Category: Dear, it’s time for your medicine!

Just to add a note:

小西娜 (xiǎo xī nà) is a nickname that has been used since previous chapters. While it can be translated to ‘Little(Xiao) Athena(xina)’, the character ‘西娜’ (xī nà) can also be translated literary as ‘Tina’ or ‘Thena’.

Chapter 204: Lord Jie Luo, Love Me! (Part 4)

Pain?

Ronald must be in a lot of pain right now.

Lomond looked at the surrounding brutes, a sinister smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with malice. After all, Demon Beasts were crude, and there were even a few huge, hairy gorillas among them…

Ronald’s head hung low, his once smooth and elegant hair now dirty and matted, his magnificent clothes torn and tattered, a foul stench emanating from his body.

A few dark green goblins were scrubbing him with water and brushes, their movements rough, leaving bloody scratches on Ronald’s delicate skin.

The Goblin Chieftain grinned, his voice raspy and malicious, “Your Highness, as you know, the members of the Hero Squad are quite famous among us Demon Beasts.”

“And Ronald is the one who looks down on us the most. Countless Demon Beasts have died at his hands. Once word gets out, countless others will want to see how pathetic and miserable this once arrogant member of the Hero Squad has become.”

“There’s nothing more exciting for a Demon Beast than seeing such a high and mighty figure fall into the abyss… It’s truly a magnificent sight.”

“And many Demon Beasts want to… experience this Noble Gentleman personally.”

“The queue has already stretched to seven days later.”

“Those Demon Beasts are willing to pay a hefty price for this precious opportunity to personally… handle a member of the Hero Squad.”

For Demon Beasts, seeing the once high and mighty, the one who had slaughtered so many of their brethren, fall from grace, was indeed a great pleasure. Even those whose friends and family hadn’t been killed by Ronald wanted to come and witness his downfall.

Some Demon Beasts, lacking funds, even asked how much it would cost to just punch him once.

The more miserable Ronald was, the happier the Demon Beasts became.

As for Ronald, his dignity, his pride, everything he held dear, had been stripped away. He wished Lomond had just killed him outright, sparing him this endless humiliation and torture.

If there was a hell, he was currently in its deepest depths.

“Your Highness, in just these few days, Ronald has already earned you thirty million in income,” the Goblin Chieftain said excitedly.

Actually, it was sixty million… The Goblin Chieftain had pocketed a small… commission.

Thinking that he would have to hand over Ronald to that mysterious person in three days, and such a valuable source of income would be gone, Lomond felt a pang of regret.

However, the help of that mysterious person was more important.

So he suppressed his desire to keep this cash cow and instructed, “Goblin, cancel all the appointments for the next three days.”

The Goblin Chieftain was shocked, “Your Highness, why? That’s a lot of money…”

“Just do as I say!” Lomond’s voice was filled with authority. He wouldn’t allow his subordinates to question his decisions.

The Goblin Chieftain’s body trembled instinctively, and he didn’t dare to say anything more.

“And no matter what, make sure Ronald stays alive. Don’t let him die so quickly, understand?” Lomond said again.

“Your Highness, we’ve made ample preparations. We have healers standing by. Ronald definitely won’t die.”

Satisfied with the Goblin Chieftain’s assurance, Lomond left.

…

Meanwhile, at the Demon King’s Palace.

The slender Demon King was still shut away in his laboratory.

Before him were various purified and refined magic elements, ores, and herbs.

A strange, nauseating smell permeated the air.

Residue and broken glass bottles were scattered on the floor. Undoubtedly, his latest experiment had failed again, and a look of anger appeared on the Demon King’s face, his dark red eyes flickering.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he roared, “Damn it! I’ve given you control of my body for long enough, yet you still haven’t produced any results!”

“I have reason to believe you’re toying with me.”

“Shut up…” His voice suddenly lowered, “It’s almost done, very soon, just one more step… the final step!”

Then, his voice softened, filled with a strange persuasion, “There are no secrets between us. We know each other’s secrets, don’t we? Whether I’m toying with you or not, you should know best!”

“We both know the truth of this world. Just be patient a little longer, and we will soon be free.”

…

Meanwhile.

Inside the tent.

After finishing his communication with Candice, Qin Chu began to think about Athena outside.

She was a problem.

Athena’s recent behavior had been very strange, hot and cold. Sometimes, Qin Chu could sense her desire, but at other times, he could see hesitation in her eyes, as if she was worried about something, suspecting something.

This made him wonder if there was a flaw in his performance.

Or could it be because he hadn’t let the non-existent Jie Luo appear before Athena recently, which aroused her suspicion?

Should he let Jie Luo appear again, to reinforce his control over Athena?

Outside the tent, Athena was pacing back and forth.

Ever since her conversation with Anthony, she had been filled with a deep fear. She couldn’t face Qin Chu. Just seeing his face would inevitably make her suspicious.

Anthony had said that the amount of memory and soul a single soul fragment could contain was very limited.

But why did that Jie Luo seem to know everything about her?

Now that she thought about it, it was indeed very strange!

Just a few inconsistencies were enough to make her doubt her previous judgment.

She was afraid that if all of this was Qin Chu’s scheme… that he had found Lord Jie Luo’s soul fragment, absorbed the memories within, and then learned about Lord Jie Luo from various records and other people’s accounts, setting up this trap just to get his hands on her and Ekaterina’s bodies…

Just thinking about this possibility made Athena shudder.

Their pure bodies had already been defiled by that bastard Qin Chu. If this was really the case, Athena would definitely break down.

What frightened her even more was that if this was true, then it meant that Lord Jie Luo’s remnant soul might have already been absorbed, or even shattered, by Qin Chu. In that case, Lord Jie Luo would never be resurrected.

But even if Qin Chu could know what Lord Jie Luo had experienced, could he really imitate that warm and reassuring aura?

She was both suspicious and denying her own suspicions.

Athena was caught in a deep conflict.

She wanted to be alone with Qin Chu, preferably to see Jie Luo again, to confirm her judgment, but she hesitated out of fear.

Hmm… Ungh!

At this moment, a pained groan came from inside the tent. The person inside seemed to be in great discomfort.

Athena perked up. She remembered the only time she had seen Jie Luo. She bit her lower lip, then lifted the curtain and entered, setting up a magic barrier to block all sound and sight.

As soon as she entered, she saw Qin Chu lying on the ground, his body convulsing violently.

He was drenched in sweat, his face pale, his body seemingly in great pain.

Athena instinctively wanted to rush over, but she stopped.

She watched as Qin Chu’s aura shifted, that gentle and reassuring feeling washing over her once again.

After a long while, Qin Chu’s convulsions gradually subsided, and he opened his eyes, his gaze completely different now: gentle, warm, and tender…

He looked at Athena, a soft smile on his face.

“Little Athena, we meet again.”

The familiar feeling almost made Athena lose control and throw herself into Lord Jie Luo’s arms.

But she held back.

She just swayed her graceful body and leaned against him, saying in a seemingly coquettish and blaming tone, “Are you really Lord Jie Luo?”

Athena used her feminine charm to launch a seemingly unintentional, direct attack.

Qin Chu’s heart trembled. As expected, this woman had become suspicious.

Should he just kill her here and now?

No, that would cause a series of problems, something the current Qin Chu didn’t want to see. If it came to that, he could just put a thread of the Evil God into Athena’s body and guide her towards corruption.

Then, like purifying Karsus, he could purify Athena, and it would be perfectly justifiable.

Evil thoughts swirled in Qin Chu’s mind, but his expression remained gentle, “Little Athena, why would you ask that?”

