*Chapter 73: Encirclement!

Firelight, shockwaves, and a deafening explosion.

Inside the hall of No. 6 Castle Street, blood and flesh flew everywhere.

The group of four swindlers was blown to pieces in an instant.

Andinan, who was being held by Goethe behind a pillar in the living room, had his ears ringing and his vision filled with gray dust. Crimson blood quickly spread across the scene, with chunks of flesh splattering against the walls and then bouncing back.

One piece of flesh hit the young man’s face.

And it didn’t fall off.

Instead, it stuck to his face.

It was wet and warm.

The stench of burnt flesh and the overwhelming smell of blood assaulted him.

The strange sensation snapped the young man back to reality.

Almost instinctively, he peeled the piece of flesh off his face, looked down at it, and realized it was...

Half a lung.

Vomit!

When he saw the organ in his hand, the young man immediately threw it to the ground and began retching uncontrollably.

At that moment, the young man began to regret ever attending the Royal Academy’s medical surgeries, especially since he could vividly remember the doctors’ explanations.

More importantly, he had been so fascinated at the time.

But now, he felt utterly repulsed.

“Is there a hidden room where we can hide?”

“Or is there a secret passage to escape?”

Goethe ignored Andinan’s retching.

To him, this reaction was normal; he just needed to get used to it.

“There is… there’s a hidden room! But no secret passage!”

The acid burning his throat made the young man’s response stutter.

“Get inside!”

Goethe ordered sternly.

If there had been a secret passage, Goethe would have chosen to leave immediately!

Unfortunately, there wasn’t one!

Goethe still didn’t know exactly what was happening, but one thing was clear: the three bodyguards Andinan had hired were likely dead.

Likewise, the servants had probably suffered heavy casualties.

Therefore, relying on the defenses of No. 6 Castle Street to handle this sudden situation was clearly impossible.

As for rushing out alone to take down the attackers?

Charging out without knowing how many attackers there were, what kind of firepower they had, or if there were any ‘extraordinary beings’ among them was not Goethe’s style.

Goethe would never shy away from danger.

But that didn’t mean he was foolish enough to think he was invulnerable.

Even with a physique nearly three times stronger than an average person, being hit by a barrage of gunfire would lead to the same fate as any ordinary person—especially when the attackers had also prepared bombs.

Direct confrontation was not an option; only a surprise attack would work!

Fortunately, Goethe had made some ‘arrangements’ in advance.

Lanster and Geggen should be nearby!

However…

He wasn’t sure if they were acting alone or had brought reinforcements!

“Please, bring as many people as possible!” Goethe thought silently.

...

Moments before the explosion, Lanster and Geggen were hiding outside No. 6 Castle Street.

Geggen, ignoring the luxury inside No. 6 Castle Street, kept a close watch on the arriving guests.

“I don’t see Mapel. Could he be… deceiving us?” the deputy sheriff whispered.

“No.”

Lanster shook his head confidently.

From the first time he met Goethe, this sheriff had a gut feeling that something was off about him.

And the more he investigated afterward, the more he trusted his instincts—the identity was flawless, even having witnesses to back it up, but the more perfect it seemed, the more suspicious it became.

Because...

It was too perfect!

It was like watching a stage play.

An actor named "Poirot Maple" appeared on stage, performing for him, the audience.

And then, this afternoon!

Even if a writer possesses keen observational skills, how could they remain so calm in the face of a dead body?

That kind of composure is something only people who frequently deal with corpses would have.

And clearly, no ordinary writer would have such experience.

Unless...

It’s a coroner writing an autobiography.

But how could that be possible?

Coroners often juggle multiple jobs, so they're too busy with their primary work to have time to write books.

Moreover, Poirot Maple has no background as a coroner.

"Poirot Maple, what are you hiding?"

Lancaster muttered to himself.

Then, at that moment—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of rapid gunshots suddenly rang out.

Lancaster and Gegan immediately dropped to the ground, pulling out their revolvers as they looked toward the source of the gunfire at 6 Castle Street.

Somehow, a team of six had appeared inside No. 6 Castle Street.

Each one was armed and firing their weapons.

The barrage of bullets instantly formed a web of firepower, covering everyone inside No. 6 Castle Street.

The three bodyguards standing outside the door were the main targets.

In an instant, they were riddled with bullets.

The servants also fell one by one in pools of blood.

Then, Lancaster and Gegan saw one of the attackers throw a grenade into the house.

The entire process took less than ten seconds!

Lancaster and Gegan were stunned by the ferocity of this group.

As the sheriff and deputy sheriff of Hessettins, even though they weren't with the central office, they were distinguished from ordinary patrolmen by their exceptional skills—not just in solving cases, but also in shooting, hand-to-hand combat, and more.

So, they knew just how dangerous these people were.

At the same time, there was also a sense of familiarity.

The two exchanged a glance, and the answer soon came to them.

The military!

And not just any soldiers—these were elite troops!

Realizing this, the two drew in a sharp breath, but it didn't stop them from raising their guns and firing.

Yes, the attackers were numerous.

Yes, the attackers were formidable.

Yes, the attackers had powerful backing.

Yes, there were bound to be countless troubles involved in this incident.

But...

They still fired.

Because of their convictions.

The convictions that remained despite many temptations and threats.

Just a little bit.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The two revolvers fired rapidly.

The attackers clearly hadn’t expected anyone to be lying in wait behind them.

Two of them were shot and fell to the ground immediately.

Then Lancaster and Gegan found themselves pinned down by the attackers’ firepower, unable to lift their heads.

Even though they quickly changed positions after firing, it didn’t help.

They were in a dire situation, especially Gegan, who was grazed by a bullet. The pain made the deputy sheriff grit his teeth, and he wished he could put a few bullets into these bastards.

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t even stand up, let alone fire back.

Desperate, Gegan looked over at Lancaster.

Then Gegan noticed his old friend calmly reloading his gun, as if he didn’t take these attackers seriously at all.

Huh?

Gegan was puzzled, then he heard different gunfire.

From farther away.

From...

Behind the attackers!

It’s that guy!

The deputy sheriff quickly realized.

Almost simultaneously, the deputy sheriff and his old friend stood up and pulled the triggers.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A crossfire from both the front and the rear engulfed the attackers.

Smoke filled the air.

Shell casings flew.

When the gunfire finally ceased, Goder raised his hand in greeting.

“Good evening, Sheriff Lancaster, Deputy Sheriff Gegan.”

(End of Chapter)