Black Rain Manor, and ruthless enforcers against the Hellsings. As long as they were within the range of the Black Rain, the Decaying Knights could revive endlessly. No matter how many times they were killed, they would keep coming back until they wore their enemies down.

Earlier, Hardy and his old friends from the northern Covert Martial Arts world had experienced it firsthand. The knights weren't overwhelmingly strong, but they were impossible to kill, like annoying pests that refused to let go.

And so, what Cassius meant was...

"Fake-death pill. I used the pill," Cassius said, pulling a bottle from his pocket and gently shaking it. It sounded like only about a quarter of them were left.

While the Decaying Knights were fighting the Covert Martial Arts experts earlier, Cassius had taken the opportunity to conduct a small experiment.

When a few of the Decaying Knights were killed, Cassius shot the fake-death pills into their wounds. He repeated this process with several others, and in the end, his hypothesis was proven correct.

The true function of the fake-death pill was to block Black Rain Manor's perception, which had allowed the northern Covert Martial Arts representatives to sneak into the manor. However, the pill's effect wasn't absolute. When the group headed to the Baptism Chapel, the shielding was likely insufficient, which was why the gargoyles noticed them. The same principle applied to the Decaying Knights.

Using half of his fake-death pill, Cassius concluded that the Decaying Knights wouldn't be able to revive if the connection between them and Black Rain Manor was blocked. The connection between the Decaying Knights and the manor could be severed, but it was very strong and required quite a large amount of pills to break. Three Knights alone had cost Cassius half a bottle.

Therefore, Wenmingda University's fake-death pill formula was still indispensable. Whether it was to smuggle large numbers of northern Covert Martial Arts Practitioners into the Rainy World or to sever the link between the Knights and the manor, a large supply of fake-death pills was essential.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The carriage finally arrived at the platform. Nine figures burst out of the armored carriage, clearing away the surrounding Decaying Knights. Then, in the blink of an eye, they disassembled the armored carriage, with some pulling from the front and others pushing from the back, before disappearing as quickly as a flash of lightning.

A short distance away, a woman peeked out from behind a large tree, about a hundred meters away. She glanced at the black carriage beside the bronze pillar and the numerous aimlessly wandering Decaying Knights. Her senses told her that something was off and she decided not to head up to the Black Rain Manor today. It would be better to rest in Anta City for a few days. After all, there was no rush. She could always head up to the manor in a week or two.

The next day, at a large white manor in East Sea City, Cassius stood on the cobblestone path and took in his surroundings. Green lawns, exquisite flower beds, and many elegantly designed villa buildings filled the area. He couldn't help but marvel at the power of the northern Covert Martial Arts sects—within half a day, a large manor had changed hands. Mi An had said they would temporarily use the manor as a base to host the incoming arrivals from the northern Covert Martial Arts world.

The day before, Mi An and his group had confirmed the magnitude of Soul Power. They immediately contacted the northern Covert Martial Arts world via telegram, summoning the main force to march south for a joint attack on Black Rain Manor.

Although the various sects of the northern Covert Martial Arts world had selected only the best of the best, it was still a large crowd. They likely needed to divide into several batches and travel to Anta City one group at a time.

Until...the day of the final assault.

Additionally, Cassius had only learned the previous night that Anta City's largest carriage company, Solar Steed, had been bought out by the Three-Eyed Mad Lion Sect. A week prior, they had already begun constructing armored carriages in earnest, with designs that were both more comfortable and sturdier.

Mi An and his team were certainly thinking ahead. Before even verifying Soul Power, they were already eagerly getting ready in every possible way for the final assault. Solar Steed, once famed for its old-fashioned aristocratic style, was now stuck constructing armored carriages and forced to sacrifice its once elegant designs. Clients who previously sought its high-end customizations could only respect its new vision.

They were left with no choice but to work overtime, producing steel-plated carriages devoid of beauty or craftsmanship. There were no intricate carvings, no luxurious gold paint, and no high-end interior decor. Just steel, steel, and more steel...

As the northern Covert Martial Arts sects began their operations, Cassius did not remain idle. Once again, dressed in a pair of casual trousers, he headed to Wenmingda University in East Sea City.

The clear blue sky seemed to have been wiped clean with a damp cloth. Wisps of white clouds drifted above, occasionally obscuring the blazing sun. Cassius, wearing a black hat and a casual windbreaker, entered Wenmingda University. Just like before, he passed through the circular intersection and tree-lined avenue until he reached No. 3 administration building.

He glanced up at the building's yellow and white tiles, then climbed up to the third floor and knocked on the office door. "Is Professor Tennessee in?"

No one answered. Cassius knocked again, lightly, but still no response.

He asked again, and this time the door to a nearby office opened and a young teacher with a scholarly air poked his head out. "Are you looking for Professor Tennessee? He should be in the library. He's been spending most of his time there these days."

"Thank you. Could you tell me where the library is?" Cassius asked.

"It's behind No. 1 lecture building, next to the largest training field at Wenmingda. You can ask the staff there when you get closer."

