Die drei Geistergeschichten von Jinzhong Zwei Tai Sui zerstören die Stadt

Kapitel 14

“Yes, I want you to share your thoughts. What do you think are the reasons, and how will this whole affair end? Now, Mr. Bied, could you please offer any opinion on the wolf's escape?”

“Well, sir, I think I can talk to you; but I don’t know if you will be satisfied with my theory.”

“Of course. Someone as knowledgeable about animals as you wouldn’t make wild guesses, would he?” “Well then, sir, let me put it this way: I think the wolf ran away simply because it wanted to get out.”

From Thomas and his wife's laughter, I could tell that someone had believed his joke before...

...Just as I was about to hand him the half-pound coin that we had previously agreed upon, something gently tapped on the window. Mr. Bidd's surprise and astonishment stretched to twice their normal length.

"Thank God!" he said. "Didn't that old madman come back on his own?"

He went and opened the door, which I thought was unnecessary. I've always felt that it's best to have some sturdy barrier in front of you when watching wild animals. However, habit prevailed, because Bied and his wife's opinion of the wolf was no different from my opinion of a dog. The whole scene was an indescribable tragicomedy. The wolf, which had roamed London for days, frightening all the children in the city, sat there as if in repentance, and was warmly welcomed and petted like a prodigal son returning home.

After carefully examining the wolf with the gentlest yet most earnest manner, Old Jude said, “See? I knew this poor old fellow would get into trouble. Haven’t I always said so? His head is cut all over, and there are many shards of glass. He must have jumped over a wall or something with glass stuck in it. It’s pathetic that people can stick broken glass in walls. This is the result. Go, Wild Migration.”

On the same day that the Hucks had dinner with Howing, shortly after dark, five men and one woman met at Jack Schiewyn's secluded mental hospital. In the dim light of lanterns, bare branches overhead and rustling dead leaves underfoot; summer seemed to have already passed.

From the window of Lanfe's ward, one could see that the group of six was also within the stone wall; this wall, though high, was not difficult to climb, separating the mental hospital from the adjacent Kafi Manor. From where they stood, the Kafi Manor, now dark and dilapidated, was not visible at night, but each of them was thinking about that enormous mansion.

Hark, who had abandoned his cane for tonight's mission, held Mina's hand, while Hausin busied himself checking the equipment the others had brought. The men were all dressed in work clothes and carried axes and shovels, as well as knives, revolvers, shotguns, torches, and dark lanterns—oil lamps with louvered shades—so they could quickly turn the lights on or off. Hausin himself had brought two new portable lamps powered by heavy batteries.

In addition, Hausin gave each member a necklace of garlic and a crucifix from the family of Jesus.

Arthur also brought three aggressive hunting dogs. The dogs growled expectantly and pulled eagerly on their leashes. Their master said expressionlessly that he was afraid there might be a lot of big rats in this old house in Kafi.

After inspecting everything the group had brought, Haoxin finally nodded in approval.

Then, in a hoarse voice, he gave the men his final instructions.

"He can summon wind and rain, create fog, storms, and lightning. He can also command lowly animals—bats, rodents, wolves. He must rest in the sacred soil of his homeland to regain his evil power—and it is we who must find this soil and destroy him. But do not forget, if we fail on this journey, it will not just be a matter of life and death. It will be that we will become like him, desecrating the body and soul of our beloved."

Quincy Morley, who had just loaded his Colt automatic pistol, slammed the heavy weapon shut with a metallic click.

Howsing looked at him. “Mr. Morley, your bullets won’t hurt him. He’ll have to be dismembered. I suggest you use your big knife.”

Quincy raised his head. "Bullshit, I'm not planning on getting that close to him, Doctor."

Hao Xin stared at him. After a long period of tension and pressure, he burst into laughter, and the laughter grew louder and louder, almost turning into a roar, and he even laughed until tears streamed down his face.

No one else laughed with him, and Quincy was the one who stared wide-eyed. He didn't think he had made a joke.

A few yards away, Lan Fei gripped the iron bars of his window, listening and watching with the fanaticism of a madman; his sharp ears could hear most of the conversation and grasp its significance. The group didn't notice him, nor did they even glance in his direction.

Jonathan Hack pulled his beloved Mina aside to say goodbye.

Mina also whispered to him her love and her determination to be faithful to him.

Jonathan should have been puzzled as to why she would bring up the topic of fidelity here and now—but in fact, he hadn't been listening at all. He gritted his teeth and said, "I helped that devil get here, so now I'm going to send him back to hell."

His words made Mina very unhappy. Her suspicions about the prince's identity had been confirmed a few days earlier. "I feel sympathy for almost anyone—or anything—for this count being so hunted."

Her husband shook his head. “How can you pity such a monster? I brought him here, so I must send him back to hell now. After this mission is complete, I will never leave you again.”

