Chapter 88 – Fake Smiles

Croft still harbored a deep hatred for Qinglong. After everything he had done, part of her even took a certain satisfaction in seeing him suffer. However, she had never imagined that he would end up like this. The man who had once stood tall as one of the most powerful warriors in Empyrea was now nothing more than a grotesque mass of cancerous flesh. His swollen body sprawled across the manor floor, its surface covered in glistening tumors and ruptured patches of skin. Random organs protruded from his enormous body, twitching weakly as if they were desperately trying to survive. The air reeked of rotting meat and blood, so foul that Croft had to fight the urge to cover her nose.

“Kill… me…” the giant blob of flesh whispered.

His voice was barely audible, sounding like air escaping through a punctured lung. Croft could hardly believe that the pitiful creature before her was the same Qinglong who had once fought with the confidence of a man who believed himself invincible. Now, he could barely speak, let alone move. Every shallow breath seemed to send another wave of agony through his ruined body.

“Have you disabled your Autonomous Regeneration?” Croft asked, keeping her distance from the grotesque mass.

She had to make sure. If Qinglong's regenerative ability was still active, killing him might not be as simple as putting a bullet through his heart. She had already seen enough of his supernatural abilities to know that ordinary methods of execution could prove useless against him.

“...Yes…” Qinglong muttered.

Croft watched him carefully, searching for any indication that he was lying. However, there was no sign of his usual arrogance, nor was there any trace of the cold confidence he had displayed whenever he believed himself superior to others. All she could hear was his labored breathing and the faint, wet sounds coming from his deformed body.

Croft lowered her gaze and noticed one of Qinglong's eyes dangling near the floor. The organ was connected to his body by a thin strand of tissue, its surface glistening beneath the light filtering through the manor windows. Tears trickled from its bloodshot surface, leaving wet trails across the surrounding flesh. The sight made Croft's stomach twist. She had seen wounded soldiers cry before, but this was different. Qinglong's entire body had become a living mass of cancerous growths, and there was no telling how much pain he had endured before she arrived.

For a moment, Croft felt a strange mixture of disgust, pity, and vindication. She had once wanted Qinglong to suffer for everything he had done, yet witnessing his current condition left her with little satisfaction. Whatever hatred she carried toward him, she had never wished for anyone to endure such a grotesque fate.

Then, something caught her attention.

Beside Qinglong's dangling eye lay a broken glove. It was partially covered in blood, its damaged surface reflecting a faint glimmer of light. Croft crouched down and carefully picked it up, turning it over in her hands. The material felt strangely heavy, and several cracks ran across its surface. Despite its damaged condition, she immediately recognized its design.

She had seen similar gloves several times before, worn by the Archangels, Prince Alaric Eisenhower, and Adzeel Schwarzer. These were no ordinary pieces of equipment. They were used to materialize divine power armor, allowing their wearers to summon Halochassis suits capable of wielding extraordinary abilities.

Croft's expression stiffened as she examined the broken object more closely.

“It's a Halochassis glove,” she muttered. “A broken one, that is.”

Her fingers tightened around the damaged equipment. She had no idea how it had ended up beside Qinglong's ruined body, but its presence raised questions she could no longer ignore. Someone wearing a Halochassis had been involved in whatever had happened here, and the fact that the glove was broken suggested that the confrontation had been anything but ordinary.

Before Croft could examine it further, Qinglong spoke again.

“Shin… is… Azazel.”

Croft froze.

For several seconds, she remained motionless, staring at Qinglong's grotesque body while his words echoed inside her head. She had heard this accusation from him repeatedly, and until now, she had dismissed it as another attempt to manipulate her. Qinglong had always been willing to twist the truth whenever doing so served his interests, and she had no reason to trust anything that came out of his mouth.

But this time, something was different.

Qinglong was dying. His Autonomous Regeneration had been disabled, his body had deteriorated into an unspeakable mass of cancerous flesh, and he had seemingly lost everything that once made him powerful. What reason did he have to continue lying? There was no obvious benefit to making such an accusation in his final moments. If anything, he seemed desperate to make Croft understand something before his life came to an end.

“Shin… is… Azazel.”

Croft slowly lowered the broken Halochassis glove. Her thoughts raced as she began connecting the pieces of evidence she had previously ignored. The more she considered Qinglong's words, the harder it became to dismiss them as nonsense.

