Bear School Astartes

Just like there is a difference between church hunters and ordinary hunters.

Founded by Ludwig, church hunters often use heavy weapons like the Church Stone Hammer and Ludwig’s Holy Sword.

Because they are directly governed by the Healing Church, they must hunt down more terrifying and bizarre beasts according to the church’s orders.

Thus, the gun in Ludwig’s hand weighs much more than the Hunter’s Trumpet Gun, yet it only fires single silver bullets.

At the cost of portability and physical exhaustion, it increases the range and power.

Henrik feels as though every small movement he makes is seen through completely, facing Ludwig’s gun muzzle, he has a suffocating sensation of every action route being closed off.

"..."

The hand originally grasping the saw cleaver slowly relaxes, and Henrik’s tensed muscles also release their strength.

Just in time, Ludwig also lowers the gun in his hand.

Henrik reaches under his coat, but Ludwig doesn’t move this time.

As Henrik takes out a blood vial and tosses it to Mark, who similarly raises it with a grim face, signaling to the hunters in a circle.

He recited once the tiny inscription of the packaging code on the bottle.

Being able to interpret the code on the packaging is proof of his position inside the church.

This is an accurate, church-produced blood vial.

Finally, with Ludwig behind him, in the glowing eyes of the hunters longing, Mark raises Henrik’s hand and plunges the needle into his arm.

The usual cold pleasure penetrates the body from the bloodstream, spreading to the deepest corners of the body.

But this time, Henrik keeps a straight face for the first time during the blood vial injection, showing no signs of intoxication or enjoyment.

Somehow, the young hunter even feels a bit disgusted with the stuff.

"Those who are left without official blood vials, those who arrived here after the time limit..."

Henrik’s body is addicted to the abundant life force from the blood vial.

But his psyche feels nauseated.

This contradiction between body and mind makes him stutter.

"They’re all going to die, aren’t they?"

Henrik’s eyes fix on Ludwig: "In all of Yan’an, how many have already gone up to Church Town? A thousand? Two thousand? And then you’re going to lock the roads, let the rest burn?!"

Ludwig doesn’t evade Henrik’s gaze; on the contrary, his tired and painful eyes maintain the stare.

On one hand, he observes the reaction to the blood vial injection, on the other... Henrik feels he’s punishing himself in this way.

"Moral dilemmas... Indeed. It’s a dilemma that has replayed countless times throughout history."

"Can life simply be measured by numbers? Whose life is more noble, more important?"

Ludwig tightly pressed his lips, speaking softly.

"But facing the beast plague, what can we do, young man?"

"Humanity has continued to this day because, throughout the long past, in moments like these, generations have made their decisions."

"Today, it’s the Healing Church making decisions for Yan’an, executed by me. I feel uneasy about it, so much that I want to die, but I will continue."

"So yes, young man."

"Those who arrive after you will all die. We are the executioners."

Beyond fatigue and pain, Ludwig’s eyes also hold immense regret.

"The church has developed blood healing, and in the foreseeable future, we will surely achieve greater, grander accomplishments, perhaps elevating humanity to a higher level."

"But the people of Yan’an missed it. Blood healing was developed only decades ago. This technology is yet not advanced enough to save everyone."

"But also to ensure the vision and possibility of the future... We must make decisions, sacrificing the tail for survival!"

"But fortunately, you’ve made it."

With that, Ludwig already opens a path.

He stands aside, yet his gaze remains locked on Henrik.

The young hunter’s eyes are filled with massive anger and genuine disdain.

Ludwig looks at this expression and accepts it frankly.

"You don’t agree with my decision or the church’s, that’s fine. But you can enter Church Town, continue living in a pure environment, that’s better."

"You seem very talented, perhaps you might become an adept hunter in the future."

Mark and Henrik say nothing; they just throw the emptied blood vial to the ground and walk toward Ludwig’s back.

"You have faith in the church’s doctrine, Ludwig."

As they pass by the hunter who stands as a heroic figure in Yan’an, Henrik speaks coldly.

"You believe blood healing brings only joy and salvation, but we have seen its terrifying side below."

