Saber and Johnny sat on the chairs in the gravekeeper's hut. The furnishings in the room reeked of the last century. This was the residence of an immortal who had lived for more than 200 years. Sculptures and collectibles that had been given special meanings in the passage of time were wiped clean and placed on the shelves. Beside them was a pile of flour and food ordered from the supermarket a few days ago. In front of the holy angel statue was an old ore radio. Saber vaguely remembered that his dad seemed to have the same one.
If you were a literary person, you might even be able to experience the chaos of time intersecting, as if time had stopped moving forward.
Saber's question made Carter Slade fall silent for a moment. He reached into the cupboard beside him and took out a very old-fashioned tobacco pipe. There was an exquisite iron ring around the pipe. He took out some tobacco and pressed it down. His eyes surged with the light of memories. He looked like an old man who was immersed in the past.
"When should I start?"
Carter leaned back in his chair. At that moment, all of the old man's eccentricity and reclusiveness had disappeared. In its place was a touch of calmness and indifference. He pressed down on the pipe in his hand and brought it to his lips to take a puff. A spicy smoke floated in the air. In the midst of the smoke, Carter began to tell his story.
"237 years ago, I was a Texas ranger. I was the best hunter in this area. No one could escape from my pursuit. What was this place called again? St. Austin? Ah, I forgot. Anyway, I was the best among the patrolling boys. It only took me four years to become a sheriff. This desert had completely become my hunting ground. "
Carter's eyes were soon filled with displeasure. "But those guys were jealous of my achievements. They reported me to the higher-ups, saying that I was corrupt. Well, I did get some ill-gotten wealth from those horse bandits, but that was my harvest, wasn't it? In short, they locked me up in prison and planned to execute me. Then, they would divide my treasure. They almost succeeded … Really! "
He stretched out his little finger and gestured disdainfully. "Just a little bit more … Then, on the night before I died, a strange man appeared in the prison. I knew he was a bad guy from head to toe just by looking at his face. However, he told me that he could save my life, but the price was that I had to give up my soul. That's ridiculous …"
Carter coughed a few times.
"At that time, we still used a contract, so when he asked to sign a contract, I didn't think much of it. I thought it was just a silly joke because I didn't trust him at all! But when my finger touched the contract, the sharp blade cut my skin. Blood dripped on the contract's parchment. I can still remember the flash of lightning outside the window … I saw his shadow, the devil's shadow! "
A trace of exhaustion appeared on Carter Slade's face. He rubbed his forehead.
"Then, everyone forgot … forgot that I was sentenced. I took this opportunity to execute those who framed me one by one. Then, I started to be a carefree sheriff. I thought everything was over until five years later, on a rainy night, he came again. He told me that he needed me …"
"You know, it's actually quite good to serve the devil."
He chuckled like an owl. "They were very generous. The devil and their hell only wanted souls. After killing those who he wanted me to kill, their money belonged to me. Oh my god, that was a crazy time. Let me think. 30 years, at least 30 years. It was the happiest time of my life.
"Money that can't be spent! Endless women, endless blood … "Carter took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Carter took a deep breath, closed his eyes slightly, and leaned back in his chair. "Until my last mission … I will never forget that place, the town of San Venganza. The place where I was born is not far from there. I know that place. It was a group of very friendly and kind people. They lived like most of the farmers in that era, poor but happy. A flock of sheep in their village was their most precious treasure. Other than that, they were poor as can be."
The old man pursed his lips.
"But the ale there was great. Of course, the food tasted terrible. I wouldn't go to a place without oil. But this time, I had to go. Mephisto told me that he had signed a contract with the people there. He asked me to accept the contract. I didn't think much of it at the time. I rode my beloved warhorse, Karl, and went to that godforsaken place. Then, I saw … hell."
"You will never be able to imagine what I saw that night. Those kind-hearted people seemed to have gone mad. Even the weak women were holding knives and crazily killing everyone around them. Children were thrown into the fire and burned to death. One-third of the people died in the poisoned water. Damn it, when I arrived, the massacre had already reached the end … No one survived! I saw the last two people in the burning village, a woman and an old man. They were like wild beasts, desperately trying to stab each other's hearts with the knife in their hands. But they were father and daughter … Oh my god! "
At this point, Carter's hands trembled slightly. Even after more than 200 years, the scene of hell he saw that night had never left him. He muttered to himself, "I want to save one.
"I wanted to save one, really … I really wanted to save one. It was too tragic, but I couldn't. The father bit off the daughter's ear, and the daughter dug out the father's heart. No one survived. I approached the completely destroyed town, and in the raging fire in the center of the town, I saw the scroll written in blood, Mephisto's conspiracy."
"He lied to them and said that as long as they sacrificed three willing souls, they would bring eternal life to all the people in the town. It was a very funny reason, wasn't it? But at that time, everyone was very superstitious. Coupled with the power that Mephisto displayed, they did so. In the end, they didn't get anything, only that contract that sealed their tortured souls in the area of San Venganza. Unless someone took the initiative to break the contract, they would never be able to escape! "
"I got the contract …" Carter said softly.
"I got it effortlessly, but I didn't know if I should give him the contract covered in blood. I didn't know what he wanted to do at that time. I only found out later. At that time, I just felt that the thing in my hand was so disgusting. You can call it a discovery of conscience or a sudden awakening. In short, when I saw Mephisto's smile, I felt for the first time that his smile was so disgusting! It was so disgusting! "
"The Spirit of Vengeance gave me the power to resist … I resisted. I escaped with the contract."
The old man leaned back in his chair and heaved a sigh of relief. "That was probably the only right thing I did in my life. Then, the rich Carter Slade died. The only one who survived was an old man with secrets … How many secrets does a person have to go through to live a peaceful life? That's a good question, you know? I've been waiting for you to come. "
"Why?"
