Chapter 302 — The Farmer and the Power Thief (IX)
The parchment was yellowed with age, its surface completely blank.
To ordinary eyes, it looked like nothing—but for clergy with awakened "Sight," or those of higher rank, the contract's clauses could be revealed through holy power.
Gideon had already read them.
In essence, as long as neither party deliberately concealed anything, the terms ensured a relatively fair balance.
Though it once belonged to a demon, the parchment itself originated from an "unknown space." Once both parties signed their names, the agreement would bind them at the level of rules—inescapable to humans, gods, or demons alike.
Freddy stared at the parchment for a long time. With his strength, he could clearly sense its extraordinary nature.
After some thought, he nodded.
Gideon smiled faintly and took out a pen.
Olivia stood frozen, stunned.
"He even prepared for signing contracts in advance…?"
She had thought she was already well-prepared for anything—but today, her understanding had been shattered again.
What shocked her even more was this—
A Scavenger… had actually agreed.
By the time she snapped out of it, the parchment was already filled with dense writing.
"Party A: Gideon, priest of the West District Community Church, professor at Dey Theological Institute, proprietor of the House of Repose on Dey Commercial Street… hereafter referred to as Party A."
"Party B: Freddy Krueger, perpetrator of the Jackman High horror incident, kidnapper of Elm Street, creator of dreams… hereafter referred to as Party B."
Just listing titles alone took up a considerable amount of space.
This was to ensure identity uniqueness—preventing loopholes like "another version of me in a parallel world" that Freddy might exploit.
"…Until Party A is completely in a safe and comfortable environment, Party B must ensure Party A's body remains intact, mental state stable, and soul uncorrupted…"
"…Party B may not harm Party A, nor anyone important to Party A, including but not limited to friends, family, or captives…"
Freddy held the contract in silence for a long time.
Olivia, gathering her courage, leaned in to read it—but after finishing, she gave Gideon a long, strange look.
"Well then, Mr. Freddy—if you have no objections, we can sign now," Gideon said calmly.
"…Ah."
Freddy let out a low growl and slowly raised his head. "These terms… make me your slave."
There was clear dissatisfaction in his tone.
"That's not quite right." Gideon snapped his fingers.
"This is what I'd call a compensatory balancing measure. Your physical strength is clearly superior to mine, so the terms must offset that disparity. Otherwise, the contract wouldn't be fair."
"If I were in your position, I'd impose similar restrictions on myself."
Freddy and Olivia both wore expressions of vague confusion.
Neither fully understood what "compensatory balancing" meant—but instinctively, it sounded… reasonable.
Gideon didn't bother explaining further. He had just made that term up moments ago anyway.
"…How do I know you won't break the agreement?" Freddy asked hesitantly.
"Mr. Freddy, we're both trapped here. We both want freedom. Betraying you gains me nothing," Gideon replied.
"Besides… you're not the only Scavenger here. If you refuse, I can always find another."
Since Freddy had been dragged here unwillingly, it was likely the others were the same.
As expected, Freddy fell silent.
After a moment, he took the pen and signed his name.
Gideon followed suit.
At once, both felt a subtle connection form between them—something rooted deep within the soul, beyond ordinary comprehension.
"Here's your item." After confirming the contract, Gideon tossed the glove.
Freddy caught it and slipped it onto his hand.
Instantly, thick mist surged from his body.
It wrapped around his joints like puppet strings, making him resemble a marionette.
But as the glove returned to its owner, the mist rapidly dissipated. Even the dagger he had been holding dissolved into white smoke.
"…I remember now." Freddy clutched his head again.
Olivia hid behind Gideon, gripping his arm tightly.
Gideon, however, remained calm.
"Human… to think I would be saved by you." Freddy's eyes cleared completely, studying him with intrigue.
"Let's skip the pointless probing." Gideon waved the parchment. "We've got work to do."
"…Hah." Freddy turned his head aside, muttering, "You really don't take care of things properly."
He began wiping the blades of his glove with his sweater.
The next second—
His sweater was abruptly lifted.
"You bastard! What are you doing?!"
He recoiled in shock as hands rummaged over him.
Olivia covered her eyes—but peeked through her fingers.
They… seem to know each other really well. What kind of relationship is this…?
"Stand still," Gideon said, patting Freddy's back.