His fingers stroked her soft hair.

“It’s nothing, it’s just… seeing you again feels like a dream, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s just my imagination.”

After a pause, Athena said casually, “By the way, Lord Jie Luo, do you remember when we first met?”

This damned woman, she was testing him.

Qin Chu’s knowledge of what had happened between Athena and Jie Luo was limited to Loseweisse’s diary.

And when Jie Luo saved Athena, Loseweisse wasn’t there… So it wasn’t recorded in the diary.

Qin Chu’s face froze.

He didn’t know how to answer. He couldn’t just make something up. The probability of guessing the correct answer was as low as winning the lottery, it was non-existent.

Athena could feel his heart racing, his body stiffening.

Her hands clenched.

After a long while, Qin Chu scratched his head, his face filled with a troubled and apologetic expression, “Little Athena, I’m sorry, I… I don’t remember.”

As soon as he said this, Athena’s body relaxed.

Qin Chu didn’t know everything…

However, this alone wasn’t enough to reassure her. After all, not many people knew about their first meeting. Even if Qin Chu wanted to inquire about it, it would be difficult. It was normal for him not to know.

She gave him a reproachful look, seemingly dissatisfied that he had forgotten such an important matter, “Then do you remember when we faced the attack of two of the Four Heavenly Kings? I lacked combat experience at that time and almost died. It was you who appeared in time and saved me…”

“You know, at that moment, I realized that I could never leave you.”

“Is… is that so?” Qin Chu said awkwardly. He couldn’t say he remembered. If Athena asked him what he had said at that time, and he couldn’t answer, wouldn’t he be exposed?

“Little Athena, I’m truly sorry, I don’t remember that either. My memory has only partially recovered. I’ve forgotten most things, and I can only vaguely remember a few things that are very important to me.”

“I’m sorry I can’t meet your expectations.”

Now, Qin Chu could only blame his amnesia for all the questions he couldn’t answer.

He also knew that such a flimsy excuse was difficult to use against a smart woman like Athena, and he desperately racked his brains for a better lie.

But to his surprise, Athena’s face lit up, her eyes filled with joy.

Her expression puzzled Qin Chu. What was going on?

She was actually happy that he couldn’t remember what they had experienced together?

Was there something wrong with this woman?

Athena’s body trembled slightly with excitement, “Then do you remember the time you went swimming in the river with Benson and were seen by a group of noble ladies, and your clothes were stolen…?”

Although he didn’t know why, since Athena was so happy, he might as well try this path?

Qin Chu tilted his head, “Sorry, I don’t remember…”

“Then do you remember…”

“Sorry, I don’t remember…”

“Then do you know about Sylph confessing to you?”

“Ah, I have a vague impression of that. I seem to have rejected her…”

How many questions did Athena have? Could she stop asking? Qin Chu was really worried that he would be exposed.

He answered “I don’t know” to most of her questions because he genuinely didn’t know. But he felt that it wasn’t right to not remember anything, so he gave affirmative answers to a few questions.

And Athena’s cheeks became redder and redder with excitement, her eyes filling with tears.

Only one soul fragment, most things forgotten, only a few vague memories remaining…

This was exactly what Master Anthony had said.

As expected, this was truly Jie Luo.

She had actually doubted him, how could she?

Athena couldn’t hold back her excitement anymore. She threw herself into Qin Chu’s arms, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him passionately.

After the almost suffocating kiss ended, Athena whispered in his ear:

“Lord Jie Luo, love me!”

This… This wasn’t right, was it?

Chapter 203: Something’s Off With Athena Lately (Part 3)

Obey him, protect him, follow his will!

Obey him, protect him, follow his will…

Saintess Inas’s gaze became increasingly vacant and dull.

Her eyes were like those of a corpse, devoid of light.

A strange, eerie voice echoed in her ears, in the depths of her mind, like a brand, deepening the mark upon her soul.

Her own aura seemed to vanish completely.

She became like a beautiful, lifeless puppet.

After about a minute, Saint Son O’Niens’s long journey finally ended.

He snapped the neck of the fawning nun beneath him, tidied his clothes, and a twisted smile appeared on his face.

What a shameless woman, he thought, she actually said he was better than other men!

Several nuns had mysteriously disappeared from the Earth Knights in recent days. The Church of the Earth Mother Goddess claimed they had simply returned to the Imperial City, unable to bear the hardships of the wilderness.

Now, the truth was revealed.

These nuns had been killed by O’Niens, their bodies stored in his spatial ring.

Athena and Sylph, clearly shocked, hadn’t expected this.

A spark ignited in Inas’s eyes.

Obey him, protect him, follow his will.

Protect him!

What O’Niens had done absolutely couldn’t be exposed. A Saint Son consorting with nuns, and then murdering them…

If this were revealed, he would not only lose his position but also face severe punishment.

Inas silently lunged towards Qin Chu, her right hand outstretched, her fingers spread, her nails suddenly extending into sharp claws.

Like a musician playing a harp, her fingers swept towards Qin Chu’s back.

Inas was nominally a mage, practicing the traditional Earth magic of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess.

But she had also cultivated the Battle Qi passed down for thousands of years within the Church, even earning a title and becoming an Earth Knight.

Her strength was greater than she appeared.

Qin Chu, Sylph, and Athena had witnessed the Saint Son’s actions. They couldn’t be allowed to live.

Just as Inas’s fingers were about to touch Qin Chu’s back, her sharp claws tore through the air with a hissing sound.

It seemed that Qin Chu’s heart would be ripped out in the next second.

Athena and Sylph finally snapped out of their shock. O’Niens’s actions had been so horrifying that they had been completely captivated, forgetting about Inas beside them.

Now, even if they saw it, it was too late to stop her. They could only watch helplessly as her sharp claws got closer and closer to Qin Chu’s back…

Bang…

Just as Qin Chu was about to be eviscerated, a dark red light flashed on his back.

Inas’s attack was blocked just inches away.

It was Anthea.

Sylph and Athena might be distracted, but Anthea never was.

In her mind, Qin Chu’s safety was always the top priority. After all, there was no place more comfortable for her than his body.

But Anthea was also very careful. She only blocked Inas’s attack, her presence remaining hidden.

Sylph, Athena, and even Inas all thought that it was Qin Chu’s own instinctive reaction. No one noticed Anthea.

The three women looked at Qin Chu in surprise. They hadn’t expected him to be so strong, able to easily intercept such a swift attack.

The force of the impact sent a flush to Inas’s face, her chest heaving. Her right arm went numb, and she stumbled backwards, barely managing to regain her balance.

Her eyes narrowed, a hint of madness flickering within them.

Sylph and Athena, snapping out of their shock, were also ready to attack… Qin Chu was very important to both of them.

In Athena’s eyes, he housed Jie Luo’s remnant soul.

In Sylph’s eyes, he was her only savior.

Neither would allow him to be harmed.

Qin Chu placed his hands on their shoulders.

He smiled and shook his head, then looked at Inas, who was crouching slightly like a leopard, “Saintess, that wasn’t very honorable, attacking me like that.”

His voice was calm, without a hint of anger or tension.

It was as if two old friends were casually chatting.

Inas tensed, her fingers curled into claws, her lips pursed. Her heart pounded.

The Second Hero was stronger than she had imagined. And with Sylph and Athena here, she was definitely no match for them. Could it be that she couldn’t protect O’Niens?

“Don’t worry, I don’t intend to spread the word about what happened here…”

“Please believe me, I only suspect that O’Niens has been corrupted by a sinister power. If you don’t think so, Miss Inas, I don’t mind. After all, it’s the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess who will suffer the consequences, not me.”

