Volume 4 Chapter 34: Guarantee

“Squeak!” Just as Liv reached the partition door of the last carriage, her feet slipped, as if she had stepped on a soft layer of cream cake.

“Liv, be careful!” Dean David reacted swiftly and grabbed her arm. They were currently in the connecting area between two carriages. If she fell here, she could easily tumble off the train and be crushed to pieces under the tracks.

“What happened inside?” Liv covered her mouth and gasped softly. Even through the wooden door, a strong smell of blood wafted from the carriage ahead. Through the gap in the partition door, a pool of blood was slowly expanding, dripping down toward the tracks beneath the train like a faucet that hadn’t been turned off properly.

“Liv, Irene, Mira, Lucy, return to the middle carriage. Your presence is not needed here!” Dean David placed his hand on the carriage door and spoke slowly.

“Dean, be careful!” The Fairy Tale Maidens exchanged glances but did not insist on staying.

They had originally come to retrieve the scientists from this carriage, not to fight alongside the old man. Given the current situation, it was clear that those scientists were likely beyond help, and their assistance was unnecessary. Moreover, the old man’s fighting style was rather unique and difficult for others to coordinate with; staying behind might only hinder him.

Just as the four Fairy Tale Maidens turned to leave, Dean David’s face tightened. He pulled his hand back from the carriage door as if shocked by electricity and shouted loudly, “Scatter!”

“Boom!” The carriage door in front of them exploded as if packed with high explosives, shattering into countless sharp fragments of iron and wood that rushed toward the five like a storm. Among the debris were even scattered pieces of human limbs and flesh.

“Hmph!” In Dean David’s clock-like pupils, the single needle spun wildly, quickly becoming a blur. His entire pupil transformed into a deep, abyss-like black hole.

With the old man’s black hole pupil as the center, space rippled outward like water disturbed by a stone. The iron and wood fragments that touched the spatial ripples slowed down unnaturally, moving as slowly as snails in the eyes of the onlookers, resembling a slow-motion replay in a movie.

The Fairy Tale Girls Team had reacted the moment the old man issued his warning.

The red machine cannon behind Liv instantly unfolded like wings, transforming into a Death Scythe. The tip of the scythe bypassed the main door of the rear carriage, hooked onto the last carriage window from the side, and propelled her away from the connecting area. The girl’s body traced a graceful arc in the air. Using the Death Scythe as a pivot and centrifugal force, she swung like a carousel and dove into the rear carriage through a side window.

The black-haired Mira’s weapon was a Blade Whip. With a flick, it hooked onto a window on the other side of the rear carriage, and she leaped into the carriage in the same manner. The two Fairy Tale Maidens who had entered the carriage first did not immediately seek cover. Instead, they swung their weapons again, and the Death Scythe and Blade Whip extended out of the carriage windows like venomous snakes.

The other two Fairy Tale Maidens, who had simultaneously jumped away from the connecting area, moved deftly. Irene twisted her waist lightly in mid-air, tapped the flat of the Death Scythe with her toes, and used the momentum to dive through the window. Lucy grabbed the Blade Whip with one hand, allowing Mira to pull her directly into the carriage. Lucy’s weapon was a steam-powered steel gauntlet, so the Blade Whip would not harm her palm.

Once all four Fairy Tale Maidens were safe, Dean David stretched out his hands and gently waved them. The slowly advancing iron and wood fragments in the air were brushed aside as if by a soft breeze, revealing a gap just large enough for the old man to pass through.

At the same time, the black hole in Dean David’s eyes reverted to a clock shape, but now, eerily, there was an additional needle, making two in total.

“Bang, bang, bang!” The rippling space in the air vanished, and the exploded iron and wood fragments resumed their violent trajectory. Like rain beating against plantain leaves, they turned the carriage behind Dean David into a sieve. However, with the door blocking the way, they could no longer harm the Fairy Tale Girls Team inside the carriage.

“Clap, clap, clap!” Applause sounded from in front of the old man.

“Time ability, or some kind of domain? What an impressive old man!”

Through the connecting area, three figures emerged from the last carriage, its door now blown to pieces. At the front stood a giant of a man, so tall that even the 2.7-meter-high carriage couldn’t allow him to stand fully upright. He had to stoop, but from his features, one could still vaguely recognize Dr. Leo.

Behind the giant, a fierce young man in a German military uniform stood shoulder to shoulder with a beautiful young woman. The young man licked his lips, his crimson eyes glaring with undisguised ferocity as he greedily stared at the old man.

“Who are you?” Dean David frowned slightly. He recognized the giant and the young woman; they were the Roberts couple, who had defected to the Allied Forces. But the other young man gave him an indescribably strange feeling.

“Dean, he is the Nazi officer who killed Professor Kathleen!”

