Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 450 - Director of the Treatment Ward

When their gazes met, Cassius and the Chief Mechanist both paused for a second. Neither of them knew why, but they both instinctively had the same thought in their minds.

This person was no ordinary individual.

The Chief Mechanist then revealed a faint smile. Nearby, Radiant Hunter Deleshart looked between them for a moment, then stepped forward and invited Cassius to come closer.

What followed was a formal ceremony. A soft red carpet, faintly stitched with gold thread, lay spread across the platform. Four Shadow Hunters stood at attention on either side of the carpet.

On the carpet, Radiant Hunter Deleshart held a long, elegant wooden tray in his hands. When he lifted the smooth silk covering, it revealed a slim ceremonial sword that was about half a person's height. Its blade was narrow and smooth, with intricate engravings laced along its edge. It clearly did not appear to be intended for combat.

The gaudy gemstones inlaid on the hilt further confirmed that impression. In fact, that sword had belonged to the first king of the Hongli Empire. From a certain era onward, it had been used in the Dark Hunter Organization's ceremonial rites for bestowing the Shadow Hunter rank.

It had been specially preserved so that it remained untainted over a thousand years. Of course, no one ever imagined using it in actual battle since it served only for show.

Deleshart handed the tray to the Chief Mechanist, who then picked up the ceremonial sword and gently rested it on Cassius's shoulder. He proceeded to recite a string of official declarations in ancient imperial language. Each time he finished a sentence, Cassius responded with a brief affirmation. After about a minute, the sword was withdrawn, and the conferment ceremony concluded.

As such, under the eyes of the many hunters in the Hunters' Association's hall, Cassius officially became the Number Two Shadow Hunter. He kept his usual impassive expression and did not feel particularly excited.

Meanwhile, the veteran hunters below appeared quite elated as they whispered among themselves. They pulled their acquaintances close to boast, occasionally pointing at Cassius, as though it granted them special prestige.

Cassius chose to ignore them.

About half an hour later, the ceremony came to a close. As expected, the Chief Mechanist and Deleshart decided they needed to have a conversation with Cassius. They proceeded to the Dark Hunter Organization's headquarters and into the Chief Mechanist's private office. It was a spacious room with excellent soundproofing.

Before long, the three began talking casually. Cassius had prepared in advance and presented himself as someone from the Hongli Empire's Covert Martial Arts community, the sole inheritor of a mysterious ancient fist-technique lineage.

He claimed he had been training in seclusion until that lineage became enemies with a certain mysterious organization. Though his lineage was filled with experts, they were far too few in number. They had been overwhelmed by sheer force and were ultimately wiped out, leaving only Cassius to escape.

That mysterious organization, of course, possessed many characteristics resembling the Gate Organization. This was the main story Cassius wanted the Chief Mechanist to believe.

Frankly, the explanation sounded a bit cliché, but the Chief Mechanist believed at least half of it, since the Gate Organization had indeed done such things before. The Dark Hunter Organization was not deeply familiar with the Empire's Covert Martial Arts community, yet it was not wholly ignorant either.

The Gate Organization was the primary enemy of the Dark Hunter Organization and all official transcendent forces, so they had naturally clashed before. Although the Gate Organization had not been very active in recent decades, the Dark Hunter Organization had consistently kept an eye on them. This included its association with the Covert Martial Arts community.

The Gate Organization devoted at least one-third or even half of its efforts to the Empire's Covert Martial Arts community, sometimes recruiting members and at other times wiping out an entire Covert Martial Arts lineage without rhyme or reason.

Occasionally, the Covert Martial Arts community would retaliate, and the Gate Organization would suffer heavy casualties, then lie low for a while. Hence, Cassius's fabricated story was not all that far-fetched.

He declared himself a member of the Covert Martial Arts community whose hidden lineage had been destroyed by the Gate Organization. This would allow him to establish a common foe with the Dark Hunter Organization. He also used this to dispel suspicion and eliminate some distrust.

Fortunately, neither Deleshart nor the Chief Mechanist openly challenged him.

Their silence effectively showed that, whether true or not, they were prepared to accept it for now. Their reasoning involved multiple factors; what Cassius said was only part of it, but his strength was the biggest factor! Powerful individuals, as long as they aligned their efforts with a group's goals, could always find an organization willing to accept them.

