novel bin Chapter 342 Strike the Dark Mark
Chapter 342 Strike the Dark Mark
Chapter 342 Striking the Dark Mark (5.2K) (1/2)
Lucius's heart skipped a beat, and he held his breath to listen.
"Go find other Death Eaters, or by any means you can think of," Lynch's voice was clear and cold as he issued the order. "Notify them—a large number of Aurors and reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic have arrived. They are the ones who attacked your squad. Your primary objective has been achieved; remaining here any longer is extremely risky."
He paused, giving Lucius time to process, then added the most crucial sentence: "Make them—immediately—retreat. After that, you leave the camp and hide. Understand?"
A formal, explicit order!
From the executioner himself!
In an instant, an immense ecstasy surged through Lucius's spine like an electric current, almost dispelling all his previous fear.
This is not just an order, but a signal!
The executioner was willing to use him at such a crucial moment.
This shows that his gamble tonight, his "understanding," and the information he handed over, at least in exchange for a temporary victory.
The position that is "taken into consideration"!
He was no longer just a pitiful wretch kneeling and begging for mercy, but someone who had been given a task—whether a tool or a pawn, it at least meant that his usefulness had been acknowledged!
"Yes, Your Excellency!" Lucius's voice was slightly hurried due to suppressed excitement, but he quickly regained his composure and repeated in a more respectful and firm tone, "I'll take care of it right away!"
"Go." Lin Qi stopped looking at him and simply uttered two words.
Lucius felt as if he had been granted a pardon, but at the same time felt a heavy sense of mission.
He bowed slightly with utmost respect, then turned around quickly, not even bothering to clean the mud off his body. With a hurried pace that was quite different from his usual reserved demeanor, he strode into the still thick fog to carry out his most meaningful "task" of the night.
Lin Qi watched him leave.
After Lucius's figure disappeared into the wall of fog, he slowly turned around and faced another direction.
The fog there seemed thicker and calmer than elsewhere, swirling slowly as if it possessed a life of its own.
"Come out," he said calmly.
The fog moved in response, silently parting to both sides to create a gap.
Several figures emerged from the mist, as if rising from deep water.
They wore dark gray or dark green travel cloaks that blended into the night and fog, with hoods covering most of their faces, only occasionally revealing sharp, eagle-like eyes.
They moved almost silently, their steps steady and uniform, carrying an aura of restrained yet dangerous discipline.
When they reached Lin Qi a few steps away, they stopped simultaneously, placed their right hands neatly on their left chests, and bowed slightly, their movements simple yet full of respect: "Your Excellency."
The leader straightened up and lifted his hood.
Beneath the hood was a woman's face, with distinct features and a serious expression. Her dark brown hair was tied into a tight bun at the back of her head. Her cheekbones were slightly high, her lips were pressed into a resolute straight line, and her eyes were sharp and clear, carrying even now the scrutiny of a law enforcer, though that scrutiny contained more of an absolute respect for the person before her.
It was Amelia Bornes, the newly appointed Director of the Department of Legal Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic.
Lin Qi nodded slightly to her, his gaze sweeping over the figures behind her still shrouded in hoods, and gave a brief order: "Notify all teams that the objective has been achieved. Discreetly withdraw according to the pre-arranged plan and clean up any traces."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Without the slightest hesitation, the figures bowed again and then, just as they had appeared, silently retreated into the swirling mist, quickly disappearing to relay the evacuation order.
Only Lynch and Amelia Borns remained at the scene.
Thick fog surrounded them, creating a small, relatively quiet space.
Lynch's gaze fell on Amelia's face, his gray eyes devoid of any pleasantries or formalities, cutting straight to the point: "Ms. Burns," he said, his tone steady yet carrying an unyielding question, "what's going on with the camp administrator's family?"
Amelia-Borns's expression grew even more serious. She did not avoid Lynch's gaze, but a hint of guilt and self-reproach flashed in her eyes.
