Detective Agency of the Bizarre-Chapter 1336 - 176: Funeral

Chapter 1336: Chapter 176: Funeral
"He was a man worthy of respect."
"A man of noble character."
"A steadfast and kind man."
"A pure and rational man."
Scattered clouds briefly covered the gentle sunlight of the morning.
Solemn crowds stood in the shadows, with the aged, deep mourning words wafting above the cemetery.
Mother of the Marsh, Twisted Shadow, Elena, Ophelia, Puxiu, Hades, Chris, Claire, the Undead, Margaret, Valendo, exorcists, knights, and Dracula, embraced by the wind, quietly listened as Tesla drew a final conclusion on everything:
"He always remained active on the frontline against the strange."
"His reputation incited reverence from humans, and fear from anomalies."
"He protected us from misfortune."
"He bequeathed hope to us."
"Even though he has left us, he remains by our side."
The people, forming a semicircle, stood on the lawn before the tombstone while an oak coffin lay still in the grave. Following Tesla’s instructions, the exorcists raised their spades, shoveling soil into the grave, gradually concealing the oak coffin.
A few minutes later, a low mound emerged before the towering group.
One by one, they stepped forward, placing the freshly picked flowers from Mother of the Marsh’s garden.
Mother of the Marsh bowed her insect-like body, placing a flower on the mound, her sorrowful eyes gazing at the tombstone: "The world cannot be without you."
Twisted Shadow silently placed a flower.
Elena bent down to place the flower on the mound, whispering softly, "Thank you."
Ophelia sorrowfully laid down a withered flower: "I didn’t wait until the day you let me wear the wedding dress."
Puxiu placed the flower in front of the mound with a mournful whimper.
Hades laid down a flower, making the greatest concession he could, with a complex and aching heart: "In the future, my salary from the Land of Light will only need to pay half..."
Chris lifted her cloak, revealing a face as beautiful as Mother of the Marsh, placing the flower under the fragmented sunlight.
Claire dared not step forward; the Undead placed the flower with its stem broken on the mound for her.
Margaret placidly laid down the flower she had dyed white.
Valendo laid down two flowers, one for himself and one for Mayor Matteus.
Dracula, held by the knight, picking a red rose in the oil painting, respectful and elegant: "To the only man I respect."
Knights and exorcists arrived one after another, and the barren mound gradually became covered with flowers.
After another moment of silence before the grave, they turned and left.
Claire followed her mother away, pausing to look back before they had gone far.
[R.I.P]
[Lu Li]
[Here lies the eternal exorcist]
As people left the cemetery, they saw many residents still gathered outside, unwilling to depart.
"I want to see Mr. Exorcist one more time..." Evelyn, denied access to the funeral, pleaded.
"This is just a cenotaph," Mother of the Marsh explained to her.
"I know..."
Mother of the Marsh nodded, allowing Evelyn and the residents gathered outside the cemetery to mourn Lu Li.
The entire Land of Light, or perhaps the entire human world, was mourning the news.
People dressed in black suits or dresses were invited by Mother of the Marsh to go to its estate.
...
"I saw with my own eyes as his body and soul were obliterated in the terrifying aftermath."
At Mother of the Marsh’s tea gathering, people still wearing their formal attire gathered around an ever-expanding round table.
Claire once again recounted everything that transpired that day—Lu Li sacrificed himself to activate the Alchemical Tower, as Claire led the souls and subordinates back.
"But the Master of Dreams said Lu Li will return," Ophelia believed in the Eternal Dreamer, or rather the good news the Eternal Dreamer represented: "He had said before that Lu Li wouldn’t meet a bad end..."
"Lu Li had died once before, yet twenty years later, he appeared again in the Shadow Swamp before me, unchanged...Maybe it will still be so this time," said Mother of the Marsh.
"It’s been too long," Elena remarked.
Though for those at the tea gathering, living until that day wasn’t difficult, only Ophelia needed to restrain herself from connecting with the Inner World.
But the world wouldn’t remain unchanged, no one knew when calamity would descend.
Before Lu Li returns, they could only conceal the fact that he was still alive.
"My garden..."
Mother of the Marsh anxiously surveyed the garden that no longer bloomed, consisting only of greenery and buds.
"Can we still control Midnight City?" Twisted Shadow asked Chris.
"We can, but it’s meaningless. Midnight City now is just a shell; we have no flesh and blood to fill the inside," Chris put her robe hood back on, "and I don’t think you would abandon here and migrate over there."
"It is us," Mother of the Marsh corrected her, "Could we bring the things from Midnight City here, like the Alchemical Tower?"
"To claim the relics of Midnight City, we have to first clean it, but if we clean Midnight City, we won’t need the relics."
Moreover, the Alchemical Tower could also counterbalance the spread of the swamp. And though Midnight City disappeared, the old sewers have taken over part of Midnight City’s responsibilities—limiting the swamp.
If the Earth Dwellers’ Trading Company encroached upon the Land of Light, news about the Keeper of the Realm being handled by Earth Dwellers would soon appear in the old sewers.
The lawful monsters in the old sewers would not tolerate traitors among them.
"Do you know how to build the Alchemical Tower?"
"I can try," Chris replied.
Mother of the Marsh again noticed Claire’s solemnness, unlike the story, and asked what was wrong with her.
"She hasn’t regained her memory and is guilt-ridden over Lu Li’s death," Chris said.
Mother of the Marsh found some topics, returning to the essence of the tea gathering.
"Why are they all women?"
During this time, Chris observed that the tea gathering was all female.
"I could ask Tesla to join."
Chris didn’t mean that, but Mother of the Marsh had already summoned Tesla.
Tesla, who was likewise among those aware, agreed to conceal the news: "People have been led by Lu Li for too long; it is time for them to walk alone."
Moreover, he wishes to continue referring to Lu Li as the only exorcist—calling him the only exorcist sounds much better than two exorcists.
Hades was not counted.
Since Lu Li had redefined "exorcist," Tesla didn’t consider him as an exorcist, whether from the past or present, including those who had graduated from apprenticeship; they did not feel worthy of the title "exorcist" now.
With Tesla’s addition, the tea gathering then transitioned into arranging the future plans for the Land of Light.
Chris promised, "I will restore the mysticology of the Land of Light to the level of Midnight City as soon as possible."
"We not only need to restore but integrate with science," Mother of the Marsh said.
"I’ve seen Lu Li’s plans left in the cabin, I know what to do."
At the tea gathering’s end, Mother of the Marsh said to everyone, "I hope we can avoid conflict."
"I don’t want to see the Land of Light fall into strife, disappointing Lu Li upon his return."