Book 9: Chapter 59: After the Battle

The nuclear explosion created a giant, funnel-shaped crater. From Qin Lun’s position, they were right at its center. Only hundreds of meters away could they see the smooth upward slope of the rim.

Because Leo’s goal was to kill specific targets, this bomb was designed with stronger shockwaves and weaker radiation. For Qin Lun and the others to survive, it was undeniably a stroke of luck.

Leo had given them a few seconds’ delay when detonating the bomb to allow Captain America and Little Red Riding Hood Liv to escape. If Qin Lun’s group hadn’t used those crucial seconds to burrow dozens of meters deep into quicksand, but had stubbornly stayed on the surface, they would have definitely perished.

However, the power of this nuclear bomb was immense. Captain America and Little Red Riding Hood Liv should still have been within the blast zone. Whether they escaped depended entirely on the S-Policeman’s protective abilities.

Qin Lun searched the area based on memory but found nothing. The blast zone was like a wasteland, devoid of anything.

“How stupid of me!” Qin Lun suddenly rapped his own dizzy head. A Yin-Yang Fish Pattern, blue and green intertwined, flickered in his left eye. Using the Ganitus Left Eye fused within his body, he began to see through the blackened sand below ground.

After only a few sweeps, a flicker of joy appeared in Qin Lun’s eyes. Ignoring the aching pain throughout his body, he dug through some loose, powdery black ash and pulled out a rusty, slender iron nail.

“Saint Irene’s Nail!” Qin Lun couldn’t help but crack a smile. With this, all the hardship he and Grant endured wasn’t in vain.

“There’s still the other one…” Qin Lun’s mind grew more eager, yet also more cautious.

The Christian Relic hadn’t decayed over such a long time, proving the Law energy it contained wouldn’t vanish in a nuclear blast. But if Qin Lun and Grant survived, Lancelot, protected by the relic’s power, might very well still be alive. Not necessarily dead.

Currently, Qin Lun was critically injured, full of internal damage. He didn’t know how many bones were broken. Every movement brought searing pain and tunnel vision. He was practically defenseless, so extreme caution was his only option.

After another sweep with his penetrating vision, Qin Lun finally detected an anomaly at the crater’s bottom. He cautiously approached it, slowly brushing away the surface dust with his hand.

“Is this… Alucard’s curse mark?!” Seeing the crystallized ground beneath the dust, Qin Lun’s mind stirred.

Carved onto it was a bloody pentagram curse mark. It was identical to the bloody mark that appeared when Qin Lun fought Alucard for the first time. But the blood-red color of this pattern was almost invisible, just a faint, barely-there outline.

Qin Lun took out the Dagger of Sin and viciously scraped it across the curse mark, even gouging off a layer of rock fragments. But it had no effect whatsoever. This curse mark was like a mirage, merely an image. Its true body seemed to exist in a different spatial dimension.

“Lucky you!” Qin Lun sighed with regret. Alucard really had nine lives. Qin Lun had schemed against him twice, and each time he had barely escaped.

“If Alucard was here… then where is the other one?” Qin Lun’s eyes shifted slightly. He meticulously searched the nearby area inch by inch. Finally, three meters away from the curse mark, he discovered another anomaly.

This anomaly was buried two meters deep beneath the crystallized ground. It looked pitch black, identical to its surroundings. But when a Perception beam from the Clock Eye scanned over it, he finally sensed a faint pulse of life.

“Hidden really well!” Qin Lun grinned crookedly. With a flip of his left hand, the Ayala Weapon Casket dropped out of his Storage Space with a thump. Single-handedly he pulled Frostwind Chaser out of the weapon case and stabbed it into the ground. Using all his might, he used the original “Legendary” weapon as a makeshift shovel.

Digging made every bone in Qin Lun’s body creak and groan, wracking him with pain. Cold sweat covered his forehead, his face as pale as a corpse’s. Eventually, a man-sized green object was unearthed.

If it weren’t wrapped tightly in dark green thorny vines, it would have been indistinguishable from an Egyptian mummy.

Qin Lun thought for a moment, then without hesitation thrust the Dagger of Sin into the thickest of the surrounding thorn vines. He was careful, though, to avoid the mummy’s vital areas.

As the dagger plunged in, the thorns around the mummy trembled violently. It convulsed like a dead fish, then unfurled, revealing the “corpse” inside.

“Your luck is also good!” Qin Lun glanced at the “corpse.” Though he had partially expected it, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly. The person protected by the thorn vines wasn’t Lancelot, but the nun-dressed Lili. The true body of the Knight of the Round Table was the thorn vines wrapped around her.