"Got it, thanks." Cassius immediately turned and left.

He descended six flights of stairs and exited No. 3 administration building, then made his way along the white stone path toward No. 1 lecture building.

Although Cassius had restrained his aura, the young students still veered far away from him, as if he were some sort of dangerous beast. The phenomenon had started after Cassius's third-level accelerated blood flow.

His aura had become even more pronounced now. To fully suppress it, he would need to master Qi and force like Mi An and the others. When Cassius first met Mi An, Mi An's aura was so restrained that he didn't seem any different from an ordinary person at all. It wasn't until Cassius mentioned Soul Power that Mi An's emotions erupted, causing him to reveal the powerful presence of a combat artist. It was a similar thing with the other northern Covert Martial Arts representatives.

Cassius was eager to learn from the combat artists who had mastered the secret of being able to freely control their aura.

Five minutes later, inside Wenmingda University's library, Cassius found Professor Tennessee. He was noticeably thinner and more haggard, with large dark circles under his eyes. His receding hairline seemed to have receded even further.

Seeing Cassius, Tennessee became a bit excited. "Mr. Twilight, you should have come in the afternoon. I'm just about to finish the last part."

Cassius was pleased to hear that he was nearly done. Professor Tennessee's dedication was evident in his haste to decipher the formula. Of course, Tennessee's diligence was undoubtedly fueled by the money in Cassius's pocket. The faster the decoding was completed, the more Federation currency Tennessee would receive.

Since Tennessee said there was just a little left, Cassius decided he could wait. He stole a rare moment to relax by spending the afternoon napping by a window in the library. For years, every spare moment Cassius had was spent training. It was unusual of him to empty his mind and rest in the warm sunlight as he did then.

"Hey, student, student! The library is about to close." A pleasant voice echoed in his ears.

Cassius opened his eyes and sat up. A cute bespectacled girl with a delicate and fair face and blonde hair that shimmered in the sunset stood before him. She held a few books and notes in her hands, and her entire being exuded a faint scholarly demeanor.

"..." Cassius looked at the girl but said nothing.

The pale red sunset spread in stripes across the table.

"Are you still sleepy from your nap? The library is closing in ten minutes, and the staff will be coming by to clear everyone out." The girl waved her slender fingers in front of Cassius.

Cassius still didn't reply. The situation quickly became awkward and silent.

"Y-you're so rude! I'm leaving." Angrily, the girl turned on her heel to leave.

Cassius rested his hands on the table, expressionless as he watched her retreating figure. He wasn't being rude nor was he groggy from waking up. It was just that Cassius didn't know how to react when he beheld the sight of prey flaunting itself before a hunter, and trying to engage him. Should he crush it into a meat patty? Gut it? Or just walk away?

After all, they were inside Wenmingda University. While he'd be fine if he killed that little Blood Race member here, that wasn't going to be the case for Professor Tennessee, who was working for him; he'd likely face significant trouble.

The girl's figure disappeared from his view as she walked through the doorway. Cassius rubbed his chin, suddenly feeling that he might have some charm...or perhaps his blood was just that appealing.

Two minutes later, Professor Tennessee sprinted down the corridor, looking very excited as he handed a notebook to Cassius. Cassius opened it to find a piece of parchment inside, along with a large amount of translated content. The content included numerous annotations of relevant terms.

"Well done, Professor Tennessee, you've done an excellent job this time." Cassius patted Tennessee on the shoulder, then picked up a suitcase from the ground and handed it to him.

On the afternoon of July 25 at Wenmingda University, Cassius obtained the decoded fake-death pill formula and began acquiring raw materials through various means to mass-produce the pill.

The next evening, a girl named Tina suddenly died near Wenmingda University Town, her head decapitated as if it had been torn off by a tremendous force.

On August 2, news arrived from Solar Steed in Anta City at noon, informing them that all the armored carriages were ready.

On August 5 at the White Manor, with the assistance of many elders from the northern Covert Martial Arts world, Cassius successfully broke through to the third stage of the Stone Armor Technique. He shattered the bottleneck and advanced to the Entry Level of the third stage Stone Armor Technique.

On the evening of August 6, Mi An brought news that the southern Covert Martial Arts sect, Cloud Dog Sect, had agreed to cooperate with the northern Covert Martial Arts world and would leverage their influence within the southern government forces.

Early in the morning of August 7, Cloud Dog Sect had temporarily reserved the entire train station in East Sea County. There were no other passengers on the platforms. The only people present were those from the northern Covert Martial Arts world and an elder from Cloud Dog Sect. They gathered at the far right side of the rectangular platform. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Cassius, wearing a black hat, looked into the distance as the steam locomotive approached, thick smoke billowing out as it let out a long, loud whistle.

The black-and-red square-shaped carriages finally came to a halt. The doors opened, but there were no conductors in sight. Instead, one by one, brawny men with imposing auras disembarked in silence, their bodies evidence of frequent Covert Martial Arts training. The northern Covert Martial Arts world elites had arrived!

Black Rain Manor...