Then Jonathan kissed his wife tenderly, his expression much gentler. He then gently entrusted her to Dr. Jack Schiewer for the time being.

After accepting the task, Jack briefly wished his companions good luck and reminded them that he would join them as soon as the day's work stress subsided. Then, unlike his usual rounds where he was accompanied by two strong nurses, he led Mina back into the hospital alone. Jack himself lived upstairs in the hospital, and his butler had already prepared a bedroom and living room for Mina.

After shaking his wife's hand one last time, Jonathan Hack turned and joined Howing, Quincy Morley, and Arthur Houndbird on the arduous task he had chosen.

Lamfey was thrilled to see Mina about to enter the hospital. He hurried from the window to the door, pressing his face against the metal bars, eager to see her again. If only she were coming down this corridor—

Lamfey's hope had been realized. Less than a minute later, Mina and Jack, accompanied by two nurses, came down the corridor and into view of Lamfey's ward.

As soon as Lamfey saw them, he exclaimed almost gleefully, “Master—I smell him! He’s eating this pretty lady.”

Hearing the clear, organized yet completely unfamiliar voice, Mina was startled, stopped in her tracks, and stared at the speaker with confusion.

Lamfey became even more excited at getting her attention and pressed himself more urgently against the door railing.

He shouted, "You are the bride my master desires!"

Jay didn't want to use force, so he could only urge Mina to move forward quickly. But she resisted, so he had to stop.

"Dr. Schiele, who is this person?"

Jack sighed, “This is certainly one of my patients—Mr. Lamfey. Professor Howing suspects he has some kind of relationship with the Earl.”

“Lanfee?” Mina asked in surprise, “Jonathan’s former colleague?”

"Yes."

"Then you must let me see him."

Ignoring the doctor's protests, she continued to stare at the thirsty madman and took a few steps closer to the ward.

After giving up on persuading Mina not to go see Lamfey, Jack could only follow her protectively. "Lamfey, you have to be good. This is Mrs. Hack."

Mina looked closely at the person behind the railing and felt even more at ease. He seemed calm and clear-headed, at least for now. In fact, when he said goodnight to her, he even gave her a formal bow.

“Good night, Mr. Lamfey,” Mina replied. She deliberately ignored the smell and appearance of the ward.

Now, Lanfei looked directly into the visitor's eyes, his fear gradually growing. He lowered his voice and repeated, "You are the bride my master desires!"

Mina blushed. "You've got it wrong, I already have a husband. I'm Mrs. Hack."

The man in the hospital room shook his head slightly, seemingly refusing to believe that this woman could have an ordinary husband. He added, "My master told me about you."

What did he say to you?

Jack, who had been trying to interrupt, stood to the side. Ignoring the doctor, Lamfey whispered to Mina, "He's coming...he's coming to see you."

Then, in a surge of even greater excitement, he gestured for Mina to come closer. “But don’t stay here—get away from all these people! I beg God, let me never see your sweet face again.”

He reached out so calmly from between the railings that Mina allowed him to hold her hand. Lamfey gently pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. "God bless you."

Mina couldn't think of anything to say, but it was clear that she felt deeply uneasy and confused.

Then Lan Fei suddenly erupted; he gripped the railing tightly with both hands and slammed his head against it forcefully.

He screamed, "Master! Master! You promised me eternal life, but you gave it to this woman!"

Seeing this, Mina quickly retreated and went upstairs to the room that had been prepared for her. However, the madman's loud shouts followed her relentlessly. "Dr. Jack! I'm not crazy! I'm someone who fights for my soul!"

As soon as Mina entered the suite of living and bedroom rooms on the second floor, she went straight to the nearest window; from there, she could vaguely see the Kafi Manor in the night. Beyond the dividing stone wall, which was mostly obscured by tree branches, she could see the indirect light from the lanterns carried by the group accompanying her husband.

At that moment, she could also hear the repeated striking of an axe from afar, as strong arms swung it against the heavy wood.

These men were serious; Mina no longer doubted what they were hunting. Her husband's mortal enemy was her prince, and also her lover. A bloody conflict seemed inevitable; Jonathan might be murdered—killed by her. Or perhaps she would be the one to die, murdered by Jonathan. Mina neither knew nor could decide which outcome was more terrible.

Chapter Fifteen

The heavy, ancient doors of Caffy Manor had been fitted with new locks, and new logs were used to prop them up to prevent intruders. The doors were practically impregnable. However, Huck and his three brave companions quickly broke down the doors with axes and iron bars, entering the seemingly abandoned old house.

Harker and his group passed through the first obstacle, which was littered with wood chips, and entered the hall of Kafi Manor. By the light of the electric lights and lanterns, they saw that everything was covered with a thick layer of dust. In the corners were layers of spider webs, which were also covered with dust. The spider webs were torn under the weight and looked like tattered rags.

The old professor paused and surveyed the situation. Then he turned to speak to Huck in an unusually low voice, as if he didn't want to wake anyone else.