Why had Azazel stopped attacking when Lireina was wounded during the battle at the Northern Fortress? At the time, Croft had assumed that the mysterious Halochassis had simply decided to withdraw. However, if Shin and Azazel were the same person, the decision suddenly made sense. Shin would never willingly allow Lireina to die, especially when he had developed such strong feelings for her.

And why had Azazel saved Croft at the Magic Academy? The mysterious Halochassis had appeared at a critical moment, protecting her when she had been in danger. Back then, she had been grateful for the unexpected rescue, never once imagining that someone she knew personally might have been behind the armor.

Then there was the scholar whom Zerova had met before she disappeared. Croft had never managed to uncover the full truth surrounding that encounter, but the memory now resurfaced with uncomfortable clarity. Could that scholar have been Shin? Had he been hiding something from the very beginning?

She also remembered how Shin had tried to lift her spirits after her father died. He had stayed beside her and offered his support when she had been struggling with grief. At the time, she had believed that he was simply a kind person who genuinely cared about her well-being. Yet, if Shin really was Azazel, perhaps there had been more to his actions than she had realized. Perhaps he had been trying to help her because he knew what she had lost, or because he had his own reasons for remaining close to her.

Finally, Croft's thoughts returned to Qinglong's current condition.

Qinglong had invited Shin to meet him, and Shin had been the only person he had specifically mentioned. Yet, somehow, the encounter had ended with one of the strongest warriors in Empyrea reduced to a dying mass of flesh. There was no guarantee that Shin had been responsible, but the circumstances were difficult to overlook.

Croft's grip tightened around the broken glove until its edges pressed painfully against her palm. Each new realization made the previous one harder to ignore. The individual pieces of evidence had seemed insignificant when considered separately, but together, they formed a picture that was becoming increasingly difficult to deny.

Logic told her that Qinglong might be telling the truth.

And that possibility terrified her.

If Shin really was Azazel, then the implications extended far beyond a simple secret identity. It would mean that someone she had come to trust had been involved in the very conflict that had torn apart the lives of so many people. It would mean that the mysterious Halochassis who had repeatedly appeared at crucial moments was not some distant, unknowable figure, but a man who had stood beside her, spoken to her, and offered her comfort.

More importantly, it would threaten everything Lireina believed in.

Lireina had fought for justice with unwavering conviction. She had risked her life to protect others, placed her faith in the people around her, and struggled to uphold the ideals that had defined her existence as the Untouchable Windwalker. Shin had become someone precious to her, a person who had reached her heart despite the distance between their worlds.

If Shin was Azazel, then what did that make their relationship? Had he been deceiving her all along? Had every kind word, every reassuring smile, and every moment they had shared been built upon a lie?

Croft could already imagine Lireina's face when the truth came to light. She could picture the confusion in her green eyes, the trembling of her lips as she struggled to comprehend what she had learned. Lireina had endured countless hardships, yet this betrayal might be the one thing capable of breaking her spirit.

Croft did not want to see that happen. She had watched Lireina suffer enough already, and the thought of seeing her devastated by the revelation filled her with dread.

“I don't believe it,” Croft said.

The words escaped her mouth, but they sounded hollow even to her own ears. She wanted to reject Qinglong's accusation, to convince herself that there was some other explanation for the broken glove and the strange coincidences surrounding Shin. However, the more she tried to deny the possibility, the more her doubts gnawed at her.

She lowered her gaze toward the dying warrior. Qinglong's dangling eye remained fixed in her direction, its surface wet with tears. There was no triumphant smile on his face, no trace of the smug expression he usually wore whenever he believed he had gained the upper hand. He looked exhausted, frightened, and desperately eager for his suffering to end.

Croft could not tell whether his final revelation was an act of honesty or simply the last desperate attempt of a dying man to leave behind a curse that would haunt everyone he hated.

Either way, she could no longer pretend she had heard nothing.

After a long silence, Croft reached for her revolver. The familiar weight of the weapon settled into her hand, and she raised it toward Qinglong's exposed heart. The organ rested near the top of his misshapen body, beating weakly beneath a thin layer of translucent tissue. Each contraction made the surrounding flesh quiver, as though even this last remnant of his body was struggling to keep itself alive.

Qinglong did not attempt to resist. He could barely move, and his regenerative ability was no longer protecting him. His fate rested entirely in Croft's hands.

“Forgive… me…” the blob whispered.

