No matter whether it was a human or a Pollutant with even more tenacious Life Force, they all would eventually become what lay before him now... not even remnants left.
Gerard looked at the Pollutant corpse before him and suddenly felt like he was seeing his own future.
Just then, footsteps sounded from behind him, and after not too long, Kude was standing by his side, his expression looking quite grim.
"I've checked. There are three bodies inside," even the seasoned squad leader of the Skeleton Corps, Kude, found it hard to keep his composure after seeing the state of the bodies inside the room, "One of the bodies is completely shattered, to the point where I initially thought there were only two bodies... Ugh, I don't want to talk about it."
Kude shook his head and then looked back at Gerard.
"If I asked you the identities of those three people, you'd probably say you don't know, right?"
"I really don't know," Gerard shook his head and then pointed to the Pollutant carcass in front of them, "What I wanted you to see was this thing."
"A Pollutant?" Kude frowned deeply, "Why would there be a Pollutant here?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about," Gerard said, "Ever since that incident ten years ago, I've been plagued by these things. No matter where I live, they find me, which is why I moved to such a remote place, to avoid harming others."
Kude seemed contemplative, "How long have these things been after you?"
"Just like I said, it hasn't stopped since that incident," Gerard said calmly, "They appear every few days, as if I've stolen something of theirs, but I don't know what exactly."
As he spoke, Gerard glanced back towards his house.
"As for who's inside there, all I can say is... there have been many who've been looking to trouble me lately. Perhaps it's just a coincidence that they ran into each other."
Kude didn't question Gerard's explanation too much. The horror inside did appear to be the work of Pollutants, and judging by the blood stains left behind, the massacre must have happened while Gerard was still detained at the Skeleton Corps headquarters, making it impossible for him to...
Kude narrowed his eyes slightly and then murmured, "So you're saying, when these three people came to your house, you were being held by us... and it was an unjust detainment, right?"
Gerard turned to look at Kude and said, "Now you should understand what I'm up against."
"The Pollutants are after you, and so is Lyra," Kude said gently, "It's as if you've taken something they both care about, but you also don't know what it is."
"Yes," Gerard said calmly, "What you see is all I can tell you."
Kude slowly closed his eyes, seemingly pondering something.
After a long while, he opened his eyes, as if he had made a decision, and also took out a uniquely shaped key from his pocket.
"I got this from my old boss," Kude told Gerard, "Using it, you can go directly to Bishop Hallman."
Gerard's face showed surprise, "You're looking for Hallman too?"
"It seems our thoughts align," Kude nodded and then said softly, "The Bishop is connected to Lyra above and to the mortal world below, if there's truly something wrong with Lyra, he can't possibly be unaware."
Gerard looked at Kude and asked, "And what if the problem is with him?"
"So..." Kude turned the key in his hand and then suddenly smiled at Gerard, "I will have to go... alone."