Chapter 110: The Great Burden

To tell the truth, Mulan felt a slight sense of excitement. The Spear of Light he had just unleashed was not a technique recorded in the Grimoire of the Radiant Knight; it was a power he had pioneered himself. This represented the evolution of his Wheel of Radiance and a sign of his growing strength, which was indeed cause for celebration.

"Notify the local police department immediately. Coordinate with the relevant authorities and the residents to put out the fire, and ensure that those trapped or injured are rescued."

"Understood!"

Chris appeared somewhat exhilarated, yet she was also noticeably more cautious around Mulan. Facing Mulan, whose expression was rather grim, she offered an awkward smile before turning to the burly man standing obediently to the side. She answered candidly.

"Lord Jonst, we admit our fault. This 'Avenger' was created by my brother using alchemical artifacts. He wasn't fully calibrated, and an accident must have occurred this time—his activity levels were unexpectedly high. The purpose of creating him was for self-defense, and his target was that man just now. I believe you saw for yourself that the man was extremely dangerous and utterly devoid of a moral compass..."

"Hmph!"

Mulan frowned slightly, then looked at the man before him with curiosity. Was this person truly a product of alchemy?

"I guarantee, he is definitely not some product of evil experimentation. His body has nothing at all to do with humans!"

As if realizing something, Chris quickly added. Mulan nodded and took a step toward the burly man, who actually appeared somewhat flustered.

"You, very strong! I, want to kill, that person. I want, to become human!"

The Avenger’s speech was awkward, yet his articulation was clear enough.

"Did you tell him that if he kills that man and consumes him, he can become a human?"

Mulan looked the Avenger up and down. Though Mulan was tall, standing before the Avenger made him feel like a youth. The creature's skin was pale with a grayish tint, much like the color of newsprint.

Mulan had assumed the Avenger might be made of scavenged flesh or similar materials, but looking at him now, that didn't seem to be the case. There were no signs of stitching or adhesives. While his appearance wasn't perfect, the transitions across his body were remarkably smooth. The wounds he had just sustained were already healing—a rate of recovery that was, for an ordinary person, quite exaggerated, almost visible to the naked eye.

"You, very strong..."

The Avenger seemed to have eyes only for Mulan, repeating the phrase incessantly.

"You are strong too, but you haven't given any thought to the impact your actions have on others."

Mulan had realized that the Avenger seemed remarkably simple-minded. While he understood language and basic logic, his lack of general knowledge was obvious. Though named an "Avenger," his nature might not be inherently evil; at the very least, his eyes were innocent.

"Look at what you've done. Come with me!"

Mulan walked toward a building in the distance where the fire was less intense. Residents had begun to spontaneously fight the fire, and police from Solence had arrived as well. Wounded people were being carried out, their cries of pain piercing the air.

"Do you like this? These are the humans you long to become, the kind of people you consider your own."

In truth, the Avenger was now belatedly becoming aware of his surroundings. Born from the resentment of vengeance, he was highly sensitive to negative emotions and could feel the suffering of those around him. He saw the wounded being carried out in agony, the innocent bystanders trapped under collapsed rubble calling for help, and even the charred, silent remains of the dead.

"My leg, ah..."

"Hurry, put out the fire!"

"Come over here, someone is still trapped!"

"Someone, help..."

As Mulan led the burly man over, residents who had gathered were rushing to assist. Several men were working together to lift a section of a collapsed wall.

"One, two, three, lift..."

"Again, one, two, three, lift—"

"Ah..."

The man whose leg was pinned tried to pull it free, but the strength of those around him was clearly insufficient. The wall sank back down, and it looked as though it would crush him—and this time, it would likely be more than just a broken leg.

"Hold it! Keep it lifted!"

"Ah..."

Before Mulan could act, two people beside him moved simultaneously: one was Farrow Lynch, and the other was the burly Avenger. They rushed over almost at the same time, with the Avenger arriving a step ahead, followed quickly by Farrow. Together, they reached out and stabilized the wall.