"It was our oversight, Your Excellency." Her voice was clear and crisp, with a businesslike rigor, but her pace was slightly faster than usual. "When formulating the initial interference and protection plans, the focus was entirely on wizarding families, tourists, and key facilities that might be involved. There was indeed a serious oversight in the assessment of the Muggle administrator's post on the edge of the camp—it was classified as 'low-risk, non-magical associated.'"
She paused slightly, seemingly to control her emotions, and continued, "It wasn't until we urgently reviewed all the potential risks after the chaos began that we realized this fatal mistake—"
Her voice lowered, filled with suppressed frustration: "But by then, the Death Eaters had already moved in that direction, and the Roberts family was already within their sights. If we forcibly intervened to move them, it would definitely alert the Death Eaters, expose our presence and intentions, and disrupt the entire plan."
She took a deep breath and met Lynch's gaze: "So I chose to follow behind them, looking for a possible rescue opportunity."
Lin Qi listened quietly, his face expressionless, but something seemed to have settled deep within his dark eyes.
He sighed softly, a sigh so faint it was almost inaudible, yet it carried a heavy, penetrating force.
“Ms. Burns,” he spoke again, his voice still steady, but the meaning in it made Amelia straighten her back involuntarily, “You should know that in our First Order, there are many brothers who come from Muggle families. Their parents, brothers, and sisters may still be Muggles, living outside the wizarding world, yet their fates are intertwined with each of ours.”
His gaze fell on Amelia's serious face, as if trying to see into the depths of her heart: "Even some of them, before or after joining us, may have suffered contempt, rejection, or harm from wizards, especially some pure-blood wizards who hold outdated views, for various reasons. I know where those wounds are."
You...know that too.
He took a small half-step forward, not closing the distance much, but the invisible pressure became clearer: what you "neglected" today wasn't just a risk assessment item. What you "gambled" wasn't just the lives of a few strangers. Subconsciously, you still placed them on the side of the scale that could be temporarily sacrificed for greater tactical results—even if you're unwilling to admit it, and may not even be clearly aware of it yourself. This stems from your background and upbringing...
The crux of the problem lies in the deeply ingrained sense of distance based on preconceived notions.
Amelia's face paled slightly. She wanted to explain, but Lynch raised a hand and stopped her from speaking.
“I’m not questioning your ability or loyalty, Ms. Burns. Your talent and your position in the Ministry of Magic are vital to us,” Lynch’s voice was deep and strong. “But if you can’t truly rid yourself of that old, pure-blooded notion of viewing Muggles as another category, if you can’t instinctively consider the safety and dignity of a Muggle as you would a fellow wizard—then you will never truly earn the complete trust of your brothers from the Muggle world, or those who deeply identify with Muggle rights.”
He paused, his gaze as cold as ice, clearly reflecting Amelia's somewhat pale face: "And if they can't fully trust you, if there's always an invisible barrier between you and them, a barrier stemming from your background—then I begin to doubt whether you can truly handle the more complex and challenging work in that position in the future. Because our path is destined to break down precisely these invisible barriers."
As soon as he finished speaking, the fog rolled in and silence fell.
Amelia-Bornes stood rooted to the spot, her fingers unconsciously clenching, her nails digging into her palms. Lynch's words, like a cold scalpel, dissected her supposedly impartial and impartial exterior, pointing directly to a corner of her soul that even she herself had never carefully examined.
Shame, shock, and a strong, unyielding stubbornness intertwined in her eyes.
Amelia-Borns straightened her back abruptly, the remaining pallor on her face replaced by an almost stubborn determination.
She met Lynch's scrutinizing gaze, her voice not loud, but clear and forceful, each word distinct and powerful, as if reciting a solemn oath in the Wisconsin court: "Your Excellency, I assure you, and all my like-minded brothers, that such a thing will never happen again. I will thoroughly reflect on my actions and revise my beliefs and principles." She took a deep breath, her eyes as sharp as ever, yet now carrying a weighty significance. "If—if I allow such negligence or a sense of distance to affect my judgment and actions again, then I will no longer have any right to aspire to the position you speak of, or the responsibilities it carries."