Cassius's apparent combat prowess, rumored to rival the Number One Shadow Hunter Kaiser, was enough to make Deleshart feel slightly threatened. Moreover, the procedure by which he obtained the Shadow Hunter rank was legitimate, and had been carried out step by step with no violations. Even Radiant Hunter Deleshart, who oversaw the Shadow Hunter seat contest, could not refute it.

Thus, no matter what the three of them actually thought, the conversation remained amicable throughout. In the latter half of their discussion, the Chief Mechanist brought up the veteran hunters and mentioned the black-bait wood Cassius had contributed.

This material was extremely useful to the Dark Hunter Organization, yet the place where it originated was notoriously difficult to locate, and the conditions needed for it to grow were likely extremely strict.

The Chief Mechanist attempted to ask where Cassius had discovered the black-bait wood, but Cassius brushed it off as something he had obtained by chance.

Then, after giving his evasive explanation, he asked the Chief Mechanist about the situation at the Treatment Ward. Clearly, it was a hint, and both parties more or less understood the implication.

Hence, the Chief Mechanist got straight to the point, ceasing any roundabout talk. "White Aster, we need black-bait wood. It is a highly valuable lure for dark creatures under certain circumstances. How about this? If you can supply us with ten pieces each year, the position of Treatment Ward Director in the Hunters' Association is yours."

It was an open and unashamed exchange of authority within the Hunters' Association. Cassius sat on the sofa, half of his body bathed in sunlight. He wore attire resembling a military uniform, its crisp lines giving him a rigid, upright silhouette.

After a brief silence, Cassius turned to the Chief Mechanist and said, "Deal."

Of course, the ten pieces of black-bait wood mentioned by the Chief Mechanist did not refer to the arm-length one Cassius originally acquired from Ghost-Man, which could even be used as a torch.

Instead, he referred to the remainder that Cassius handed over, which was a piece about palm-length and thumb-thick. At that size, it posed no particular difficulty for Cassius.

In truth, a segment merely the size of a pinky-finger was enough for regular use. A palm-length piece could be split into more than a dozen portions. Cassius's torch-sized piece could easily be used over a hundred times.

After both sides reached an agreement, the Chief Mechanist, acting in good faith, first offered Cassius a reminder. "You are now the Director of the Treatment Ward. In the past, that institute was a crucial division of the Hunters' Association and oversaw many elite hunters. However, as you may be aware, the previous Director, the Number Four Shadow Hunter Soul Scythe, was gravely injured while leading a squad to eliminate a group of hunters who had become feral and beast-like."

"As a result, the Treatment Ward headquarters in Florence suffered heavy casualties. Many key figures were either killed or wounded, and fewer than twenty percent survived. Moreover, many of the survivors were assigned to manage and oversee the Savage Beast Den in Florence, where extremely dangerous captives are held. That leaves very few people left, so you'll likely have to gather your own team from across various branches..."

"The Savage Beast Den?" Cassius raised an eyebrow slightly.

"It's a fortified prison meant to confine hunters on the verge of losing control. Some of them are there willingly, while others were forcibly confined when discovered. If a hunter has not yet fully transformed into a beast, it's difficult for us to justify killing our own comrade in advance. Hence, it serves more as a buffer zone—or, you might call it...an asylum..." The Chief Mechanist folded his hands, speaking with a grave expression.

"I must warn you. Those prisoners are extremely dangerous. Once hunters undergo transformation, their strength tends to spike dramatically. Some among them are even capable of posing a threat to Shadow Hunters. Think about Soul Scythe—she was caught off guard and seriously injured while leading a team to hunt down a hunter who had gone through a full beast transformation..."

Cassius listened silently, showing no intention of interrupting. The Chief Mechanist offered a few more words of caution, then promptly summoned his assistant.

"Thomas, please retrieve the director's badge for the Treatment Ward."

Two minutes later, the assistant Thomas returned.

In less than four minutes, Thomas led Cassius out of the building and toward the Treatment Ward. It was not located within the same complex as the Dark Hunter Organization's headquarters.

They soon arrived at a location resembling a psychiatric facility. The walls were high and painted white, yet bore scorched black marks as though it had been burned by fire. Trees grew within those walls, and their canopies blocked any view inward.

