261-265

Chapter 261: Emma, Long Time No See 

At this moment, Constantine was starting to regret his actions again. 

He regretted giving in and coming up here. Just a second ago, he was thinking, "To hell with it, I can't avoid this street and Emma forever." But then, the mixed scent of paint and oil from the studio wafted into his nose. The smell was so familiar, it was just like when she was still alive. 

He remembered her elbows were always stained with paint. 

"This painting is wrong," he said, cigarette in mouth, as he walked up to the canvas. He looked at the woman's light red hair, and the faint smoke drifted in front of his eyes, then settled on the woman's cheek in the painting, making Constantine lose himself for a moment. 

"The hair color's off, mate." 

"So you really are Emma's friends. I only heard about her; I never actually met her," the painter said, relieved. "It's really strange. Ever since I moved in, I kept hearing about her, and then I just kept painting this picture." 

"Yeah," Constantine said, walking to the window and looking down at the street below. The hard concrete ground was spotless now, showing no trace of the blood that had once been there. "I heard she was blown off by a strange wind... right?" 

"Right." 

Constantine didn't say anything more. He wondered if Emma's death, from such a height, had been quick. He just didn't know if she had screamed, suffered, or begged for mercy before she fell. 

Had she resented him? 

No one answered his question. There were no demons here, only the echoes of his own memories. 

"I need to go," he thought. "There's nothing here but nightmares." 

"This is goodbye, Emma, my dear... I'm sorry." 

"Did Emma have any letters?" Cody suddenly asked from beside him. 

"No," the painter shook his head. "Only one package. I returned it to the post office, but..." 

"But what?" 

"But the post office had an accident in the afternoon. Some crazy driver crashed a bus into it. They say the storage room was completely destroyed, and all the metal cabinets were flattened. So, whatever was in that package, it's probably gone now." 

Cody and Constantine exchanged glances, not particularly surprised. In fact, it was exactly what they expected. 

"Do we still need to check the post office?" 

"...Let's go back." 

As they went downstairs, Constantine lit another cigarette. Cody could tell he wasn't doing well; he was hungry, sleep-deprived, and perhaps a little sad. 

As the British would say, he looked like a soaking wet stray dog walking by the roadside after a heavy rain. 

And then someone kicked him. 

Once they were back on the street, he managed a few more curses, complaining about the damn rain, the damn subway, and damn New York, much like when he was in London. But he quickly quieted down again. Cody guessed he didn't have the energy to put on his usual scoundrel act. 

"Do you want to get something good to eat?" Cody suggested first. "Good food helps with your mood." 

"Cody, I just want to sleep right now," Constantine replied impatiently. "I don't want to do anything else. Leave me alone." 

Cody was quite helpless but had no way of dealing with Constantine's gloomy mood at the moment. When he refused to communicate, he could only work through it himself. 

"Hey, John." 

A woman's voice suddenly rang in his ear, and Constantine's descent down the stairs abruptly halted. 

"Emma?!" 

He turned his head in shock and saw a young woman waving at him. Her short hair was fiery red, crimson like blood, more vibrant and alive than the long hair the painter had depicted on the canvas. 

"Emma?" 

Seeing Constantine's reaction, Cody's brow immediately furrowed. His enhanced senses were incredibly keen, almost like having eyes in the back of his head. But at this moment, he heard no footsteps behind him, nor did he smell any perfume or the damp scent of rain. 

He turned around and found nothing on the street. He immediately concluded that either Constantine was having some kind of mental issue, or there was something on the street that he couldn't see. 

Coincidentally, Constantine was thinking the same thing. 

"Emma is dead," he stared blankly at the woman, thinking. "But I can hear her voice, I can see her figure." 

"Emma's a ghost," he thought, "or I'm going crazy." 

Cody suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a cyan porcelain bottle. Constantine subconsciously glanced at it and saw him pour out some clear liquid, which he then applied to his eyes. 

[Ox Tears Price: One Thousand Dollars. Note: A single-slot item with limited uses whose effects can be replicated by "Eye-Opening" or "Eye-Opening Talismans" would likely only be traded for copper coins. However, for ordinary people, it might be the most convenient way to see ghosts.] 

When Cody opened his eyes again, he indeed saw a red-haired woman on the street. The sensation of seeing a ghost for the first time was quite new, so he turned to Constantine and said, "Looks like you're not crazy. Your girlfriend really came to find you." 