“I’ll just treat O’Niens as a good test subject and observe his condition along the way.”

Inas’s gaze was still fierce. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because you have no other choice. Or do you really want to fight me here and now?” Qin Chu shook his head, “Miss Inas, you don’t want to do that, trust me.”

“Huh? What are you doing here?” At this moment, O’Niens, sensing something, floated up into the air.

He found this combination of Qin Chu, Inas, Sylph, and Athena very strange. Then, as if he suddenly realized something, he rushed towards Qin Chu with a ferocious expression, about to grab him by the collar, but Sylph blocked his way.

O’Niens was forced to stop abruptly.

Both Sylph and Ekaterina terrified O’Niens. He could only stand there, pointing at Qin Chu and roaring angrily, “Damn it! Did you ignore my warning?”

“I warned you, stay away from Inas…”

“Inas is mine!”

Qin Chu shrugged lazily, “My dear Saint Son, you’re overthinking it. I just wanted to invite you to a small banquet I’m hosting.”

“It would be my honor if the noble Saint Son could attend my banquet.”

O’Niens’s face twitched. This damned guy didn’t even flinch when he lied. He had finished his gathering with those women and only then came to invite him?

“If I remember correctly, your gathering has already ended,” O’Niens said with a gloomy face.

Qin Chu didn’t even bat an eye. “The second round. You know, it will be a purely masculine gathering.”

O’Niens’s lips twitched. A purely masculine gathering?

“Not interested.”

“That’s a pity. In that case, I’ll take my leave.”

Qin Chu bowed gracefully to Inas and O’Niens and turned to leave. Faintly, he could still hear O’Niens’s curses behind him.

This guy seemed to be less and less concerned about decorum.

After returning to his tent, Qin Chu was alone, Shaye perched on his shoulder, unseen by ordinary people.

“How do you feel?” Shaye asked.

“Slaughter, desire… these are human instincts. Everyone has impulses they don’t want others to see, a dark side. It seems that the effect of that thread is to amplify this dark side without limit.”

“That’s why this usually self-disciplined Saint Son is acting so impulsively.”

“It’s precisely because of the amplification of his dark side that O’Niens is pursuing women he would normally disdain, and then killing them mercilessly afterwards to prevent his actions from being exposed.”

Qin Chu’s own dark side was revenge… So when he touched the thread with his consciousness, he felt a strong urge for violence, slaughter, and destruction.

“O’Niens has already started to change. It’s certain that his complete transformation is inevitable, but it might take a long time.”

Shaye tilted her head, smiling like a little devil, “Then what are you going to do? You still have one thread. Are you going to put it into O’Niens’s body too?”

“If I have the chance, I really want to see what the effect of two threads would be.”

“But there’s no rush. I’m more interested in Sylph’s situation.”

“Just one thread has already caused such a rapid change in O’Niens. Why can Sylph, with twenty-six threads in her body, still maintain her sanity?”

“I don’t think Sylph has the ability or the willpower to resist the corruption.”

“This is indeed suspicious. Perhaps there’s something special about Sylph’s body, something we don’t know, that allows her to suppress the corruption?”

“Or conversely, could the true purpose of these threads be to suppress Sylph’s special qualities?”

Shaye proposed several hypotheses, each one seemingly plausible.

The only way to find out the truth was to extract all those threads from Sylph’s body one by one. This wouldn’t be easy, it would be a long process.

Qin Chu suddenly realized that the threads within Sylph were actually very sharp weapons, weapons that could give him a legitimate reason to kill someone.

If he put a thread into one of his enemies’ bodies, that person would soon mutate, become a monster, their reputation ruined, and then Qin Chu could purify them in the name of justice.

Killing his enemies and gaining fame, a win-win situation.

“Is anyone watching us?”

“Athena is pacing around the tent, seemingly wanting to come in, but she’s still hesitating,” Shaye sensed her surroundings and said, “I didn’t detect any Mana fluctuations from her.”

Athena’s behavior had been strange lately.

She would often linger around Qin Chu, seemingly wanting to approach him, but then she would back away due to some unknown fear or concern.

Could it be that she had realized that the so-called Jie Luo was just him in disguise?

This wasn’t a good sign.

Qin Chu had thought he could maintain this charade for longer. It seemed that Athena was smarter than he had imagined.

Such an intelligent woman was definitely not a good thing for him. Perhaps it was time to deal with her.

The image of Candice appeared in Qin Chu’s mind. She was still in the Demon Beast territory, acting as an intermediary between him and the Seventh Prince Lomond:

“Candice, inform Lomond. Three days from now, under the full moon, we’ll make the trade in the Pipes Forest.”

“Be careful!”

After the brief communication, Qin Chu immediately ended the connection.

In the Seventh Prince’s palace, Candice pouted.

Although she understood that Lord Horus was under constant surveillance, making it very difficult for them to meet or communicate, and that every contact had to be brief, she still felt a little disappointed.

But his last words, “Be careful,” warmed her heart.

A smile flickered across her face before she quickly composed herself and turned to the Seventh Prince Lomond, “Your Highness, that mysterious gentleman has sent a message.”

“He said that the trade will take place three days from now, at midnight, in the Pipes Forest.”

Lomond’s eyes lit up, his heart filled with excitement.

With the capture of Ronald, a member of the Hero Squad, and the widespread publicity within his territory, a large number of Demon Beasts had come to see this executioner who had slaughtered hundreds of thousands of their brethren.

Lomond’s prestige had skyrocketed, almost catching up to the Second and First Princes.

The number of Demon Beasts who had come to pledge their allegiance to him had more than doubled in this short time, and even some leaders of mid-sized factions had come to negotiate, hoping to gain his acceptance and protection.

This made Lomond feel a bit giddy.

He enjoyed this feeling, the flattery intoxicating him.

But Lomond knew very well that he was still far, very far, from becoming the true Demon King…

He stood up, deciding to personally observe Ronald’s situation. He was an important bargaining chip and couldn’t be allowed to be killed by those crude Demon Beasts.

He knew how savage his subordinates could be.

At the Goblin Chieftain’s suggestion, Lomond had set up a large exhibition hall… or rather, a flat area enclosed by a wooden fence.

In the center was a large wooden frame, Ronald’s arms tied to it, his body forced to kneel.

The Goblin Chieftain, who had proposed this idea, was also in charge of the exhibition hall.

“My dear Goblin, how is the situation?”

The Goblin Chieftain looked up at the towering Lomond, opened his mouth wide, and tried to speak in a loud voice, “Reporting to Your Highness, my brothers are very satisfied!”

“But for Ronald, there’s probably only pain!”

Chapter 202: The Saintess’s Empty Gaze (Part 2)

The ferocious, beast-like glare in O’Niens’s eyes gradually faded as he regained control of his killing intent.

Although arrogant, he at least knew that he couldn’t harm Anastasia. She was the princess of the Ice Duchy, after all. Although not as noble as him, she wasn’t someone he could casually dispose of.

O’Niens lowered his eyelids, taking several deep breaths to calm himself.

Just then, a few more women left. It seemed that the gathering around Qin Chu had ended, and they were returning to their tents.

O’Niens couldn’t accept that his charm was inferior to Qin Chu’s, so he sought another target. Someone would surely accept his invitation to the small banquet he was hosting.

Anastasia was just a princess from a barbaric land, her lack of manners was understandable. He didn’t believe that the other elegant ladies would be as rude as her.

His first target was Natia.

Although Natia wasn’t a noble, she was a member of Sage Mountain, young, powerful, and talented, the future heir. Winning her favor would also benefit the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess and expand his influence.

