Death Notice Book 7: Chapter 57: Epilogue

Release Date: 2026-05-16 18:22:41

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“Did you mean Kurapika would trade those two women’s lives for Kuroro’s life?” Rand asked skeptically.

“Not trading lives—that idea is hard to achieve. The other Troupe members, including those two women, would not let Kuroro do that. It’s more about restricting Kuroro’s freedom, forcing him to leave the Troupe!”

Qin Lun pondered and said, “Kurapika has a Judgment Chain that can impose strict vows according to his will. Once those vows are broken, the target dies from a shattered heart. As for what restrictions he would impose, no one knows. There could be many similar expressions.”

“That’s a good method!” Rand stroked his chin and nodded, then smiled and asked, “However, your mission will be hard to continue!”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve already enjoyed this Hunter World a lot. Besides, after today, I will lose the assistance of the Zoldyck Family and the Mafia. Without enough time and manpower, it would be difficult to plan anything else!” Qin Lun waved his hand indifferently.

“Only partially; some I don’t really remember!” Qin Lun touched his nose and smiled helplessly. “Before Joey and I separated, we had several difficult years where we couldn’t distinguish reality from illusion. To this day, I don’t know if the things I killed during that time were real or not!”

“Things?” Rand was slightly taken aback, then gave a bitter smile. He understood what Qin Lun meant—that in the Dissector’s hallucinations, sometimes what appeared weren’t humans, but maybe monsters, evil spirits, or anything else.

“All of us probably have some unforgettable memories!” Qin Lun’s gaze grew distant as he murmured to himself.

Shepherd Hill had set up a church in the dark lower districts of a Federation city and should have been a truly kind priest. Though it was unclear what major event turned him into a serial killer, the internal reason was surely resentment toward the corruption and oppression of the city’s upper ruling class.

Disciple Hansen’s case went without saying—his parents were killed by unruly soldiers, and he became a child mercenary from childhood, later turning into an assassin. From a blank slate of a child, he became an iron-hearted mercenary and assassin, an experience outsiders could never fully understand.

Clown Grant was the same; because of his ugly appearance, he was abandoned by his family and everyone else. Since childhood, he suffered disdain and tasted the fickleness of human relationships. Inwardly insecure and self-pitying, yet desperately craving beauty, he slowly transformed into the face-skinning serial killer “Joker.”

However, once on the path of a serial killer, there was no turning back. When killing became a habit, they naturally saw themselves as beings at the top of the food chain. The fame, wealth, and pleasure that ordinary people pursued were like fleeting clouds to them. Would a tiger admire the pursuits of an ant?

Obviously not! Having lost the dreams of normal people, they could only find value and a sense of existence through killing!

“I’ve read a bit about the four of you in the newspapers!” Rand sighed and suddenly spoke up after a pause. “But you don’t know my story. Perhaps it’s only fair to tell you. Actually, I don’t have a mental illness; antisocial personality disorder is just an official cover-up!”

Rand began to recount his past in a heavy tone. He was originally a respected fire captain in Los Angeles City, with an enviably happy family. Late one night, the fire department received an alarm—a nightclub in Los Angeles City was on fire.

It should have been an ordinary mission, but strangely, the mayor of Los Angeles personally called him, privately ordering him to follow the directions of a stranger.

This stranger was named Terry Brano, both the owner of that nightclub and a notorious mafia boss. Terry demanded that Rand ignore the fire spreading to nearby residences and prioritize saving the nightclub’s vault.

At that time, the nightclub was already burning like a bonfire. Following Terry’s plan would not only let the fire spread but also cause heavy casualties among the firefighters.

Rand refused Terry and the mayor without hesitation, taking measures to rescue the surrounding residents first. As a result, the mafia boss’s small treasury was completely consumed by the fire.

Afterward, the mayor of Los Angeles, who was in cahoots with Terry, was furious and slandered Rand in the media, claiming he let the fire spread intentionally out of selfish motives, leading to significant loss of life and property. Rand knew this was inevitable and didn’t argue much, only seeking to keep a clear conscience.

However, what he didn’t expect was that the very people he had helped during the fire believed the rumors and sued him. Moreover, someone in the fire department, aiming for promotion, testified against him in court, betraying him.

Rand was thrown into prison. Even more tragically, to get revenge, Terry hired arsonists in the second year of Rand’s imprisonment, burning down his house and killing his wife and daughter on the spot.

What followed didn’t need much explanation. Driven mad by the news, Rand immediately broke out of prison. In the following years, he sent the former mayor of Los Angeles, Terry’s entire mafia family, the ignorant masses who had falsely accused him, and the betrayers from the fire department all to the fiery heaven, as a tribute to his wife and daughter.

To cover up the scandal, the Los Angeles authorities described him as a mentally ill person with antisocial personality disorder. Rand, however, was surprised to discover that through multiple arson and bombing incidents, he had acquired a strange ability to control fire to some extent.

