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Chapter 881: The Silent Ones

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After listening to Sherlock Moriaty's arrangements, Sharon said nothing—just gently nodded her agreement. Then, Cain produced a gray-iron metallic mask and donned it, leaving only her eyes and nostrils exposed. Sharon and Mariqi did the same, each wearing similar masks. However, their reasons for masking differed. "The Wailing Souls" and "The Living Dead" wished to remain completely concealed, unwilling to risk being identified and locked down by the Roon military so they could continue operating in Beckland. In contrast, the "Faceless Ones" used the mask not merely as concealment, but as a deliberate disguise of their ability to change appearance—intending to mislead the Roon military and the Rose School's subsequent investigations. After all, if one's face is already artificial and not their own, why would they wear an additional mask? Then, after a further pause, a deep, resonant sound of ships arriving in the harbor began to rise from the darkness. Klein returned to the vent and raised the single-tube telescope, once again directing his gaze toward the dock under military alert. He soon saw a hybrid vessel—equipped with a smokestack and sails—slowing down steadily, coming to a steady halt. At the same time, two squads of soldiers in red uniforms and white trousers marched past, forming neat lines on either side of the road. Not long after, a suspended ladder descended, and people began disembarking. First came seamen carrying wooden crates, followed by a young man in a major's uniform, solemnly holding a crystal case, surrounded by several crew members. Those crew members carried lanterns, casting light from various angles onto the case, illuminating both its surface and its contents. Inside, he saw a human skull—completely devoid of any flesh—shimmering with an unusual luster under the light! This group moved with considerable slowness, constantly adjusting to the angle of the lantern's light, leaving no gaps in their movement. When they disembarked and walked along the road toward the nearest freight tracks, where a steam locomotive coiled like a great serpent was already waiting, another man in a black formal suit emerged from the rear compartment. He carried a large iron cask, within which, visible from an angle, layers of ice stacked one upon another. For a brief moment, Caine almost thought the ice might contain a bottle of wine, as is customary in high society and fine restaurants—yet he quickly realized what was embedded within the ice: a hand, entirely crafted of pure gold! Unlike the earlier group, this man in the cask moved swiftly, with sweat constantly dripping from his forehead, and water mist forming on the metal surface beneath his palms as he pressed it. He appeared deeply concerned that the ice would completely melt before he reached his destination. The military has seized numerous sealed artifacts across the Star Plateau, the Pas Valley, and the Hagaqi Grasslands... Clary sincerely remarked, patiently awaiting the coffin of Thutmose II. Another fifteen minutes passed, and simultaneously, both he and Sharon, as well as Marij, heard the heavy footsteps coming from afar. It sounded as though titans were walking across the hollow deck below. Then, the side doors of the ship chamber opened, and four knights clad in black full-body armor carried a golden coffin step by step, their footsteps echoing and the creaking sounds surrounding them. The coffin's surface was adorned with strange birds, long serpents, feathers, and masks, appearing rustic and mysterious, with a strong flavor of ancient highland kingdom design—exactly the "bed" upon which Thutmose II's mummy rested! The sound of metal chains rubbing against each other echoed as the dark steel tower slowly rotated, lowering its steel cables and hooks, which were then wound and secured to the four corners of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus. Then, the complex pulley system began to operate, lifting the heavy sarcophagus steadily toward an open-sided wagon positioned at the dock's outer edge. The four knights in black full armor instantly released their pressure, settling onto the deck and breathing heavily. Amid the bustling activity, one knight suddenly exhaled in a low groan. From the crevices of his armor, dark red blood flowed in steady streams, growing more abundant and noticeable until, finally, small, hard black beetle-like creatures began to emerge. Clatter! The knight collapsed backward, knocking off his helmet, revealing a head with hollowed-out eye sockets and strips of flesh hanging like threads—countless black beetles now moving in and out of the wound. The curse... the mummy of Thutmose II is itself the embodiment of the curse... even when clad in armor blessed with favorable intentions, the outcome seems to remain inevitably cursed. Kline sighed silently, turning his gaze toward the golden sarcophagus slowly descending onto the carriage. Near the wharf, a steel monstrosity—complete with a smokestack, cannons, and machine guns—turned around, and a deep voice emerged unimpeded from within: "No attachments allowed here." As soon as these words concluded, the carriage that had been rushing forward on its own suddenly lost all momentum, drawing two long trails behind it before coming to a steady halt. At the same time, a figure emerged into the air, clad in a white robe embroidered with