Qin Lun poured a restoration potion into the unconscious Lili’s mouth. He then searched her body, retrieving a syringe tube filled with a blood-red liquid.

This syringe had originally been hidden inside Integra’s skull; Lili retrieved it later. The blood-red liquid inside was called Demon’s Blood, drawn from the blood pool of the Demon Clan.

For certain Apostles, this stuff was actually a special restorative medicine, similar to Holy Water. Of course, with Qin Lun’s current bloodline, Holy Water was poison, while Demon’s Blood was a nutrient. Conversely, for Lancelot who used Christian Relics, Demon’s Blood was absolutely the deadliest poison.

Qin Lun and Grant had entrusted this vial of Demon’s Blood to Lili, hoping she’d find an opportunity to use it on Lancelot. But because Leo’s ultimate attack was unexpectedly powerful, Lili simply hadn’t had time to act.

Fortunately, though, precisely because she didn’t act, she avoided the disaster under Lancelot’s protection. As for the Knight of the Round Table itself, fully fused with the relic, it was now like Clown Grant – plunged into deep slumber, not truly dead.

Qin Lun checked Lili’s pulse, sensing no mortal danger. He shifted his attention back to the pile of thorn vines lying limply on the ground. After a moment’s thought, he stabbed the Dagger of Sin wildly into the vines.

Every thrust into the vines made them twitch violently, oozing repulsive, dark green sap. Finally, on the last stab, Qin Lun felt a heavy resistance on the dagger, as if pulling something. An ethereal spirit was dragged out from the vines along with the dagger.

Free from the vines, the spirit revealed a human face. It was seventy to eighty percent similar to Lancelot, though visibly more aged. Its pupil-less, pale white eyes glared maniacally. Its face twisted into a fierce mask as it opened its mouth wide in a silent scream aimed at Qin Lun.

However, Lancelot’s final struggle didn’t last. Instantly, he was completely absorbed by the Dagger of Sin. After devouring this Knight of the Round Table, the dark luster on the dagger’s surface deepened and became fluid, almost giving the illusion of living energy.

Spiritless, the thorn vines withered at a visible rate, rapidly shrinking into a cube composed of tangled, dark green vines. Its surface, however, bore unique markings: a Thorn Crown emblem etched onto each of its six sides. It floated silently in the air.

Qin Lun grinned silently. He picked up the Thorn Crown Cube, tossed it into his Storage Space, then tucked Lili under one arm. Cradling Monica’s protective Leather Trench Coat with his other hand, he stumbled away into the distance.

…

“How are they?” Qin Lun looked at the two Amniotic Tanks before him.

Qin Lun looked thoroughly beaten at that moment. His upper body was wrapped entirely in white bandages, one arm dangling in a sling. According to the medic on the Zeppelin battleship, when he returned onboard, every one of his ribs showed signs of fracture, differing only in severity.

Moreover, his internal organs were slowly seeping blood. His right hand and left leg had bone cracks. Most surprisingly, a piece of unknown foreign debris was lodged in the back of his skull. The wound was so severe you could see a bit of brain matter. Surviving was nothing short of a miracle.

Qin Lun understood himself: if it weren’t for his Law Body, even if he hadn’t died, he would have slipped into deep slumber long ago, like Lancelot, Alucard, and the others.

“Captain Kluge’s situation is strange. I expected him to need extensive recovery time. But it’s barely been a full day since late last night, and his body has already repaired itself.” Dr. Shahil reviewed the Amniotic Tank data, shaking his head with doubt.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. You people are much stronger than Millennium Bug’s Superhumans. I can’t make an accurate judgment based on past experience. But looking at the data, his body is almost fully recovered. He should wake up soon.”

Dr. Shahil quietly marveled at the replenishment data displayed by the Amniotic Tank. This medical Amniotic Tank on the warship was rich in various minerals and nutrients. From the moment Grant entered it, the consumption rate of these nutrients was astonishing.

Going by ordinary human data, the nutrients Grant consumed in less than a day were sufficient to assemble 20 complete human bodies.

“What about her, then?” Qin Lun pointed with his uninjured left hand to Lili in the adjacent Amniotic Tank.

“She has few external injuries, but her condition is more complicated than Captain Kluge’s. Her brain suffered severe trauma. On the X-ray, it looked almost like mush. For an ordinary person, surviving such an injury would mean becoming a vegetable. However, she also seems to be a Superhuman capable of self-recovery. Her brain is slowly healing now, but she’ll probably need another day or two.”

