Chapter 185: “Safe and Sound”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.com

The ghostly bird, crafted from flaming flesh and see-through bones, let out a haunting, sharp scream reminiscent of a woman’s cry. This otherworldly creature was enveloped in rising, emerald flames that burned with a ghostly intensity. As it spoke, the sentences were in a language or tone that no one could fathom.

Shirley, who had been in a trance-like state, suddenly snapped back to reality. With wide eyes, she looked in horror at this strange creature that had so suddenly interrupted the moment. As the bird gracefully looped through the air again, the apocalyptic beings known as the Enders became motionless, as if time had stopped for them, resembling actors frozen on a film screen due to a technical error.

One of these beings was caught mid-step, with half his body eerily hanging in the air. The sight was a mix of uncanny and downright terrifying, yet oddly comedic.

As the bird made another round, a door-shaped portal of those same green flames opened, creating a swirling vortex. From this gateway, a tall figure emerged and walked towards Shirley.

Duncan looked down at her, his voice gentle yet filled with concern, “Didn’t I tell you to seek help when you’re in danger? Why didn’t you call for me?”

“I… I didn’t remember,” Shirley responded, her voice trembling. As she spoke, she noticed the harmful effects the Enders had inflicted upon her began to dissipate swiftly with Duncan’s presence. The cacophony in her mind, the confusing and overwhelming thoughts, all started to fade. As clarity returned to her, she looked puzzled, “I was so overwhelmed… Their endless screaming made my mind whirl…”

Duncan shifted his gaze to the frozen figures, who seemed paused by some powerful force, possibly Ai’s intervention.

He was taken aback by their grotesque appearance. Though they had hints of humanity, their outfits were ragged, and their forms had mutated so drastically they were hardly recognizable as humans. Their limbs were deformed, bones jutting out at odd angles, and their faces contorted into expressions blending madness and absurdity, making them more repulsive than wild, unkempt dogs.

Concern evident in his eyes, Duncan returned his attention to Shirley, “Did these creatures harm you? How did they find you?”

“It was them! They ambushed me!” Shirley blurted out. Though she felt something was off, she quickly brushed it aside. “I don’t know their origin. But Dog mentioned they’re Enders, disciples of subspace…”

“Enders? Are they devotees of subspace?” At first, Duncan appeared nonchalant, his face unexpressive. However, upon hearing Shirley’s confirmation, his brows knitted slightly, indicating a spark of realization or memory. Without hesitation, he commanded Ai, “Hold onto them, don’t let them slip away!”

In the brief moments Duncan took to convey his order, the Enders, suspended in stasis by Ai, started to fade and shimmer, hinting at their imminent escape to another dimension. But with a powerful surge from its wings, Ai anchored them back, preventing them from phasing out. Its resounding, robotic cry reverberated, “Network stabilized, network stabilized!”

Duncan nodded with approval, “Transport them to the ship. I’ll join you on the deck shortly.”

“Objective acknowledged! Completing task!” Ai’s voice echoed again.

With that, Ai created a swirling vortex of luminous flames in mid-air. The silhouettes of the three Enders vanished within these mystic flames almost instantaneously.

The dim shack now housed only Duncan, Dog, and Shirley, along with the lifeless forms of the three Enders, seemingly crushed by a meteor hammer.

In a state of semi-shock, Shirley watched subspace zealots – who had nearly ended her and Dog’s existence – vanish in mere moments. The confrontation concluded so abruptly and effortlessly that it barely registered as a battle to her.

Mr. Duncan hadn’t made a single aggressive move. From the onset to its conclusion, he hadn’t displayed the slightest apprehension about the Enders’ powers or their ominous abilities. He merely emerged, displayed a fleeting curiosity towards them, and then nonchalantly removed them from the scene, much like one might collect pebbles from a path.

Perhaps, in his eyes, they weren’t even worthy adversaries.

Shirley’s reflections were interrupted by Duncan’s voice, filled with genuine concern, “How badly are you hurt?”

This question pulled her from her musings about Duncan’s intimidating demeanor. Instinctively, she wanted to downplay her injuries. But before she could muster a response, a stinging pain radiated from her back and arm, causing her to wince and mutter, “God, it’s so painful…”

Observing her discomfort, Duncan asked, “Should we rush you to a hospital?”

“No way!” She exclaimed almost instinctively. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she attempted to prop herself up. “I’m penniless right now.”

Duncan looked genuinely surprised, “Is now really the time to worry about money? Just look at yourself!”