"Ex-girlfriend," Constantine corrected. "What was that stuff you just used? Can holy water help people see ghosts?" 

"Sorry, I'm an unbeliever, never been to church," Cody replied. "Where I'm from, they say ox tears can help people see ghosts." 

"Great. I know a dairy farm in London. I'll sneak in and get some when I'm bored." 

"I'm afraid cow tears won't work..." 

At this point, Emma finally couldn't help but interrupt their banter. "Can you two show some respect? I'm still standing here." 

"Sorry," Cody awkwardly chuckled. "First time seeing a ghost. Not used to it. A bit nervous, and my mouth just wouldn't stop." 

Constantine opened his mouth, seemingly trying to figure out what to say. 

"What's wrong? You don't seem very happy to see me." 

"Are... are you okay?" 

"Good question," Cody muttered to himself. 

"What do you think? I'm dead, Constantine." 

Hearing that, Constantine actually calmed down. 

"If she's here for revenge, I don't have time to fight her. I need to save my energy for Nabu," he thought. "Since it's come to this, I might as well be open and honest, face it directly—it would be best to win her over. Maybe she can even help fight Nabu." 

"Don't get too deep, Constantine. You have to use everything you can to deal with that terrifying evil spirit." 

"You also don't have time for guilt. Anyway, you're a complete scumbag to begin with." 

Thinking this, he lit another cigarette and looked up at his deceased ex-girlfriend, giving her his old sweet smile. 

"Emma, long time no see." 

Chapter 262: The First Observation of the Demon 

"John, I... I miss you so much. It's so lonely where we are." 

The words "we" and "where we are" caught Cody's attention, but before he could ask, Constantine cut in, "We?" 

"Your old friends, all together. You haven't forgotten us, have you?" Emma asked. "Strictly speaking, we all died because of you." 

"You... didn't go where you were supposed to?" 

"Where were we supposed to go, Constantine? Heaven?" 

Emma's mournful blue eyes looked at Constantine, making him self-consciously lower his head and take a drag from his cigarette. 

"Why am I here, John? Think about it. If I wasn't a lost soul with nowhere to go, how could I meet you in the mortal world now? We're all the same. We can't go to Heaven, and we don't want to go to Hell." 

"Kid, look, my mind's a mess right now. I can't focus and think clearly," Constantine replied. "I've run into some trouble." 

"I know, I saw you spending time around the crime scene," Emma answered. "You want to deal with Namos, don't you?" 

"Yeah..." Constantine took a drag, a helpless smile playing on his lips. "He's too strong. It's going to take some effort to handle him." 

"You need a helper, don't you?" Emma walked closer. "A ghost assistant, who knows more about the underworld than the mortal one." 

"Thanks, Emma." 

Cody saw the same smile on Constantine's face as when he left Lestat with Papa Midnite—he even reached out to pat Emma's shoulder. 

That smile might have been comforting, or encouraging, but it certainly wasn't an expression of love. 

"Don't be silly, Constantine, you can't touch me." Emma watched his hand pass through her body as if grabbing a wisp of smoke, but a clear, happy smile spread across her face. 

She was so easily pleased, wasn't she? Even after dying once, she'd still be happy because of his sweet words. 

Constantine looked at her smile, cursing himself inwardly, but on the surface, he continued to chat and laugh with the two as they walked down the street, as if returning to the old days when she was still around. 

This brought a rare sense of relaxation to the long-restless Constantine. He even temporarily forgot the pile of messy things he had to face tomorrow, and a smile touched his lips. 

Cody, at this moment, was completely unaware of being a third wheel, his attention entirely focused on his system panel. 

[Ding] 

[Seek Root, Trace Origin] [Status: Completed (100%)] [Reward: Primary Energy Affinity has been issued] 

[Your bloodline is Huaxia, and your energy attribute is Mana.] 

After completing the quest, Cody was Browse his shop—the "Bull's Tears" item had opened up a new line of thinking for him. Since he already had primary energy affinity and his own mana bar, many spiritual abilities could now be unlocked. 

"Let me see, 'Open Celestial Eye,' consumes a certain amount of mana, allows sight of ghosts and demons. Twenty thousand asset points, that cheap?" 

"Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques... 'Netherworld Communication,' can observe the underworld and discern illusions from reality. Five hundred thousand?!" 

Cody didn't even bother looking at the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits techniques. The price of the minor Earthly Fiend techniques was already ridiculous; the major Heavenly Spirit techniques would definitely be unaffordable. 

"Buddhist Six Divine Powers... also major powers, and require meditation. No, thanks." 

After some consideration, he decided to buy "Open Celestial Eye" first. This skill was currently enough to deal with the situation at hand, at least he wouldn't be completely blind when he encountered Namos again. 

Just then, a buzzing sound suddenly echoed through the street. It was chaotic and noisy, seemingly carrying endless malevolence and a power that confused the mind. 

"Let go, I want meat!" 

"Are you crazy?! You made me supervise you yesterday—I hate you!" 

Cody, Constantine, and Emma looked over in surprise. At that moment, a man and a woman were wrestling in the street. The man furiously pushed his girlfriend away and barged into a supermarket, grabbing a piece of meat from the display and shoving it into his mouth. 

"I want to taste blood and meat, I want to chew on bloody chunks, I can't stand it!" 

"Eddie! Oh my god, you swore you'd be a vegetarian!" 

"I'm not a vegetarian anymore!" 

The man devoured the raw meat, finally sticking his head directly into the counter. Everyone around them was startled. The man's behavior was too deranged, terrifying. Rather than just wanting to eat meat, it was more like he had lost his mind. 

Cody saw a few flies occasionally flying out from under his collar and instantly knew who the culprit was. At this point, the "Bull's Tears" effect had worn off, so he immediately used the newly acquired "Open Celestial Eye" skill, silently chanting, "Open." 

In that instant, a calm and harmonious energy flowed through his body. His blood and spirit, body and soul began to vibrate rhythmically as the energy activated. When this energy converged at his glabella, his vision began to change, finally revealing another layer of this world. 

From Cody's current perspective, a buzzing, faint cloud of insects hovered within the man's body. At this very moment, they were feasting on the flesh and blood he had swallowed. Unfortunately, the man's swallowing speed seemed unable to keep up with their consumption. At this moment, his internal organs were also being devoured by the insect cloud, bit by bit. 

Even if he ate desperately, he could only slow down the swarm's consumption of his body. It wouldn't take long, perhaps a few minutes, before the man would be devoured from the inside out, leaving an empty shell. 

It was at this moment that Cody suddenly began to understand the meaning contained within the buzzing sounds of the insects. Although the information they conveyed was nothing but hunger, compared to the chaotic buzzing in the restaurant last time, this time, they at least expressed their meaning. 

The moment he understood those sounds, a feeling of hunger also arose in Cody's mind, but his primary mental resistance and hood immediately kicked in, allowing him to ignore the influence of this demonic sound. 

"I get it. Before, they weren't silent because they were controlled; it was because I simply couldn't truly perceive the dimension they were in, so their language turned into meaningless buzzing in my ears. After 'Open Celestial Eye,' my senses can truly receive the information they emit." 

[Ding] 

[A partial entity of "Namos" has been observed by you. A partial essence of "Namos" has been understood by you. The true name of "Namos" has been known by you. The origin of "Namos" has been ascertained by you.] 

[The skill "I Didn't Kill Anyone" has met the requirements.] 

[You can now use this skill on "Namos" to prevent it from launching a lethal attack.] 

Chapter 263: Constantine Rejects Nabu's Kiss Invitation 

"Finally," Cody exhaled, looking at the system's notification. After days of searching, they finally had some encouraging news. 

He cast "I didn't kill anyone" at the cloud of insects inside the man. The man, now just skin and bones, collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life. 

Once they had finished feeding, the swarm of insects burst out of his body and buzzed off into a narrow alley. 

"He's done for," Constantine suddenly said, no longer looking at the man on the ground. "I learned a long time ago, if you like eating meat, there's no need to become a vegetarian. Vegetarianism is just a preference, no different from liking meat, that's all. But clearly, some people don't get that." 

With that, he chased the flies that had flown out of the man's mouth, quickly following them into the alley. "They say if you follow bees, you find the hive. Wonder if it works with flies—come on, Old Ma!" 

Cody shook his head and told Constantine and Emma, "You two go ahead, I'll be right there." 

