Night Journey

Chapter 17 Night Patrol
Just as Cillian had predicted, by noon the townspeople knew the ceremony had been a success.

A few days later, rumors began to brew and ferment, with various embellishments exaggerating the process of Cirien's ritual to an incredible degree.

Cillian didn't seem to care and continued working as usual. One night, he and Tim climbed the high wall together, sword and gun in hand.

"You know what? The townspeople all say you're even better than the teacher."

Tim nudged Cillian on the shoulder and joked, "They also said that someone saw you unleash your supernatural powers on the high wall, summoning a stream of fire that burned through hundreds of meters of the ground."

Cillian sighed helplessly, unsure of what to say.

The townspeople did not dare to disturb Xilian, but whenever someone saw Xilian, they would nod to him with even greater reverence.

The fervent gazes of the people made Ciri feel very uncomfortable, and some emotional old people, with tears streaming down their faces, clasped their hands together and prayed for Ciri.

Unlike the naive young people, these elderly men had witnessed firsthand the selfless sacrifice of the Soflovai brothers...

"Baiya Town has been closed off for too long, so long that the townspeople's understanding of the world has become distorted and backward."

Without any vanity, Cillian calmly stated, "In those great city-states, being a superhuman is just a job, a responsibility, a way to make a profit, nothing more."

Tim asked, "Have you been to those large city-states?"

“No,” Cillian shook his head, “but my teacher told me about it. He’s been to many places and his footsteps have covered far more ground than the map hanging in the armory.”

Tim gazed at the night sky, overwhelmed with emotion, "It's so nice, I want to go outside and see the world too."

"Be patient. Once we establish contact with Hel City, White Cliff Town will be completely transformed within a few years."

Cillian reminded him, "The change has already happened, hasn't it?"

Tim nodded vigorously; the change had already occurred.

In the past, although Baiya Town was able to maintain a peaceful life, the townspeople were more or less filled with worries about the future.

Cillian's success meant that the dark clouds covering White Cliff Town had collapsed, and a glimmer of hope had appeared.

Besides saving people's faith, Cirien has also made a real impact on the lives of the townspeople. For example, the Soflowa brothers can now take turns patrolling every night.

Normally, Nunn and the Soflowa brothers would each perform their duties, enduring the long nights until dawn. With Cirien's promotion to Torchbearer, the burden of night patrols was greatly reduced.

Tonight, only Nunn, Cillian, and Tim will be on patrol. Nunn will lead a team of one, while Cillian and Tim will lead a team of two. They will start from the Lighthouse and patrol in opposite directions, climbing the high wall and meeting at its end.

Mick, who rarely gets a night's rest, is fast asleep in his room.

Cillian raised the torch and waved it twice toward the other side of the high wall. Soon after, the same light flickered in the darkness on the other side.

The night patrol's job is not only to guard against the appearance of large numbers of demons, but also to ensure the safety of the high walls. If any defects are found, someone needs to stay at the breach until Nun arrives.

At daybreak, the townspeople would be mobilized to repair the breach.

Looking down, Ciri saw hordes of demons lurking in the shadows, emitting hoarse roars.

As they climbed upwards, their bodies were pierced by the barbs standing on the high walls, or their flesh was caught in the rings of barbed wire, leaving them covered in blood.

Ciri could smell the stench of blood and filth emanating from the darkness. Fortunately, as soon as the sun rose, the warm sunlight would burn all this desecration to ashes, leaving nothing behind.

"Maybe in a few years, we'll be able to establish a torchbearer team in Baiya Town, and then we won't have to patrol every night anymore."

While chatting, Cillian raised his pistol and aimed it at a demon that had finally managed to squeeze through the barbed wire.

The demon was reduced to a deformed, mangled body, its internal organs empty, a bloody mess.

Cillian did not pull the trigger, but simply watched silently.

The demon reached out and grabbed the edge of the high wall, struggling to lift itself out of the wall's shadow and into the light of the beacon.

puff-

In an instant, a raging fire suddenly rose from the demon's body. Before it could even scream, it turned into a fireball and crashed to the ground.