Through the sieve-like carriage door, Liv’s angry shout came from behind David. Joey had confronted Little Red Riding Hood face-to-face, and based on Indiana Jones’s description of the enemy, the Fairy Tale Maiden easily identified the murderer of Professor Kathleen.

“You killed Kathleen!” Dean David’s aged body trembled slightly, and he asked in a pained tone.

“Kathleen… Are you referring to that piece I made in Casablanca? My apologies, it took me a moment to recall. I don’t really remember the names my works had before.” Joey tapped his temple with a finger and grinned cruelly. “In my collection, it’s called ‘The Beheaded Venus’!”

“Dean, let us join the fight too! We want to avenge Professor Kathleen!” The damaged carriage door behind David was pushed open, and the Fairy Tale Maidens stood at the entrance, their eyes red.

“No, Liv, you should go back. Doctor Jones needs you more there!” Dean David took a deep breath, turned to face Joey, and said slowly, “He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. So, are you prepared to be killed by others?”

“Ha ha, if you can manage it, I am not afraid of death!” Joey’s pupils contracted, and he burst into wild laughter.

“Dr. Leo, Dr. Keller, what about you? Do you still stand on the side of justice?” David ignored Joey and turned to the giant and the young woman.

“Dean David, it’s too late…” The giant Leo glanced into the carriage, a flicker of pain in his eyes. “I have done unforgivable things!”

David scanned the carriage, sighed inwardly at the sight of the mangled corpses. Most of the scientists had twisted limbs, as if torn apart by brute force. The German officer in front of him, according to intelligence, was a sniper and clearly didn’t possess such strength. They had all been killed by the giant.

These scientists held high positions within the Allied Forces. Whether Leo Robert was coerced by the Germans or not, his actions were unforgivable. As Leo said, they had no choice.

“Dr. Leo, even if you cannot fight for the Justice League, please stand aside. My enemy is only this German Nazi before me. Personally, I do not wish to confront you.” David spoke expressionlessly.

“Leo!” Dr. Keller behind the giant tugged at her husband’s sleeve and shook her head at him.

The Roberts couple had already struck a deal with Joey: Leo would transform into a giant, kill the scientists in this carriage, cutting off any chance of joining the Allied Forces. In return, Joey promised they could return to Berlin to face a court-martial, and he released Dr. Keller, granting her freedom.

The giant looked at his wife behind him, his face showing hesitation. He understood Dr. Keller’s meaning—to refrain from aiding Joey in the fight against the old man.

Helping Joey could lead to leniency in their court-martial, while not helping him could offer spiritual redemption. If the Gentlemen Alliance failed in this mission, they might not even need to return to Germany; they could find a neutral country and live out their lives under assumed names.

Seeing Leo’s hesitation, a sly glint flashed in Joey’s eyes. He could no longer use Dr. Keller to blackmail or coerce the giant Leo; their transaction was complete. If he broke his promise now, it would only push Leo Robert toward the Justice League.

Besides, fighting a powerful opponent was different from killing a group of defenseless scientists. If Leo held a grudge and betrayed him at a critical moment, it would be better to have him stand aside.

“Dr. Leo, kill this old man. I swear upon the Iron Cross Medal on my chest that I will use the merit from this to erase your act of betrayal. You won’t have to face a court-martial!” Joey raised his hand, pressing it against the Iron Cross Medal, and spoke indifferently.

The Roberts couple shuddered. The giant Leo turned and fixed his large, bell-like eyes on Joey, saying in a deep voice, “You guarantee?”

“I guarantee it!” Joey’s face darkened, and he replied solemnly.

Dr. Keller sighed softly, took a step back, and released Leo’s arm. She knew very well that the German sniper’s words had solidified her husband’s wavering resolve. There was no turning back now.

Leo Robert was different from her; his patriotism was much stronger. Ever since she had betrayed the Gentlemen Alliance behind his back, Leo had been depressed and filled with resentment toward her. Although he had just been forced by Joey to kill so many Allied scientists, it was also an outlet for his pent-up frustration.

From the Justice League’s feedback on the battle in Casablanca, Dr. Keller knew that this German sniper had accumulated significant merit in combat. Although merit and crime were not interchangeable, as long as Joey was determined to protect the Roberts couple, Skorzeny would not pursue their betrayal in his report.

Moreover, they now possessed the perfected giant serum, which was crucial to the Empire. With someone to vouch for them, a court-martial might not be unavoidable.

“Good, I believe you!” A fierce light erupted in the giant Leo’s eyes. His previously listless body seemed infused with new energy. Letting out a long roar, he straightened up, spread his arms, tore a piece of the carriage ceiling like it was ragged cloth, and hurled it at Dean David.