Gun of Ashes

In the relatively short lifespan of Eve, she felt her life had been smooth sailing. As the Duke’s daughter, she could have whatever she wanted; whatever wish she had would be fulfilled.

This kind of life was enviable, like a beautiful fairy tale from a storybook. But at a certain past moment, this story seemed to change authors, and the pleasant fairy tale was overshadowed by the stench of blood, racing towards a direction not fit for children to see.

Eve still vividly remembers that day—the day her life took a 180-degree turn.

The splendor and beauty were gone, replaced by blood and corpses. Monsters known as demons emerged from the hidden shadows, casting greedy laughter toward the world.

How awful...

Eve muttered to herself, as she hid in the damp hallway, slightly raising her head to observe the rainy mist outside through the window sill’s gap.

Just tens of minutes ago, Eve also received the news of war beginning. Initially planning to look for Shao Liangxi and Rod, Eve changed her goal upon receiving the news, heading towards the nearest stronghold to get involved in the action.

In the communications, she learned that guarding near was one of the Knight Commanders, Gawain. After establishing a defense line, they began evacuating citizens beyond the defense line, trying to save more citizens before a disaster broke out.

Eve also participated in the escort on her way to the stronghold, but unexpectedly, the demon tide came faster than they imagined.

Everything happened too suddenly.

Slowing her breath, Eve tried not to make any unnecessary sound.

The skirmish ended in a bitter victory. Eve aided the Peacekeepers in momentarily halting the demons, allowing others time to evacuate the citizens.

The resistance didn’t last long, more and more demons emerged, engulfing the Peacekeepers. Eve lacked the capability to stop them, only managing to hide here in the crisis to avoid death.

But safety was only temporary. The intensity of the invasion would only increase, and more demons would roam the streets. They would smell the living, targeting Eve.

Clenching the folding blade in her hand, Eve turned to observe outside. The torrential rain and mist interfered with her vision, limiting her observation.

In her view, traces of scarlet gradually appeared in the stagnant water. These were the blood stains, and not far away were two broken Peacekeepers lying there. Their forms were miserable; their armor was full of scratches, their limbs crudely torn. Looking inside through the gaps, one could see a blurred mess of flesh.

Around the Peacekeepers were piles of countless demon corpses. This place was like a slaughterhouse filled with dismembered bodies and guts, both human and demon.

After the skirmish ended, the demon tide did not pause long. They continued advancing towards the defense line direction, soon disappearing from here, but Eve still didn’t dare to leave.

Few unorganized demons, Eve could still battle. But once encountering a swarm of demons, Eve could only choose to flee. And if she were unlucky enough to encounter an Enhanced Demon, Eve would most likely die here.

In the unclear situation, advancing rashly was suicidal. More so, leaving here, Eve did not know where to go.

The channel remains open. Despite the interference of erosion, much information became vague, yet Eve still distinguished Gawain’s voice.

He was pleading for aid. Not just one demon tide was striking the defense line, but several converged into a massive legion, exerting enormous pressure on the defense line, seemingly about to be breached the next second.

In the battles throughout Old Dunling’s regions, Gawain’s situation was the most dire.

Eve could see war airships sweeping past continuously, followed by roaring explosions. Looking towards Gawain’s direction, the dazzling flames seemed to ignite the entire sky, as if a raging fire was burning and rolling. But still, it did not ease much pressure on the defense line, his calls persist incessantly in the channel.

Unable to head to Gawain’s place, then to other strongholds?

Eve rubbed her head hard, quickly abandoning this thought.

From the impressions in her memory, the nearest stronghold was also a considerable distance away; Eve couldn’t ensure whether she’d encounter demons on the way.

So... was there nothing she could do, just hiding here until it all ended?

Eve questioned herself.

Humans, after all, were too fragile; a single person’s strength cannot reverse any crisis, only when banding together do they have a slight hope.

An other familiar face floated in her mind, offering a different answer.

Humans also have the ability to overcome all this, as long as they pay a sufficiently expensive price, abandon all inferiority, and join the grand Ascension.

"Lorenzo Holmes."

Eve whispered that name; he seemed to be the beginning of it all. With her encounter with Lorenzo, the world unfolded into a mad tapestry.

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Sometimes Eve wondered, if she had not met Lorenzo, what would her life be like now.

She guessed that perhaps it would be like Arthur described; Eve would face setbacks in her detective career, being secretly maneuvered by Arthur back to the exquisite cage, learning various etiquettes under the teacher’s guidance to become an excellent wife, then marrying a stranger on a secluded island.