Freddy clenched his bladed glove, itching to crush his skull—but the contract's power restrained him.
A moment later—
"Just as I thought."
Gideon pulled a glass vial from Freddy's pocket. Inside was a golden liquid.
"That's—!" Olivia gasped.
"Hundred-year holy water." Gideon explained how Scavengers could carry hidden relics.
"So it was hidden like this…" Olivia realized the malicious design behind it—and grew even more impressed by Gideon's daring.
"Hey, keep that away from me," Freddy said warily.
"Relax, I won't waste it on you," Gideon replied casually, eyes gleaming.
"…Waste?" Freddy didn't appreciate that wording.
"So, should we go to the generator now?" Olivia asked eagerly. "If we light it, we can regain our powers."
But Gideon shook his head.
Before, generators were urgent because of the Scavengers.
Now?
One of them had become an ally.
Leaving wasn't so urgent anymore.
"Let's find the other Scavenger first." He looked at Freddy. "You should know where it is."
Freddy nodded. "I can sense the evil in others like me."
The word "others" clearly annoyed him.
"Then lead the way." Gideon patted his shoulder casually, as if they were old acquaintances.
Meanwhile—
Second floor, chemistry lab.
Heavy footsteps echoed in the dark hallway. A red glow flickered past the doorway.
Several people crouched silently by the wall.
After the glow passed again, Rudolph glanced at the others.
Bettice met his eyes briefly before looking away.
Caroline clung to Bettice' arm.
Hugh kept his head lowered.
Their clothes were now tattered. Red marks covered Caroline's arms.
After a moment, Rudolph signaled.
One of his men crept to the door and peeked outside.
Though the heartbeat was intense, no figure could be seen.
He shook his head.
Rudolph exhaled in relief—
But the next instant, a black shadow appeared.
A petal-like maw enveloped the man's head.
His headless body collapsed to the floor.
Without hesitation, Rudolph grabbed Caroline and ran for the other exit.
His remaining two subordinates followed.
Hugh and Bettice trailed behind.
The chemistry lab had two exits—and a hole in one of the walls.
They passed the only "safe terrain" in the room—a wooden pallet.
As Bettice approached, Rudolph suddenly blocked her.
"What are you doing?!"
Behind her, the victim's soul was already rising toward the ceiling. The Scavenger had turned its attention toward them.
"Miss Bettice," Rudolph said coldly, "it's time for you to prove your worth."
Her heart sank.
She forced herself to stay calm. "We need manpower to find relics. I can—"
Slap!
A sharp sound echoed.
A red mark appeared on her face.
"You think you're clever, huh?" Rudolph sneered.
Bettice glared at him, her fists trembling.
Rudolph didn't care. Instead, he shoved down the wooden pallet—cutting off her last chance to maneuver.
"Thank you for your sacrifice," he said with a faint smile.
"Bettice!" Caroline cried, eyes wet.
She struggled desperately but couldn't break free.
Hugh lifted his foot slightly—then froze.
Medici heir.
The weight of that identity pressed down on him.
In the end, he lowered his head.
"…Why don't you sacrifice yourself instead?"
A sudden voice echoed through the room.
Everyone turned.
A black-robed priest leaned against the doorway.
Bettice and Caroline's eyes lit up instantly.
Hugh also felt a quiet wave of relief.
Even without doing anything, Gideon's mere presence gave them an inexplicable sense of safety.
"Who are you?" Rudolph narrowed his eyes.
"You trade others' lives for your own survival. If you can do that… then you must be prepared to face the same fate, right?" Gideon said calmly.
"Hmph. You should worry about yourself," Rudolph sneered. "Your arrival just saves me some trouble."
He glanced behind Gideon.
"Wang! Watch out!" Caroline shouted.
The pursuing Scavenger had already entered the room—watching them like prey.
And behind Gideon—
Another red glow appeared.
Two Scavengers had converged.
Rudolph's eyelids twitched. He instinctively stepped back.
"I didn't say you could leave," Gideon continued, as if the danger meant nothing.
Rudolph narrowed his eyes.
Does he have some powerful token?
Forget it—better leave first.
"If you want to die, I won't stop you."
He turned to escape—
Only to find a nun blocking the exit.
At the same time, the second red glow swept past Gideon—heading straight toward Rudolph and his group.
