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Chapter 8: The Unwritten Rules of Kilmainham Prison
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 19:17:36 +0000 UTCBeyond the rack of firearms lay the display of cold weapons, primarily canes, rapiers, and daggers. Of these, canes were the most abundant because they doubled as everyday tools, making them the only weapon one could carry openly without raising suspicion.
The Imperial Army issued five standard types of canes. The battlefield cane, made of solid metal, was incredibly heavy and capable of shattering a skull with a single swing. It concealed a bayonet inside, intended for close combat.
The red pearwood baton, used for law enforcement, was known for its hardness and affordability. Its natural reddish hue darkened over time, becoming even more striking after prolonged use. During enforcement operations, dozens of red pearwood batons whirling through the air created a vivid spectacle.
Another type, the short wooden cane, was not meant for combat but concealed a dagger inside its head. Officially known as the "convenient military cane," it was commonly called the "short cane sword."
This particular model was highly favored by soldiers and widely available in civilian markets, often becoming standard equipment for gangs in many regions. In street brawls between underground gangs, short cane swords were ubiquitous.
The other two types of military canes, simpler in design, were reserved for engineers and logistics personnel and weren’t in stock here.
Apart from canes, daggers and rapiers were also common weapons. The Imperial rapier resembled Earth’s swift rapiers but had a thicker, broader blade. Heavier and less ornate, it emphasized footwork, speed, and added slashing techniques to its repertoire. Its style of swordsmanship was a pure killing art.
From the public academies onward, fencing classes taught the fundamentals of rapier techniques.
Charlot Mecklenburg was no fencing expert—at most, he was proficient in the basics. He could perform the fundamental moves competently but wasn’t particularly effective in actual combat. His marksmanship, however, was decent—while not a sharpshooter, he could snuff out a candle from twenty paces away.
Without lingering over these standard weapons, Charlot entered the innermost chamber.
The gruff soldier’s voice sounded behind him: “If you pick one weapon, out of respect for the warden, no additional conditions will apply. If you pick two, you’ll need to sell one back, but you can only keep half the proceeds.”
“If you pick three, you may keep two.”
“Three is the limit.”
Charlot smiled faintly without turning around. “Three.”
Why had Mrs. Pascal personally escorted him here, only to leave before he chose his weapons? The implications were intriguing.
This was an unwritten rule.
The unwritten rule of Kilmainham Prison.
Charlot had no intention of resisting these unwritten rules.
Having transmigrated to this world, he preferred to go with the flow and had no desire to change it.
The gruff soldier murmured approvingly, “Not bad for a newcomer,” and walked away, his footsteps fading into the distance.
Charlot stood still for a moment before carefully examining the small storage room filled with confiscated weapons.
The walls were lined with wooden racks of mediocre quality, sparsely stocked with only thirty or forty items.
Among these scant offerings, almost none were firearms. Most bore the marks of age and disuse.
Charlot’s attention was quickly drawn to a small hand axe.
“A vampire weapon!”
He picked up the hand axe in astonishment. Never had he expected to encounter such a weapon here.
The hand axe was only half an arm’s length, shorter than the short cane sword. Its entire surface was dark red—the natural hue of bloodsteel, a material unique to vampires. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with intricate patterns adorning the axe blade and handle.
Charlot, who had studied extensively in Sheffield University, immediately recognized the insignia of the Van Gogh clan engraved on it.
Vampire weapons were almost exclusively forged by vampires. It was said that creating such cursed tools required the blood core of a vampire noble, at least of baron rank. Even among vampires, these weapons were rare, typically heirlooms of aristocratic vampire families. Hundreds of ordinary vampires might not possess a single piece.
These weapons could drain the lifeblood of their enemies, providing their wielders with an unending source of strength—a significant advantage in battle.
Among humans, vampire weapons were even rarer.
Being tied to vampire physiology, only vampires could activate the blood-draining ability of these weapons. For other species, wielding such a weapon not only failed to trigger its abilities but also risked having the weapon drain their own vitality.
In the Ingrima Empire, vampire weapons were infamous as cursed arms that betrayed their owners. Apart from a few collectors, hardly anyone cared to own them.
Charlot gripped the delicate hand axe tightly and inhaled deeply. A faint sting spread across his palm.
Charlot Mecklenburg was, after all, an Extraordinary—a person with limited supernatural abilities.
The peculiar power he wielded was called Blood Glory.
During his time at Sheffield University, Charlot had taken a course in this ancient and obscure supernatural technique.
As Blood Glory surged within him, the hand axe emitted an eerie red glow.
Since returning from Cynes, Charlot’s Blood Glory had steadily grown stronger by the day. What once was a barely perceptible trace had become a tangible force.
In public academies, students learned mundane combat techniques. At national institutes, they were taught knightly breathing techniques, how to condense a power seed, and awaken combat energy. Universities offered an even deeper curriculum, exposing students to supernatural knowledge and the path to pursuing the truth.
Despite this, only one or two out of a hundred university students ever truly mastered supernatural abilities. Still, such opportunities were seen as a divine blessing.
Blood Glory was a human innovation inspired by vampires. It was the only known technique other than vampiric powers capable of activating vampire weapons.
Designed explicitly to hunt vampires, Blood Glory was a combat skill that vampires universally detested.
Charlot Mecklenburg’s original decision to study it was not due to a vendetta against vampires but for a simple reason: Blood Glory was one of the few supernatural techniques that could enhance charisma and slightly extend one’s lifespan.
A very Charlot-like choice.
Having failed repeatedly to unlock supernatural abilities during his four years at university, Charlot had resorted to the dangerous ritual of summoning a dark god.
He succeeded, completing the Awakening Ritual and officially becoming an Extraordinary.
Yet, he failed, as the dark god took his soul.
And so, Huang Haisheng transmigrated and inherited everything!
Charlot examined the hand axe for a long time before decisively selecting it as his first choice.
He had never dreamed of affording a supernatural weapon, much less one that resonated with his Blood Glory. Even with sufficient funds, acquiring such a weapon was more improbable than winning the lottery. As a newly appointed First-class Civil Servant, he had little money to spare. Given this unexpected opportunity, how could he let it slip?
After securing the vampire hand axe, Charlot browsed the room and chose two more items.
One was a rare cold weapon—a multi-headed flail.
The other was an old enchanted rapier.
After making his selections, Charlot left the armory with a sense of purpose.
He handed the enchanted rapier to the gruff soldier, who accepted it and logged the other two items. With that, the soldier had no further concerns.
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