"Hurry up!" 

Cody glanced at the crowd of onlookers. He pulled his hood lower, covering his face with its wide brim, and hid a piece of fruit candy in his hand. 

He stepped forward, knelt beside the woman still weeping over the man, and said, "He doesn't look too good. Let me check his pupils and breathing." 

"Are you... are you a doctor?" 

Cody didn't answer the woman's hesitant question. He just bent over, blocking the view of others with his body, and subtly slipped the candy into the man's mouth. 

"Oh, I'm not a doctor," he replied, gently lowering the man. "I'm mostly just curious. The ambulance hasn't arrived anyway, so I thought I'd check if he was dead yet." 

The woman's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Cody, her lips trembling, clearly gearing up for a verbal assault. 

Cody, of course, had no desire to endure her wrath, so he quickly slipped into the alley before she could speak. 

Meanwhile, Constantine and Emma continued forward, following the trail of insects until they reached a church. 

"We're here," he said. "Looks like following flies actually does something." 

He reached for the church doors, which were covered in various insects, but felt no disgust. At this moment, he felt nervous, excited, and eager—perhaps it was the gruesome death of the man on the street that ignited his rage; or perhaps the need to use his friend for his own ends caused him guilt and pain. Regardless, all of Constantine's fury was now directed at Nabu. 

As an exorcist, his primary goal was always to deal with demons, and at this moment, that desire reached its peak within him. 

So he pushed open the church doors, and Emma followed him inside. 

Neon lights from outside streamed through the stained-glass windows, illuminating the small church's interior. Besides that, the candles on the altar were the only other light source. 

Behind the crucifix depicting Jesus's suffering, stained-glass depictions of the Mother, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were projected onto the floor by the lights. As soon as Constantine entered, he saw a dark, oppressive shadow amidst the beautiful, colored light. The deafening buzzing of the demon indicated that Nabu was indeed inside the church. 

The church was almost empty. The dark shadow held a crucifix and loudly recited the name of Jesus Christ—it wasn't Nabu after all, but the church's priest. 

His eyes were fixed on the church's dome, filled with immense fear. Constantine looked up as well; that was where Nabu's true form resided. 

Amidst a deafening hum, countless swarms of mosquitoes and flies converged into a terrifying tide. They combined and merged in the air, forming a horrifying, gigantic insectoid demon. 

Its green compound eyes stared intently at Constantine and the priest on the ground. Its sharp, hairy limbs ended in three-fingered claws, and its pale proboscis twitched slightly. The enormous hollow on its face seemed like a bottomless abyss, from which a long, green tongue extended, greedily licking the scent of fear in the air. 

The insects that had flown in from outside the church, carrying the man's flesh and blood, flew into its body through the hollow on its face. A million buzzing insects collectively let out a pleased and satisfied sigh, finally coalescing into Nabu's voice. 

"You want to eat the priest, don't you?" Constantine sneered. He could sense the demon's greed and desire. He knew he had interrupted its meal, and now, Nabu had to choose between him and the priest. 

A chance for a direct confrontation with the demon—it couldn't be better. He would use this opportunity to finish it. 

"Come on, you maggot-ridden rot from Hell, come eat me!" he roared. "Choke on it, you bastard!" 

"John, you idiot!" Emma shrieked at Constantine. "You're not strong enough, don't confront it directly!" 

However, Constantine ignored her. At this moment, only the chaotic whispers of the swarm filled his ears, fueling his rage even more, making him want to eradicate this harmful monster once and for all. 

The enormous insect shadow slowly descended from the church ceiling—it had made its choice between the two preys. 

Nabu opened its massive maw and moved closer to Constantine. The terrifying oppressive force intensified with its approach, as if even the surrounding air had solidified, making his limbs stiff and immobile. Yet, Constantine was still consumed by anger. He stared intently at Nabu's figure, completely unaware that his body was experiencing bile reflux due to intense fear, as if his body and brain were living separate lives. 

"Constantine, retreat!" 

Emma shrieked again, but it was useless. Her voice reached Constantine's ears as if muffled by a barrier, indistinct. 

Nabu crept closer, and a human-like smile even appeared on its insectoid face. It extended its long tongue, slowly swallowing Constantine's rage—fear, hunger, flesh, whatever food it was, it accepted it all. 