The flames fell on the other demons, causing them to let out a series of shrill screams. But soon, the flames disappeared under the cover of gray mist, leaving only a dim, rippling light.

"These demons are getting closer and closer."

Tim frowned, grabbed a spear with both hands, and swiftly thrust it into the barbed wire beneath the high wall, killing some of the struggling demons. "The lighthouse's illumination has weakened."

Cillian turned his head and looked at the beacon that illuminated the entire town of White Cliff.

He remembered that a few years ago, the lighthouse could radiate beyond the high walls, and the demons could only crawl on the edge of the light, unable to get even a fraction closer to the high walls.

Due to the recent crisis in the reserves of Soul Essence, Nunn was forced to reduce the amount of Soul Essence burned each night, which resulted in a reduction in the illumination range of the Lighthouse, which can now only be sheltered on the high walls.

After dealing with the demons, Cillian and Tim headed towards the next section of the high wall.

Torches were erected along the high wall, and at each stop, Ciri added soul essence, creating a continuous stretch of pure white light. This formed another wall of flames atop the high wall, further ensuring the peace of White Cliff Town at night.

The two chatted as they worked, discussing what breakfast Ava would prepare for them after dawn, and how the Torchbearer team would actually be formed, and who would be the captain.

Tim stated sternly that Cillian was the first torchbearer among the Soflowa brothers, but if possible, he would still like to be the captain and maintain his elder brotherly demeanor.

Cillian never liked arguing about such things, and just kept smiling at Tim.

"You will become the captain, believe me."

Tim watched Cillian's retreating figure and asked, "What's wrong?"

“I’m very curious about the outside world. Once I’ve dealt with the crisis in Baiya Town, I might move on to a larger city-state. At that time, Baiya Town will be in your hands for night watch.”

Cillian made no attempt to hide his thoughts.

Tim was silent for a moment, then caught up and walked alongside Cillian.

“I know you’re stubborn, so I won’t say anything about not leaving White Cliff Town,” Tim thought for a moment and said, “but I still hope you won’t be gone for too long.”

“Of course, this is my home, and I will always come back,” Cillian imagined, “and bring you gifts from afar.”

"More than gifts, I'm thinking that Ava will be sad for a long time after you leave."

Tim wrapped his arms around Cillian's neck, looking very enthusiastic. "Aren't you afraid I'll take her away from you?"

"Honestly, Ava wouldn't like your type."

"You boy!"

Suddenly, the smile on Cillian's face vanished, and he hissed.

"Stop, Tim, stand in the light."

Tim did not question it and immediately carried out Cillian's order, raising the torch high so that its light would illuminate his entire body.
Cillian nervously surveyed his surroundings, a deep, chilling coldness spreading through his body.

The boundary between light and darkness was clearly beside Ciri, yet the gray mist still crossed the light of the soul marrow.

Cillian heard the sound of something gradually burning.

The fire grew larger and larger, becoming increasingly fierce.

The boundary between light and darkness beneath Cillian's feet, amidst the hallucinatory sounds of burning, shifted little by little, crossing over him and engulfing most of the high wall.

"Is there something wrong with the Lighthouse?"

Tim realized something was wrong and looked in the direction of the Lighthouse.

"No...it's not the Lighthouse that's malfunctioning."

Cirien looked up.

The brilliance of the two moons was gradually obscured by shadows, not by cumulus clouds, but by a gray fog that, like a raging sandstorm, swallowed up the entire town of Baiya.

It was as if an opaque curtain had descended, and excessive chaotic power invaded the boundary of the light. The essence of the flames was rapidly consumed, and the torches on the high wall began to sway violently.

Cillian growled, "The gray fog is rising!"

At the city gate at the end of the high wall, a fiery red signal flare slowly rose, bursting open in mid-air, like blooming blood, covering the entire town of Baiya.

(End of this chapter)