Lin Qi stared at her quietly for a few seconds, his dark eyes seemingly able to penetrate all pretense and see into the very essence of her soul.
He could see the determination in her eyes, and the resilience and integrity inherent in the Borns family that were awakened by the sting beneath that determination.
"Remember your promise, Ms. Burns." He finally spoke, the coldness in his voice lessening slightly, but his authority remaining.
Don't let us down again.
He didn't say "I," but "we."
The word sent a chill down Amelia's spine, making her feel even more deeply the broad implications of this responsibility.
Lynch stopped talking about it. He tilted his head slightly and gestured with his eyes to the several unconscious Death Eaters on the ground, bound by rough ropes.
"This team here," he said in a tone as flat as if he were talking about the weather, "is solved."
Then, he pointed in a direction through the fog: "Over there, about three hundred meters away, there's another team responsible for arson, seven men. They've been subdued, and I've temporarily disguised them as a clump of maidenhair fern bushes. They shouldn't be hard to find."
He looked at Amelia, his meaning clear: "These two achievements are enough for you to establish sufficient prestige in the Ministry of Magic, especially among Fudge and those colleagues who are still observing. Make good use of them to solidify your position. The Head of the Enforcement Division timely 'stopped the Death Eaters' sabotage and successfully apprehended several suspects'—this isn't a bad start."
Amelia immediately understood Lynch's intention.
This is not only "compensation" or "reward" for her personally, but also an important cornerstone for the First Order's internal arrangements within the Ministry of Magic.
She suppressed her complex emotions and prepared to express her sincere gratitude and accept this weighty "gift".
Whoosh—Bang!
Without warning, an extremely bright, pale green light shot into the night sky from somewhere far away from the camp, and then suddenly exploded at a sufficient height!
In an instant, a giant skull pattern outlined by countless emerald stars appeared on the dark night sky.
From the skull's mouth, a hideous venomous snake snaked out, forming an incredibly evil and chilling symbol—the Black Demon Mark!
The green light was so blinding that it cast a bleak and dismal glow on the churning fog, and also projected eerie shadows onto Amelia's suddenly contracting pupils and Lynch's instantly frozen face.
In the distance, after a brief silence, the camp erupted into screams and clamor more panicked and piercing than any previous disturbance.
The fear evoked by the symbolic meaning of the Black Mark far surpasses any concrete destruction.
The sudden turn of events completely interrupted their conversation.
Amelia's words of thanks froze on her lips. She abruptly looked up at the menacing symbol in the sky. Her professional instincts instantly put her on high alert, her fingers already on the wand handle. The director's authority and solemnity replaced the emotions of their previous conversation.
Lin Qi slowly raised his head, gazing at the shimmering green light. In the depths of his dark eyes, beneath the frozen lake surface, there seemed to be even deeper and more unpredictable undercurrents surging.
The ghastly green light of the Black Mark flickered menacingly in the night sky, making the mist seem tinged with an ominous, eerie green.
Lynch withdrew his gaze from the sky and turned it back to Amelia Borns, speaking quickly and clearly: "Deal with this. First, send these guys on the ground to St. Mungo's. Don't let them die; they'll be useful later. Hand over that disguised team over there as soon as possible. As for the rest, you know what to do."
His gaze met Amelia's for the last moment, filled with an unquestionable determination and entrustment.
Amelia nodded quickly, suppressing her shock at the Black Mark and her professional vigilance, and replied in a deep voice, "Understood, Your Excellency. Leave this to me."
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Qi's figure retreated silently, as if swallowed by the thick fog, and disappeared from her sight in an instant, leaving only the slightly moving fog and the unconscious Death Eater.