It was only after his anger was completely devoured that the hot-headed Constantine finally came to his senses. 

"Oh god, what am I doing..." 

Just then, Nabu's thin, long tongue reached Constantine's eyes. Having finished the fear, it was about to feast on his flesh. 

"Damn it, this thing's trying to kiss me!" 

At that moment, Emma's frantic scream finally broke through the barrier, resounding like thunder in Constantine's ears. 

"John, run!" 

Chapter 264: The Man Who Can Never Be Saved 

A panicked Constantine ran out of the church. 

He never intended to face Namos head-on; he just didn't expect to run into its clone today and get lured in by its buzzing. That sound had a terrifying, magical power, capable of stirring up people's deepest desires, amplifying them until they lost all reason. 

He saw Namos, having lost its prey, let out an angry buzz. He saw it charge at the priest in the church—right, of course, since he escaped, the unlucky one would naturally be the priest. 

Constantine stood by the door, his face filled with dread, watching the swarm overwhelm the priest, watching him struggle desperately, waving his crucifix, watching Namos extend its long tongue towards the priest's mouth. 

He felt like a bystander at a traffic accident. Beyond cold observation, he was helpless, unable to do anything. 

Constantine, he could do nothing. 

He screamed and fled, dashing out of the church. Meanwhile, a familiar figure brushed past him, sprinting into the church. 

"Old Ma! Don't go!" 

Emma and Constantine both cried out in surprise and turned their heads. They saw Cody, wielding a wooden sword, flicker like a phantom a few times before coming to a stop inside the church. 

Cody didn't have time to answer Constantine's question. At this moment, he had already seen Namos's true form, a shadowy swarm of insects. That terrifying, malevolent energy permeated the air, ready to pour into the priest's throat. 

"Get lost, take this sword!" 

He hurled the wooden sword he held, and a sudden, deafening clap of thunder erupted. A dazzling crimson bolt of lightning shot from his hand, striking the sky-obscuring swarm of insects. 

In that instant, Constantine couldn't help but blink. As the lightning's glow illuminated the stained-glass window, the figures of the three saints were bathed in brilliant light. The massive stained-glass projection fell upon Old Ma, as if clothing him in a hazy radiance. 

Was it an illusion? 

Boom! 

"Buzz~" 

That single sword strike nearly tore Namos's spiritual body apart. Inside the church, the black insect cloud scattered and crashed everywhere, a million voices simultaneously emitting a bewildered, weak buzzing. It seemed to know nothing of pain. 

"What are you waiting for, run!" 

At Cody's shout, the priest awoke as if from a dream. He stumbled and staggered towards the church door. Cody, with a wave of his hand, had a vine pull the wooden sword on the ground back into his grasp. 

"Sorry, I'm a bit late." After a sigh of relief, he turned and exited the church, explaining to Constantine, "That man earlier didn't die, so I stayed to check on the situation." 

"You—" 

Constantine didn't get a chance to say anything. The priest also rushed out and closed the door behind him. His hands and feet were trembling as he yelled, "Run! Let's run! The devil's coming out!" 

"Run from what?" Constantine asked. "That one strike nearly sent Namos to meet the Devil himself. A few more strikes, and that thing would be dead." 

"Uh..." Cody offered an awkward yet polite smile. "No, that one strike already used up my... as you would say, my mana." 

"?" 

Thump! 

At this moment, the church door behind them began to thump. With just one impact, the wooden door let out a strained, brittle cracking sound. 

"Run first!" 

Cody immediately pulled out two talismans and affixed them to the door. 

[Spirit-Sealing Talisman] [Price: Five thousand USD] [Note: The most impartial of talismans. Whether it's a great demon or a small ghost, breaking through it takes the same amount of time—but then again, is that reasonable?] [Note 2: What's your relationship with True Sight?] 

The thumping inside the door continued relentlessly, but Namos indeed seemed temporarily trapped. Constantine grabbed Cody and fled, running until they gradually left the priest behind. 

"Don't worry about him, he's safe now," Constantine told Cody. "We'll just leave him behind to avoid trouble." 

"Alright," Cody said. "But we've run far enough, and your lungs are about to give out—" 

"Cough, cough! Cough! Cough—" 

Before he finished speaking, Constantine began to cough violently. He stopped by the roadside, gasping for breath from his coughing fit, and it took him a while to recover. 

