CHAPTER 200: CRIMSON MOURNING

Rock Sand City, Noble District, Courtyard No. 33.

Carlos gently twisted a ring on his finger.

Set with crimson jade bone, crystal clear and see-through, giving off waves of cold air.

Crimson Mourning

Quality: Purple

Wearing Requirements: Spirituality 1/Death Herald Pathway

Special Enhancement: Skeleton Revival Level +2

This was the reward Carlos had picked up from the Rock Sand City garrison.

"There aren’t many spirit gears that work for Death Heralds around here."

Carlos sighed to himself.

Death’s energy made living things want to run the other way.

Psychics who could walk the Death Herald path were rare as hell.

This naturally meant spirit gear was scarce as dragon’s teeth.

"Caw!"

Suddenly, a red flash zipped by.

Red Spirit flew back, carrying a letter.

"A message from Security Officer Willie?"

Carlos grabbed it and stretched out on his lounge chair, starting to read.

"Just like I figured, a third letter showed up."

The letter’s content pointed out where the Black Sinner ritual was happening—the Fourth District slums.

Rock Sand City’s bigwigs, based on this intel, had sent tons of soldiers and psychics to lock down the Fourth District, getting ready to totally wipe out these Black Sinners.

Plus, the three Controllers would personally run the show to be extra safe.

Things were going down exactly like Carlos had guessed.

Because the first two letters had been spot-on, Rock Sand City’s leadership trusted the third tip-off letter big time.

Pretty much all their firepower would pile into the Fourth District.

At the end of the letter, the security officer asked Carlos to team up.

"Team up... not this time."

Carlos shook his head.

If this wasn’t some Black Sinner scheme, with three Controllers personally running things, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Him showing up wouldn’t change much.

But if they’d really fallen for a fake-out play, not going would let him jump in right away.

Just then:

"Knock knock!"

Knocking sounds rang out.

"How could anyone show up here?"

Carlos frowned a little.

To avoid nosy neighbors, he hadn’t told anyone where he was crashing.

...

Outside the gate, Kiri kept knocking, seeming totally sure the person she wanted to see was inside.

"Kiri, is everything you said for real? Black Sinners grabbed Diliya?!"

Becky looked scared out of her mind.

Black Sinners were even more brutal and nasty than traitors.

Diliya falling into their hands was the worst thing that could happen!

"Becky, it’s totally true. As a Fate Witch, you should be able to feel this in your gut."

Kiri said it like that.

Becky nodded with a heavy heart.

Her fortune-telling instincts told her that her close friend’s fate was in serious danger.

Weird, I remember Carlos Valois is staying at No. 33. Why isn’t anyone here?

After knocking for a while with no answer from inside, Kiri stubbornly kept knocking.

Other stuff might slip her mind, but this absolutely wouldn’t be wrong.

...

"Caw! Caw!"

Red Spirit, having just finished checking things out from up high, described what the visitors looked like.

It didn’t sense any danger—just two weak humans.

"Two female psychics?"

Carlos wondered who they might be.

People he knew? Or total strangers?

"Knock knock!"

The knocking kept going.

Carlos’s mind moved as he told two Redrose Shield Guards near the door:

"Go bring them in."

...

"Nobody’s here?"

"No way, someone’s definitely here!"

Just now, Kiri felt like someone was watching her.

Her eyes automatically looked up as a red shadow flashed by.

Suddenly:

Creak!

The gate swung open!

Two skeleton monsters giving off nasty vibes stood on either side of the door.

Soul fires in their bone frames coldly stared at the two women without any feeling whatsoever.

Becky immediately felt ice run through her veins, her hair standing straight up.

"Ki... Kiri, this is..."

"Come on, let’s go in!"

Kiri seemed used to this, showing zero surprise as she walked right through the gate.

Seeing Kiri go in, and with her fortune-telling instincts not screaming warnings, Becky gritted her teeth and followed.

After the two women went in, the gate shut again.

Walking on the twisty path with the gate closing behind them, Becky got even more nervous.

She stuck close to Kiri, quietly asking:

"Kiri, where are they taking us?"

"To see the owner living here, obviously."

Kiri wasn’t too worried.

At this point in time, the genius among humans, the monster among geniuses—Carlos Valois—was still a good guy ally.

As long as it didn’t mess with his principles, he was pretty reasonable.

Led by the Shield Guards through winding paths, they reached a courtyard.

In the courtyard’s center stood a big black umbrella, blocking out the brutal sunlight.

Under the umbrella, a figure with his back to them seemed to be checking out stone wall paintings ahead.

Carlos Valois!

Nobody else could have such a perfect silhouette!

Kiri’s eyes lit up with excitement.

In the future, she’d fought with everything she had to take him down but could only reach his many servants, desperately staring at his back.

Now, seeing that familiar silhouette again, everything would start fresh!

Suddenly, Carlos turned around:

"Ladies..."

The two women’s faces came into view, and his emerald eyes couldn’t help but narrow.

The Northern Hero!

It was actually the Northern Hero!

The Northern Hero—unknown life form, mostly showing up as a young girl.

Inheriting the Valkyrie’s guts and determination, she made taking down demon kings her life’s work.

From her first appearance, she was either taking down demon kings or on her way to take down demon kings.

That’s not right. At this point in time, shouldn’t she be teaming up with Kathy’s crew to grind levels in the Withered Lands?

Carlos stayed cool on the outside while being totally confused inside.

Also, why would the Northern Hero come visit me? And her buddy isn’t from her original timeline?

After Carlos turned around, his perfect, otherworldly presence washed over them.

Carlos Valois!

Kiri covered her chest where her heart was hammering like crazy.

This look, this presence, this calm coolness like nothing could touch him.

But unlike the future, beneath the cold distance that kept everyone away was mixed a warm flavor—the scent of nature.

Suddenly:

"What... what incredible fate!"

Becky’s eyes went huge.

In her perception, rushing torrents of fate were weaving and tangling around the person in front of her!

Without thinking, Becky’s pupils started changing, brilliant starlight bursting out that couldn’t be ignored even in broad daylight.