Flaying (1)

Du Chen flew back to the attic, recalling the sensation he'd just experienced with a hint of regret. Being a master was truly exhilarating—lording over all, commanding with a mere gesture! Alas, he was merely a 'master' by pretense, though his Lotus Internal Force's power fluctuations remained imperceptible to anyone, and he possessed the unique ability of short-distance concealed flight. With this slight regret, Du Chen glanced at Shieb, who had secluded himself indoors, too fearful to step out, then flopped onto his bed and drifted into a sweet slumber.

The next day, Du Chen didn't rush to meet the Holy Church's representatives to discuss specific matters. Instead, he affected an air of mystery, specifically seeking out eccentric and peculiar individuals on the docks to chat idly with. These included an old beggar collapsed on the street, and a wizened old man guarding the entrance of the library and mess hall. All these people shared a common trait: they seemed to possess the potential of "hidden masters," or at least, they appeared to. Naturally, this was Du Chen's deliberate ploy to mislead the Holy Church's observers, to obscure their perception. It wasn't until midnight that Du Chen finally made his way to the Holy Church's contact point – the Tiger Tavern.

The night was hushed and still. Above, a crescent moon hung, resembling a gleaming deboning hook. Du Chen didn't know why such a ridiculous thought suddenly crossed his mind. Was it perhaps because he'd been thinking too much about flaying and deboning lately?

As he passed through a narrow alley, Du Chen gazed up at the moon once more. Ludicrously, no matter how he looked at it, that crescent moon still resembled a deboning hook.

"Hah, I really have been overthinking things lately!" Du Chen sighed playfully. Yet, just at that moment, the lotus on his backside suddenly began to itch intensely. A good deed awaits! A thrill ran through Du Chen. With still a day left until his agreed deadline with Bairu, he wasn't in a hurry to secretly meet the Holy Church's representatives. Instead, he widened his handsome, sky-blue eyes and began to search the vicinity.

Before long, he caught a whiff of foul alcohol. Following the stench, a drunkard staggered around the corner ahead. Damn it, what an unlucky coincidence! Du Chen frowned deeply. Of all people, it had to be that scoundrel Louis.

By his reckoning, exactly one month had passed since Du Chen had thoroughly tormented Louis. In that short span, Louis had fallen from grace, his reputation ruined, each day feeling like a year. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol, only to run into Du Chen today.

*Surely the Precious Lotus Scripture isn't telling me to help him?* A flicker of reluctance crossed Du Chen's mind.

At that moment, Louis also spotted Du Chen, his bleary, drunken eyes suddenly widening. He gritted his teeth and charged forward. "Francis! You damned bastard, don't you dare leave! Was that you last time?! If you've got guts, tell me the truth!"

"Louis, do you have any proof? Hmph! Whether I have guts or not is not for a drunkard to judge!" Du Chen shot a disdainful glance at the former Minister of the Department of Supervision, now a down-and-out drunkard, and turned to walk away.

"You stop right there!" Louis stepped forward and seized Du Chen's shoulder. The pungent smell of alcohol made Du Chen wrinkle his nose. "Let go of me, Louis, do you realize you're openly assaulting the Student Council's Head of Inspection right now?!" As he spoke, Du Chen provocatively stared at Louis, thinking, *Go on, kid, make a move. If you lay a hand on me, this Head of Inspection will have every right to deduct thirty points from your conduct grade and get you expelled from the academy! Even if you're a fifth-year student, this is the docks, and there are plenty of sailors out at midnight looking for fun. I can yell once and gather dozens of witnesses! You dared to insult my big brother? Hmph, I'll continue to mess with you. I'll torment you until you spit blood today!* Du Chen thought wickedly. But just as he looked around, searching for witnesses, he suddenly realized something was amiss.

Where were the people? Just moments ago, there were beggars and drunkards on the street, but now not a single soul was visible. And why did the surrounding buildings seem so unfamiliar!?

A Magic Formation… The moment the term flashed through Du Chen's mind, the tingling itch on his backside seemed to intensify countless-fold. Instinctively, he leaped up, pulling Louis with him as he dove towards the corner of the wall. *Swoosh!* Following a sharp whizzing sound, a streak of cold light viciously sliced through the very spot where Louis had just been standing.

The moonlight at this moment was at its clearest, the brightest point of midnight.

That attack scared Louis so badly that he broke out in a cold sweat. He turned his head to look at Du Chen, who was leaning against the wall with him, and stammered, "You…" "Shut up!" Du Chen hissed, frantically scanning his surroundings. *Damn it, the Precious Lotus Scripture is too accurate! I've inadvertently saved Louis's life!*

The night remained silent. That streak of cold light vanished without a trace, as if nothing had ever happened. Yet, there was still no one around, and the buildings were still unfamiliar!

"Who have you offended recently!?" Du Chen considered abandoning Louis and escaping alone, but he knew that having a Five-Star Battle-Warrior by his side was safer within a Magic Formation. Louis also nervously scanned their surroundings. The two stood back-to-back against the wall, defending together. "How am I supposed to know which one? Damn it, I've offended so many people in the past, who could remember them all! …Damn it, who knows which one…" He grumbled incessantly. Neither of them noticed a distinct black shadow emerging on the wall they were leaning against. Darker even than the night under the crescent moon.

Silently, a crescent-moon-shaped cold gleam enveloped Louis's neck. It was an iron hook, stained with blood, having claimed countless lives. Yet, the gore couldn't conceal the bone-chilling cold emanating from it.

Du Chen watched the oblivious Louis, his skin crawling with dread. His eyes darted around as he slowly pulled Louis sideways. At this point, Louis also saw the object at his neck, his face turning ashen. He moved inch by inch with Du Chen, attempting to free his neck from the iron hook.

Suddenly, with a dull "thud," Louis's head unexpectedly struck the wall, and he softly slumped into unconsciousness. Immediately after, a voice echoed in Du Chen's ear. "Francis, this is the second time you've interrupted my ritual. Ramepatisu! You deserve to die!" The voice was icy, inhuman, and made no effort to conceal its owner's fury.

"Ramepatisu? You're a Yessar Saint!?" Du Chen was startled, but quickly composed himself, whispering, "Are you Deboning? Tendon-Severing? Or Corpse Dissolution?" "Hmph, you know quite a lot, don't you! Has Flaying contacted you already?"

"Not yet, you…" Du Chen suddenly realized the iron hook was now at his own neck. He hastily stammered, "Don't misunderstand, I am Francis, Phil's son, a person protected by Flaying!" "So what? Anyone who interrupts a Dark Sacred Punishment must die! And you've interrupted me twice!"

The iron hook crept closer to Du Chen's skin, its chill piercing him to the bone.

"If you don't want to die, release him!" Following an even colder voice, a figure, casting a long, slender shadow illuminated by the crescent moon, walked into the alley. Du Chen's eyes darted, following the sound. *Heavens, it's Frith!* Frith, who had already been flayed! No, Frith absolutely couldn't have returned from the dead! Then who was he… That "Frith" slowly walked up to Du Chen, raised a hand, and made a throat-slitting gesture with his pinky finger. "Francis is under my protection. Get lost, or I'll flay you myself!"