Silent Crown

Chapter 155 Concussions and Sighs

Chapter 155 Concussions and Sighs

Late at night, the sound of steel scraping came from the underground workshop occasionally. On the ceiling, the only lamp in the dusty workshop shone dimly. A hideous shadow stood under the light, allowing Charles to modify it.

The youth stood still, his body wrapped with some metal skeleton that clung to the skin. The fine structure of the rafting mechanic matched his body perfectly. They cooperated perfectly without any conflicts, as if he was born that way.

With Charles’s actions, the parts that were originally taken apart were now joined together on the skeleton, and the cold metallic surface was covered by black leather until it could not be seen.

Standing in his spot, the youth’s face was hidden in the shadow. One could not see his expression. His height had suddenly shot up half a foot. His muscles were also stronger. Even the power of a slow move could make the air whistle and dust fly. The light shook and flickered.

"Yezi, this set has always been part of you, right?" Before him, Charles lifted the lantern in his hands, illuminating the young man's face hidden in the shadow. The youth raised his eyes and looked at him expressionlessly.

"You look like you’re made of iron," Charles murmured. He took two steps back and dropped his tools. When he could not see Ye Qingxuan's face, he always felt that he was assembling some kind of fine machine. It was silent, quiet and precise, like a clock. It could not feel fatigue, would not stop, and would not become weak. But when he saw Ye Qingxuan's face, he suddenly found himself in front of a youth who was only one year younger than himself.

"How does it feel?" Charles asked softly.

"It feels a little heavy. I’m not used to it." Ye Qingxuan stretched his arms up and was about to jump, but Charles stopped him. "Jumping here is the same as crashing into the wall. You will get hurt or even get a concussion."

"It’s that dramatic?"

"Chainsaw monks were real machines of war. As a borderless organization, they had always been the most invincible army on the battlefield for hundreds of years. They would fight only for money or the Holy Scriptures.

"That group of men would even ignore the orders from the sacred city. The only thing that could call them up was the 'East Order' decreed by the sacred city when it was determined to invade the Dark World again.

"Do you think they conquered people with the Holy Scriptures? Don't be silly. They’re the dark side of the church and they concentrate on mechanical technology. Don't underestimate their madness," Charles stated.

He continued, "The original Chainsaw monks were transformed into a machines through surgery. This skeleton would be thoroughly implanted into his flesh and blood, truly becoming one.

"Now, what you have is a little less powerful, but the core technology is still from them. Trust me, it is like a beast. You need a period of time to get used to it."

"So you’re saying that it can do more than just run quickly?"

"Of course." Charles shook his head. "With your weak and untrained body, you’ll be able to chest press 200 kilograms and squat 500 kilograms when wearing this. That’s the limit for the human body.

"But the forces are reciprocal. The shock absorption system isn’t that perfect yet. Your maximum output is limited to 200 kilograms. Of course, you can adjust yourself but beyond that, you should be ready for your muscles to be torn apart and even your bones to be broken.

"Yezi, you have to be careful. Don’t wear out yourself. You don’t want to live your rest of life with a wheelchair like that bald man from the School of Revelations, do you?"

"Don’t worry. This is good enough for me." Ye Qingxuan nodded. He was obviously very satisfied with this. He had officially reached the Rhythm level and could control the aether to protect himself. With this set, he was able to let go of his hands and feet. He did not need to worry about being dragged down by his physical strength at a critical time…

At the thought of this, his heart stirred painfully—physical strength was always his critical defect. Since the beginning of time, the Ye family had never had any burly men. Most of the time, they were the physical manifestation of elegance and grace. Not wanting to dirty themselves in fights was one thing. But also…they really were just lacking in the physical department. He knew how weak he was when he was beaten by a dog.

"Stop spacing out." Charles shook his head and tossed over something. "Try this one."

Ye Qingxuan caught it and saw under the light that it was a silver arm. It was originally Pinocchio’s arm, but now it looked completely different. Now it looked light and exquisite, like a piece of art. With a snap, it was embedded seamlessly into the reserved slots on Ye Qingxuan's right arm. The youth moved his arm. With the aid of the skeleton, he could hardly feel the increased weight.

"What is this?"

"Something you brought back." Charles smiled and pointed to the weapon that had been dismantled on the table. "The Sighing Sword."

On the workbench, the heavy black sword had been torn apart. The hilt, blade, hand guard...all scattered. The obsidian-like material was actually some kind of coarse alloy which silently exuded a chill even after being torn apart.

"Why is it like this?" Ye Qingxuan asked.

Charles shrugged. "The Sighing Sword looks like a sabre, but it’s essentially alchemy equipment that can destroy most shields and enchantments.