Croft's finger rested against the trigger. She had imagined confronting Qinglong many times, and in some of those fantasies, she had pictured herself delivering a satisfying speech before bringing him to justice. Yet now that the moment had arrived, she found herself with nothing to say. The revolver felt heavier than usual, and the silence inside the manor seemed to press against her ears.

“And… thank… you…” Qinglong added.

Croft's expression faltered.

She did not know what he meant by those final words. Perhaps he was thanking her for ending his suffering. Perhaps he was grateful that someone had finally agreed to grant him the death he had begged for. Whatever the reason, the words left a bitter taste in her mouth.

For one fleeting moment, she wondered whether she should ask him what had happened, whether there was anything else he wanted to confess before he died. But she already knew that the answers might only deepen her doubts about Shin and endanger Lireina's happiness.

Croft could not afford to hesitate forever.

She pulled the trigger.

The revolver's report thundered through the manor, its sharp crack bouncing off the walls before fading into the distance. The bullet struck Qinglong's exposed heart, tearing through the fragile tissue and causing the organ to burst apart. Blood sprayed across the floor, splattering the nearby furniture and staining the walls with dark red streaks. Croft felt warm droplets strike her cheeks, neck, and clothes, while the metallic smell of fresh blood overwhelmed the already foul air.

She stood motionless, her revolver still aimed at the remains of Qinglong's body. Blood dripped from her fingers and ran down the barrel of her weapon. For several seconds, she could hear nothing except the ringing in her ears and the faint sound of liquid dripping onto the floor.

Qinglong's enormous body shuddered one final time.

Then, the movement stopped.

The grotesque mass began to wither, its swollen flesh gradually losing what little firmness remained. The tumors collapsed inward, and the protruding organs sagged against the floor as though their strings had been cut. His once-powerful body shriveled into something resembling a stale potato left forgotten in a damp corner for far too long. The sight was almost pitiful, but Croft could no longer bring herself to feel anything resembling triumph.

Qinglong was dead.

Croft slowly lowered her revolver and stared at what remained of him. The manor had fallen silent once more, save for the soft dripping of blood and the faint creak of the damaged furniture beneath her feet. Her clothes were soaked with crimson stains, and her hands trembled slightly as the weight of what she had just done settled over her.

She had granted Qinglong the death he wanted, but his final words remained lodged in her mind.

Shin was Azazel.

Croft wanted to believe that the accusation was false. She wanted to return to Lireina, tell her that everything was fine, and pretend that the world had not suddenly become more complicated. She wanted to smile, reassure her friend, and preserve the fragile happiness Lireina had finally found.

But as Croft looked down at the broken Halochassis glove in her bloodied hand, she realized that she might no longer be able to do any of those things honestly.

<><><><><>

Croft returned to Shin’s home with a troubled mind. The journey back had given her plenty of time to think about Qinglong’s final words, but no matter how many times she replayed their conversation in her head, she still could not bring herself to accept the possibility that Shin was Azazel. The image of Qinglong’s grotesque, cancerous body remained fresh in her memory, along with the broken Halochassis glove she had found beside him. She could still remember the warm blood splattering across her face when she pulled the trigger. Yet, despite everything she had witnessed, she wanted to believe that there was a reasonable explanation for what had happened.

When Croft finally arrived at Shin’s house, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. To her surprise, Shin was already there, sitting beside Lireina’s bed and feeding her a bowl of porridge. The gentle aroma of freshly cooked rice filled the room, mingling with the faint smell of medicinal herbs that had been used to treat Lireina’s injuries. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the blankets covering Lireina’s bedridden body while Shin carefully scooped another spoonful of porridge from the bowl.

“Say aaaaah,” Shin said as he brought the spoon toward her mouth.

“Aaaaah,” Lireina replied obediently, opening her mouth with an almost childish enthusiasm.

Shin fed her the porridge, and Lireina happily swallowed the warm food before leaning back against her pillow. There was something undeniably sweet about the way they behaved around each other. Shin patiently waited for her to finish chewing before offering another spoonful, while Lireina watched him with sparkling green eyes and an affectionate smile. For a moment, Croft felt as though she had walked into a scene from a romantic comedy rather than a house where two fugitives were hiding from the authorities.

She had grown accustomed to seeing these two lovebirds acting all sweet and lovey-dovey around each other. Their relationship had become so obvious that Croft sometimes wondered how either of them had managed to survive without realizing their feelings sooner. Ordinarily, she might have teased them about their shameless displays of affection, perhaps even made a sarcastic remark about how she had become an unwilling audience to their romance.

