Chapter 305: Three Detectives (9)
Constantine slowly raised his hands. Even though he knew that the object pressing against his back was just the tip of an umbrella, he remained motionless.
He looked up at the ceiling and attempted to tilt his head further back to get a clear view of the person behind him. Suddenly, the umbrella jabbed his shoulder, causing Constantine to cry out in pain. He turned around to face Schiller.
There was a hint of confusion in his gaze, as if he couldn't understand why Schiller had taken back the umbrella. Schiller, while tidying up the umbrella, said, "The one called Batman and the one called Gordon won't find us here anytime soon. Since there's no one else, we don't need to pretend anymore."
"Tell me, why did you come to Gotham?"
Before Constantine could speak, Schiller reached into his pocket and threw a small bottle of medicine to Constantine. Constantine caught it and brought it close to his eyes, carefully examining the ingredients listed on the bottle. After a brief glance, he smiled and said, "This is good stuff. It seems we're on the same page..."
As he spoke, he unscrewed the bottle cap and eagerly poured a few pills into his mouth. Schiller walked toward a table in the basement as he said, "You don't need to hide the pills in your sleeve. They're not poisonous, just ordinary painkillers."
The two of them approached a pool table in the basement. Constantine pretended to be at ease and said, "I just thought that the upcoming conversation wouldn't be suitable while we're under the influence."
"Then give me back the medicine. It's good stuff, and more importantly..." Schiller glanced at Constantine, implying something, and said, "...it eases the pain."
Constantine, without hesitation, discreetly stashed the small medicine bottle in the inner pocket of his windbreaker and tightly covered it.
"Since you're being so generous, it seems I have no choice but to spill the beans today?"
"But it's quite simple. A mysterious person contacted me and asked me to deliver a package." Constantine pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He handed it to Schiller, who conjured a flame in his hand to light the cigarette before extinguishing it.
Constantine playfully asked, "Who are you contracted with? It's related to fire... Let me guess, a lava demon? Or perhaps a fire elemental?"
"Continue talking," Schiller said, taking a puff of the cigarette and exhaling the smoke.
Constantine couldn't help but think that he didn't consume the medicine Schiller gave him, yet Schiller smoked the cigarette he offered. Constantine felt as though he had already lost before the battle even began.
However, Schiller seemed unfazed. Whatever Constantine had added to the smoke, it had all disappeared into the gray mist within Schiller's body. He would be pleased if hundreds of demonic contracts were mixed in. Power was gladly accepted. Need to settle the score? Go ask Gnar. It's only right and proper for the son to repay the father's debts.
"A few days ago, when I was still in a psychiatric hospital, a voice suddenly appeared in my ear. I thought I was going mad at the time."
"He said he could help me solve a minor problem, but the price was that I had to help him deliver a power to a hapless individual who was trapped."
"Sounds like a good deal, doesn't it? The so-called hapless person is in Gotham, so here I am." ...
"The plan I mentioned earlier about the crazy alcohol is real. I genuinely want to obtain this magical substance. After all, who wouldn't want such an intriguing toy?"
"But I also have another objective, which is to get close to Batman, track his movements, lure him out, and then infiltrate Wayne Manor to rescue the unfortunate soul."
"You know Batman is Bruce Wayne?"
Constantine paused for a moment and asked, "Who else could it be? The moment I saw his chin, I knew it was Bruce. Could he still be an anonymous hero?"
Constantine paused again and said, "Well, even if he wanted to be an anonymous hero, why would he expose his chin?"
"Well, you're really lucky then. Morpheus is different from those simple-minded demons with well-developed limbs in hell. He's a person of taste, and he's beautiful..."
"Do you know, Constantine, when you hide your true intentions in various flowery statements, shifting the topic becomes too stiff, and it's easy to give yourself away."
Constantine coughed twice, just when he was about to inquire further, Schiller suddenly moved. He picked up his umbrella, turned to Constantine, and said, "The person you just tricked has arrived. I'll leave first. Take care of yourself."
"Wait, don't..."
With two "swoosh" sounds, Constantine slowly raised his hands as Batman threw the Batarang. He said, "It was your good professor who told me to do this. This has nothing to do with me, I swear..."
Another fist the size of a sandbag appeared in his field of vision.
Ten minutes later, Constantine was leaning against the corner again. He adjusted his tie with his hands. Batman asked him, "Is the story you mentioned about the witch and the candy true?"
"Ahem, of course, I don't need to lie to you about this part. That's how Laurenna cultivates..."
"The children who have eaten the candy are equivalent to giving their souls to her. Now, Sanchez has turned into a monster. Those children..."
"It's useless. Laurenna has already sold the souls of all the children in her hands to the devil, and it's only a matter of time before the devil devours their souls."
Seeing Constantine's indifferent attitude, Batman couldn't help but punch him again. Constantine tilted his head, leaving a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He didn't care at all. Still holding the cigarette, he said, "Even if you beat me to death, it won't change anything."...
"In the era when witches were active, they sacrificed thousands of children using this method. Although these children were deceived, they willingly signed the contract. Therefore, the ways they died were either diseases or accidents. Their parents would never associate these events with mysticism."
"If it weren't for Laurenna's grandmother, the most powerful ghost mother in history, who violated the taboos of the mystical realm and exposed everything, people wouldn't even know that such a person existed in this world."
"I know you want to save those children, and I do too. But now it's too late. Laurenna didn't start cooperating with Cooper today; she has been operating here for too long. The number of children who have eaten candy is countless..."
"To which demon did she sell the children's souls?"
Constantine shook his head and said, "Hell is not just Satan, as you think. There are numerous demons there, each with different species and responsibilities. Depending on the abilities Laurenna wanted to utilize, she sold her soul to the corresponding demon. Over the years, no one knows how many abilities she has employed..."
"Of course, even in this manner, she has to pay a price. The demons particularly favor the souls of children conceived by ghost mothers. Hence, every few years, Laurenna must conceive herself and then, at the moment before the child's birth, offer him to the demon with her own hands."
"In the realm of mysticism, this is already considered an excellent method of cultivation. Although pregnancy and childbirth are physically damaging to women, at least she doesn't have to personally endure the torment of demons..."
Batman stared at Constantine. He found it somewhat absurd. Keeping pregnant and sacrificing one's own biological child to the devil is already considered a decent method of cultivation. How much more agonizing could the others be?
"Do you find it incredible? But that's who we are. The world believes we are the holy spirits who control the path of magic, but in reality, we are just prisoners held in the palm of the devil..."
Constantine took the final drag of his cigarette into his lungs, then with a hoarse voice, accompanied by the smoke from the cigarette, echoed in the dim and gloomy basement.
"So, don't think about using magic to resurrect anyone... Batman."
[Read /shanefreak, without ads and support the work.]