Chapter 2473 Alternate Executioner

As if going back in time, the tragedy six years ago is now happening again in front of Sir Custis's hospital bed.

Qiao An asked herself, didn't she have a better choice, had to relive the nightmare, had to stain her hands with the blood of relatives and friends again?

If he accepts Sir Custis' commission and gains benefits by personally killing the dying old man—even if he just assists him in committing suicide—Joann will not be able to convince himself that people are an end rather than a means.

In any case, life is not about addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Qiao An can never agree to calculate the value of life from the perspective of utilitarianism, otherwise, "killing one innocent person to save a hundred people" becomes a virtue, and a person like him with both congenital deformities and acquired disabilities does not deserve to live in a In a world where utility comes first.

"Two two makes four" is no longer life, but the beginning of death.

In an instant, the fierce confrontation in Joan's mind seemed to have lasted for a century. Finally, he looked at Sir Custis and shook his head resolutely.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I can't accept your suggestion. Although it is in my best interest to do so, I can't get past the hurdle in my heart after all."

"My lord, I am ashamed to disappoint you... Please don't feel sorry for my stupidity and stubbornness, because I am probably more stupid and stubborn than you think."

"I will always be by your side until your soul returns to the Kingdom of God and the holy beast breaks out, and then I will use my own method to destroy the monster and help you eliminate the hidden danger behind you."

Sir Custis listened to him silently, with a helpless wry smile on his face.

"Son, you are asking for trouble. Do you know how dangerous it is? You are not afraid of taking your own life because of it. You are still so young and have a bright future... Is it really worth taking such a risk?" ?”

"It's worth it." Joan held the old man's palm with his right hand, and pressed his heart with his left hand, with a solemn expression and an extremely firm tone.

"I have my own bottom line of being a human being. If I break through that bottom line, I can no longer be called a human being, but a monster that has lost its humanity."

"Are you asking me if I'm afraid? To tell you the truth, I'm not even afraid of living. How could I be afraid of death?"

Sir Custis heard countless bitterness and endless grief and anger from the young man's rhetorical question. He was speechless for a moment, and the faint brilliance in his eyes gradually dimmed.

The silence lasted for a long time, and the old man finally spoke.

"I'm sorry, kid, it's not that I don't trust you, but I really can't let you take that risk. I've already failed your parents and grandfather, and I can't let you get hurt no matter what."

Sighing, Ser Custis looked up at the bedroom door and muttered to himself.

"At this point, I can only adopt that backup plan... My time is running out, the last guest tonight... I hope he can come in time."

Joan took out his pocket watch and looked at it. The hour hand was close to midnight. It was already so late, would there be any guests at Custis's house?

What exactly does the "backup plan" Sir Alex mentioned just now mean?

These questions appeared alternately in his mind, and he was hesitating whether to ask Sir Custis face to face, when footsteps came from outside the bedroom door, followed by a knock on the door.

"Father, there is a guest visiting. He said that he came here specially at your invitation." Rebecca's voice came from outside the door, with a hint of doubt.

A look of relief appeared on Sir Custis's face, and he nodded weakly at Joan, signaling him to invite the guest into the house.

Joan opened the door, and the first thing she saw was Rebecca holding a candlestick, and behind the girl, a man in a cloak hid himself in the shadows.

Although he couldn't see the face under the hood of the cloak clearly, Joan recognized the identity of the midnight visitor at a glance, and couldn't help but exclaimed.

"Mentor! Why are you here?"

The man on the opposite side didn't make a sound, and took off his hood with his backhand, revealing a handsome face. It really was Professor Moriarty.

"Mentor, you..."

Once again, the professor ignored his students, walked into the room, passed Joan, walked towards Sir Custis's hospital bed, and bowed slightly to the old man.

Joan turned around in a hurry, following the mentor's back, and suddenly felt that the other party became very strange.

He vaguely found out that the tutor was in a bad mood and seemed to be angry with himself, but he couldn't figure out what he did wrong to make the tutor unhappy.

Looking back on the six years he spent with Professor Moriarty, Joan seldom saw his instructor get angry. Even if he lost his temper occasionally, it was not aimed at himself. He treated the students like a loving father, and sometimes like a considerate brother. He had never been so indifferent like this moment, and these abnormal signs further deepened Joan's anxiety.

Rebecca also seemed to be aware of the abnormal atmosphere in the room. She hesitated for a long time at the door with a candlestick in her hand, and finally summoned up the courage to wave to Joan, signaling him to come over.

"Ask your father for me, can you let me stay in the house?"

Joan reluctantly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his heart, returned to the hospital bed, and conveyed Rebecca's request.

Sir Custis thought for a moment, as if he couldn't bear to refuse his little daughter, he nodded reluctantly.

Rebecca stood on tiptoe, looked over Joan's shoulder, saw her father nodding, breathed a sigh of relief, hurried into the room, closed the door behind her back, put the candlestick on the tea table beside the hospital bed, and gave Professor Moriarty Bring a chair and politely ask the guest to sit down.

"Thank you, Miss Custis, I hope you won't hate me later." Professor Moriarty said lightly.

Rebecca froze for a moment, her face full of confusion, not understanding what it meant. It took a while to come back to his senses, and he turned his head to Qiao An with an inquiring look.

Joan vaguely guessed the reason for the mentor's visit, but he still had a little fantasy. He would rather guess wrong, so he shook his head slightly at Rebecca, unable to bear to tell her his cruel guess.

"You came……"

Ser Custis greeted Professor Moriarty weakly.

"I am coming."

Mr. Professor looked at the watch.

"I met Josephine on the road. That shrewd woman seemed to have a premonition and tried to prevent me from coming to the appointment. Fortunately, she didn't delay me too long."

"Thank you for your hard work..." His eyes were mixed with gratitude and guilt, "After I die...Joan and Rebecca...please take care of me."

"It's my job, it's my duty." Professor Moriarty replied calmly.

"I don't have much time... Let's start now." The voice of the Sir was so weak that it was almost inaudible.

Professor Moriarty nodded expressionlessly, opened the storage bag, and took out a gemstone that exudes strong negative energy...

Joan approached with curiosity and looked at it, only to realize that what the instructor held in his hand was actually a black agate.