Chapter 009: The Calamity of the Green Bell
Stepping out of the bar, standing on the dark street, he was met by the cold night wind coming from Lake Michigan, which brought Merlin back to a degree of clarity from his slightly tipsy state
He seemed to sense that he was being despised by this young man, which made him, who called himself a great medium, feel a sense of humiliation. Most importantly, if this kid went out and spread rumors, his hard-won business, which had just started to improve, would suffer another blow
During this period of travel, he has already summarized the patterns.
The pointed hat, which was used to intimidate others, fell to the ground due to excessive movement, revealing the true appearance of this individual
The old man muttered an incomprehensible "incantation," with one hand forming an obscure hand sign, while lighting several candles. Then, under Merlin's watchful gaze, he took something out of the box
This is a medium shop, a product of Western feudal civilization. This is precisely the most important purpose of Merlin's visit to Chicago; he heard on the train that this local medium seems to be quite effective.
"Evil spirit! I command you to leave this young person's body!"
In that black smoke, there were also dark red sparks moving about, reminiscent of an ash storm after the flames have extinguished
This sudden noise did not surprise Merlin at all
He then reached out his hand, removed his sunglasses, and the red light in his black eyes, like that of a burning star, startled the old medium, causing her body to stiffen.
Merlin took all the money from his pocket and threw it onto the old man's table, a scattered few hundred dollars
The answer to the riddle is a name. It is the most ordinary thing that everyone possesses
A glimmer of cunning flashed in the old man's eyes as he said
Merlin screamed as he rose, wanting to stop that endlessly reckless old fraud
While claiming to solve the puzzle, this rude fellow suddenly tilted his head, and moments later, a deep snoring sound echoed in the noisy little bar
But ... ... it is too late
Every time I use it, I have to pay a part of my life as the price, so the cost of this inquiry is high, 1000 US dollars! Otherwise, you may leave.
Merlin discovered that his eyes could not only see easily in the dark, but could also faintly perceive things that normal people should not see, those spiritual entities, to be precise, ghosts and other peculiar creatures
This is all the money I have; if you are still unwilling to use it, then I have no other options.
Alright, considering that you are still a child, I will make an exception and help you this once. Sit there, and no matter what you see in a while, do not be afraid
He glanced at the banknotes in his hand, shook his head, and casually handed most of the money to the homeless man curled up by the roadside. Amid the hoarse words of gratitude from the homeless man, he slipped his left hand into the pocket of his coat, held the heavy suitcase with one hand, lowered his cowboy hat, and walked alone towards the nearby bus station under the pale glow of the streetlights
Boom
The ringtone grew increasingly urgent, and the awakened dark forces spread ever more rapidly. Ultimately, when Merlin raised his head once again, his eyes had completely turned pure white, and the dark will contained within them caused the old man to retreat several steps in fear
Question
Ding ding ding, ding ding ding
In the wind, the slightly melancholic whispers of the forest echoed
Being plagued by misfortune is already quite tragic, and Merlin does not wish to attract further troubles before resolving this troublesome fate
Merlin's footsteps came to a halt, which filled the old man with a sense of secret delight. As someone who made a living through deception, he was most adept at reading people's expressions. Seeing Merlin hesitate, he knew that his guess was correct
This is Chicago, the second stop of Merlin's aimless long-distance journey
However, this is not the first medium that Merlin has visited in the past half month
Please, this is 1989, when even mobile phones had not yet become widespread, and computers and the internet were merely toys for a small number of people. The future, illuminated by technology, was just beginning to emerge, while tradition still held sway here, especially in this deep part of the American interior
He is a ... ... bald man
Such rhetoric is almost identical to that of the previous few fraudulent mediums.
Ding ding ding, ding ding ding
Merlin did as instructed
Especially after Merlin took off his sunglasses, as long as he looked carefully, those things would become very clear in his eyes
He watched the old man open the box, feeling a long-lost anticipation in his heart. He had been tormented too painfully by the entangling misfortune, and he was eager to rid himself of it
Merlin leisurely drank his glass of wine, took out a crumpled roll of money from his pocket, and placed it under the wine glass. Then he glanced at the time, dragged the suitcase by his side, and prepared to leave this place
Merlin casually took a few banknotes from the pocket of a drunken man whose arms were covered in tattoos, then stretched his shoulders, pushed through the crowd of midnight revelers, and left the obscure little bar
Accompanied by the old man's wrist movements, the ominous green bell was rung.