He adjusted his expression and approached Natia.

However, he was met with an icy indifference, her face devoid of any warmth, her coldness frightening.

Before she even spoke, her chilling gaze silenced him, forcing him to retreat.

Undeterred, O’Niens moved on to his next target: Carol, the princess of the Auville Empire.

But this princess was even more disrespectful than Anastasia. Her beautiful eyes were filled with unconcealed disdain, and when O’Niens extended his invitation, she simply uttered a single, cold word:

“Scram.”

Two rejections in a row infuriated O’Niens. He had never been so humiliated in his life.

Every nun in the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess was respectful and subservient to him, even Inas, the Saintess, obeyed his every command.

Why did these women disdain him so?

Couldn’t they sense his charm?

Undeterred, O’Niens set his sights on another woman. He chose Norma, who seemed soft and demure. He usually wouldn’t even glance at someone of such low status.

But although Norma was polite, she firmly refused his invitation.

He approached Airi, and a dagger appeared at his throat, as if she would slit it if he dared to speak another word.

He approached Sylph, and she kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying.

Rejected, humiliated, even beaten up…

O’Niens was frustrated to the point of madness. He didn’t understand what was wrong. Why couldn’t these women sense his charm like those nuns?

His mother had always told him that he was the most charming man in the world.

Could it be that these women, despite their beauty, lacked the refined taste and discerning eye to appreciate him?

The furious O’Niens cursed these women with no taste and returned to the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess’s camp like a dejected clown.

As he reached his tent, he saw Inas pacing back and forth.

Her expression was gloomy.

Seeing this woman, O’Niens felt inexplicably irritated.

She always obeyed him without question. She was so boring.

He was more interested in the women who rejected him.

But he still tried to control his emotions. He couldn’t lose his composure.

“Inas, are you looking for me?” O’Niens asked, trying to sound calm, but his impatience was evident.

“Saint Son,” Inas said respectfully, bowing deeply.

She hesitated, glancing around, then, seeing that they were alone, she finally spoke, “Several of the nuns serving you have gone missing recently…”

O’Niens frowned slightly. “Inas,” he said, “I told you already, those nuns couldn’t handle the hardships of life in the wild, and they returned to the Imperial City on their own. Don’t worry about it.”

“But it’s a long way back to the Imperial City. For them to leave alone…” Inas seemed to want to argue.

But before she could finish, her words seemed to displease O’Niens. He stepped forward, his eyes flashing with anger, and slapped her across the face.

Then, his hand tightened around her throat.

He lifted her off the ground, her toes barely touching as she struggled.

Bright red finger marks appeared on her face, her eyes wide with shock. She couldn’t believe that the usually gentle and courteous Saint Son would suddenly become violent.

He hadn’t been like this before they left the Imperial City. No one knew what had happened in these past few days to cause such a drastic change in his personality.

Seeing that Inas’s face was flushed and she was almost suffocating, O’Niens finally let her go. “Inas,” he said coldly, “remember your place. Don’t meddle in things that don’t concern you. Understand?”

After throwing down these words, O’Niens called over a nun and entered his tent.

Inas’s eyes dimmed.

She knew that something terrible had happened.

She wanted to admonish O’Niens, but her eyes suddenly became vacant.

Obey him, protect him, follow his will!

Like a machine without power, Inas stood there motionless.

After an unknown amount of time, a spark of light returned to her empty eyes. She seemed to have completely recovered, a confident smile appearing on her lips as she walked towards her own tent.

But before she reached it, she frowned slightly, sensing a faint Mana fluctuation from the sky above.

She instinctively tensed, worried that someone might be trying to harm O’Niens.

Concealing her aura with Mana, she flew into the sky, chasing after the source of the fluctuation.

High above O’Niens’s tent, seemingly unconcerned about being discovered by the patrolling soldiers below, three figures materialized.

Inas was surprised to see that there were three of them. One of them was the Hero Qin Chu, and the other two were members of the Hero Squad, Athena and Sylph.

What were they doing?

Inas, who had been about to attack, stopped. Although she loathed Qin Chu, he was still the Hero.

Moreover, with Athena and Sylph by his side, she was definitely no match for them.

Just as she hesitated, Qin Chu’s gaze suddenly turned towards her, a smile appearing on his face. “Miss Inas, since you’re here, there’s no need to hide.”

Qin Chu had discovered her. Was it Sylph or Athena who told him?

Inas wondered inwardly.

Continuing to hide was pointless. She dispelled her Mana concealment and appeared before Qin Chu, Athena, and Sylph.

“Hero,” she asked bluntly, “I’m curious, what brings someone of your noble status here so late at night, sneaking around? This isn’t the behavior of a gentleman.”

Her attitude made Sylph and Athena frown, both feeling a flicker of displeasure.

But Qin Chu didn’t care. He shrugged casually, “Miss Inas, aren’t you curious about what happened to O’Niens?”

“Don’t you think he’s been acting a bit strange these past few days?”

Inas subconsciously touched her cheek. It still stung from O’Niens’s slap, and she could still feel the marks of his fingers on her throat.

Anyone who wasn’t blind could see the drastic change in O’Niens’s behavior these past few days.

“Sorry, my words might sound a bit harsh, but I suspect that O’Niens might have been corrupted by some sinister power,” Qin Chu’s voice turned serious.

Inas’s eyes widened.

Her throat twitched slightly.

She naturally understood what it meant to be corrupted. Did it mean that O’Niens would become a monster like Karsus and the Grand Prince?

“That’s absolutely impossible,” she said coldly, her voice filled with denial.

“Nothing is impossible. The Grand Prince and Karsus’s corruption also began with a change in their behavior.”

“Of course, this is just my suspicion. We still need to observe carefully to be sure,” Qin Chu continued, giving Athena a look.

Athena nodded slightly, and a faint light emanated from her staff.

Inas wanted to stop her, but Sylph blocked her way.

The Saintess of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess was no match for Sylph.

Grand Mage Athena’s magic skills far surpassed O’Niens’s. Although he was level 79, only one level away from Grand Mage, his Mana capacity and control were no match for hers.

The barrier O’Niens had set up was easily breached by Athena, and he didn’t even notice.

Athena seemed to have also used some kind of see-through magic, and a hole appeared above the tent, revealing the scene inside to Qin Chu and the others.

They saw two figures intertwined, the man’s rough gasps and the woman’s seductive moans echoing in their ears.

Inas’s face turned deathly pale.

Although she had already guessed this possibility, seeing it with her own eyes still dealt a heavy blow.

Her heart felt empty.

Her body trembled, an indescribable sadness washing over her. She bit her lip hard, trying to suppress her whimpers.

She didn’t know how she felt, only a deep, aching emptiness in her heart.

Just as she was about to break down, her body suddenly stiffened.

Her eyes became vacant and dull.

Obey him, protect him, follow his will!

Chapter 201: Goblin, You’re a Clever Little Fellow (Part 1)

For his first meeting with the mysterious informant, Lomond wanted to make a good impression.

According to Candice, the mysterious informant had a deep grudge against the Hero Squad, which was why he leaked their whereabouts… Although in Lomond’s eyes, the other party was just a lowly, filthy human, the information he possessed was very useful.

To have a blood feud with the Hero Squad meant that this person’s identity and strength were not to be trifled with.

Therefore, he had to show his sincerity in their first meeting, to facilitate future transactions… Even if the other party was just a human, Lomond was willing to condescend.

If possible, he wanted to make a deeper deal with this mysterious person.

For example, about the matter of the Seventh Prince having the makings of a Demon King, could they discuss it in detail?