But not today.

Today, Croft knew something was wrong. The memory of Qinglong’s final accusation lingered in the back of her mind, casting a dark shadow over the otherwise peaceful scene. As she watched Shin smile at Lireina, she found herself searching his face for any indication of deception. Was that smile genuine? Had he always been this good at pretending to be an ordinary, caring man? She hated herself for even asking those questions, but she could no longer ignore them.

“Oh, Croft! You’re back!” Lireina exclaimed with a bright smile.

Her cheerful greeting caught Croft off guard. Lireina looked genuinely happy to see her, and there was no trace of suspicion in her expression. She seemed content simply because her friend had returned safely, unaware of the doubts that were now eating away at Croft’s conscience.

“Y-Yeah,” Croft replied, forcing a smile onto her face. “How are you?”

“Better now, especially since Shin is here.” Lireina reached for Shin’s hand and intertwined their fingers, holding his hand as though she had no intention of letting go anytime soon. Her cheeks carried a faint blush, and she looked up at him with unmistakable affection. “Right?”

“Right,” Shin answered with a gentle smile.

He squeezed Lireina’s hand before turning his attention toward Croft. His expression remained relaxed, as though nothing in the world could possibly be wrong. That casual warmth only made Croft feel more uncomfortable. She had seen enough liars in her time to know that appearances could be deceiving, but she had never expected to find herself questioning someone who had become so familiar to her.

“Where have you been, Croft?” Shin asked. “We were both worried about you. I heard the news that you two are now fugitives, so don't go wandering around on your own. It isn't safe out there.”

Croft felt a small knot tighten in her stomach.

His concern sounded perfectly natural. There was no hesitation in his voice, and he even looked mildly troubled as he reminded her of the danger outside. If she had not encountered Qinglong earlier, she might have accepted his words without a second thought.

“Yeah, I know. I just had some urgent business to attend to,” Croft replied.

She deliberately kept her answer vague, watching Shin's face for the slightest reaction. When he showed no obvious sign of suspicion, she narrowed her eyes a little and let a smug expression creep onto her face. If Shin wanted to play the part of a concerned friend, then she would play along for now. She was not going to reveal what she knew until she had a better understanding of the situation.

“How about you, Shin?” she asked. “Where were you last night?”

“Me?” Shin said, momentarily pausing as he considered her question.

He carefully placed the bowl of porridge on the desk beside the bed, making sure the spoon did not slip over the edge. Then he turned back toward Croft, wearing the same calm expression he had displayed since she entered the house.

“I was worried sick when the bells rang, so I tried looking for you two. I went to the guild, the cathedral, your office, and everywhere else I could think of. I spent the entire night searching for you.”

Croft stared at him, while muttering under her breath, soft enough so that Shin couldn't hear.

"Liar."

The accusation surfaced in her mind almost immediately. She kept her lips closed, but she could not stop herself from muttering the word under her breath. According to Qinglong, Shin had been involved in whatever had happened to him. If that were true, then Shin's claim that he had spent the entire night searching for them was nothing more than an elaborate lie.

Croft wanted to ask where he had really been. She wanted to grab him by the collar and demand an explanation for the broken Halochassis glove, for Qinglong's condition, and for the countless coincidences that now pointed toward his secret identity. However, she forced herself to remain composed. Confronting him in front of Lireina would only complicate matters, especially when she still had no definitive proof.

Unfortunately, Croft had forgotten one important detail.

Lireina was an elf, and her hearing was far sharper than that of an ordinary human. Her pointed ears twitched almost imperceptibly when Croft muttered her accusation. She had heard the remark clearly, despite Croft's attempt to keep it quiet.

For a brief moment, Lireina's gaze shifted toward Croft. She seemed to recognize that something was bothering her friend, but she made no comment. Instead, she returned her attention to Shin and continued holding his hand, choosing not to interrupt their conversation. Perhaps she assumed that Croft was simply in a bad mood after everything they had endured, or perhaps she trusted her friend enough to give her the space she needed.

Whatever the reason, Lireina remained silent.

“Anyway, have you eaten?” Shin asked, apparently unaware of Croft's private accusation. “I cooked enough porridge for the three of us.”

