The entire courtyard had turned into ruins, with rising flames evaporating the water in the pools. In the chilly night, warm steam lingered like an invisible serpent, slowly weaving around each person.
The soldiers on the outer perimeter watched vigilantly, their fingers tightly clutching their triggers, waiting for Arthur's command.
Everyone was waiting for him, waiting for his instructions, and yet he was looking at Eve, a heart full of countless emotions swirling around.
He clearly understood Lorenzo's meaning. By the tracks, he was the cold decision-maker. Dean Lawrence's value was undeniable, and for whatever reason, he couldn't let him go, but the cost was his beloved daughter.
It was truly a difficult decision, so difficult that even the iron-hearted Arthur was beginning to waver.
In this long silence, time seemed to slow down. Lorenzo looked at this conflicted man; he was the powerful Duke and the manager of the Purification Mechanism in the darkness, holding authority. Yet now, that great power could do nothing.
He could lead a steel torrent against castles and battlefields, yet couldn't even protect his own daughter. Because of his beloved daughter, even iron will would produce countless cracks.
In the end, Arthur was just a man, a mere mortal with the aura stripped from him, an ordinary man, a father.
Lorenzo suddenly felt tired, and looking at the Dean Lawrence in front of him, he couldn't help admitting that Dean Lawrence was right, very right.
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No friends, no life, no attachments, and so they have no weaknesses.
Arthur was a very strong man. Like the Stuart family, the Phoenix family history also spanned the entire Radiant War. Each generation had Phoenix youth heading to the battlefield, and even after the war ended, this ritual-like behavior never ceased, one generation after another heading into the shadowed wars.
He could swing a sword and command a thousand troops, but in the end, he had a family, a daughter, and thus even the strongest steel became soft, hence he had a weakness.
Lorenzo felt tired, not because he was tired, but because he sensed the weariness in Arthur's slightly shaking body.
"We have no chance, Arthur. His authority is Shangdafeng, capable of foreseeing the future, Shangdafeng. He can see the 'consequences' before your 'cause' happens. No tricks will work."
The cunning and treacherous Shangdafeng triggered no physical changes, difficult to discern, and if it weren't for Lorenzo recalling that ancient title, he would be clueless even now.
"Mr. Holmes, have you ever made such a decision?"
Arthur suddenly asked.
Lorenzo nodded, expressionless.
He had made it long ago, as the last rational person, handling the final out-of-control Demon Hunters on that ship.
Lorenzo had long ago pressed the lever of fate, then the train roared through, crushing those once familiar faces.
Arthur whispered again.
"So, have you made a decision?"
Dean Lawrence smiled at them, the Broken Sword poised at Eve's chin. He didn't care if these people were stalling for time, or for anything else. He was powerful, with the capital to disdain everything, and no matter what they intended, Shangdafeng's power would foresee it in advance.
Though the burden of such power was great and it could only foresee roughly ten seconds into the future, given Dean Lawrence's strength, those few seconds were enough to kill everyone and then leave.
The only trouble was Lorenzo, as the strong Armor made inflicting damage difficult.
Arthur answered, his gaze sharpened, as he walked towards Dean Lawrence.
"Are you going to give her up?"
Dean Lawrence looked at Arthur, the Broken Sword lifting slightly, with blood dripping down.
"No, just a hostage exchange, what do you think?"
Arthur said. It was an outcome no one had expected.
"What are you doing!"
Lorenzo shouted, but Arthur ignored him, continuing.
"I am Duke Efra Phoenix, the current head of the Purification Mechanism, codenamed Arthur. I have key knowledge stored in my mind regarding important systems like the Peeping Tom and the Midcourt Serpent, and part of the knowledge of the Armor of Original Sin... I think my value should be greater than hers, don't you agree?"
Arthur slowly raised his hands, staying in place as he spoke.
Actually, there was another solution to this dilemma, not pulling the lever or pushing someone unlucky off, but stepping in front of the roaring train himself.
A win-win, with only himself as the sacrifice.
The Demon would die, and Eve could live, making a beautiful story.
Eve watched Arthur in disbelief. She had no idea what the so-called Purification Mechanism or codenames were, but she just stared at him blankly as this incredibly strong person finally compromised, for her...
"This really is... a big catch!"
Instead, Dean Lawrence let out a delighted cry. He had been lurking in Old Dunling for a long time, but his infiltration into the Purification Mechanism progressed extremely slowly. He hadn't even located the mysterious Broken Dome, let alone interacted with high-level figures like Arthur.