Farrow Lynch called out the rhythm.

"Put your strength into it! One, two, three, lift—"

With the addition of Farrow and the Avenger, the wall seemed to become light. Working together, they quickly hoisted the debris, and someone immediately dragged the trapped man out.

"He's out, he's out! Get him to the hospital!"

"The fire needs to be handled over there!"

The neighborhood in Solence was in chaos, filled with people fighting fires and rescuing the injured. However, with the arrival of the Seventh Division and the police, a sense of order was beginning to emerge. Mulan watched as Farrow Lynch and the Avenger participated in the rescue, the latter transitioning from a destroyer to a savior, sparing no effort.

Now, only Chris remained by Mulan's side.

"Ordinary people are so fragile in the face of those with extraordinary power!" Mulan sighed.

Chris couldn't help but remark, "That is why some transcendents, once they gain power, begin to think of themselves as gods among mortals. Some even refuse to acknowledge their own humanity. Of course, some of those fellows don't even look like humans to begin with."

Mulan laughed. "Heh, while ordinary people are fragile before those with power, one shouldn't underestimate the strength of ordinary people. It is far greater than you might imagine..."

Mulan’s tone shifted, and he turned to look at Chris. "You bear an unshirkable responsibility for what happened today, but I am willing to let you explain. I also want to meet your brother. I need to understand if he practices alchemy and to what extent. If we can cooperate in this field, or if he is even willing to be hired, I can take it upon myself to exempt you from blame for today's incident and will help you as much as I can. That fellow from earlier—you have a deep grudge against him, don't you?"

Chris did not beat around the bush.

"Lord Jonst, I will convey your proposal to my brother. I can give you a definitive answer for myself right now: I am very willing to accept your offer. In fact... I am even willing to pursue a closer relationship with you. What do you think of me?"

Chris stood sideways, her hands behind her back, tilting her head slightly to look at Mulan.

"Alright, stop joking. Have your brother come to see me immediately. Also, bring all the information you have on that fellow from earlier, and it would be best if you told me about the grudge you hold against him."

Having said this, Mulan turned and walked away. Although his injuries didn't look as terrifying as they felt, he needed to return and tend to them.

Chris crossed her arms, watching Mulan’s retreating back. She glanced at the Avenger, who was still helping Farrow Lynch with the rescue, then returned her gaze to Mulan, a smile playing on her lips as she muttered to herself.

"Perhaps I wasn't joking at all, Mulan Jonst!"

...

"They really fought?"

The white-haired man asked, his voice trembling with excitement. Chris nodded heavily.

"Mulan Jonst drove Berust back, and that guy was definitely injured. He left a trail of blood—I saw it with my own eyes. But, Brother..."

Chris was equally excited, but she added with a look of concern, "That Lord Jonst is also wounded."

"He was hurt by Berust?"

"No, no, that's not it. He was already injured before the fight. It didn't seem light, either; it looked like trauma sustained in a battle from the recent past. After he drove Berust away, blood seeped through his clothes. It is said that his wounds had reopened."

The white-haired man stood up from his chair.

"You mean Mulan Jonst was already carrying significant injuries, yet he easily drove Berust back—no, he wounded him and forced him to flee... If Lord Jonst had been uninjured, and if we had informed him of some of Berust's abilities beforehand, would it have been possible for that monster to be...?"

Though the reality was certainly not as the siblings imagined, they couldn't help but think that way, and it felt perfectly logical to them.

"By the way, what about the Avenger? Couldn't you bring him back?"

Chris smiled. "Of course I could have, but that fellow seems very interested in Lord Jonst. Apparently, he heard that person called Farrow Lynch mention that Lord Jonst is a professor who teaches students. The Avenger said he wants to become his apprentice, so I didn't interfere..."

Indeed, Mulan had just acquired a massive, troublesome burden.