Huffing, she retorted, “Let me finish. It’s not just about being broke. My body… it’s different. If a hospital examines me, they’ll find out. If the church learns about it, I won’t be able to provide an explanation. Besides—”

Shirley hesitated for a moment, then gingerly lifted her arm, revealing the site of her injury to Duncan.

The wound was closing at an astonishing rate. Once the malicious influence of the Enders had been eradicated, her unique healing powers were activated. The once ghastly cut ceased bleeding, and the remnants of the foreign toxins within were actively purged by her body’s rapid healing process. Fresh skin grew over the wound, its pace of regeneration visible to the naked eye.

The more grievous injury on her back followed suit, mending steadily. Although the pain persisted and made her wince, she was well aware that she had overcome the worst of the assault.

“If those Enders keep their mouths shut, they’re no match for me,” Shirley declared, raising her chin with a mix of pride and defiance. “Normally, something as trivial as this wouldn’t bring me down… Ah, but it does hurt a bit…”

She was interrupted by a soft, crackling noise that emanated from a nearby corner.

Both Shirley and Duncan redirected their attention to the source. The once grotesquely mutated body of a fallen Ender was undergoing an eerie transformation. It had solidified into a stony gray, bearing resemblance to weathered rock. As they watched, it disintegrated, with small shards breaking away. These pieces turned to ash even before they could touch the ground, disappearing without a trace.

The once foreboding aura of the room shifted with the decomposition of the Enders. Ominous shadows that had once loomed outside the window retreated, streetlights outside regained their regular luminance, and the room’s suffocating sense of malevolence and cold hostility began to wane.

“They’ve returned themselves to subspace, and now comes the reckoning,” Dog’s voice, although muffled, was laden with knowledge as he elucidated Duncan’s evident bewilderment. “Subspace claims them, ensuring they leave no trace in our world.”

Duncan pondered for a moment, then remarked with a hint of dry humor, “I suppose they do have an eco-friendly exit strategy. It certainly spares the effort of any cleanup.”

He then faced Shirley, “Feeling more like yourself? If so, accompany me.”

A gentle green flame materialized mid-air, and from within it, Ai emerged. After a brief glide around, it alighted on Duncan’s shoulder.

“Accompany you? Where exactly?” Shirley inquired, somewhat startled.

“Surely you don’t intend on staying here tonight?” Duncan motioned to the chaos around them, emphasizing the destruction. “Does this place look even remotely livable to you now?”

Leaning against the wall for support, Shirley rose with some effort. She took in the sight of the old dwelling she and Dog had called home for so many years. The aftermath of the attack was evident: broken furniture, corrosive scars everywhere, and the general devastation.

And to begin with, there hadn’t been an abundance of valuables in the first place.

Shirley’s eyes grew heavy, their sparkle dimming momentarily. She seemed momentarily lost in her thoughts, feeling the weight of the situation.

“The guardians on duty appear to have overlooked the disturbance here. We still have a chance to retrieve some belongings,” Duncan remarked, compassion evident in his voice. He understood the flood of emotions threatening to drown Shirley but found himself struggling to find the right words to comfort her. “Regardless, this place is compromised. Beyond the evident destruction, the threat of subsequent assaults looms large. I can’t fathom why the Enders had you in their sights, but you’re undoubtedly on their radar now…”

He left the implication hanging in the air, allowing Shirley to draw her own conclusions.

Duncan was well aware that behind Shirley’s youthful façade was a resilience and wisdom that belied her age. Life had thrown its fair share of hardships at her, and she had learned the art of prioritizing and adapting.

Gathering herself, Shirley whispered with a hint of melancholy, “I’ll grab a few essentials.”

“Do you want assistance?” Duncan asked, ever the gentleman.

She declined with a small shake of her head, “There’s not much to take.”

Her words were painfully true.

It took barely a few minutes for Shirley to collect her meager belongings. Her treasures were simple: an old, frayed rag doll that had seen better days, a couple of garments that had miraculously evaded the wreckage, and two slightly bent tin containers holding various trinkets that produced a soft clinking sound.

Carefully placing her items in a tattered box, she walked up to Duncan, an air of resignation surrounding her, “I’m set.”

Dog cast a lingering gaze at the box cradled in Shirley’s arms, his voice heavy with emotion, “If you’re taking that… does it imply we won’t return?”

She chose not to answer.

Duncan, observing the young woman before him, allowed a warm smile to grace his features. He reached out, gently ruffling her hair in a comforting gesture.

“It’s time,” he declared softly, “Let’s head home.”

A mystic green flame ignited, from which a phantom bird emerged, its expansive wings unfurling grandly, shielding Shirley’s last view of the modest dwelling she once cherished as home.

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