Dr. Shahil shrugged, hesitating before adding, “It’s just… our records indicate she’s a nun attached to the Vatican’s Papal Chamber. Are you certain she isn’t a problem?”

“No problem. She played a vital role in our victory over Lancelot this time,” Qin Lun replied, a gleam in his eye as he smiled. “Also, you might not know this, but she was actually an old comrade of ours. She fought in the Casablanca battle too.”

“Oh?” Dr. Shahil looked at Qin Lun in surprise. The young man merely gave a faint smile and offered no further explanation.

Sometimes, not explaining was better than explaining. During this London campaign, Major Montana had demonstrated exceptional strategic acumen. Even Qin Lun admired the straightforward power of his ploy. Yet, such planning left traces. The storm Qin Lun had stirred was fundamentally unpredictable and impossible to rationalize.

He couldn’t very well tell Montana and the others that they were Apostles, that their enemies included Apostles and Reincarnators too, and that betrayal and murder amongst themselves were perfectly normal.

Knowing Major Montana’s shrewdness, the more Qin Lun explained, the more flaws he might reveal. Better not to explain at all. That cunning fat man loved to theorize; he’d likely think those Apostles were powerful recruits Qin Lun had gathered over decades.

As for Lili, it wasn’t even worth mentioning. Montana had surely reviewed the Casablanca battle report. She would quickly connect Lili to that female nurse from back then. Even back then, Lili played the spy. Now, it could simply be interpreted the same way.

“Ahem… and what about Madame Monica’s condition?” Qin Lun coughed twice, sounding somewhat sheepish.

“Madame Monica has regained consciousness. However, she has lost too much of her vital essence. She’ll likely require a long period of recuperation to overcome her weakened state.” Dr. Shahil stifled a chuckle. Ever since this pair met, the tension between them had been thick. Qin Lun had a certain false formality, though. The crew had secretly teased him about it numerous times already; he just remained oblivious.

“Oh, about the Amniotic Tank… Can’t you persuade her to get into one? Her physical recovery would be significantly faster that way!”

“Monica would absolutely refuse to enter an Amniotic Tank!” Qin Lun sighed. Her brutal confinement in an Allied Forces Amniotic Tank years ago had left the Queen of the Sandstorm deeply traumatized. To this day, she suffered from Aquaphobia.

“Have we compiled the loss statistics? Major Montana pulled through, right?” After a shared moment of silence, Qin Lun steered the conversation.

“The Major is fine. It’s just that the battleship lacks sufficient replacement parts. Refitting his body will have to wait until we return to the base. He’s throwing a fit in his quarters right now!” Dr. Shahil gave an amused smile. They all knew Major Montana had a mechanical body. Discussing him held no reservations.

“As for losses… Everyone in Millennium Bug was prepared to sacrifice. Compared to the casualties among the Allied Forces Superhumans, the Battle of London saw us achieve the greatest victory at the smallest cost.” Dr. Shahil’s voice carried excitement. “The Allied Forces have fractured drastically over the London campaign. They’ll never regain their pre-war cohesion. Our hopes for the Empire’s revival are brighter than ever.”

Nodding with a slight smile, Qin Lun listened quietly as Dr. Shahil detailed the post-battle report.

The main losses for Millennium Bug occurred during the battle’s late phase. Major Montana’s presence on the battlefield precipitated this outcome. The Millennium Bug assault force, led by Captain Hans, suffered total annihilation of its Enhanced members. Three top-tier Superhumans were lost: Lieutenant Solin, Lieutenant Luke, and the “God of Death” Walter.

Luke didn’t merit much comment. The other two had truly perished at the hands of Apostles, victims of atrocious luck. Aside from his illusory abilities, Lieutenant Solin possessed unremarkable combat prowess. Facing a full team of Apostles allowed little room for resistance. As for the “God of Death” Walter, his fate this night was sealed long beforehand.

The Old Butler, hastily modified by Dr. Shahil, had regained his youthful peak. Yet this hasty modification carried a huge flaw due to time constraints. His reconstructed body only lasted an hour or two before collapsing.

The “God of Death,” betraying both his lord and his code, ultimately failed to achieve his wish of battling Alucard. With his body nearing collapse, the Apostles struck him down.

The “God of Death” lived up to his terrifying reputation, however. In the throes of bodily failure, under relentless attacks from seven Apostles, he managed to kill two in return. In this world, Plot Characters killing Apostles resulted in drops. Whoever picked up the Cubic Prisons from those two unlucky souls remained unknown.

