"Out of control?" Klein's heart tightened, and he almost blurted out the question.
Although Dunn and Old Neil often emphasized the dangers and probability of losing control in front of him, this was the first time he had encountered something like this. He was momentarily panicked, confused, scared, and sad, a very complex feeling.
"A quarter of the incidents we deal with every year involve Beyonders losing control... And a large proportion of that quarter are our own teammates..." Dunn's words once flashed through his mind, causing his reactions to seem to slow down.
Old Neil, however, had experienced too many similar incidents. He immediately opened his mouth and asked: "Where is the one who lost control? What do we need to do?"
Klein was stunned. He had thought that Old Neil, a slick and lazy "semi-retired" member like him, would find an excuse to refuse Svein's request or extort a large sum of benefits before trying to help. He completely didn't expect the other party to not hesitate at all and directly enter a state of participation, not caring in the slightest about the difference between Nighthawks and Punishers.
Looking at the serious expression on Old Neil's face, Klein suddenly understood one thing: whether it was the Nighthawks, the Punishers, or the members of the Machinery Hall, their goal was to stop supernatural forces from harming the innocent and maintain the peace and stability of Tingen City. If they encountered a dangerous and urgent situation, it was their duty, and they were duty-bound!
At this moment, Svein answered exceptionally briefly: "Act as my support!"
He didn't explain what had caused the loss of control, or where the one who lost control was. He quickly walked towards the exit.
This former captain of the Punishers was clearly just a drunkard sinking into alcoholism, yet Klein found that he couldn't keep up with the other's pace. He had to jog to barely maintain his position behind him.
He turned his head to look at Old Neil, only to see that this "Mystery Pryer," who had shown signs of aging, had also started running.
The three of them, ignoring the gazes of the guards along the way, one wrapped in a shabby naval officer's coat, one in a dark ancient robe, and one in a thin black trench coat that reached his knees, charged out of the billiard room, charging out of the Evil Dragon Bar.
Those customers who were drinking, placing bets, and refueling instinctively moved their gazes away from the canine catching rats and glanced at Klein and the others.
"Is that Boss Svein?" "Why is he going out so urgently?" "Did someone default on a debt and run away?" ……
Amidst the low murmurs, some drinkers returned their attention to the cage, cheering and shouting again to vent the oppression of the day, while others were more alert and vaguely felt uneasy.
Thud, thud, thud! Klein and Old Neil followed Svein across the road and into the actual dock area.
"That ship." Svein slowed down, pointing at an inland river cargo ship docked not far away. "Two Punisher members are currently on it dealing with that one who lost control, preventing him from entering the Tarsock River. You help me influence him, control him, and I will handle the rest."
Old Neil panted like a bellows for a few breaths and said: "Alright, but, but you need to give me a minute. Hoo, a minute to recover my state."
Svein nodded, didn't say anything else, and rushed onto the cargo ship first, joining the battle.
Listening to the sounds of fighting above, Old Neil looked at the slightly nervous Klein, took out a silver piece the size of an infant's palm from a hidden pocket at his waist, and handed it over, saying: "Soporific Charm. The activation incantation is the Hermes word for 'Night.' Recite it, channel your spirituality into it, and throw it at the target within three seconds."
"Mm!" Klein reached out and took it, deeply moved.
The front and back of this charm were engraved with Hermes incantations, as well as symbolic signs, corresponding spiritual numbers, and magical symbols. Without needing to activate his spiritual vision, he could detect the subtle, tranquil, and profound mysterious power just by relying on his spirituality.
Old Neil straightened up and took out a similar silver charm from his hidden pocket, holding it in his palm. As he walked towards the cargo ship, he cracked a joke: "Don't be nervous. Relax. Think about something else. For example, that I lent you that charm. If you use it, remember to make a new one and give it back to me. Of course, you can wait until next month, when the material quota is restored, to do this."
"This... this is the experienced Old Neil for you..." Klein put the charm into his left pocket and reached out to take the revolver from his armpit holster, adjusting the hammer and trigger.
"I think I'm not nervous anymore..." Holding a gun in one hand and a cane in the other, Klein and Old Neil steadily boarded the cargo ship via the gangway.
This cargo ship showed obvious traces of the era. Although it used steam power and had an extra smokestack, it still retained the old configurations of masts and sails. Moreover, it only had a metal shell on the surface; some parts were made of steel, but many parts were still made of wood.
The sounds of fighting grew more intense. Just as Klein and Old Neil were about to find an entrance into the cabin, they suddenly heard a loud crash accompanied by a crack.
The side of the wooden cabin instantly shattered, splinters flying everywhere. A silhouette was thrown out and slammed into the ship's railing.
Klein couldn't be bothered to check the injuries of that silhouette; his gaze was completely locked onto the monster rushing towards the breach.
This monster was over 1.8 meters tall, wearing a tattered shirt and trousers. The exposed areas of its body were covered in dark green scales, and the gaps between its hands and feet had grown webbed membranes, like the webbed toes of some aquatic animals.
It had a wrinkled head, vaguely revealing what it used to look like as a human. Mucus flowed from the scales, constantly dripping down.
Sizzle, sizzle! The dark green mucus slightly corroded the deck, leaving distinct traces.
Bang! The monster trying to rush out of the breach was punched from the side by Svein, forcing it to move two steps sideways.
Bang, bang, bang! Svein, despite his exaggerated muscles, was clearly no match for the monster in strength. Moreover, even though his fists and feet clearly hit the target, they couldn't break the scales or cause substantial damage. For a moment, he was very distressed and tottering. If it weren't for his astonishing balance, and if there weren't another Punisher moving and shooting to distract the monster, Klein suspected that this blue-eyed old man would be beaten to death by the monster.