The ground before them was painted a dark crimson with blood, stretching endlessly into the distance. Even the walls on either side were stained the same ghastly hue.
Though the filthy river water had washed over the area for hours, faint pinkish streaks still lingered on the surface.
An oppressive silence hung in the air, yet the flames in their eyes burned ever brighter, their expressions growing increasingly terrifying.
The tension thickened until finally, someone snapped.
"Those damn nobles! I can't take it anymore! I'm going to fight them to the death!"
"You're not going to fight them to the death—you're going to throw your life away! Stay right here!" Lofan's sharp voice cut through the man's irrational outburst, stopping him in his tracks.
"Monsieur Grett, I know how indebted we all are to you in Fleuve Cendre, and I deeply respect you."
"But this time, I beg you—let me go!"
"Seeing what's happened here... it's tearing me apart inside!"
"If I don't vent this anger now, I'm afraid I'll completely lose my mind!"
Two hot tears streaked down the cheek of the towering man. The raw emotion in his words moved many to tears, even Navia found herself struggling to maintain her composure.
"I said, no one is going!" Lofan declared, his voice sharp.
"This situation is more complicated than you realize."
"If I let you all rush in recklessly like this, I'd be failing you!"
"Remember, every one of us here could die. But we can't let those deaths be meaningless!"
Lofan paused, letting his words sink in. He then strode forward and ran his fingers over the scratch marks he had left on the wall earlier.
"Look here."
Hearing Lofan's words, everyone turned their attention to the wall. There, they saw familiar words etched into the stone.
The carvings on the wall seemed eerily familiar, as if they had seen them somewhere before.
That's it! They were the final messages left by the victims of the serial suicide case.
While some phrases were unfamiliar—likely because the Maison Gardiennage had never released the full details—they quickly realized that the number of victims perfectly matched the number of sentences. A wave of horror and disbelief washed over them.
"Monsieur Grett, does this mean...?"
"Your suspicion is likely correct. Everything here was done by the perpetrator of the serial suicide case."
"And either the culprit is connected to the nobles, or they've struck some kind of deal with them," Lofan added calmly, without a hint of emotion.
Lofan's words hung in the air, a crushing weight settling over everyone's hearts.
If the nobles had dispatched their private soldiers to carry out these acts, it would have sparked righteous anger.
But if all this was the work of a single person, sheer terror took hold.
"Moreover," Lofan continued, "the number of victims is staggering—hundreds, perhaps even thousands. If they were from the areas we protect, it's impossible we wouldn't have noticed something."
"Navia, please have someone count the total population."
"Yes, Teacher."
Seeing that Lofan remained completely rational and calm even after such a tragedy, Navia felt a pang of shame. Her decisions now carried immense weight, and if she lost her composure, she might doom everyone. She needed to complete her transformation as soon as possible, or she feared causing irreparable harm.
The count came back swiftly: not a single person was missing from the residential areas. A collective sigh of relief swept through the group. Though the Fleuve Cendre had claimed so many lives, the fact that none of the victims were people they knew personally brought a measure of comfort.
"Monsieur Grett, what should we do next?"
"Even though these victims weren't under our protection, are we just going to let this go?"
"Absolutely not!" Lofan declared, his voice ringing with steel, his eyes burning crimson with fury.
"Even if these victims weren't our responsibility, the murderer's inhuman brutality has enraged me beyond measure! As long as he remains alive, he will only bring harm to more innocent lives. Death is the only fitting end for him!"
"I, Grett, swear on my honor to avenge every soul he has taken! I will not rest until he is dead!"
"We will fight the murderer to the death!"
Lofan's impassioned words ignited the crowd. A deafening roar of affirmation echoed through the Fleuve Cendre, reverberating long after.
Suddenly, Lofan's eyes snapped into focus, fixing intently on the etchings on the wall.
"I've got it!" Lofan exclaimed. "If we turn all those taunting messages the killer left us into an inspiring song and play it during the final battle, it'll be the ultimate humiliation for him! Hahaha!"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lofan completed his creation—or rather, his plagiarism. As the passionate guitar chords rang out, everyone present felt an unprecedented surge of physical enhancement coursing through their bodies, accompanied by an unyielding surge of courage.
When Charlotte, Lyney, and Lynette arrived at Fleuve Cendre, the residents had just managed to suppress their inner turmoil. Except for those left to clean up the scene, everyone else had returned to their posts.
Charlotte gazed curiously at Grett, the man seated at the head of the table. She had heard Navia mention him before, but this was her first time meeting him in person.
Just as Navia had described, Grett possessed a unique and captivating charm.
Though Lyney greeted everyone cheerfully, he remained deeply wary of Lofan. According to the Fatui's intelligence network, there was no record of anyone with that identity.
Lyney and Lynette exchanged a meaningful glance, both harboring suspicions about Lofan.
However, they could clearly see that Navia and the other Fleuve Cendre residents held Lofan in high regard and affection, so they concealed their true feelings for the time being.
"Are you suggesting the perpetrator of the serial suicide case might be hiding somewhere within Fleuve Cendre?" Navia asked after considering their request.
"Teacher had already considered that possibility," she continued. "That's why we thoroughly searched every area of Fleuve Cendre recently. Unfortunately, we only found ordinary criminals hiding in those places..."
"Navia," Lofan said, abruptly interrupting her. "Give them the latest map of the Fleuve Cendre area, the most recently drawn version."
"I can tell they're all strong-willed individuals," Lofan continued. "They won't rest easy unless they investigate it themselves."
"Yes, Teacher," Navia replied without hesitation, handing Charlotte the newest map of the Fleuve Cendre area.
The fact that things were progressing so smoothly, even though they hadn't explicitly requested it, made Lyney's mood grow heavier rather than lighter.
Lyney scrutinized the seemingly mature and amiable man before him, sensing an air of unshakable confidence. Does he think his plan is flawless?
Too bad. I believe every action leaves a trace.
He'd better hide his tail well!
Silently, Lyney declared war on Lofan in his heart.