ATAPOW Chapter 262
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Chapter 262: Just Like Coming Home
As the battle raged at a feverish pace, a pale glimmer of light appeared, unnoticed, on the horizon.
With the sun rising, the spirits’ power would soon collapse — the very reason such horrors rarely survived the coming of dawn.
Once daylight was upon them, they would be too weak to interact with the living, and could only hide to escape utter annihilation.
“By order of the Knights — hold it right there!” A voice thundered from below, reverberating through the third floor. Soon after, the rapid, chaotic clatter of approaching footsteps filled the air.
Ji Bai had no recollection of calling for the Order, nor could he fathom how they had arrived at such a timely moment, given the remoteness of the northern suburbs. He could only deactivate his [Radiant Armor] and wait in silence to see what would happen next.
Bohlmann’s expression darkened as he glanced up at the knight. The shadow on his face betrayed the helpless realization that he had been thoroughly outmaneuvered. He even abandoned the thought of putting on his disguise — it would have been a pointless gesture.
“Bang! Bang!” With ruthless force, the knights kicked open the doors in rapid succession. Their swift and efficient search quickly led them into this room.
“Drop your weapons and submit to our investigation, or face the consequences!” They swarmed into the room, armed with spears and bastard swords, encircling everyone present: The combatants locked in a tense standoff, and the unconscious figures.
Ji Bai complied, throwing [Tranquility] and [Silver Throne] to the ground, but the horned man refused to lay down his antler sword.
“Are you deaf? I said, drop your weapon now!”
As he glanced at the now-empty space where his spirits had vanished and heard the knights’ uncompromising tone, the demon realized that further resistance would be futile. He tossed his blade to the ground and turned to his opponent, a look of bewilderment in his eyes.
‘Did a tip-off send them here, or was this all just a premeditated scheme from the start?’
As he took in the scene before him, Ji Bai noticed the golden sun-cross emblems among the crowd, and the personal squad insignia on their shoulders.
It was a level of structure and hierarchy that had not existed when he left. The Chivalric Order had evolved beyond him far sooner than he’d realized.
“Captain, the old man is nowhere to be found. There are several people in the apartment — two of whom are unconscious. How should we proceed?”
The captain in charge stepped forward. Ji Bai glanced over and recognized a familiar face — It was the same officer he had briefly spoken to at the city gates.
The man’s earlier assistance had left a strong impression on him.
“Take them all into custody, and interrogate them individually… You again?” The tall captain caught sight of the familiar figure in the corner of the room and strode over, brows knitting into a deep furrow.
“Well met, sir. I didn’t expect we’d meet again so soon.” Ji Bai said, offering a knight’s salute.
“I expect a full explanation for your presence here. I want to know exactly what happened.” The officer fixed him with a penetrating look.
Before he could respond, the man continued. “As a former knight, you should know the protocol better than any civilian. You know what needs to be done here, don’t you?”
“Understood,” he replied. It was not as if he had any real choice in the matter.
He knew the drill. Anyone connected to a case, regardless of their guilt or innocence, would be taken into custody. It was futile to resist – those who refused to comply would be taught a lesson they would not forget; By then, any chance of explanation, however justified, would go unheard. It was much wiser to fall in line and obey their commands.
“Are these your comrades? What happened to them?” The captain asked, gesturing toward his companions, who were sprawling haphazardly on the ground. He thought he had seen them before.
“They’re just a bit shaken up from the shock, that’s all.” Ji Bai said, deliberately downplaying the situation. He dared not make their conditions sound severe; a medical examination would expose Lin’s true nature, all but guaranteeing a charge of harboring a vampire.
It felt surreal. He never imagined he would one day lie to his comrades and betray his own conscience, all to protect a member of the vampire royal family — a realization that sent a faint pang of guilt creeping through him.
Satisfied with his compliance, the officer turned to face Bohlmann, who was being restrained by the other knights.
“Mr. Bohlmann, I presume? It’s been a while. To think a demon like you had concealed yourself right under the noses of the Radiant Knights for all these years! Goes to show you can hide anything in plain sight, wouldn’t you agree?”
The demon remained silent, showing no intention of speaking further.
The captain was unfazed by the silence. Instead, a faint smile touched his lips — the satisfaction of a hunter whose prey was cornered.
“We humans have a saying: walk by the river long enough, and you’ll get your feet wet. You’ve been hiding here for decades, thinking you’d never be found out — that playing the harmless old man would keep you safe. Bold, I’ll give you that. If it were me, I’d have run the first chance I got… Did you honestly think we wouldn’t connect those strange incidents in the suburbs to you?”
“Captain, we’ve also found children in a room at the far end of the third-floor corridor. They seemed to be hiding… or rather, held captive in a wardrobe.”