Merlin turned around to look at the old man, who now held a box in his hand
The bald medium lifted the box in his hands as if it were a true treasure, speaking to Merlin in a tone of reverence:
On a street not far from the train station, Meilin looked at the various neon signs along the roadside. He strolled down the street until he arrived in front of a very small shop.
Merlin pointed to his own eyes and said
Oh, yet another lost soul comes to me seeking help
The old man was choked and unable to speak, Merlin looked at the fear on his face and shrugged
Do not touch it
Those stories unfolded beneath his feet, but unfortunately, at that moment, Merlin had no inclination to appreciate the theatrical performance
This object was once revered by the tribes of the Native Americans, and there are legends that it contains terrifying spirits. After I obtained it, even I, a powerful medium, feared its power... Kid, if it weren't for the severity of your issue, I would never consider using it.
Merlin looked at him and said calmly
The view before his eyes finally became clear again, even to the point of being overly clear
This issue ... ...
For a young man like Merlin, who fundamentally does not understand magic, actively provoking those extraordinary beings is akin to seeking death. Therefore, after discovering the anomaly in his eyes, Merlin rarely takes off his sunglasses
Generally, incense is not used by ordinary people, let alone using it like mosquito coils.
As long as one stays in a place for more than 2 hours, the misfortune originally affecting oneself will begin to spread to the surroundings, and after 6 hours, it may trigger real troubles that could potentially cause harm
Merlin extended his hand, and just as he pushed open the door, the neon lights adorning the storefront suddenly flashed brightly, then the entire display erupted like a firecracker ignited, exploding in a shower of white sparks less than 5 meters away from Merlin
This made him feel that this path might not be feasible
The Breath of the Demon
Having spoken, he shook his head and adjusted his sunglasses once more. He did not intend to waste any more time; he had already spent a considerable amount of time in Chicago, and it was time for him to leave
Merlin turned around, a hint of mockery on his face
The store was adorned with blue and red light tubes that formed a slightly mysterious pattern, and even standing outside the store, Merlin could smell the strong fragrance of incense emanating from within the house
Child, do you have any questions to ask
Come, sit down, child
Then Merlin fell silent for a moment, shook his head, and stood up
Begone! Depart!
Setting out from Madison, Merlin arrived in the true metropolis of Chicago. Merlin still remembers the story that took place in Chicago when he was 4 years old, which was adapted by those playwrights onto the Broadway stage; even people far away in Wisconsin were aware of the sensation caused by that play
Unfortunately, I have completely lost it.
You have fallen into darkness
The drunk man, with his bloodshot eyes, did not even know why he was sitting here, playing a guessing game with this young guy wearing sunglasses
Paired with the pungent incense in the house, the oddly shaped white candles deliberately arranged, and the mysterious and impressive magic circle painted on the floor with black paint, all of this seems to convey to anyone who enters this shop that this medium is a truly "authentic" individual
It is regrettable that it seems you are unable to resolve this
Fear, hatred, anger, and a myriad of negative emotions erupted from the depths of Merlin's heart, as those dark forces seemed to have found a breakthrough, surging forth from Merlin's shattered soul, beginning to manifest upon his body. Black smoke began to seep from his fingertips, and his flesh and blood crumbled like quicksand.
Stop! Stop!
A crisp sound emanated from the bell, piercing through Merlin's soul like a searing needle. The young man clutched his ears and screamed as he fell to the ground, the dark power hidden within his soul, stemming from the Three Palaces Demon, was stirred by the presence of another demon, beginning to swirl wildly within Merlin's essence
"Wait a moment, child, your question is something I have never encountered before, so in order to resolve it, I must resort to some dangerous means... This means you will have to increase the price!"
In the profession of con artists, reputation is of utmost importance
Uh... let me think, I definitely know this! Everyone knows I am the smartest.
At the moment Merlin stepped into the medium shop filled with a peculiar incense aroma, a deep, hoarse voice resonated in the deliberately dim lighting. The voice sounded somewhat significant, yet Merlin did not sense any abnormal presence within the house
Unfortunately, no matter how much he disguises himself as a master or how much he engages in mystification, it cannot conceal the fact that he is merely an ordinary mortal.