However, Lomond wasn’t good at torturing humans. He usually just ate them. He naturally couldn’t do that to Ronald, who was a bargaining chip.

Ronald had thought he was doomed this time. Although he felt despair in his heart, he was prepared. But hearing Lomond ask his subordinates how to torture him, his heart trembled. It seemed he had despaired too early.

His scalp tingled, a terrible premonition filling his chest.

Lomond’s subordinates were all around him: the Pig-headed Men Chieftain, the Goblin Chieftain, the Minotaur Chieftain (who had few subordinates left), the Troll Chieftain, the Ogre Chieftain, the Lizardmen Chieftain…

From these subordinates, it could be seen that even with the credit of killing a member of the Hero Squad, Lomond’s status among the Demon Beasts wasn’t very high.

Pig-headed Men, Goblins, Minotaurs, Trolls, Ogres, Lizardmen… They all had large populations, but their individual strength and intelligence weren’t high. They were at the lower end of the hierarchy among Demon Beasts.

There were almost no high-ranking races like Dire Wolves under Lomond’s command.

Hearing the Seventh Prince’s words, the chieftains looked at each other.

After a long while, the Ogre Chieftain scratched his bald head as if there was hair there.

His cracked lips parted, revealing his sharp, uneven teeth. He spoke in a muffled voice:

“Eat him?”

The Ogre Chieftain’s answer immediately received the approval of the Troll and Minotaur Chieftains, but there was a slight difference in the details:

“Fresh meat… is the most delicious.”

“No, I think it tastes better roasted, with a bit of chili powder…”

Their different opinions led to the two behemoths butting heads, glaring at each other, each considering the other a heretic.

His subordinates’ reactions made Lomond facepalm. He felt a bit sad. Why were his subordinates all such idiots?

He suddenly thought, could this be what humans called “birds of a feather flock together”? Because he, their leader, was an idiot, so his subordinates were also idiots?

No, no, that was absolutely impossible. He was so intelligent.

“Shut up, you two gluttonous fools! Use your brains…” A hoarse voice came from the ground.

Almost all the Demon Beasts’ gazes focused on the small figure. The Minotaur and Troll Chieftains glared at him.

It was the Goblin Chieftain.

Lomond’s eyes lit up. Goblins were a very weak race, their bodies small and frail. A single Troll could easily crush hundreds of Goblins. But among his subordinates, they were the only ones with some intelligence.

Perhaps this small Goblin could be of use at this time.

“Your Highness, you don’t intend to kill this human immediately, but want to torture him first, right?” The Goblin Chieftain said in a sinister voice, his cold gaze fixed on the figure held in Lomond’s two fingers.

That gaze made Ronald’s hair stand on end, and his body twitched.

“Of course.”

“That’s easy… Hehehe…” The Goblin Chieftain let out a creepy chuckle, “The males of our Goblin race are very interested in human females…”

“Of course, some of our brothers have…unique tastes.”

“Moreover, this one is a member of the esteemed Hero Squad. I believe many of our brothers are very curious about this gentleman.”

“Not just Goblins, I remember there are also quite a few Pig-headed Men, Minotaurs, and Lizardmen who have such interests, right?”

The Goblin Chieftain’s almost sinister words made Ronald tremble all over.

He seemed to have already foreseen what was about to happen, his body shaking violently… No, no, no…

He would rather die than endure such treatment.

Thinking of those ugly, filthy Goblins, Pig-headed Men, Minotaurs…

For Ronald, who always maintained his noble demeanor and etiquette, this was the most despairing scenario imaginable.

Seeing Ronald’s strong reaction, Lomond felt that this choice was quite correct, and he let out a booming laugh.

“Excellent! Goblin, go contact your people and see how many are interested in this Noble Gentleman…”

“I estimate there are at least a few thousand…” The Goblin Chieftain continued his villainous laughter, “Ah, right, my esteemed Seventh Prince, we can even hold an exhibition…”

“An exhibition?”

“Yes, it’s a special event held by humans. They display some precious items for public viewing and charge an entrance fee. If they want to…experience the items, they have to pay more…”

“I believe that outside Your Highness’s territory, there are many Demon Beasts who would want to see a member of the Hero Squad with their own eyes. This will bring a considerable income to Your Highness’s territory…”

“Oh, Goblin, you’re such a clever little fellow…” Lomond praised the Goblin’s intelligence without reservation.

Look, this was a truly intelligent being.

This was the way of demons.

He, Lomond, needed such talent.

And Ronald’s face was ashen, his body trembling in mid-air.

…

Meanwhile.

The members of the Hero Squad were also heading towards the front lines, braving the wind and sand.

O’Niens still harbored hostility towards Qin Chu, and Inas still wore a sullen expression. Everything seemed the same as before.

However, Qin Chu and Shaye could keenly sense that O’Niens’s mood swings had become more pronounced.

He would often fly into a rage these days, scolding or even beating his subordinates.

But the members of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess didn’t think much of it. They just thought that this was the pampered Saint Son’s first time leaving the Imperial City, and he was simply not used to the harsh environment, which was why his mood was so volatile.

It was understandable… Besides, even if they didn’t understand, so what?

When the Saint Son whipped you, would you dare to fight back? Were you tired of living?

Another night passed. They would reach the front lines by noon tomorrow.

O’Niens appeared near the Hero Squad’s camp, his gaze fixed on the figure surrounded by the others…

That ordinary man.

He had the Saintess of the Holy See, a Saintess candidate, a Grand Mage from Sage Mountain, a royal princess, an elf, and a Valkyrie around him…

All kinds of beautiful girls, chattering like birds.

Whenever he saw this scene, O’Niens couldn’t help but feel a surge of rage in his heart.

Why? Why? Why?

He was clearly superior to that ordinary man, more elegant, more handsome, more noble, with a more prestigious bloodline. Why were all those beautiful women surrounding that mediocre man?

He was unwilling to accept it, he couldn’t accept it.

He saw a girl leaving the group, seemingly returning to her tent… He took a deep breath and quickly walked towards her.

“Ah, beautiful Princess, your eyes are as bright as the stars in the night sky…” O’Niens said with a gentlemanly smile, “I’m holding a small ball in my camp. Would I have the honor of inviting you to join us?”

His handsome face and gentle smile would make any girl on Earth scream.

This was Princess Anastasia.

Although she was a princess, she was just from a small, remote, barbaric country. For him, the noble Saint Son, to personally invite her, it was a great honor for her.

O’Niens believed that Anastasia would definitely not refuse.

He extended his hand, seemingly wanting to take her hand and kiss it.

This was a common courtesy among the upper class of nobles.

However, just as his claws were about to touch her hand, Anastasia stepped back, leaving O’Niens’s hand hanging in mid-air, neither lowered nor retracted, making him look extremely awkward.

Anastasia, however, was polite. A gentle and beautiful smile appeared on her face, and she curtsied, holding her skirt, “So it’s the Saint Son…”

“Thank you for your invitation, it’s Anastasia’s honor. However… I’m accompanying Qin Chu tonight, so I won’t have time. I apologize for not being able to attend your ball, Saint Son.”

After apologizing gracefully, Anastasia turned and left, not giving O’Niens any face at all.

Under the moonlight, only the Saint Son remained, standing there alone, bathed in the hazy moonlight, his face deathly pale.

His body trembled slightly in the night wind, his eyes flashing with a ferocious light. Damn it, even a princess from a barbaric small country dared to give him the cold shoulder? Who did she think she was?

He had personally invited her, and she dared to refuse?