"It relies on the internal solid and precise structure to have the perfect effect. There are strict requirements for the size, weight, and material of each part. I took it apart and found that most of it was damaged, but luckily the core part still works. Try to clench your fist and try to punch with all your strength. Remember, all your strength."

Ye Qingxuan hesitated, but then obeyed.

Boom! A muffled sound came out of nowhere. Instantly, it was as if a giant blister burst in the sealed basement. Wind blew from the front of the fist, causing a flurry of dust. Even the basement door was forced open. The air pressure rose and fell quickly.

Ye Qingxuan only felt a shock going through his body. His vision went black and his ears buzzed. He could barely even breathe.

An indent the shape of a fist silently appeared on the wall meters away from his punch. It was the mark left by the high air pressure. It gradually disappeared as the dust flew.

"Feels good, right?" Charles, who had been prepared, was hiding beside him and gloated at the youth’s dazed look. "Don't worry. It's like this when you miss the target."

"Miss…What?"

"…" Charles was seemed to be talking about something.

"A little louder. I can't hear you!"

"I said concussion!" Charles raised his voice which dispelled the hum in Ye Qingxuan's ears. "The key of the Sighing Sword is that it creates a shaking like a concussion, which is the source of its power. With this shaking, the sword can easily defeat all obstacles.

"The more fragile the object is, the more likely it is to break under the shaking. The harder the structure is, the more likely it is to twist under the pressure. Even if there was only one small flaw, it would be infinitely magnified to the point of self-destruction. The object would then collapse and disintegrate."

Charles put on his gloves, removed the burning arm, and showed the youth the steel plates that fit in the inner lining of the arm. "This is the core—a very compact 'interval.’

"It consists of seven basic notes. The effect is Shake, which makes the body able to resonate with the aether. The scariest thing is that the Chainsaw monk is able to duplicate this interval thousands of times on a sheet of solid metal. This is the reason why so many countries have failed to duplicate the Sighing Sword. The Chainsaw monk’s skill at smelting and printing is unmatchable!" With a snap, the arm was put back into place.

Charles exclaimed, "Non-lethal weapons meet your needs perfectly. If you control it well, anyone will kneel before you, no matter how much he has on his body. What’s more, you can tear down a wall when escaping more easily. It’s really a good thing to have when committing a crime.

"However, it is best to note that your body does not have the Chainsaw Monk's aether ax, which is used for fine control or other components for stability. Don’t use it too frequently and give it some time to buffer. Otherwise it could explode."

"Explode?"

Charles mimed exploding into pieces onto the ground with a cheerful expression.

Ye Qingxuan could not help but sigh, "Senior ..."

"Yeah?"

"Why do I feel like you told me all that just so you can have fun when telling me that I’ll explode?"

"... Aha, you know me pretty well."

Ye Qingxuan sighed and turned toward the door.

"Don't go, there are still many new inventions here for you to appreciate!"

"Later. I’m going out for a walk." Ye Qingxuan took the hunting hat on the wall, and put it on. Looking back at Charles, he smiled. "I want some fresh air. Be back soon."

Charles shook his head and waved. "Be careful."

-

Late at night, on the quiet street, an old lame man leaned against the corner of a wall. He had a pipe in his mouth and he smoked leisurely. From time to time, he would look up to the distance, as if waiting for someone to arrive. Heavy dew dampened his trousers, making seem even older.

During the long wait, a cane stretched out from the darkness behind him and rested on his shoulder. "Did you leave the sign?" the hoarse voice sounded.

"Mr. Holmes?" Shocked, the old man looked back in a surprise and saw the shadow. "You remember me?" He pointed to the bruises on his face that still had not faded. "It's me, Hudson, sir."

Ye Qingxuan frowned. He remembered the old man whom he had rescued from the cemetery. The man had wanted to quit his dirty life but was captured by the Pyramid King and tortured. Ye Qingxuan paid no attention to him after rescuing him. Unexpectedly, the Shaman had sent Hudson to contact him.

"Mr. Hudson, long time no see." Holmes asked softly, "Looks like you've gone to the Shaman?"

Hudson's look was somewhat apologetic. "Mr. Shaman said that you hated to come into contact with unclean people, so he found me and told me to contact you specifically. But please rest assured that I never took any illegal jobs after that incident. Mr. Shaman also arranged for me to go to guard the cemetery."

"No. 221 B, Baker Street?"

"Yes." Hudson nodded.

"Then, if the Shaman wants to contact me, just leave a sign in the cemetery. I’ll go there regularly." Ye Qingxuan thought of something and chuckled softly. As Sherlock Holmes, his tombstone was there too, was it not?

Hudson nodded quickly and turned to lead the way.

"We found some clues about the Professor."