A few guards stood watch at the main entrance. Thomas presented the appointment documents from the Chief Mechanist, along with the badge on Cassius's chest signifying his status as the Number Two Shadow Hunter, and they passed into the Treatment Ward without hindrance.

Strangely enough, not a single person came out to greet them. Thomas had clearly informed Cassius that he had already notified the Treatment Ward about the new director arriving around this time. This caused Cassius to furrow his brow slightly, saying nothing as he led the way.

A gray concrete path stretched forward, flanked by buildings painted in cold, muted tones. They conveyed a blend of concrete and steel, with the only splash of color provided by patches of green vegetation.

Overall, the Treatment Ward gave off a stifling atmosphere, faintly tinged with decay and desolation. They quickly entered the administrative building of the Treatment Ward. At the entrance, two hunters acting as guards wore conflicted expressions. They seemed as though they wanted to rush inside and warn their companions but lacked the courage.

They could only watch, letting Cassius, whose mere presence carried intensifying pressure, step through. The Treatment Ward's administrative hall had once been the busiest and most solemn area. Yet at that moment, it had turned into a raucous bar and a den of debauchery.

Over a dozen hunters who had once been the institute's elite were rolling dice, surrounded by bottles, with a pungent odor hanging in the air. They were disheveled and reeking of alcohol. Some sported wild, unkempt hair, while others bore dark circles and bloodshot eyes. They appeared to have been in this state of decline for quite some time.

Among these hunters was a bald, burly man with a terrifying scar on his shoulder, stripped to the waist and visibly drunk. From the way others addressed him, it seemed this man, Mani, was the Vice Director of the Treatment Ward.

Indeed, he was the Vice Director who had been appointed half a year ago as a temporary measure. Soul Scythe had been severely injured during that operation, and both Vice Directors had been killed. Originally, Mani had been the captain of an elite squad, but with everyone above him gone, he had stepped in to fulfill the Vice Director's role.

That ‘temporary’ stint had lasted several months. Some of the remaining hunters at the Treatment Ward had gradually fallen into depravity over those months. They had gone through that dreadful battle, left with nightmarish psychological scars. Those lacking firm willpower soon used alcohol and indulgence to numb themselves, sinking into lethargy.

Meanwhile, those still resolute mostly served as wardens in the Savage Beast Den. They waited quietly for the day the Treatment Ward would rise again.

A series of heavy footsteps swiftly echoed outside the administrative hall. A tall, muscular figure walked through the entrance and stopped there. He stood there like a towering iron pillar, surveying everyone. His gaze swept slowly across the liquor bottles and dice. Yet the dozen hunters remained oblivious, continuing their dice game.

A blond youth lost a round and, amid the jeering, picked up a nearby bottle of liquor. He was about to gulp it all down in one go to show off his impressive alcohol tolerance. Unexpectedly, as he lifted the bottle halfway, a large hand clamped down on it like an iron vise, holding it firmly in place.

The blond youth tugged two or three times but to no avail.

Irritated, he snarled, "Who's the bastard messing with my mood? If I can't finish this, it's all your fault..."

Just as he turned to spew more curses, he felt another large hand clasp his head like a rubber ball. The five fingers felt like drilling clamps, pinning him in place. His neck was forced backward until he saw a stern face looming over him.

Cassius impassively said, "You will finish your drink."

Then, the hand gripping his head tightened, forcing his mouth wide open. The other hand squeezed the bottle, causing shards of glass and liquor to cascade into the youth's mouth like razor-sharp crystals.

He gulped helplessly, the fragments slicing through flesh and lacerating his esophagus.

"Guh...ugh..."

The young man writhed, his features contorted as his eyes filled with agony. Clearly, his throat was bleeding from the glass.

"Hey, you punk, what the hell are you doing?!" On the other side, the bald, burly Mani got to his feet, his bear-like build radiating intimidation. When he saw his subordinate treated this way, the scar on Mani's shoulder twitched as he charged forward. "You're asking for it!"

Boom!!!

A vicious glint flickered in Cassius's eyes. His right hand shot out like a black python, lifting upward in a slight motion toward the man's jaw.

Mani's chin came right into its path, and his entire body was catapulted into the air like a cannonball. His rock-hard bald head crashed through the ceiling with a crack, opening a gaping hole. His limbs dangled limply, swaying like a corpse.