Looking at her perfect, receding figure, he felt a strong urge to destroy that beauty, to crush it…

He wanted to see Anastasia’s slender, swan-like neck spurt hot blood, staining her ice-blue dress crimson.

A surge of killing intent churned within him, his eyes turning a dark red, the X-shaped mark faintly visible in their depths.

Chapter 200: Ronald’s Demise 

“Eileen, come back!” Ronald yelled at the top of his lungs.

The scene of Ronald and Eileen parting ways had been quite touching.

To face the ferocious Demon Beasts alone, giving Eileen a chance to escape…

But Ronald’s shout completely ruined the atmosphere, turning a touching moment into a farce, making his usually suave image seem clownish.

What was even more comical was that no matter how loud he yelled, Eileen didn’t appear.

A Master Thief’s speed was astonishing, especially without Ronald as a burden. She had vanished in the blink of an eye, beyond the reach of his voice.

Ronald stood there dejectedly, like a defeated rooster.

A handsome nobleman and a petite, cute girl, it was a classic damsel-in-distress scenario. Under normal circumstances, the nobleman would have unleashed hidden powers, turning the tide of battle and winning the girl’s heart.

But unfortunately, Ronald didn’t have such abilities.

And Eileen would never fall for him. Her heart belonged to Jie Luo.

Boom… Boom… Boom…

A massive figure emerged from the smoke, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground.

It was Lomond.

His large eyes gleamed with mockery as he looked at Ronald. “Noble Swordsman,” he sneered, “what happened? You look quite pathetic.”

“After letting that little beauty escape, you’re calling for her to come back? Are you scared? Or do you regret it?”

Ronald glared at Lomond with hatred, then noticed the large number of powerful Demon Beasts behind him.

Lomond hadn’t sent his subordinates to chase after Eileen.

This made Ronald’s heart sink.

If Lomond had sent his subordinates after Eileen, she, with her exceptional stealth abilities, wouldn’t be easily captured. And it would have drawn away some of his forces, giving Ronald a chance against Lomond.

But now, Eileen was gone.

All the powerful Demon Beasts were gathered here, surrounding him.

Ronald had no escape.

Not a single chance of survival.

“What are you looking at? You don’t think I would chase after that girl, do you? That’s a Master Thief. I know how difficult it is to chase a Master Thief.”

“Don’t take this prince for a fool.”

“Capturing any member of the Hero Squad is a great achievement. If I split my forces, I might end up empty-handed.”

“It’s better to capture one of them first.”

Seeing Ronald’s shocked expression, Lomond felt smug, showing off his intelligence in front of his subordinates.

The Demon Beasts nodded repeatedly, praising the Seventh Prince’s wisdom.

Actually, this was all Candice’s suggestion.

It was enough to capture one of them. This achievement would overshadow everything else. Even if one escaped, no one would care, especially since few knew about Eileen’s presence.

Ronald stared in disbelief. He couldn’t believe that this Seventh Prince, who had always been known for his brawn and simple mind, had become so smart.

Wasn’t this guy always greedy, wanting everything? When did he change?

“It seems we’ve chatted enough. It’s time to send you on your way,” Lomond said, his massive body looming over Ronald like a mountain.

He suddenly raised his huge foot and stomped down on Ronald’s head.

This Demon Prince, even without using his powerful Mana, could unleash devastating power with just his physical body.

A huge shadow fell over Ronald.

He gritted his teeth, kicked off the ground, and leaped into the air.

Rumble…

The large tree where Ronald had been standing was instantly crushed into powder beneath Lomond’s foot.

Since he was completely surrounded and had no escape, he could only fight to the death.

Ronald gritted his teeth, his slender sword flashing, a flurry of sword beams aimed at Lomond.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Sounds like tearing leather echoed through the air.

Sprays of blood erupted from Lomond’s chest and face.

The sharp sword Qi tore through his skin.

But these wounds were insignificant to Lomond’s massive body, like mosquito bites, unable to affect his movements.

This Seventh Prince, who had previously only let his subordinates attack Benson, only striking when he was weakened, now chose to face Ronald head-on.

He had a large number of newly recruited elite Demon Beasts behind him, and he had to demonstrate his strength before them.

And Ronald was a perfect target.

After being hunted for so long, he was exhausted, both physically and mentally, his strength greatly diminished. And his status was quite prominent. Capturing him personally wouldn’t be too dangerous, and it would prove his own strength, ensuring that Ronald had no chance of escaping. It was a very good deal.

Of course, Candice had analyzed the pros and cons for him. Although she was a filthy half-breed, perhaps it was because of her human cunning that she could sometimes offer quite good suggestions.

Lomond roared like a wild beast, his massive arm sweeping towards Ronald, ignoring the sword beams.

Whoosh…

With a gust of wind, the Seventh Prince’s claws appeared before Ronald.

Ronald’s expression changed slightly. Suspended in mid-air with nowhere to leverage his strength, he gritted his teeth and thrust his sword at Lomond’s arm, piercing a bloody hole through the fur-covered limb.

Using the recoil, he retreated swiftly, narrowly dodging Lomond’s claws.

Ronald’s fighting style was characterized by speed and agility.

His swordsmanship was complex and dazzling, like a nobleman’s dance.

Coupled with his swift movements and flurry of sword beams, few members of the Hero Squad could match him.

The only ones he might lose to were Karsus and Benson. He was confident against the others.

Because of Karsus’s heavy armor, it was difficult for his sword beams to penetrate it.

And Benson, the Shield Warrior, was even more troublesome, a walking turtle shell with incredible defense.

This was Ronald’s weakness. His slender sword, coupled with his special Battle Qi and swordsmanship, lacked attack power, despite his speed and agility.

Simply put, he had put all his points into speed.

Against powerful but small Demon Beasts, as long as he could hit their vital points, he could instantly end their lives.

He was most afraid of large opponents like Lomond. Small wounds were insignificant to him, unable to affect his powerful combat strength. On the contrary, every one of Lomond’s counterattacks forced Ronald to dodge.

Whoosh… Whoosh… Whoosh…

One incredibly small, the other incredibly large, the two figures clashed in the burning forest.

The surrounding trees and boulders were shattered by the violent impacts, creating a clearing in the jungle.

The powerful Demon Beasts just surrounded them, forming a huge encirclement. They didn’t attack. Otherwise, Ronald wouldn’t have lasted this long.

Before they arrived, the Seventh Prince had given his orders: don’t interfere unless absolutely necessary. He would deal with this enemy personally.

Of course, if Ronald tried to escape, they would stop him.

The Noble Swordsman was trapped here, forced to fight against the type of enemy he was least suited to face.

After more than a hundred exchanges, Ronald still maintained his noble demeanor, his body unharmed, only his breathing slightly rapid.

Lomond, on the other hand, was covered in wounds, his fur stained with blood. It seemed that Ronald had the upper hand, and if this continued, Lomond would definitely lose.

But Ronald knew that the situation was dire.

Lomond’s endurance was incredible, far greater than his. Those countless small wounds might look terrifying, but they didn’t even affect his movements.

His stamina was almost limitless.

And Ronald’s Battle Qi was constantly being depleted. This kind of high-intensity, prolonged battle was his worst nightmare. If he couldn’t find an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow, he would be exhausted to death.

Just as Ronald had predicted, Lomond’s movements didn’t slow down despite his bleeding wounds. On the contrary, the slight stinging pain seemed to further enrage him, his roars echoing through the forest.

He suddenly lunged forward, his leg sweeping upwards towards Ronald.