golden threads, his hair a pale yellow with slight curls, his eye sockets deeply sunken, his face lean and bone-thin. A middle-aged man with a blend of northern and southern continental heritage, his brown eyes radiating an unmistakable malice and madness, had golden nails—each densely patterned—driving into the thicker parts of his lips, sealing his mouth completely, giving off a distinctly eerie and terrifying impression. Based on the features described by Miss Sharon and Mariichi and the portrait provided, Cline immediately recognized this as Mahams, a key figure of the Rose School and one of the leaders of the Highland Resistance, known by the nickname "The Silent." As soon as Mahams appeared, his gaze settled directly on the steel monolith bearing the title "Lawgiver," completely ignoring the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Tutankhamun resting on the inclined wagon below. His earlier actions had seemed solely aimed at confirming the status of the semi-divine commander of the Ruin army! Just as he spoke, Mahams raised his right hand and pulled it across his mouth. The golden spikes piercing his upper and lower lips simultaneously launched into the air, releasing his oral seal. Mahams then opened his mouth. Cline heard not a single sound nor saw any radiance, yet observed that the massive steam war machine began to melt and warp, transforming within the span of a single breath into a sheep—staring blankly, with disheveled fur! A burst of blood sprayed from the lamb's belly, and a chunk of flesh rolled out, embedded with a white glove and a golden mask. Suddenly, a beam of light erupted from within the flesh, cutting through all the chaos and supernatural disturbances. The pulsing muscles began to reassemble into human form, returning to their original state: a man with black hair, golden eyes, and wearing a mask. At this moment, Mahaams, the "Silent One," raised his palm slightly, causing all guns and cannons aimed at him to lift and fire into empty space. Then he produced a doll. The doll appeared to be made of old fabric, stained with visible dirt and blood spots, its eyes removed by someone, leaving two hollows. As soon as the light touched it, the doll's face began to transform, mirroring the half-god of the Roon military—its eye sockets precisely aligned with the man wearing the golden mask. The half-god from the Roon military immediately caused the ring on his right hand to emit a crystalline glow, vanishing from his original spot and materializing behind Mahams. Yet the transformation of the doll did not cease. At the same time, in the side of the golden sarcophagus of Pharaoh Thutmose II, the void grew dim and shimmered, forming a translucent mouth several meters long. This mouth suddenly opened, drawing in a deep breath that generated a terrifying gale, lifting the sarcophagus and the carriage together. This appears to be a being from the spirit realm! It intends to swallow the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Thutmose II! Suddenly, the bullets and cannonballs that had previously missed their targets simultaneously glowed with resplendent radiance, gathering into a majestic ocean of light that engulfed everything around. Kaine's eyes stung, and though he promptly closed them, a few tears still escaped. Two seconds later, he opened his eyes again and found the ethereal being that had previously appeared as merely a massive mouth now gone—King Tutankhamun's golden sarcophagus remained quietly positioned on the halted carriage. Mahams had materialized on the dock in a different direction, his once-soiled doll once more restored to its original form, while the golden-eyed man in the mask swiftly closed the distance on him through a short teleportation. Where they had originally stood, a woman in a black formal dress emerged, also wearing a golden mask and crowned with a wreath woven from thorns. Radiant light flowed swiftly across the crown, gathering inward into an ever-expanding "ocean," though at this moment it seemed to be entering a period of dimming. At that instant, Kline noticed a hand—a hand in a black glove—hidden in the shadows, reaching out and gently grasping the sarcophagus where the mummy of Tutankhamun lay. The coffin vanished instantly, appearing right before that hand! The Rose School had sent not just a half-god, but two—and seemingly brought with them an artifact from the "Theft Path" as well! Upon seeing this, Caine turned his head and said to Mariqi, "Run!" Mariqi had been waiting for instructions; upon hearing this, he leapt up instantly and rushed out of the warehouse, sprinting toward the dock. Caine then turned to the other side and addressed Sharon, "Begin!" Sharon likewise didn't hesitate. Holding the iron cigarette box, she sped off toward the lighthouse. As a "Wandering Spirit," the walls and obstacles along the way seemed to vanish entirely. Though their movements might have been noticed, due to their distance from the dock and the battlefield, no one paid attention or cared. Caine quickly turned his gaze, extended his left hand, and aligned his palm precisely with the ventilation shaft, directly toward the location of Pharaoh Tutankhamun's golden coffin. Less than a second later, a translucent, hazy book materialized before him, and a distant, ethereal chant echoed in his ears: "I come, I see, I record." The book swiftly turned and settled on a single page. "Tornado!" This was a remarkably extensive divine-level ability of semi-divine rank!