Another Millennium Bug officer worth noting was Lieutenant Lieber. This beautiful Lieutenant had originally been a piece Qin Lun planted for his own use. But during the fighting, before Lieutenant Lieber could provide support, her position was compromised by two wandering Apostles.

Fortunately, the beauty’s “Magic Bullet” proved potent. With the timely arrival of helicopter reinforcements, she managed to kill one Apostle and drive off the other, despite suffering severe injuries herself.

Back at Major Montana’s position, the opposing Avengers and Green Hunters didn’t fare much better. Thumbelina Sheena of the Fairy Tale Girls Team met her downfall at the hands of Apostles. Snow White Irene suffered grave wounds and fled.

The Avengers’ Black Widow, Natasha, was exposed and killed after an Apostle saw through her disguise. Iron Man depleted his power core and disappeared after plunging into the sea. The single Avenger who escaped unscathed was Bruce Banner, alias the Incredible Hulk. His thick hide surpassed even White Giant Leo’s defenses. Novice Apostles found him utterly untouchable.

As for the other battlefield involving Captain America and Little Red Riding Hood Liv, no concrete news had surfaced yet. Still, Qin Lun suspected they survived. White Giant Leo had likely thrown them clear of the blast center. Coupled with the S-Policeman’s protection and the Superalloy Shield, their chances of survival were good.

The entire campaign, from start to finish, spanned a full night. The ripple effects of the conflict continued to spread. In the single day since Qin Lun’s return to the warship, the world’s major powers had all issued statements regarding the battle.

The Vatican emerged with a major victory from the war. Yet, in another sense, they stood as utter failures. The root cause lay squarely with the Apostles.

During the fight, only a portion of the Apostles attacked Major Montana’s position. Half ventured elsewhere, hunting down Priests from the Church’s punitive expedition. However, having slain several of these Priests and discovered they were merely Enhanced humans offering negligible rewards, these Apostles decided against further chasing.

Dawn was approaching, the Crusaders organizing their retreat, severely weakening London’s defensive cordon. After deliberating, this group of Apostles took an audacious gamble: They resolved to liberate the captured British royal family. The Crusader forces, lacking field experience and professional military cohesion, laid bare their profound weakness at this juncture. Astonishingly, the Apostles succeeded.

Their bold assault breached defenses surrounding the flying warship modeled after the Holy Scarab. They slaughtered Maximus, the Papal Chamber Bishop commanding the London campaign. Simultaneously, they rescued Britain’s royal family along with key government officials, spiriting them into the mountainous Scottish frontier.

At daybreak, the escaped British royals issued an immediate declaration: Britain vowed to fight the Catholic Church relentlessly. They called upon the British populace to rally and rebuild their homeland.

This proclamation utterly shattered the Vatican’s overarching strategic designs. Beyond transforming much of London into ruins while ruthlessly slaughtering millions of British civilians, they had achieved nothing substantive.

More critically, through this single act, the Vatican’s transcendent, world-influencing standing vanished instantly. Henceforth, far fewer Enhanced individuals would flock towards the Church. Even internally, among their Crusaders, deep cracks had begun to form within countless warriors’ core beliefs.

Yet beyond these overt political maneuvers, the war’s most profound effects persisted and grew stronger. Through this conflict, world governments seemed to pierce a veil of perception. Suddenly, they realized their previous tacit acceptance and passive handling of Enhanced humans had been fundamentally misguided.

Going forward, the Divine Comedy World would decisively enter its Age Of Evolution. Nations needed to proffer affirmative signals, actively uniting Enhanced humans within their own borders.

Amid this colossal shift, nations worldwide – each pursuing unique agendas – rushed to issue declarations condemning the Vatican for recklessly provoking conflict. Politicians abandoned all former appeasement and acquiescence tactics. They committed fervently to consolidating domestic power factions composed of Enhanced individuals.

Within this charged political atmosphere, Nazi Germany’s three primary organizations harvested the war’s ripest spoils. Their early involvement in initiating the hostilities against London had been deliberately masked. The Church became entirely encumbered with the blame. Moreover, with the major Allied Superhuman factions deeply fractured, these Nazi groups enjoyed profoundly improved prospects for long-term survival.

Millennium Bug, Hydra, and the Vampire Battalion – three Nazi organizations dormant long years – could finally openly vie for complete control over Germany itself. They no longer required covert terrorist tactics. Provided they renounced further violence, other nations would have no choice but to formally accept the Third Reich reclaiming its historic place upon the world stage.

This novel is translated by Golden Novel. Read on our site for more advanced chapters! https://goldennovel.com/index.php/fanfiction/death-notice/volume-9-chapter-59-after-the-battle/