Whoosh…

Ronald was forced to dodge again, but the fierce wind still made him stumble, forcing him to retreat repeatedly. He was almost at the edge of the encirclement, and some of the powerful Demon Beasts were already preparing to attack.

Half of his body was numb from the impact.

Such strength…

Ronald’s heart sank as he saw Lomond’s massive body lunging towards him again.

He struggled to adjust his posture in mid-air, maintaining his balance, his eyes fixed on Lomond’s, his teeth gritted.

The next instant, he channeled almost all his Battle Qi, and blue-gray whirlwinds appeared around him.

He couldn’t continue to drag this out with Lomond. He had to at least injure him severely to have a chance of escaping.

Hum, hum, hum…

His slender sword hummed.

Powerful Battle Qi surged into the blade, forming a small tornado that spun rapidly, making a hissing sound.

The air around the blade was torn apart.

This was his last chance!

Ronald’s expression was grimmer than ever.

After his Battle Qi reached its peak, he suddenly shouted.

“Wind Extreme!”

Swish!

His body transformed into a streak of light, the sound of tearing air left far behind, as he shot towards Lomond with unprecedented speed.

This burst of speed was even faster than that of the Twin Thieves, Airi and Eileen.

His speed was so great that even Ronald couldn’t see his surroundings clearly. Only the sharp whistling of the wind filled his ears, almost shattering his eardrums.

The air whipped against his face like sharp knives, cutting into his skin.

But Ronald didn’t have time to care about this. His eyes were fixed on a single point of crimson.

That was his target: Lomond’s eye.

Even for a Demon Beast, losing an eye would greatly reduce its combat power, giving him a chance.

This was Ronald’s last hope…

Just as he was about to hit his target, a shadow suddenly blocked Lomond’s massive eye, extinguishing Ronald’s hope.

It was Lomond’s arm.

He couldn’t dodge at this speed, but he could still raise an arm to block.

And at this speed, even Ronald couldn’t control his movement and change direction.

With a thud, the entire sword plunged into Lomond’s arm, a spurt of blood erupting.

The entire blade was embedded in his flesh, the highly concentrated Battle Qi exploding within his arm.

With a crack, a large gash appeared on Lomond’s arm, revealing the white bone and tendons beneath…

It seemed like a significant blow, but this scene made Ronald’s heart sink.

If it were a smaller Demon General, this sword would have been enough to shatter their body. But against Lomond, it was useless.

The pain made Lomond grunt, but his large eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Heavy Break!”

Boom…

Ronald’s body was suddenly subjected to an immense gravitational force, and he stumbled in mid-air, his speed drastically reduced.

At this moment, Lomond’s maw opened.

A blast of Demon King’s Breath shot towards Ronald.

Rumble…

Another earth-shattering roar. Ronald’s body slammed into the ground, creating a large crater.

When the force of the breath dissipated, only a half-dead Ronald remained in the crater, twitching and groaning.

Lomond had deliberately restrained the power of his Demon King’s Breath, but it seemed that Ronald still couldn’t withstand it, his body almost broken.

Lomond squatted down and pulled the struggling Ronald out of the crater with two fingers. He seemed to have regained consciousness and began to struggle desperately, glaring at Lomond and cursing him.

But Lomond was a generous prince. Since this guy was already so unlucky, he allowed him to vent his anger.

However, how to properly “entertain” Ronald seemed to be a problem.

Beat him up?

This method seemed too boring. After all, he had to face that mysterious informant, and Lomond felt that he should give him a surprise.

His large eyes looked at his subordinates, who were cheering and praising him. There were Pig-headed Men, Minotaurs, Goblins, Trolls, Ogres…

“Hey, what do you think is the best way to torture this guy?”

Ronald thought he was going to die.

He didn’t know that his true demise had just begun.

Chapter 199: Eileen’s Tears (Part 4)

The flames released by the Flamingos weren’t powerful, only equivalent to small fireballs.

But with tens of thousands of Flamingos releasing flames simultaneously, the combined power was devastating. A rain of fire descended from the sky, covering almost every corner of the forest.

The scene was like a meteor shower, strangely beautiful.

But within this beauty lay a terrifying destructive power.

The flames landed on the tree trunks, branches, and leaves, and on the ground. A single spark wouldn’t ignite the damp foliage, but the sheer density of the falling flames quickly evaporated the moisture.

Then, the dry leaves and branches became fuel, and with a crackling sound, flames erupted within the encirclement.

Thick, black smoke billowed into the sky, obscuring everything.

The intense heat distorted the air, and the moisture in the tree trunks evaporated rapidly.

The entire forest was ablaze, a sea of fire.

Waves of heat washed over Lomond, his large eyes gleaming with crimson flames.

His face was alight with excitement.

Burn, baby, burn!

This fire would bring him victory!

He was the Seventh Prince of the Demon Beasts. So what if he burned down a forest?

Who could stop him?

Besides, if he could capture Ronald and Eileen, or even just one of them, in this fire, it would be a great achievement.

Compared to the reward, this loss was insignificant, completely acceptable.

Moreover, this wasn’t even his territory, it was his third sister’s…

What did it matter to him if her territory was reduced to ashes?

—-

Damn it!

Ronald cursed under his breath.

Eileen, holding his wrist, maintained their invisibility.

But this also restricted their movements, making it impossible to completely avoid the rain of fire. A spark landed on his hair, burning a large chunk of it, even scorching his scalp in places.

Damn it, damn it, damn it…

He could imagine how ugly and disheveled he looked now.

The thick smoke filled their lungs, making them cough violently.

The flames couldn’t burn them to death, but they hindered their movements. Everywhere they looked, all they saw was crimson.

That idiot Lomond, when did he become so smart, using this method to attack?

This was completely beyond their expectations.

Ronald wanted to speak, but the moment he opened his mouth, it was filled with ash and dirt, the taste unbearable. He spat repeatedly.

His nose was also clogged with ash, making it difficult to breathe.

Ronald didn’t realize that it wasn’t just his nose that was clogged, but that the entire forest was burning, rapidly consuming the oxygen. They were beginning to suffocate.

However, both Ronald and Eileen were very strong. Even without oxygen, they could last for a long time and wouldn’t die so easily.

But if they were trapped here, they would eventually be burned to ashes like those animals.

They wanted to escape, but they couldn’t even tell their direction. The flames had engulfed everything. They could only blindly stumble through the burning forest. Ronald had many water magic scrolls, but he didn’t dare to use them. It would reveal their location.

And compared to the raging inferno around them, those scrolls were just a drop in the bucket.

They could only struggle and dodge in the flames, their bodies getting hotter and hotter, their skin dry and cracked, their shoes seemingly melting… Suddenly, he heard a strange sound.

A withered tree trunk, unable to withstand the flames, snapped and fell, right towards Ronald and Eileen.

This happened frequently, but it wasn’t always possible to dodge, especially when they were holding hands.

Seeing the falling tree trunk, Ronald instinctively swung his sword, shattering it into pieces.

This action brought a sinister smile to Lomond’s face as he watched the burning forest.

He opened his maw, truly living up to the term “bloody maw.”

“Found you… you scurrying rats.”

The next second, Lomond plunged into the sea of fire.

The flames licked at his body, but his tough hide was impervious to such minor burns.

He moved like a bulldozer, the ground trembling with every step, kicking up clouds of dust and ash.

He swatted aside burning trees that blocked his path, the massive trunks flying like twigs.

Boulders were crushed beneath his massive feet as he carved a path through the inferno.

Ronald and Eileen felt the tremors and knew that Lomond was coming.

But the flames and smoke obscured their vision, and they could only blindly flee towards an area where the fire seemed less intense.