"Too much smoking is bad for your health," Cody patted Constantine's shoulder. "Running just a few steps turns you into this. You're lucky you didn't cough up blood." 

Constantine ignored him. He pulled a cigarette and put it in his mouth. The recent events were too intense; he desperately needed a smoke to calm his nerves. 

If it weren't for Emma, Namos would have turned him into a husk, Constantine thought. He owed her again. And maybe, he owed Cody one too. 

Cody saw that he wanted to rest, so he didn't say anything more. The two walked in silence. 

Constantine had always thought he no longer possessed superfluous things like "guilt" and "conscience," but when he ran out of the church, he knew he was wrong. 

At that moment, his mind was filled with the priest's desperate situation. He knew he was powerless; Namos was far too strong for him. He knew he just wanted to survive; there was nothing wrong with running. He knew that if he died in the church, no one would be able to cooperate with Papa Midnite and resolve this crisis. 

He had a thousand reasons to survive. 

But as he ran out, he couldn't help but think that, apart from fleeing, he truly could do nothing. 

Perhaps he knew that Constantine's life meant the death of that innocent priest. Perhaps he wanted that outcome because he was a coward. Deep down, a voice reminded him: selfish, shameless, incompetent, Constantine, that's your true nature. You've never been a hero who exorcises demons and saves the world. 

He wanted to deny that voice, but he couldn't. So he kept running, leaving everything behind. Until he saw a person running towards him, running straight into the church, to confront the demon he dared not face. 

"Cody! Don't go!" 

He cried out and turned then, wanting to stop that person, because he knew that while Cody might have many strange aspects, he was a decent, good person. He shouldn't die. 

At least, he shouldn't die meaninglessly. 

But things went beyond his expectations. Cody struck Namos and rescued the priest. 

Seeing this, Constantine felt a sense of relief. At least this time, no one died because of Constantine. 

Was he saved? 

Yes, even though he had to continue being a scumbag, even though ghosts still followed him, tonight, he didn't bear the burden of another life. 

Constantine lowered his head, took a drag from his cigarette, and quietly thought, "I'm saved, even if it's just a little bit." 

This feels good. 

It sounds like Constantine is getting a rare glimpse of hope, even if he fights against it. What do you think he'll do next, now that Cody has shown up with some serious power? 

"Chapter 265: Midnight, the Business Genius" 

Constantine finally calmed down after finishing a cigarette. He clapped Cody on the shoulder and said with a grin, "That was pretty good, pal. Uh, what was that sword you used just now? And that light..." 

"It's a lightning-struck peach wood sword, combined with the 'Demon Slaying' ability. They're both ancient family remedies for evil spirits where I come from. If your cultivation is deep enough, they usually cure the problem right away." 

[Lightning-Struck Peach Wood Sword] Price: One hundred thousand US dollars Note: A magical artifact of considerable age, rumored to be made from peach wood struck by lightning from a desolate minor world, thus possessing a faint red lightning glow. 

[Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques - Demon Slaying] Price: Six hundred thousand US dollars Note: Effective on ordinary metals, even better with divine weapons. It vanquishes evil, dispels curses, and slays demons. 

Cody had bought these two items, initially hoping to instantly dispatch that Moros with the peach wood sword and the Demon Slaying technique. But it turned out that this evil spirit had grown to an incredibly formidable extent in New York. He poured all his magical power into the attack and could only manage to severely wound it. 

"So, what now?" he asked. "The talismans can only hold it for one night, but we need to find a way to kill it. We can't just leave it in the church forever." 

"Now?" Constantine breathed a sigh of relief, hearing "one night." "Now, the situation's been investigated. We'll rest up, find a good place to sleep." 

"?" 

"Come on, old Cody, people aren't machines. They need some time to rest—I need to recover my energy too. Tomorrow, we'll go find Midnight and Lestat and deal with this demon together." 

"What about tonight?" 

"There's nothing else to do tonight. Midnight cleared out two rooms for us in his building—here, take the address. Get some good sleep. As for me, I'm going to find somewhere to have some fun, then meet up with you at the building later. Don't worry, we'll handle this tomorrow." 

"Is this what you call 'recovering energy'?" 

"What else? Being cooped up in a boring little room is the worst torture for me—it's settled, see you tomorrow." 