“Jonathan, you know this place better than any of the rest of us. You’ve taken photos and drawn a floor plan.”

Huck stood there, gripping his axe tightly in both hands, and said, "I truly regret ever having any connection with this place!"

Yes. Which road leads to the chapel?

Huck silently held up a heavy electric torch, gesturing for the others to follow him.

Despite having studied the floor plan beforehand, the layout of the mansion remained confusing, so they turned the wrong way twice. A minute later, still under Hack's guidance, they stopped in front of an arched oak door with iron ribs.

Like the main gate, this door was locked and bolted, but once again, the impatient axe in Hack's hands became the most effective key.

Behind the large oak door was a spacious room with a high, Gothic arched ceiling. The air inside, long unused and deserted, was foul and pungent. Hack thought there was an earthy smell and dried-out marsh gas in the air. But no one paid attention to these details at the moment. The investigators waved their torches, illuminating rows of coffin-shaped wooden crates; they quickly counted them and found there were twenty-nine in total.

They looked at each other with longing. No one needed to proclaim the fact that unless they found the Earl here and destroyed him, they would have to search elsewhere—tomorrow, or however many days it might take—until they found fifty.

Huck placed his hands on the lid of one of the coffin chests and said in an excited voice, “I saw these chests in the Earl’s castle. He was lying in one of them back then.”

The old professor snorted. Then, with all his might, he lifted the iron bar and struck it, mercilessly prying open the lid of another wooden box. A moment later, Haoxin stood aside, staring at the moldy soil inside.

Haoxin scooped up a handful of soil, tossed it aside, and announced, "This is the sacred soil of his homeland; he must rest here, covered in this earth. Destroy every box. Remove the soil from inside, leaving him homeless. Begin the exorcism!"

Huck swung his axe again, leading the others to split open the coffin, shouting angrily as he did so. The more he chopped, the angrier he became, and the harder he chopped.

A small bottle of holy water hung around Haoxin's neck. After each wooden box was pried open, he would sprinkle the holy water on the exposed soil while chanting, "Oh God, it is in your hands."

At this moment, Quincy and Arthur put on gloves. Every time Huck split open a wooden box, they bent down and forcefully emptied the moldy soil inside.

Hark paused to catch his breath and wiped the sweat streaming down his forehead. To his disappointment, so far, the vampire's body wasn't inside the wooden crates they had split open. Had the demon anticipated their move?

Impossible! Huck steadied himself in front of another wooden crate, then raised his axe once more...

“God, into God’s hands…” Hausin continued chanting, sprinkling holy water and throwing the bread that had received the sacrament into the pile of soil in Chuansovinia.

In the mental hospital, Lanfei's agonizing cries echoed endlessly, as if they would never cease. Almost directly above him, Mina pressed her ear tightly, silently praying that the suffering poor man might find some peace.

Then, as if her prayers had been answered, she breathed a sigh of relief and wept with gratitude.

But she didn't know why Lamfey had suddenly stopped. It was because Dracula had suddenly appeared outside his hospital room window.

When Lan Fei found himself finally facing the "person" he had long admired, he seemed completely stunned for a long time.

Then, he clung tightly to the window railing and whispered humbly to the figure in black robes outside the window.

“Master, Master… Yes, Master… I will obey your command.”

Lamfey stopped abruptly, his lips moving silently. He felt as if the human figure outside the window was conveying hope to him without uttering a word; Lamfey understood this immediately and quickly granted the wish, inviting the vampire inside; for only with an invitation could the vampire gain the power to enter the dwelling.

Lan Fei murmured, "Come in, my master!"

The figure outside nodded, then turned into a wisp of mist, drifted between the railings into the house, and then returned to human form.

Upon entering Lanfei's sickroom, the prince reverted to his original form. He stood in the center of the small room, coldly gazing at his servant, before finally speaking to him after a long pause.

"Lanfee—you betrayed me."

Lanfei chuckled nervously and frantically. "I tried to warn her, but she wouldn't listen."

Dracula just stared at him.

Although Lanfei seemed unable to look directly at his long-awaited master, a dangerous glint shone in his eyes. "You must let her go; you cannot have her—"

Dracula didn't bother to answer, turned his back to him with disdain, and planned to leave the ward through the barred door.

In that instant, Lan Fei went berserk and lunged at the vampire without regard for his own safety.

After settling Mina into her temporary lodgings and confirming her safety, Jack went downstairs immediately. He listened to a report from an assistant downstairs and was relieved that the patient didn't require his personal care that night.

Then, Jack prepared his gloves and retrieved another lantern. After giving final instructions to his main assistant, he left the hospital building through the back door, striding quickly across the courtyard, his footsteps rustling through the fallen leaves. He planned to scale the wall to Kafi Manor, to face any dangers they might encounter with his companions, and to share any potential successes, in carrying out their pre-planned mission of destruction.