Endless Debt Chapter 1142 - 5: Eternal Blood Tax

Disregarding Serey’s words, Bologue’s initial encounter with the Night Race occurred long before the Reality Shattering Event. During his travels to the Wind Source Highlands, he personally witnessed a Night Race assault at Palmer’s former residence, where he effortlessly eliminated several high-ranking members of their kind.

The Night Race.

An expansive undead species, they owe their existence to the Blood of the Night King. As long as their bloodline persists, immortality is assured. While the potency of this immortality wanes with each generational shift in bloodline tier, the allure of evading the God of Death is a temptation few can resist. It was this very blessing that once enabled the Night Race to forge the Eternal Night Empire, stretching across the continent.

Fortunately, the Dawn War, waged a century ago, brought an end to their reign. For seven days and nights, the Night Race was exposed to the unforgiving sun, and the survivors were subsequently confined to the Land of Eternal Night.

This land had remained devoid of any trace of the Night Race for many years, until the recent shifts that have begun to stir.

"The Night Race... Did you know, Bologue, that within the Order Bureau, they are, to a certain extent, classified as an Extraordinary Disaster?" Lebius stated deliberately. "However, this designation doesn’t pertain to the Night Race as a collective, but rather to the very essence of their power."

Bologue inquired, "The Blood of the Night Race?"

Lebius affirmed with a nod, continuing, "We perceive the Blood of the Night Race as the Extraordinary Disaster itself. As long as this bloodline endures in existence, the Night Race will propagate like a contagion, ultimately overwhelming the mortal realm."

His voice trailed off for a moment before Lebius resumed speaking.

"Extraordinary Disaster: Eternal Blood Tax."

Bologue committed this name to memory. In the Order Bureau's established nomenclature for numerous Extraordinary Disasters, the inherent nature of these threats is often discernible from their names alone. He found himself perplexed as to why an Extraordinary Disaster stemming from the Blood of the Night Race would bear such a peculiar title.

"A curious designation."

"I too find it quite peculiar, but unfortunately, the naming was finalized a considerable time ago," Lebius explained, opening a file and raising an eyebrow. "A scholar from the Clarks, after a thorough examination of the Night Race’s societal structure and their hierarchy of power, proposed this name, though he offered little in the way of explanation."

"Why so?"

"Because, shortly thereafter, humanity emerged victorious in the Dawn War, and the comprehensive classification of Extraordinary Disasters linked to the Night Race was consequently suspended, given that the entirety of the Night Race had seemingly vanished and was confined within the Land of Eternal Night."

Lebius closed the file, brushing away a layer of dust. "Had it not been for the Night Race’s recent resurgence, these documents would have likely remained undisturbed for decades."

Bologue clasped his arms. Despite now holding the position of leader for the Special Operations Group, he couldn't shake the feeling of being merely an ordinary operative, albeit one endowed with significantly more authority than before.

Bologue possessed a humble disposition. He still saw himself as an apprentice, with much to learn regarding his new responsibilities. To aid him in this transition, Lebius was not only handling administrative tasks but also patiently imparting leadership wisdom, much like a mentor.

The Kagader Empire was currently enveloped in an unnerving silence. Beneath this quietude, the Order Bureau was aware of their efforts to consolidate their forces, awaiting the prophesied arrival of Xilin.

It was widely understood that Xilin’s reappearance would herald the commencement of the Kagader Empire’s civil war.

However, the Order Bureau remained unconcerned about this particular front. Through a delicate balance, Xilin had inadvertently stabilized the situation to a degree, granting them valuable time to address other emerging threats.

After a diligent assessment of the circumstances, Bologue had initially considered Xilin and the Order Bureau to be potential allies.

"Has Palmer provided any updates regarding the origin of this resurgence of the Night Race?" Bologue inquired.

While Bologue and Palmer were typically inseparable, the growing scarcity of personnel necessitated their separation. Bologue undertook patrol duties, while Palmer returned to the Wind Source Highlands. There, he delved into the dusty archives of the Clarks alongside scholars, searching for any remnants of knowledge pertaining to the Night Race.

The Night Race had emerged with startling swiftness, almost as if designed to divert attention from a matter of paramount significance.

"The information they’ve uncovered primarily pertains to the Eternal Night Empire; there are scant records concerning this recently emerged Rebellious Royal Court... To be precise, even the Clarks express doubt as to how, under the stipulations of the Dawn Oath, another faction of the Night Race could have possibly come into being."

As Lebius spoke, Bologue recalled a line of dark script he had observed on an ancient parchment. "Could Serey have erased someone's name, and is this somehow connected?"

"Serey? We attempted to interrogate him, but he remained silent."