Constantine waved his hand and sauntered off down the street. 

Cody helplessly looked at the slip of paper in his hand. It was the address of a hotel Midnight had found for them. He could just hail a taxi or find it on a map of New York. 

"I just feel like that guy's a bit odd..." 

Constantine got into a taxi. 

"To Midnight's Casino, mate," he said, flicking his finished cigarette out the window. "And make it snappy." 

The driver immediately started the car. However, upon hearing the blonde passenger's distinct London accent, he instinctively took another look in the rearview mirror. 

"You're quite in the know, mate," he said. "People from the UK usually don't know about these underground casinos, let alone the name 'Midnight.'" 

"Don't even try it, mate," Constantine replied. "Do you think I'm some kind of tourist sucka who's here for the first time? Just drive." 

As the car sped through the streets of New York, Constantine was silently thinking about Moros. 

"I need to hurry—find Midnight as fast as I can. I need to discuss tomorrow's plan with him, and Lestat..." 

Thinking of Lestat, his cigarette-reaching hand trembled slightly. 

"No matter what, I need his help with this," he thought. "My mind's made up." 

When Constantine entered the secret casino, where money changed hands recklessly, he didn't find the person he was looking for. 

The air inside was incredibly murky, chips clinked, and gamblers' eyes were bloodshot. Some lost everything, others became rich overnight. The stench of money, greed, and despair permeated this den of iniquity. 

"What a dump, I love it," Constantine thought, "but unfortunately, I have things to do tonight." 

Otherwise, he might have actually planned to play a few hands here. 

He walked out of the casino and hailed another taxi on the street. 

"Midnight Club." 

"Looking to dance?" The driver turned to him with a smile. "You've picked the right place, mate—five minutes." 

Ten minutes later, Constantine emerged from the bustling club. 

The disco ball cast colorful lights, the crowd swayed freely, and the music was deafening. Without a doubt, it was a great place to let loose, but Constantine currently had no time for dancing. 

He hailed another cab. "Midnight's Salon, mate." 

The driver gave him a knowing smile. "Oh, I get ya, mate." 

But Constantine still couldn't find the person he was looking for here. There were only men and women, their minds clouded by desire, intertwined like snakes. 

"I can't be bothered to pay to watch this spectacle. I'd rather just find someone interesting at a bar... Speaking of which, where in the world did that bird, Midnight, run off to?" 

After a moment of thought, Constantine suddenly had an idea. He went back to the street and hailed another taxi. 

"Midnight's Boxing Club," he said. "Quickly." 

"Alright." 

The boxing club was Midnight's turf. Here, one only needed to go down a floor to meet "death." 

Constantine walked down the stairs. When he entered the door, the frenzied shouts of the audience outside the octagonal cage made him feel like he'd entered a Roman gladiatorial arena. 

However, this was an underground boxing ring to begin with, where only one person was allowed to leave the octagonal ring alive. Calling it a gladiatorial arena wasn't far off. 

Bang! 

A burly man on stage, wielding a metal bat, smashed another burly man to the ground. One of his legs was twisted grotesquely, revealing white bone shards and bloody flesh. This sight made the surrounding crowd erupt in cheers. 

Midnight, dressed in a suit, stood by the ring, calmly watching the two men tear and fight each other like beasts. A faint smile occasionally appeared on his face. 

"Constantine," he said, turning his back. "Don't you enjoy this entertainment? I thought you weren't a stick in the mud." 

"Mate, in my book, two blokes swinging bats at each other till they're a bloody mess—that's not exactly what I'd call 'charming'," Constantine said, lighting another cigarette. 

Midnight smiled at him. "I agree. But violence is merely a symbol, used to release the energy contained within bloodthirsty desires—but here, you can smell it, you can hear it." 

"Kill him! Kill him!" 

"Smash his face in!" 

Constantine scanned the room. The people around him were both spectators and gamblers. There was almost no rationality here, only money bets and flying flesh. The roar in his ears madly praised slaughter and death, and the tickets in their hands made everyone who bet harbor murderous intent. The more blood and gore on stage, the more excited they became. 

"They're busy all their lives, and even in death, they're still performing and fighting in the ring. Being one of your reanimated corpses must be tough." 

"Using the dead is always better than using the living."