The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 58 Ghost, Wrathful Spirit, Evil
A "field" similar to that of a ritualist.

"Ghosts, vengeful spirits... and evil."

Fernandez held up three fingers. "Three levels of spirits, corresponding to the ritualist's 'rings': one to three, four to six, seven to nine."

"That is, the higher the mystery, the more "secrets" are mastered, and the more complex and disordered the power is."

"Of course, these are just the 'rules' in the book. We humans set our own 'levels'."

Fernandez bent his index finger and tapped the booklet. "Generally speaking, cases involving spirits are not within the scope of our executive officers' responsibility."

“That’s the responsibility of the Inspectorate.”

"There are very few ways they come from, and it can be said that almost all of them come from humans."

"Weak spirits, or ghosts, are not actually very dangerous. They can only make the living people who live with them more susceptible to illness, or scare them into having a problem one night."

"The vengeful spirits are different."

Fernandez said that when they reach the stage of vengeful spirits, these spirits will devour the flesh and souls of the living according to certain "rules" and continue to climb upwards:
They will appear extremely powerful in front of the unfortunate people who don't understand the rules.

When it comes to evil, the interference is not limited to one family or one household.

The ritualist must find the key to obsession or hatred through investigation and achieve "reappearance"; at the same time, before the battle begins, it is also necessary to figure out what kind of "rules" it relies on to launch the attack - that is, to get the key to unlock the door.

"Reappearance", and "Key".

Roland listened quietly.

“…The girl killed seventeen men in half a month.”

Fernandez talked about a case he was involved in:
It happened on a remote farm.

"That bastard..." Speaking of this case, Fernandez is still furious: "He raped his daughter for five years... for five years... well..." He glanced at Roland and couldn't say the word.

The case was basically as Fernandez said.

Widower with young daughter.

When he once again forced his daughter to kneel before him in the stable, this heinous act was finally discovered by a neighbor passing by, who reported it to the town police.

Soon, he was arrested by angry villagers and town police.

The man confessed to his crime, although he did not consider it a 'crime'.

'You don't understand a father's love for his daughter, and you don't understand how much I love her', 'Instead of going out to be a prostitute, it's better for me to love her... I love her more than those questionable men' - when he said this, his daughter kept nodding and hugged her father's arm obediently, fearing that the police and villagers would hurt her.

The room gradually became quiet as the priest continued his narration.

Frankly speaking, Fernandez thought that Roland would be as angry as he was when he first learned about the case.

However, the pale patient on the bed did not show any expression at all.

There's nothing new about this.

Stories like Dorothy and Humbert's were common in the workhouse.

Director Abner often got together with his group of fat friends to smoke pipes and cigars or get drunk - at that time, they would call a few boys and girls who were not capable of doing any heavy work to the recreation room.

Over time, they naturally selected a group of children who were particularly to their liking and obedient.

Those who are not "palatable" and well-behaved will be sent back to do dirty and tiring work.

For a while, the children around Roland almost formed a trend:
They were proud to be called to the entertainment room, and after coming back, they kept silent about what happened there.

The proud children, looking at their peers working, held their heads high and looked forward to being called on to enjoy themselves next time.

'I was even offered a sip of gin, what do you know.'

Thinking of this, Roland had to thank Ms. Yam Jones again.

She stopped the young and ignorant Roland, and cruelly forced this boy, who was almost uniquely beautiful, to do the dirtiest and most tiring work, even though he got bruises all over his body every day.

But it also protected him.

It enabled him to get through those difficult and disgusting years.

Roland now understood more or less what the smell was on the boys and girls who came back from the recreation room, and also understood what had happened.

In a sense, he is well-informed.

"Why is Su Yue still telling you these stories?"
-
The stories of Mr. Twist and Mr. Delmar have been told.

"I don't want to hear those two names."
-
Mr. Twist is an 'excellent rider'.

"I think he prefers being a horse." Roland had a different opinion from Wrench. He thought it was good for two men to be together. At least they had four fists.

"I thought you would have something profound to say."
-
If I had had enough fists when I was a kid, Yam wouldn't have been bullied by them.

The white flame was silent for a moment:
"…You are different now, Roland."
-
of course.

Roland curled his lips.
-
I'm so awesome now.

Wrench made no comment on his behavior of panting when he was told he was fat.

The child looked calm and elegant on the surface, but it knew exactly what he was like when he was released into private. For a period of time, every evening when old Collins was not at home, it quietly watched Roland take off his shoes and dance barefoot on the bed.

Little madman.

"The town police have him locked up."

Fernandez didn't know that he had such kung fu. Roland and Wrench had a few conversations, and he said in a deep voice:

"As a result, he was infected with an epidemic the following year and died of ulcers all over his body."

The story is not long, but the 'protagonist' is not mentioned in it.

Roland continued the conversation and asked, "His daughter..."

The saddest thing is his daughter.

After her father's death, the helpless girl was sent to the poorhouse - before that, the town police and the local sheriff specifically questioned the villagers who had stood up for the girl:
If they were willing to lend a hand, even if it was just a few pennies, to give her a temporary stutter, and the town police promised to find her a suitable job soon...

However, judging from the ending where she was sent to the workhouse, the story did not turn out as expected.

No one paid any attention to her.

What makes people angry is that justice, fairness and morality are being trampled upon.

And it wasn't just one girl being trampled on.

“She only lasted half a year.”

Fernandez was filled with uncontrollable anger. “After that, strange things started happening all the time in this town.”

"According to one of the dead's wives, she heard her husband wailing at night: 'You are not my daughter' - he had shouted like this. The seventeen dead all died of festering all over their bodies, just like..."

Roland said softly: "Just like her father."

Fernandez was silent.

He paused for a moment before continuing, "…When the sheriff reported it, she was almost dead."

"It took the lives of two Five-Ring Ritualists to kill her. Five rings, Roland, do you understand what this means? Five-Ring Ritualists are too precious..."

"Do you know how long I have been in the Fourth Ring Road? Maybe it will take another four or five years, seven or eight years..."

"Two five-ring ones..."

The key to cases involving spirits lies in "reappearance" and finding the "key".

The former will reduce their obsession or resentment, thereby weakening the power of the spirit.

The latter can clearly understand what kind of "rules" they rely on to launch attacks. As long as they abide by the "rules", the ritualists are safe most of the time.

In fact, the ritualists of the Ring of Eternal Silence who believe in the White Crown Lord of the Wasteland are better at handling such cases, especially the Path of Elegy.

They can communicate with spirits and even keep these painful, resentful, invisible monsters like pets.

Fernandez did not give Roland a detailed description of how the case was finally resolved.

He was just giving an example, hoping that Roland would understand how to deal with those highly mysterious and extremely dangerous spirits.

"Unless it is a newly born 'ghost', it is difficult for the ritualist to fight against these beings that are not restricted by material laws. 'Reappearance' and 'Key' are the most basic standard procedures - I hope you remember them, Roland."

"Holy water and bullets are not a panacea."
-
"First Encounter with Ghosts·Volume 1·Preface"

: They show their imperfect faces to everything.

：Soul and flesh, intertwined. One faces the day of birth, the other walks into the silent night.

: Full of final betrayal.

: When seeking the truth, first face your fear, then tear apart your greed.

(End of this chapter)