“So, you were the one who abducted those missing kids from the orphanage?” The officer narrowed his eyes. “You’ve evaded our pursuit, deliberately hindered our efforts. And now, we found you here with these orphans, forcefully imprisoned against their will… Tell me, what vile experiments you had planned for them?”
“Refusing to answer? Very well. You have the right to remain silent, but be warned: anything you say will be used as evidence against you. It doesn’t matter what demon race you belong to, you’ll pay for what you’ve done!” He scoffed. “Await your judgment, fiend.”
“Grandpa Bohlmann…”
“Are you all right?”
“Where are they taking us?”
The children broke free from the knights’ lax grasp, and ignoring every attempt to stop them, rushed to Bohlmann’s side. Worry filled their eyes as they stared at their now-captive guardian.
‘The children’s faces showed genuine concern, not fear or confusion. Nothing about their reactions seemed forced or unnatural. Had they known what Bohlmann really was this whole time?’
As he reflected on the fight, something else stood out. Bohlmann’s attacks had been fierce, yet Ji Bai sensed no true killing intent behind them. It did not feel like the hysterical rage of a monster trying to silence a witness, but rather the helpless desperation of someone whose secret had been stumbled upon.
The situation seemed far more complex than it appeared. There had to be some hidden circumstances at play here.
At the sight of the children, Bohlmann’s impassive face faltered for a moment. He comforted them, gently rubbing their heads as if it were second nature to him.
“Captain, this is…” The knights looked uncertainly at the small group blocking their path, at a loss for what to do.
“Don’t be fooled — these orphans have clearly been brainwashed! Using defenseless children as experimental subjects, then manipulating them into this loyalty… These crimes won’t go unpunished, demon!” With this stern, unforgiving condemnation, the captain ordered the knights to escort the children to an orphanage. Everyone else in the apartment building was taken to the Radiant Knight Headquarters.
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“So, let me get this straight: you accidentally stumbled upon that demon’s secret, and he attempted to silence you. Your companions were injured in the conflict, and you acted in self-defense to save your life. Is that it?” The officer scrutinized Ji Bai, who sat across from him.
“More or less, though I might be off on a few details.” The former knight was unruffled, as he sat in the Radiant Knights’ headquarters, sipping his tea. He even felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had finally gotten home.
The private office within told him he had severely underestimated the captain’s authority – the latter was clearly much more than just a gatekeeper.
“If you wish to verify my story, Sir Knight, you can ask the innkeepers in the Northern District. They should remember us. We only went looking for accommodation in the suburbs because we had no other choice.”
“No need. That demon has already vouched for you on that. You’re free to go.” The officer stood up, casting a meaningful look at him and his companions.
‘He vouched for me? Did I hear that right?’
Ji Bai was taken aback.
“That blue-haired youth’s just in shock, nothing to worry about. Does this young lady require a full-body exam? …Pardon my frankness, but that white hair of hers is quite unusual.”
Hiding behind her companions, Lin shrank back, uneasy under the captain’s gaze. It was unmistakably clear she did not wish to undergo the medical tests.
“No, my little sister suffered from a strange illness when she was younger. Ever since then, she’s been reserved and timid. We appreciate your understanding.” He declined on her behalf. Hearing this, the girl pouted petulantly and, from a spot out of view, gave his waist a light poke.
“Is that so? Then I won’t force the issue. Mr. Ji Bai, as a former knight, I believe you possess an understanding and position unlike ordinary people — you wouldn’t do anything that goes beyond your station.” The captain’s words were loaded. Whether his true thoughts matched his words were anyone’s guess.
“I’d advise you to be more careful from now on; after all, this is the home turf of the Radiant Knights. If there’s nothing else, you may leave.” He offered a curt warning before dismissing them. However, Ji Bai remained seated, showing no intention of leaving.
“Sir, could you shed any light on that apartment and the demon involved?
“What do you need this information for? As a former knight, you should know that some things must not be divulged to civilians who are outside the investigation. It’s for your own safety, after all — What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”
“I understand, but surely there’s something you can share, right?” Ji Bai had a faint feeling that the demon was special. He harbored no malice towards humans; A fact that only made his actions all the more enigmatic to the former knight.
Beyond that, there was still the question of how that massive fire started all those years ago. Bohlmann had no reason to start it at all.
“Are you treating this place like your own home? Do you think we just hand out that kind of information like candy around here?” The officer’s expression darkened as he glanced at the open door.
Understanding the message, Ji Bai walked over to close the door. Worried that the captain might still have concerns, he had Lin and the dazed Gordon wait outside.
“I really don’t understand why you’re prying into this.” The officer rubbed his forehead in mild annoyance. He felt some goodwill towards the former knight, despite the mystery surrounding his retirement. Since the haunted apartment building in the northern suburbs was bound to become public knowledge sooner or later, he decided to tell his guest the truth.