This thing
Can you solve it
Merlin stood at the entrance of the store, casting a doubtful and scrutinizing gaze at the establishment before him. To be honest, he did not have much faith that the people inside could truly offer him assistance
In principle, alcohol should not be sold to individuals under the age of 21 here, but during this midnight hour, when the bar is at its liveliest, who would still care about such rules
As an ordinary person who has lived for 18 years, Merlin seeks to explore the mysteries of magic. Besides searching for unreliable mediums and shamans among the Native Americans far away in the reservations, what else can he do? Must he truly abandon all sense of conscience and infiltrate a cult?
In the past few days, Merlin could still occasionally hear strange whispers, and almost every night, he would wake up from bizarre nightmares. However, the good news is that his shadowing condition has finally been completely cured
In the next moment, Merlin's body completely disintegrated, resembling a storm of black ashes that gathered and dispersed endlessly. With an explosive and all-pervasive presence, like an awakened dark creature, it utterly tore apart the entire room, along with the old swindler who had committed the evil deeds.
However, when a person is drunk, their self-control diminishes significantly, and in the chaos of their mind, they are unable to think of anything else
I apologize for taking up your time, but I believe that my issue may be beyond your ability to resolve
His train is about to arrive at the station
Merlin did not know what to say; he had already discerned the true nature of the medium before him, which left him somewhat disheartened. He had encountered several mediums who were said to possess extraordinary abilities, yet without exception, they were all frauds
At the very least, in Merlin's eyes, the old man's spirit had already become somewhat weakened; what was reflected in his eyes was even a somewhat ugly soul.
Because when you see them, it means they will also see you
With sunglasses on, Merlin surveyed the room and shook his head in disappointment. There were hardly any traces of magic ever having existed in this house, not even a couple of weak spirits.
Merlin referred to this ability of the eyes as "spiritual vision," but the act of opening spiritual vision carries risks
Having finished speaking, Merlin intended to leave, but behind him, the old man, seeing a deal about to fall through, lowered his voice and said in a very intimidating tone:
That is a ... ... bell
He did not come for pleasure
I ... ...
However, as long as Merlin does not stop moving, the timing of this calamity will be significantly delayed. It is as if there is a force urging him not to cease his advance.
Hmm?
Merlin did not leave, for in his eyes, the box held by the old man was indeed wrapped in a layer of strange aura, obscure and dangerous, yet this was the first time Merlin had truly seen an object radiating magical brilliance
It seems that this medium truly possesses some goods
The green bell appeared to be quite old, with even green patina on it, resembling artifacts from ancient civilizations. However, the moment the old man took out the bell, Merlin's expression changed dramatically
The medium in the room was dressed like the legendary sorcerers, this guy who appeared to be in his fifties even flamboyantly adorned himself with a purple robe decorated with stars, along with an incongruous pointed hat, resembling the type of hat used by wizards
The young man's ears were filled with the maniacal laughter of demons from hell, and the world before his eyes turned a deep crimson red
What is something that belongs only to you, yet everyone has it, but is used by others far more often than you use it
" ? ''
However, this behavior was misunderstood by the old man. He took a step back, avoiding Merlin's outstretched hand, and said:
You have experienced things that are unimaginable to ordinary people, child, it must have been terrible. I guess it has something to do with some legendary creatures, I can sense that you must be very scared... Come on, tell me about it, perhaps I can really help you
He has become accustomed to these matters
Merlin screamed and wailed. However, his pleas and transformations were mistaken by the unlearned old fraud as a sign of his "exorcism ritual" being successful, prompting him to shake the green bell in his hand with even greater force
Then he spoke again:
He recognized that aura, which was very similar to the aura of the former Three Palaces Demon. Although it was not identical and seemed somewhat weakened, the sulfurous smell that filled his nostrils and the faint sensation of burning flames were unmistakable
It was as if Merlin himself was about to be vaporized
Since we are already here... we might as well give it a try
The old man looked at the money on the table, furrowing his brow. However, considering that today's business had been truly poor, he pondered for a while and finally nodded, pointing to the chair in front of him, and said to Merlin:
Under the dim lights and amidst the jarring music, Merlin, wearing a black cowboy hat and slightly inebriated, picked up a glass of liquor and said to the drunkard sitting opposite him
Merlin sat in front of the enigmatic medium. The old man picked up a deck of tarot cards from the table. He looked at Merlin with a mysterious smile and said
As he passed by the soundly sleeping drunkard, Merlin extended his hand to steady the chair that was about to topple over, then patted the man's shoulder and whispered the answer to the riddle in his ear
But just as Merlin reached the door, the old man behind him gritted his teeth and called out to him