Chapter 115 “The source of the invisible curtain”
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The ethereal green flame of the spirit moved with an otherworldly elegance, like a dance of light and darkness that effortlessly glided through the expansive factory in mere seconds. This extraordinary occurrence seemed to emanate from a realm beyond ordinary human comprehension, lifting the invisible curtain that cloaks what people generally recognize as “reality.” For a moment, the hidden layers beneath this veil of perception became discernible to Shirley and Duncan.
What was revealed to them was a haunting tableau of devastation: ash was strewn all over the place. Human-shaped outlines made of ash stood as if they were petrified in time; shapeless mounds of ash lay scattered; walls were scorched black; the roof appeared to have melted, drooping in unnatural forms; and machinery lay crippled, their metal exteriors twisted and brittle from the ravaging heat. Heaps of molten material lay in disarray, as though they were the remains of some forgotten cataclysm. The factory felt like the aftermath of a hellish firestorm that had recently subsided. Although the flames had long been quenched, a lingering aura of their destructive power seemed to pervade the atmosphere.
In the midst of this apocalyptic landscape, Shirley stood paralyzed, her face twisted in a perplexing blend of confusion and recognition. Next to her, Dog, pieced together from skeletal remains, silently sidled up to her, offering her a modicum of support with its jagged, bony frame.
As quickly as it had appeared, the ethereal green fire dissipated, causing the factory and its surroundings to revert to their mundane states.
Duncan examined his hands with a palpable sense of disappointment. He was reminded that this physical form he inhabited was merely a shell compared to his true, spiritual self. The ethereal flames he could conjure were finite in their reach and duration. When tasked with revealing hidden truths over a large area, he could only sustain the magical fire for a fleeting moment.
Yet, even this brief manifestation had been enough to unearth pivotal revelations.
“So, there was a fire… I was right all along,” Shirley whispered to herself, her voice tinged with a mixture of relief and sadness. “I’ve been searching for the truth for eleven years, and it was hiding here all along.”
“Yet, this fire has been concealed from us,” Dog murmured softly. “Some form of mystical force has cast a veil upon the material world, erasing all traces and memories related to the ‘fire.’ This curtain is so potent that it even obscures the sight of malevolent spirits.”
“Could it be the sun fragment? Or maybe the person who first introduced the fragment to our city-state?” Shirley pondered aloud, her brow furrowed in concentration. Noticing Duncan’s lingering silence since the spectral flames had disappeared, she turned to him, “What are your thoughts on this matter?”
“My recollection of the fire doesn’t align with what we’ve just seen,” Duncan interjected, shaking his head slowly. His eyes surveyed the factory’s features, comparing the briefly revealed details against his own haunting memories of the blaze. He recalled fleeing from a building engulfed in roaring flames, carrying Nina to safety. Upon scrutinizing the specifics of the building and its immediate surroundings, he was certain in his conclusion. “The fire I remember did not happen here.”
“Eh?” Shirley paused, taken aback. “So, the fire you recall… it’s from a different place?”
“The inconsistencies in the details are just too glaring to ignore,” Duncan stated solemnly as he made his way toward the factory exit. His eyes moved past the crumbling gate and surveyed the deteriorating streets that stretched out into the distance. “More accurately, it’s the overall geography of the Sixth District that seems… altered, for lack of a better word.”
Without consciously planning to, Shirley and the skeletal dog exchanged a quick, meaningful glance. Lowering her voice, Shirley asked, “What do you think is really happening here?”
“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t have the answers. Eleven years ago, I was even more in the dark than you are now,” the skeletal canine replied, shaking its skull dismissively as if to emphasize its own limitations.
Sensing the conversation happening behind him, Duncan half-turned and posed a question: “Is this factory the only place that’s raising questions?”
“Well, as much as I’ve been able to piece together, this factory was the epicenter of the catastrophe that took place eleven years ago,” Shirley answered, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
Duncan didn’t immediately validate or contest her statement. Instead, for the next two hours, the trio—Duncan, Shirley, and the shadowy hound Dog—conducted a meticulous examination of the entire abandoned factory complex.
Puzzlingly, aside from the metaphysical ‘veil’ that distorted reality, they found no evidence of other supernatural forces or relics that might have been left behind.
Breaking his silence as they concluded the inspection of the last building, Dog finally voiced his concerns, “This is illogical. That reality-bending veil is unmistakably the result of some form of transcendental power. Yet, despite our thorough search, we haven’t identified a ‘source’—an origin point—for this reality-altering veil. It’s perplexing.”
“Is a source necessary?” Shirley inquired, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
Duncan himself was curious but held his composure, maintaining a stoic face as he waited for Dog to elucidate.
Who would have guessed that among the trio, the entity with the most insight into matters of the metaphysical would be the skeletal dark hound?