Croft blinked. The sudden change of subject caught her off guard, and for a moment, she almost forgot about the uncomfortable questions running through her head. The smell of the porridge reminded her that she had barely paid attention to her own needs since leaving the manor. Her stomach had been neglected for hours, and now that Shin mentioned food, she could feel her hunger returning with considerable enthusiasm.

“I'm famished,” Croft declared. “Let's eat!”

She flashed Shin a cheerful smile, deliberately matching his easygoing attitude. If he was going to pretend that everything was normal, then she could do the same. Besides, she was not about to turn down a free meal, especially when she had no idea how long they would have to remain in hiding.

And so, the three of them spent the rest of the day together.

Croft did her best to maintain her usual personality, laughing at the appropriate moments and participating in their conversations as though nothing unusual had happened. Whenever Lireina said something affectionate to Shin, Croft forced herself to smile instead of letting her suspicions show. Whenever Shin behaved like the considerate man she had always known, she swallowed her doubts and pretended to believe him.

It was exhausting.

The worst part was that Shin and Lireina genuinely seemed happy together. They exchanged affectionate glances, held hands whenever they had the opportunity, and occasionally teased each other with the sort of playful remarks that made Croft feel like an unwanted third wheel. Lireina's laughter filled the room, while Shin patiently attended to her needs, making sure she had enough food and water while she recovered in bed.

Croft had witnessed their romance developing over time, but now every sweet gesture seemed to carry a different meaning. She wondered whether Shin's affection for Lireina was genuine or whether he had been hiding something from her as well. She wanted to believe that he truly loved Lireina, yet the possibility that he was Azazel made it difficult to trust anything she thought she knew about him.

Still, Croft kept her mask firmly in place.

She smiled when she wanted to frown, laughed when she wanted to interrogate him, and pretended to be perfectly comfortable whenever Shin's eyes turned toward her. If she confronted him too soon, he might deny everything or find some way to escape her questions. She needed an opportunity to speak with him privately, away from Lireina's ears and without giving him time to prepare another convincing excuse.

Fortunately, that opportunity arrived in the afternoon.

After spending several hours indoors, Shin decided that they needed more supplies. He disappeared into another room for a while before returning in his usual suit, adjusting his clothes as he prepared to leave the house. The sight immediately caught Croft's attention. She had been waiting for him to make a move, and now he was practically handing her the perfect excuse to follow him.

“Since I'll be hiding you two in here, I should buy some supplies,” Shin explained. “I'll go have a market run.”

“Okay, then. Take care, honey~” Lireina said sweetly, waving her hand from the bed.

Shin smiled at her, and Croft had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Even now, with everything that had happened, the two of them continued acting like a newlywed couple who could barely stand to be separated for an hour. It was almost impressive how effortlessly they managed to make their affection look natural.

But Croft had other priorities.

She finally had a chance to confront Shin without Lireina sitting beside them, listening to every word. If Shin really was Azazel, she wanted to hear his explanation directly. And if Qinglong had been lying, then she wanted Shin to tell her so himself.

“I'll come with you, Shin,” Croft announced.

Shin turned toward her, raising his eyebrows slightly.

“I have my disguise, and you'll need an extra pair of hands to carry the supplies,” Croft continued, offering what she hoped was a convincing smile. “Besides, I'm quite a picky eater, so I should pick my own food.”

It was a flimsy excuse, and she knew it. Shin could easily buy the food himself, and Croft's assistance was hardly necessary for an ordinary trip to the market. However, she hoped he would accept her explanation without asking too many questions. She did not want him to realize that she had deliberately chosen this moment to get him alone.

Shin looked at her for a moment before shrugging.

“Okay, then. You do you.”

Croft felt a small wave of relief wash over her, though she carefully concealed it behind her smile. Shin had agreed without hesitation. Whether that meant he had nothing to hide or was simply confident enough to believe she posed no threat remained to be seen.

She turned toward Lireina, who was watching them from her bed with a gentle expression.

“I'll be back, Lena,” Croft said.

“Yeah. Take care, you two!” Lireina replied, waving at them.

Croft waved back, maintaining the same cheerful expression she had worn throughout the day. Then she followed Shin toward the door, her footsteps carrying her closer to the moment she had been dreading since leaving Qinglong's manor.

Once they were outside, she would finally have the chance to ask Shin the question that had been tormenting her all day.

Was Shin really Azazel?

And if he was, how much of their friendship had been a lie?