Meanwhile, near another relatively secluded gathering point in the camp, the Death Eaters who had not yet evacuated or were still causing destruction were also stunned by the sudden appearance of the Dark Mark in the sky.
Suppressed gasps and incredulous whispers came from beneath the mask.
"That's a mark?!"
"Who put this there?! This wasn't in the plan!"
"Merlin—now—"
Panic spread rapidly among them, like ink dripping into clear water.
Their actions tonight are essentially a demonstration, a show of power created by chaos, to prove to the Ministry of Magic and those "Swingers" that the threat of the Death Eaters still exists, thus gaining more breathing room and room to maneuver in an increasingly shrinking living space.
Arson, intimidation, and rioting all fall within the "gray area" or the scope of what can be argued.
But the Black Mark—this symbol is too special and too sensitive!
It points directly to that person, directly to that darkest period of history and the ambition to restore it!
This is tantamount to publicly announcing to the Ministry of Magic and the entire British wizarding world in front of 100,000 wizards, "We're back, and we're ready to play big!"
This is not about fighting for living space; it's a crazy provocation in the face of the Ministry of Magic, a suicidal act of fearing that it won't be listed as a top priority for extermination!
"Who?! Which idiot did this?!" A hoarse, angry voice roared out. It was Old Nott, one of the apparent commanders of this operation.
He was trembling with rage, his eyes beneath the mask bulging bloodshot.
The plan has been completely disrupted!
The moment this marker appeared, its nature completely changed!
The room for maneuver will be greatly reduced!
The Ministry of Magic's response will no longer be to quell the riots, but rather to carry out a full-scale crackdown and manhunt!
They all became sitting ducks!
Once captured, Azkaban will be his only refuge!
Just as Old Nott was furious and the other Death Eaters were panicking and at a loss, Lucius, who had just arrived, seized the opportunity.
"Nott!" A deliberately low but undeniably urgent voice rang out. Lucius approached old Nott, his mask still on, but the haste and warning in his voice were clearly discernible. "Never mind who did it! The mark has been placed, and the Aurora and the main force of the strikers will pounce like hounds smelling blood! If we don't leave now, we really won't be able to leave!"
Old Nott turned sharply to look at Lucius, his anger still burning, but his survival instinct and assessment of the situation instantly brought him to his senses.
Lucius is right, now is not the time to investigate, escaping is the priority!
"Retreat! Immediately! Follow the backup plan, disperse!" Old Nott roared hoarsely, making a decisive decision. At the same time, he was the first to turn around, wave his wand, and his figure began to distort, preparing to forcibly use Apparition.
The Death Eaters around them snapped out of their daze and no longer cared about continuing to cause destruction or searching for the "idiot" who had left the mark carelessly. The will to survive overwhelmed everything.
They followed suit, either forcibly using Apparition or taking advantage of the darkness and the not-yet-completely-dissipated fog to flee in panic toward the areas outside the camp that had been pre-surveyed and where the anti-Apparition spells were relatively weak, creating a chaotic scene.
Lucius watched his "comrades" scatter like birds in an instant, a cold smile curving his lips beneath the mask.
He didn't leave immediately, but turned back one last time to look at the slowly dissipating, yet deeply imprinted, green skull and snake in the night sky, a sight etched in the fear of countless people.
His eyes held a complex and unreadable expression, revealing worry about the situation spiraling out of control, apprehension about the audacious or perhaps malicious person who released the marker, and a subtle uncertainty about the future.
But these emotions were quickly suppressed.
He had completed the task assigned by the hangman to "notify the evacuation," and now he had to evacuate for his own safety and that of his family.
Without further hesitation, Lucius Malfoy raised his wand, his figure blurred, and with a slight popping sound, he vanished from the spot, leaving only the increasingly close shouts of the Aurors and the sound of boots pounding on the muddy ground in the distance of the camp.
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