"Damn it! Move! Do you want to die?!"
Rudolph couldn't understand why the Scavenger ignored Gideon—but he had no time to think.
Olivia stood firm, her expression cold.
"Don't worry," she said quietly. "You're not getting away. I'll hold you here with everything I've got."
Because of long-term defensive training, her body was far stronger than that of ordinary clergy.
"Stupid bitch!" Rudolph cursed, releasing Caroline as he reached into his bag for a seal.
But that brief delay was enough for Freddy Krueger to arrive at his side.
Everyone around held their breath.
"Heh heh heh… You can run—but there's nowhere to hide." Freddy raised his bladed glove, reciting his signature line.
"No—NO!" Rudolph's eyes split wide in terror.
He tried to activate the seal, but his wrist was suddenly clamped by the leather-gloved hand.
Clack.
The seal fell to the ground.
"Ah—!" Rudolph threw his hands over his head—but the pain he expected never came.
Slowly, he lowered his arms, confusion filling his face.
"You humans are quite amusing," Freddy sneered. "Utterly ruthless toward your own kind—but when it's your turn, you look this pathetic."
"I should correct you," Gideon said as he walked over. "Before you died, you were human too. And you were killed just as brutally by your own kind."
"Hmph." Freddy turned his head away.
Clearly, arguing wasn't his strong suit compared to Gideon.
Meanwhile, aside from Olivia, everyone—including Rudolph—stared in shock.
"Gideon… you're working together?" Caroline blurted out.
"The Scavenger… spoke? How is that possible?!" Rudolph's mind reeled, his gaze darting back and forth between the two—so stunned he forgot the pain in his wrist.
Bettice frowned deeply. "What… exactly did you do?"
Hugh looked equally shaken. "Has he been corrupted by something evil?"
The idea sounded disturbingly plausible.
All eyes turned to Gideon.
"Relax," Gideon said, casually patting Freddy's back.
"I've reached a partnership with this gentleman. From here on, he'll be protecting us. Sister Olivia can confirm that."
"That's right," Olivia said with a shrug. "When I first heard it, I was just as shocked as you."
Even with her testimony, the situation still defied comprehension.
But Rudolph reacted quickly.
In a place like this, having a Scavenger's protection meant an overwhelming advantage.
His expression shifted instantly into a flattering smile.
"Gideon… Bishop?" he said, deliberately using a higher title.
"Maybe there's been some misunderstanding? We're all trapped here—we should help each other, don't you think?"
Seeing his fawning demeanor, Caroline immediately snapped, "Don't trust him! He's harmed countless innocent people—he's rotten to the core!"
Bettice added coldly, "He was just about to use me as bait."
Only then did everyone remember—
There was still another Scavenger present.
It lingered nearby, yet made no move to attack.
"…Could it be?"
All eyes turned back to Gideon.
But his expression revealed nothing.
In truth, Gideon didn't possess that kind of influence. The second Scavenger wasn't attacking because Freddy had already communicated with it—
This one is mine.
These creatures had their own way of understanding each other.
As it happened, the other Scavenger was someone Gideon had encountered before—
Or rather, one of its kind.
A creature he had once seen in the Upside Down of Hawkins… the Demogorgon.
"Mr. Gideon! I'll become your servant! I'll obey everything you say!" Rudolph finally broke down.
Anyone who could command multiple Scavengers was no different from a monster.
"Miss Bettice—I apologize for what I did earlier! I'll kneel and beg forgiveness right now!" he cried, trying to drop to his knees—but Freddy's grip held him firmly in place.
Desperate, he pushed further.
"I'll give you all the relics I have! Everything! Just let me join you—no, just let me leave!"
A deep unease had already begun to take root in his heart.
Watching his pathetic display, Caroline and Bettice both looked at him with undisguised contempt.
"I… I still have a century-old relic! I'll give that too! Please!" His voice trembled as panic overtook him.
"Sir," Gideon finally spoke, his tone calm, "if you knew it would come to this… why act that way in the first place?"
At those words, despair flooded Rudolph's face. His entire body seemed to deflate.
Beside him, Caroline, Bettice, and Hugh felt a quiet, satisfying sense of justice being served.
At the same time, a heavy drowsiness crept over Rudolph.
His arms slackened, hanging limply at his sides…
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