Seeming not to ponder too deeply on this oddity, the spectral canine proceeded to explain. “The force that is concealing the signs of the fire seems to be constant and unyielding. Such enduring strength implies the existence of a power source that has been sustaining it for this prolonged period. Moreover, when the ethereal flames withdrew, the veil swiftly reestablished itself. This resealing action suggests an active, possibly sentient, force maintaining it. Whether it’s an anomalous object of immense power or a supernatural being of some sort, it’s likely located within the bounds of the city-state.”
As Dog shared his insights, he lifted its skeletal skull to scan the horizon, its empty eye sockets appearing to take in the dilapidated streets and the even more distant neighborhoods as if searching for some unseen clue.
“We failed to locate the origin of this veil within the factory’s confines, which suggests two possibilities,” Dog began to explain, his voice tinged with caution. “Either the entity or force maintaining this veil is doing so from a remote location, or—the more daunting prospect—the scale of this veil’s influence is far larger than we’ve imagined, and we’ve only glimpsed a small corner of it. If it’s the latter case,” Dog’s voice lowered apprehensively, “then we could be facing a situation that’s far beyond a typical ‘anomaly.’ We might be confronting an unknown, far-reaching vision of reality itself.”
Shirley abruptly chimed in, her eyes widening with realization. “The sun fragment is far from being an ordinary ‘anomaly.’ According to what the cultists believe, that fragment is the remains of the Black Sun. It’s entirely possible that this is the fragment’s way of hiding its true nature.”
Dog pondered for a moment before responding, “So you’re suggesting an advanced-level anomaly with self-awareness? Something so powerful that it has cloaked itself behind a veil to erase any traces of its presence, essentially making itself hidden to avoid control or detection? If it truly is the remains of some divine entity, it could potentially have cognitive functions even before coming into full sentience.”
Shirley stood there, pinching her chin in contemplation before her eyes widened in amazement. “Hold on, when did you get so knowledgeable? I thought you couldn’t even read!”
Dog shook its chain, sounding a bit indignant. “I’m a shadow demon, born from the essence of the Nether Lord! I’ve been imbued with this kind of knowledge since my creation, thank you very much. And who are you to criticize my literacy skills?”
Duncan, who had been quietly observing the banter between Shirley and Dog, was clearly intrigued. The pair had a unique dynamic and a multitude of secrets that captured his attention. However, before he could delve deeper into those mysteries, Shirley seemed to remember something urgent. Her eyes darted nervously to the sky, where she saw the sun gradually ascending to its peak. “Oh no! It’s nearly noon!”
Raising an eyebrow, Duncan inquired, “Is there something else you’re obligated to do?”
“I have to get home before noon!” Shirley said, her voice tinged with urgency.
Duncan looked at her, calm but puzzled. “You mentioned your parents aren’t around. Who’s going to reprimand you for coming home late?”
“It’s not about being reprimanded. I have prior commitments with someone else,” Shirley hastily explained, waving her hands as if to emphasize her point. It seemed that their shared experience in the factory had made her feel somewhat more comfortable around Duncan. “Could we possibly continue this investigation another day?”
Duncan glanced at the dark hound beside him, who immediately shrank back its neck. “It’s up to you. If you want to continue exploring, Shirley and I will—”
“No need,” Duncan interrupted, shaking his head. “There’s not much to gain from continuing to explore here. We can resume when we find new leads. Since you both have other commitments, go ahead.”
Shirley’s face lit up with surprised delight as if she hadn’t expected Duncan to let her go so easily. But she didn’t dare to bolt right away and cautiously confirmed, “So… Dog and I can leave now? If you want to contact us later…”
Duncan simply offered her a subtle smile and looked at her warmly. “If it’s meant to be, I’ll go find you two.”
His gaze followed Shirley and Dog, lingering particularly on the dark chain that connected the dark hound to her. On that chain, a tiny green spark was quietly smoldering.
This was a result of his deeper understanding of the “ghost fire” after unexpectedly establishing a connection with Vanna last time; it was a small experiment on his part.
The mark was something he willingly released, more potent than the little flame he had left on Vanna—yet gentle and harmless.
Suddenly, Shirley felt a chill run through her—even though Duncan’s smile was so warm, it made her want to shiver.
However, she ultimately managed to control her expression, bade him goodbye as politely as possible, and then hurriedly left with Dog.
Thank you for the chapter!
Seeing how everything is subtilely connected. Shirley is probably off to see Nina. ?
probably
thought so, things are gonna get good lol
Not subtle at all
Well with how much development these two are getting, there’s no way they won’t be in the crew right? Is Duncan just gonna find a bunch of girls to get attached to throughout the story? Seems lame imo
They either become his daughters or his harem or both pick your poison. I pick the most potent, the third.