"You believe in the so-called ’greater vision’ preached by the Healing Church, but I find it terrifying."

To the young hunter’s words, Ludwig shows no response, only shaking his head wearily.

"Think as you will, young man. But besides the church, who has given the Yan Nan People the ability to resist the beast plague?"

The young men brushed past Ludwig.

But unlike their first encounter just a few minutes ago, Mark felt a chill in his heart, spreading to his fingertips.

He and Henrik walked into the passage behind the hunters led by Ludwig.

This passage leads upward, to Church Town. In the dark corridor, every few steps there was a torch.

Mark watched the flickering flames in the darkness, his expressionless face suddenly twitching, and he quickly tilted his head to avert his gaze from the flames.

"What’s wrong with you?"

"No, nothing, I just..."

Mark evaded, but as he spoke, the city in flames, the corpses in flames, Ludwig standing outside the flames...

These images were like afterimages left on the retina after staring directly at a strong light, even closing his eyes and violently shaking his head couldn’t rid them, leaving chaotic colorful halos in the darkness.

He couldn’t escape it.

Until the sound of machinery shutting from the passage prompted Henrik to quickly pull Mark, rushing into the closing mechanism.

Mark suddenly realized he was somewhat afraid of fire.

-----------------

Ludwig blankly stared at the pocket watch in his hand, the exquisite hands ticking away, until crossing a threshold he took a deep breath and then closed the lid.

As if this action marked a sign, the hunters standing behind Ludwig began to move forward in unison.

They excitedly twitched their noses, greedily breathing in the blood scent in the air like it was never enough.

Mumbling softly about hunting matters.

How to bleed prey, how to cut them into pieces...

’But they are normal.’

Ludwig was so convinced in his heart.

He wasn’t assured of knowing every hunter here, familiar with their personalities and pasts, yet placed faith in them as they were now.

He was just certain: all these hunters had injected many standardized blood vials produced by the Healing Church, [Blood Healing] would heal all their problems.

Body, and even spirit...everything was not a problem before [Blood Healing].

But thinking this way, Ludwig ’whack’ pressed on his trembling head.

"Ugh!"

The muscles on his face were trembling uncontrollably, twitching.

This beast plague came at a very inopportune time.

He had just participated in hunting down a bizarre beast and executed the final sword stroke.

That beast perhaps did something to him in its last moments, causing him immense discomfort, making self-control difficult.

’Pfft’ a sound, another blood vial was jabbed into his own neck, which finally made him feel slightly relieved.

"This is really... very unfortunate."

Ludwig gasped, murmuring softly.

If he had a few more days, no matter how stubborn the ailment, [Blood Healing] would surely cure it.

And right now, Lawrence and others must still be studying the corpse of that monster, right?

If their research yields results, his condition would certainly be directly resolved too.

But, it happens to be now...right after he just returned from the hunt!

The hunters were gradually moving away, they would intercept anyone trying to enter the upper Church Town.

Though the church had closed the roads, once the people gather, who knows if the disruption would reopen them?

And as these hunters began leaving Ludwig’s control, granted permission for wanton slaughter, the intense scent of blood, gasoline started wafting steadily from afar.

Old Hunters not only enjoyed drawing blood from beasts but also firmly believed ’fire is effective against beasts.’

In flames nearly setting an entire city ablaze, the air heated to a turbulent uneasiness.

And in the hunt, Old Hunters’ crazed, hysterical laughter and screams, human cries, and wails subtly came through the trembling flames.

Ludwig only felt his right cheek beginning to twitch uncontrollably, increasingly frequent.

But he hadn’t felt too uncomfortable, so he didn’t continue injecting himself with blood vials.

The blood scent grew denser, the sound of slaughter in Ludwig’s ears grew more distant.

Until...

’Crash’ a sound.

A steady, rhythmic pace, stepping in the deepening pool of blood, nearing Ludwig not far away.

"Before I ask ’if this road can still be taken,’ to be sure, I must first confirm something."

Lann tilted his head, looking at the ’thing’ not far opposite him, speaking.

"Do you still realize what you look like now, Ludwig?"

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