“So, you were an ability user back in the Earth Federation!” Qin Lun looked at Rand in surprise. “And now…?”

“After becoming an Apostle, this ability remained and became my talent!” Rand nodded. “That’s the main reason I advanced so quickly.”

“Then you’re different from us—you’re not really a serial killer!” Qin Lun’s eyes flickered as he smiled reassuringly.

“No, arson and bombings often involve many innocent people. My hands are just as bloody!” Rand looked at his hands with a bitter smile. “Moreover, after gaining that ability, I often had the urge to set fires. Unable to control myself, I’ve already set foot on the path of no return as a serial killer!”

“Rand, Hill and the others and I can’t fit into normal Apostle teams. We might form our own team in the future. You…” Qin Lun spoke thoughtfully.

“Let’s talk about that another time!” The middle-aged man in front of him laughed heartily, seeming much more relaxed after revealing his secret.

Rand took out a small paper package from his Storage Space and tossed it to Qin Lun. “This is what you asked for. I’ll give it to you now.”

“The Scarlet Eye?” Qin Lun opened the package but quickly raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Huh? This thing is actually a World Treasure?”

Qin Lun had asked Rand to bring the Scarlet Eye out of the Troupe’s treasury on a whim, originally intending to return it to Kurapika to win over the youth. He never expected this outcome.

“Hehe, many of the auction items were World Treasures. The most precious ones were probably my mission item, the Ahura Mazda Bronze Statue, and the Scarlet Eye in your hands. But at the time, I only had time to take a few. What a pity!” Rand smacked his lips, seeming a bit regretful.

Qin Lun gave Rand a meaningful look but didn’t feel particularly envious. Firecracker had taken great risks venturing deep into the Abandoned District—this was his hard-earned reward. That he was willing to give the Scarlet Eye back was good enough.

“What’s special about the Ahura Mazda Bronze Statue?” Qin Lun’s eyes flashed as he asked casually.

“It’s related to my Nen Ability system!” Rand hesitated before saying, “This item is a religious idol worshiping fire. After becoming a Hunter, I never developed a Nen Ability system. The laws contained in this statue allowed me to absorb them and transform them into an incomplete flame Nen, possessing the Nen effects of Transmutation, Manipulation, and Emission.”

“Qin Lun, we have about half a month left here. After things in Yorknew City are over, what do you plan to do?” Rand asked seriously.

“After we see the outcome of Kurapika’s actions, I’ll return,” Qin Lun said calmly. “I’ve enjoyed this experience a lot, and there’s nothing more worth staying for. Besides, the Phantom Troupe’s hatred is focused on me. Even if the structure collapses, some of them will probably track me down. Staying longer would be too dangerous.”

“Hmm.” Rand nodded. He wasn’t ready to stop yet. “I might continue participating in the Auction. After obtaining the Ahura Mazda Bronze Statue, I received another Side Mission called ‘Greed Island.’”

“Oh?” Qin Lun raised his eyebrows. During his communication with Gon and Killua that night, he had obtained this information. He hadn’t thought it would be a storyline side mission. However, his decision wouldn’t change. After the climax of the battle with the Troupe, he felt somewhat uninspired by other matters, so returning was inevitable.

…

After hiding for a day, Qin Lun received the final result of the battle between the Hunter Side and the Phantom Troupe.

“Kurapika really succeeded!” Qin Lun opened the window, looked at the white clouds in the sky, and smiled faintly.

Even Qin Lun himself didn’t fully understand why he had hoped Kurapika would succeed. Perhaps, while he was corrupting Kurapika, the youth was also influencing him in some way.

Shizuku returned safely to the Troupe. Kuroro had his Nen Ability sealed by the Judgment Chain and could no longer meet with other Troupe members. He set out to find a Nen exorcist.

Pakunoda died. This beautiful woman perhaps realized that the Troupe’s current actions, while harming many innocents, would also bring irreparable regret to her companions.

So, she used her memory bullet Nen ability to leave some Troupe members information about Qin Lun and Kurapika, as well as her own reflections on the events in Yorknew City.

Perhaps, after sensing Qin Lun’s coldness and cunning at the time, this beautiful Troupe member had already decided to pass the information to her companions at all costs. Because she violated the vow with Kurapika, she was killed by the Judgment Chain.

Pakunoda’s death deeply affected all the Troupe members. Qin Lun’s judgment was correct. Even if the Phantom Troupe was no longer the same, even if they lost their leader, even if they stopped pursuing Kurapika, the young man remained the only culprit they couldn’t let go of. They began to hunt him down afterward.

…

“The puppets I control have started monitoring the Shadow Beasts and the Mafia’s intelligence. As soon as that person shows up again, we’ll get the news!” A hoarse voice sounded behind the Troupe members. A person covered in suture scars, holding a phone, appeared at the church entrance, his ugly face breaking into a sunny smile.

«Volume 7 Chapter 56: The Decision

Index

Volume 7 Chapter 58: Return »