Chapter 486: The Other
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Three hundred years was a long time for a human being who could only live just a fraction of that. The ups and downs, and the changes in three hundred years were something unpredictable for a short-lived species like human race.
Three hundred years ago, two ordinary folks who was living in exile in Siberia were dragged into some supernatural events, and since then their fate had changed completely. They both received a gift from the witch. One of them had become extremely wealthy, but his entire family had also suffered torment for three hundred years as they were haunted by a vengeful spirit because of the gift. What happened to the other person and his descendents for the past three centuries?
Perhaps it could only be found out when they found this last surviving member of Rakikh Family in St. Petersburg.
The ancient castle of Andrea was ushering in an unprecedented peaceful day. For the first time since the day the castle was built, there were no strange sounds and endless whispers, people who were living here could finally enjoy a good night's sleep.
The next day, Hao Ren and the others would leave for for St. Petersburg. It will be a very quick journey but Igor and his servants had still come to bid farewell to them in the great hall of the castle. Hao Ren saw Anna's looked better than she did yesterday. Standing behind Anna was a pale-looking boy. His eyes were dodgy and looked younger than his actual age. He was Akim, the only male of the new generation of Andrea family.
"Looks like you slept well last night," said Nangong Sanba who smiled and quipped looking at Igor's face. "How does it feel to having a sound sleep?"
Igor stroked his beer belly, laughing and feeling wonderful. "I've missed this feeling for decades. I remember my last night without a nightmare a day before my sixth birthday."
"We'll go and find out Ogyust's situation. We would get back the other stone no matter what," said Vivian as she looked at Igor. "We will be back very soon. Meanwhile, look after the castle, especially the crypt. Though the evil spirit has left, behind the iron gate is still an alien dimension. It's easy for people to get lost if wandering inside. Send more people to guard the entrance."
Igor was still slightly nervous when looking at Vivian. The legend about the witch handed down from generation to generation had put a lot of pressure on him. He grabbed the buttons on his chest and said, "Yes, my witch, as per your order."
"Hey, relax," Vivian sighed. "Don't be so tensed up. I'm not going to take over the control of or anything in this castle... Andrea Family is free. Don't be bothred by the legends of the witch anymore. I'm very sorry indeed that it was my negligence during the laying of the seal back then that had caused you suffering for hundreds of years."
"But it was also because of the gold you left behind that allowed the Andrea family to build its wealth to what it is today. Without the protection of the witch, it was difficult for anyone to survive in the ice and snow, including my ancestors," Igor said with a smile. "Everything is equal exchange. I know very well that there are many people who are willing to exchange the wealth owned by Andrea Family with their life. It's a price to pay for owning such a great wealth."
Apparently, Igor had breathed a sigh of relief when Vivian said that Andrea Family was free, no one liked the idea of another master emerged out of nowhere, even if it was the witch the family's ancestors had been revering for generations.
Of course, he would be happy to accept it if Vivian just wanted to help Andrea Family.
"First thing first," Hao Ren raised his hand. "Vivian has no interest in the wealth of your family nor she wants anything from you. But we need to use the other dimension in your basement. It's something that has involved the supernatural realm."
"Of course, I'm happy to guard the crypt for the wtich," Igor smiled. "Even my family and the castle are willing to do whatever she asks us to do."
He had made that pledge rather casually; as it turned out, it was a no brainer anyway. No one had ever entered the crypt for the past several hundred years. Now even if the evil spirit had been expelled, it was not a good place to be in. He was more than happy when there was a bunch of experts dealing with the crypt for him. As for the pledge he made, he was just being polite. He could see that these people weren't here to dorminate the world and everything in it.