Lebius let out a sigh. Serey's stance was quite clear: he sided with all of humanity. Otherwise, he would never have been the one to overthrow the Eternal Night Empire, thus earning the title of the greatest traitor. He also declared his retirement, stating that the world's current chaos was no longer his concern. This principle aligned with the Undying Club's code.

Bologue shut his eyes, a trace of weariness showing. Suddenly, a realization dawned upon him; his journey to the Wind Source Highlands wasn't his first encounter with the Night Race. He had seen them long before the timeline became disordered.

"Olivia..."

Bologue whispered the name almost inaudibly. Olivia, too, was a member of the Night Race who had escaped the Land of Eternal Night. Could she possibly have a connection to the Rebellious Royal Court?

As Bologue pondered, Lebius's voice cut through his thoughts, interrupting his contemplation. "Within the Order Bureau, there are a few relatively plausible theories forming now."

"Tell me."

Lebius paused briefly before delivering a piece of astonishing news. "It's speculated that the Night King might no longer be the Chosen One of that Devil. He might have found a new vessel and passed on the power to a new individual," Lebius explained, frowning. "This isn't entirely impossible. Based on our understanding of Devils, the Night King has become entirely detached from the mortal realm and can no longer participate in subsequent conflicts. Therefore, abandoning the Night King and selecting a new Chosen One is a possibility."

"Perhaps to break free from the constraints of an oath?"

Bologue questioned, skepticism evident. "Would Devils truly find it so simple to replace a Chosen One? If not, no oath could possibly bind those monstrous beings."

Lebius concurred, stating, "I share your sentiment. The transfer of a Chosen One must involve stringent conditions that we are not yet privy to, and we require more time to unravel these mysteries."

"So, our primary objective moving forward is to devise strategies to confront these undead Night Race members?"

Upon mentioning this, Bologue felt an unexpected surge of tension. The Night Race presented a unique challenge, unlike any adversary he had faced before. They shared a commonality with him: they were also Undead.

A confrontation between Undead and Undead—the mere thought of it conjured images of brutal, bloody combat. Surprisingly, Bologue felt a flicker of both excitement and anticipation.

Contrary to Bologue's expectation, Lebius shook his head, dispelling his assumption.

"No?"

Bologue was taken aback. A sense of foreboding began to creep in. In his assessment, the burgeoning Rebellious Royal Court already posed a significant threat, yet these were not even their primary concern.

It was difficult to fathom what greater peril awaited them.

"There is another critical issue demanding our immediate attention."

Lebius's expression turned grim. The dire news was that this matter was indeed life-threatening, but the silver lining was that Lebius himself would be spared front-line duty.

"What is it?"

Lebius slid a document across the table. As Bologue quickly read through it, Lebius provided further elaboration.

"With the collapse of the Wandering Crossroads, our crucial defense line, Devil’s Territory, has been rendered useless. The delicate equilibrium within the Great Rift has been irrevocably shattered.

It can be said that the Serenity Defense Line, which contained this world’s Calamity, is now completely exposed at the base of the Great Rift. This makes external intrusion into the Abandoned Land considerably easier; the containment of this world’s Calamity is showing signs of failure."

The lingering mist dissipated, revealing an unobstructed passage directly into the Abandoned Land. Any party with malicious intent now possessed the capability to launch a direct assault on the Abandoned Land, assuming they could bypass the Order Bureau's surveillance.

"If that were the extent of the problem, reinforcing the existing barriers would suffice. However, a new complication has emerged."

Lebius articulated the true gravity of the situation. "The radiant blaze that has burned for millennia is seemingly beginning to extinguish."

Bologue pictured a brilliant light, piercing both heaven and earth, before his inner eye.

"The fading of this light blaze will instigate a cascade of unfortunate events. For instance, this world’s Calamity will lose its most significant restraint. Furthermore, as the light blaze wanes, the ruins of the Holy City will crumble under intense spatial distortions."

Lebius continued, his voice a low murmur, "It is a magnificent ruin... holding invaluable knowledge within. The Order Bureau intends to assemble an expedition to salvage as much of King Solomon’s legacy as possible before it is lost forever."

The ascendancy of the Rebellious Royal Court, the escalating peril within the Great Rift, the fratricidal conflict within the Kagader Empire—each emerging crisis weighed heavily on everyone's minds, piling up like immense burdens.

This deluge of dire news momentarily stunned Bologue. Faced with such a multitude of problems, even Bologue couldn't help but feel a profound sense of helplessness at that moment.

"So, what is our course of action now?" Bologue inquired.

Lebius let out a weary sigh, his head shaking. "I truly don't know either," he admitted.

A palpable tension hung in the air between them for a few more moments. Then, Lebius broke the silence. "Perhaps you should rest for a bit, Bologue?"