Johnny couldn't help but ask. At the same time, Seiber opened his mouth and asked another question.
"What did he want to do with the contract?"
Two people with completely different personalities asked completely different questions. Carter chuckled. He first looked at Seiber and said in a low voice, "That's right."
"Where did you see Mephisto?"
"Out of Bounds Bar, a rotten place!"
Saber spread his hands and said, "That place isn't far from here. I'm curious. How did that devil let you live for more than 200 years?"
"It's simple. Because I'm 'dead'!"
"I sent most of the Hellfire back to Hell, creating the illusion that I'm dead. As for the ones that didn't go back, they were used to support my old body. With the protection of Saint Michael, he can't find me … But you went to the Beyond Bounds Bar. Didn't you realize that people like him from outside the world have to pay a price to enter our world?" Carter was speechless. He looked at Carter and said, "You went to the Beyond Bounds Bar. Didn't you realize that people from outside the world like him have to pay a price to enter our world?
Saber thought of the bartender who had been shot in the head by him in the bar and nodded.
"It's said that only a soul can open some damn door?"
"That's a sacrifice. A sacrifice to summon a wisp of Mephisto's consciousness to the main world. Aren't you curious about what the San Venganza contract is for? Let me tell you. It's also a sacrifice … With the souls of a thousand people, it summons the Great Demon King's physical body to descend into the main world, tears open the world barrier, and then builds a hell on earth in San Venganza … The best part is that the people there signed the contract willingly with the devil. Even the Supreme Mage couldn't stop all of this from happening … Yes, that cunning old dog took advantage of the loophole! "
The old man laughed in a low and smug voice, like an old cat that had stolen a fish.
"But I ruined all of this. Hahaha, I really want to see Mephisto's depressed old face."
With that, he turned his gaze to Johnny.
"This is also why I've been waiting for your arrival … I'm about to die, and the remnants of hellfire are almost exhausted. I can't hold on any longer. I've been waiting for the next generation of knights to appear. I originally thought that I would have to use my old life to awaken the spirit of vengeance hidden in your body, but fortunately, it seems that I don't have to make such a huge sacrifice."
He stood up, picked up the seemingly inconspicuous shovel in the corner, and smashed it hard against the wall. With a bang, the shovel cracked from the middle, revealing an ancient scroll with a trace of red lines. Carter took it out, looked at it in front of his eyes, shook his head, and threw it to Johnny.
"Then take over the responsibility and mission that I've carried for more than 200 years. Protect it!"
Carter Slade said softly, "Use everything you have to protect it! I know that the one who crossed the line this time is Witchcraft, the most useless of Mephisto's sons. I saw the scene of him being beaten up by the Sorcerer Supreme clearly. Under the situation where you can't violate the Sorcerer Supreme's commandments and use power that exceeds this world, the two of you are definitely enough to deal with Witchcraft. Go and kill him! Let that arrogant little bastard know that he can't do as he pleases in this place. As for Mephisto, he's not a problem. "
The old man coughed twice.
"He appeared in the real world as an illusion, but his power is not as strong as Witchcraft. If he dares to appear in the real world with his real body, the Sorcerer Supreme will teach him a lesson."
"Hey, Johnny, let me see it!"
Saber suddenly said. Johnny was stunned for a moment, then nodded and handed over the scroll in his hand without hesitation. Saber took it and placed the scroll in front of him.
"Oh, look. This little thing can actually create a real hell in the human world … How terrifying."
He sighed and casually stuffed the scroll into his pocket. Then, he patted the non-existent dust off his body and revealed a beaming smile.
"Well then, thank you, Carter Slade, and you, Johnny … I thought it would be hard to find."
"Saber, you!"
Johnny felt that something was wrong, but a black shadow flashed in front of his eyes in human form. Saber's fist landed on his neck. Johnny's body swayed and fell to the ground. Saber didn't even look at Johnny who had fallen to the ground. He reached out and heard a clicking sound. He turned his head and saw Carter holding a black, exquisite, old-fashioned lance in his hand. The black muzzle was aimed at his heart.
"What the f * ck are you doing?"
Carter was about to go crazy. He was so agitated that he looked like he would pull the trigger at any moment. However, Saber pulled down the brim of his hat and grinned.
"Stop joking, old man. Ghost Rider can't transform during the day … right?"
"How … How do you know?"
"I've fought Johnny head-on before …"
Saber raised his head, his eyes turning extremely cold. "I broke his bones into more than 300 pieces with my bare hands. I saw the flames on his body extinguish when the first ray of sunlight rose …"
He walked forward and pressed his chest against the muzzle of the gun. He reached out and patted Carter's shoulder.
"You're old. Take care of your body … Take advantage of the remaining time to rest. No one will blame you."
The old man glared at Saber fiercely, as if he wanted to tear him apart and eat him.
"Why?"
In the face of this question, Saber shrugged. "I'm dying. Only this thing can save my life … Is this answer enough?"
"But the human world will turn into hell because of this!!!"
"Hehe … What does that have to do with me?"
Carter's face turned pale. At the same time, in distant Manhattan, in a house full of junk and thick smoke, a man and a woman were rolling on the bed intimately. It looked like they were at the peak of their passion, but just as they were about to take another step, the man was suddenly pulled up from the bed by a force. A pale yellow, sparkling portal appeared behind him, and he was thrown in.
"Help me do something … John!"
The man struggled. He looked at the frightened beauty on the bed and smiled at her.
"Hey, baby, wait for me. I'll be back in a day at most. Then we'll continue …"
Buzz …
Before he could finish, he was swallowed by the closed portal.
"No! You damned old hag … "
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