"Let Anna take a good rest. Meanehile, we will try to come back within a day or two. I hope by then she would be able to sort out her knowledge about Tannagost," Vivian finally turned to Anna and said with a smile. The expression on the face of the mad girl was still a little lost. Though the whisper of the evil spirit had left her mind, the mental illness had taken a toll on her and it would take a while before her could fully recover. However, she had no problem communicating with people. Anna nodded to Vivian. In the face of the witch who had only appeared in legend of the family, she seemed to be calmer than Igor was.
"It's a long journey to St. Petersburg." Igor said when he saw Hao Ren and the others turned and about to leave. "I can arrange flights..."
Hao Ren waved without looking back. Then they disappeared in a flash of light.
Igor and his servants saw in astonishment the incredible thing that had just happened before their eyes. After a long while, Anna murmured, "This is... the witch?"
Igor thought for a moment and then he passed out again.
Hao Ren and the others appeared in a suburb far away from the city, from the warm castle hall directly to the cold and windy wilderness, they could not help but shiver. Lily sniffled with her nose in the cold wind and said, "It's the smell void of a place far away from human!"
"Ogyust is a weird man who is reclusive and disgusted with the crowd." The Nangong Sabna looked up in a direction into the wilderness. "He lives in an old house away from the human society. I suspect that he has been living there his entire life and will continue to stay there. When I last saw him, we briefly talked about his situation. Just like the Andrea Family, he was also having a constant nightmare and mental disturbance. But obviously it was unlike the influence of vengeful spirit, he was simply plagued by dreams. I should've talked to him more so that I could find out the truth earlier."
"Fortunately, you didn't," Nangong Wuyue threw his brother a glance. "Back then you hadn't met the landlord yet, you would have been dead fighting the vengeful spirit."
Nangong Sanba shrugged. "Probably you're right."
The MDT had made a more accurate teleportation this time. Under the guifance of Nangong Sanba, they quickly found the old house where Ogyust lived. The remnant of Rakikh Family lived alone. His large wooden house was several kilometres away from the nearest town but was still under the jurisdiction of St. Petersburg. But to be honest, Hao Ren thought that this place is almost in the middle of nowhere.
The wooden house was surrounded by overgrown thorns and cold-tolerant shrubbery, it gave people the impression that this house was abandoned years. There was still a wide road cutting throught the shrubbery leading to the main entrance of the wooden house, which suggested that this house was actually habitated.
Nangong Sanba walked to the entrance and knocked on the rotten door, but there was no response.
"He's gone out," Lily snorted and sniffed around at the door. "He just left not long ago, probably going to the town."
Vivian's arms crossed as she looked at the old house. She then shrugged and said, "Well, we can wait.... we have waited for three hundred years anyway."
Lily looked up at her and said, "You have the nerve to say that. For three hundred years, you have been sleeping. Have you ever thought of them?"
Vivian: "....."
Hao Rent asked Nangong Sanba about Ogyust. "What are his hobbies? What kind of person is he? Maybe we could dance to his tune?"
From the words of Nangong Sanba, Hao Ren could already figured out roughly Ogyust's personality: old-fashioned, eccentric, difficult to communicate, and very neurotic about evil spirits. He was a difficult guy. His family's tradition was obviously not the same as Andrea family's. Witch might not be of influence at all, so it was best to know his personality and preferences and be prepared for it.
Nangong Sanba thought for a moment and grinned. "This guy is unyielding."
They looked at each other as it seemed this guy was hard to deal with. If the person was unscrupulous, it would be easier to deal with. But Hao Ren found it hard to deal with an unyielding person, it was just too difficult.
"Well, I'll handle him," Nangong Sanba did not bother to discuss further. He smiled and took a large packet out from his box. "Here it is, I've brought him a gift. I know this man."
Hao Ren looked at the packet of herbs in Nangong Sanba's hand, feeling perplexed. "... What is this for? Didn't you say that man is unyielding? Why do you bring so many gifts?"
Nangong Sanba nodded and said, "Yeah, that guy is suffering from anal fissure."
Hao Ren felt that between him and Nangong Sanba, at least one of them was wackier than the other...