Just as they left their previous spot, a thick, black stream of breath slammed into it, followed by a violent explosion.

This move was named Demon King’s Breath by Lomond.

But the name was too ostentatious, and he never dared to use it publicly.

Sinister, scorching energy erupted outwards in a violent shockwave.

Eileen and Ronald, who had just escaped, were caught in the blast and sent flying, their clasped hands torn apart.

Without Eileen’s help, Ronald’s figure became visible.

Eileen’s face paled. She twisted her body in mid-air, her toes tapping against a tree trunk, and shot towards Ronald with lightning speed.

She knew that without her help, Ronald would soon be surrounded by Demon Beasts.

She had a good relationship with Ronald and couldn’t bear to see him die at the claws of the Demon Beasts. Most importantly, the Hero Squad had already suffered too many losses. Karsus and Benson were dead, and if Ronald also…

The consequences were unbearable.

Compared to Eileen’s anxiety, Ronald showed his manly spirit at this moment.

Perhaps knowing that he had no future, that he couldn’t escape from here, Ronald steeled his resolve. A slender, sharp sword, more like a ceremonial weapon than a battle-ready blade, appeared in his hand.

With a flick of his wrist, sharp sword Qi erupted from the blade, whistling towards Eileen.

Eileen was forced to stop, her body strangely suspended in mid-air before she was pushed backwards.

“Ronald, what are you doing?!” she screamed.

Her dark brown hair was a tangled mess. She vaguely understood what Ronald was trying to do, and a deep sadness filled her heart, tears welling up in her orange, gem-like eyes.

“Leave this place…” Ronald said in a low voice.

He landed on a burning tree trunk.

“If we stay together, neither of us will survive. But if you’re alone, they can’t catch you,” Ronald said calmly.

“I’ll draw Lomond and those other Demon Beast experts here. You take the opportunity to escape. Hurry, it will be too late if you wait any longer.”

“I entrust the resurrection of Jie Luo to you.”

Ronald took a deep breath and looked ahead.

Thick, black smoke obscured his vision, but he could sense Lomond’s approach.

“By the way, before you kill Qin Chu, make sure to torture him for a while…” A twisted smile appeared on Ronald’s face, “Don’t let him die so easily. That damned bastard, if it weren’t for him, Karsus and Benson wouldn’t be dead.”

It was truly a pity that he couldn’t personally teach that Second Hero a lesson.

Seeing that Eileen was still there, Ronald’s expression turned cold. “Go! Resurrecting Jie Luo is the most important thing.”

Eileen gritted her teeth, stared at Ronald for two seconds, then vanished in an instant. Just as Ronald had said, this was her only chance to escape. While Lomond and the other Demon Beast experts were here, she could break through the surrounding blockade and flee.

If she tried to take Ronald with her, it would be impossible.

As she disappeared, two crystal-clear tears rolled down her cheeks.

Was this the first display of genuine emotion between the members of the Hero Squad?

How touching.

Watching Eileen disappear, Ronald let out a long breath. Now, he had to do his best to hold back Lomond and the other Demon Beast experts here.

It would be quite troublesome.

But he would show them the power of a Noble.

Gritting his teeth, Ronald was about to charge towards Lomond.

But at this moment, he suddenly remembered something very important.

He should have given Jie Luo’s soul fragment to Eileen. That was the fruit of his hard work here.

If he couldn’t bring it out, wouldn’t he have died in vain?

“Wait, Eileen, come back…”

Chapter 198: Burn, Baby, Burn (Part 3)

These two were Ronald, the Noble Swordsman, and Eileen, one of the Twin Thieves, trapped in the Demon Beast territory.

Ronald lived up to his title.

Compared to him, the Grand Prince lacked his grace, and O’Niens lacked his strength.

He was a handsome, elegant young man.

Even trapped in the Demon Beast territory for days, Ronald still maintained his noble demeanor, his fine clothes surprisingly clean.

Such attire wasn’t suitable for battle, but Ronald would rather die than wear clunky armor and wield an axe or machete like a common soldier.

His hair was always neatly combed, smooth and shiny, showing no signs of his ordeal.

The only thing Ronald couldn’t stand was the environment. The air was thick with a foul stench, the ground littered with Demon Beast excrement. Even with his best efforts, he would occasionally step in something disgusting.

Whenever this happened, Ronald would cry out in dismay, his skin erupting in hives… Then he would frantically pull out a water magic scroll from his storage ring and meticulously clean his shoes, sometimes even changing into a spare pair.

What was worse, there was no food fit for his consumption.

He had underestimated the difficulty of their mission. He had thought they could easily retrieve Jie Luo’s soul fragment and leave, but that damned Lomond had somehow learned of their presence and sealed off the entire area with a powerful barrier, trapping them inside.

Although they could break through the barrier with brute force, it would take time, enough time for the Demon Beasts to surround them.

This predicament also meant their food supplies were dwindling, forcing them to eat raw meat from wild beasts.

His skin, no longer as smooth and delicate as before, was a testament to their hardship.

By the Goddess of Holy Light!

When had he, Ronald, ever suffered such indignities?

He swore that he would exterminate all Demon Beasts. These filthy creatures didn’t deserve to live in this world.

Compared to him, the girl beside him looked much more disheveled.

She had a face almost identical to Airi’s, as if they were cast from the same mold.

But her dark brown hair wasn’t tied into twintails like her sister’s, but hung loosely down her back. And compared to her sister’s playful nature, Eileen was more reserved.

Her hair was a tangled mess, like a bird’s nest.

The leather armor she wore was also unkempt, the edges frayed.

Looking at the piece of meat Ronald offered her, carefully cut with a dagger into even slices, the blood cleaned with water magic, Eileen shook her head slightly. “Sorry, I have no appetite.”

“My fair lady, I understand… such crude fare is an insult to your delicate lips and pearly white teeth,” Ronald said, his voice smooth and melodious, like a bard’s.

“But we have no other choice.”

“We have to replenish our strength. We don’t know how long we’ll be trapped here. If we’re too weak, we’ll be in danger.”

“I apologize for dragging you into this,” Ronald said sincerely.

He had a good impression of most of the Hero Squad members.

The innocent and pure Loseweisse, the intelligent Athena, the noble and proud Sylph… These three fit Ronald’s aesthetic… mainly in terms of temperament.

Eileen and Airi, although not as elegant, had a youthful charm of their own.

He hated Muse, Karsus, Benson… and Ekaterina.

In Ronald’s eyes, those four were just violent gorillas.

Eileen hesitated for a moment, then took the meat and chewed slowly. “I’m not blaming you, Ronald,” she said.

“I’m worried about something else.”

“What is it?”

“Loseweisse just sent me a message. Eight new members have been added to the Hero Squad,” Eileen said.

Ronald’s delicate fingers twitched, and the meat he was cutting became uneven.

This seemed to enrage him. His hand trembled, and his handsome face contorted… A few seconds later, he suddenly stood up, throwing the knife and meat to the ground. He lowered his voice and growled, “Damn it! What’s going on?”

“Who allowed them to join without our consent?”

He disliked the crude Ekaterina and the others, but he still considered them his companions because they were chosen by Jie Luo.

He would accept anyone Jie Luo approved of.

But no one else could taint the sacred ground in Ronald’s heart.

“It was Wadsworth, Augustus, and those other old geezers…”

“What are Loseweisse and the others doing? Why didn’t they object?” Ronald was still furious, struggling to maintain his composure.

Just thinking about those inexplicable people joining their paradise irritated him greatly.

“Loseweisse said she strongly objected, almost falling out with Augustus and the others…” Eileen shook her head.

“But those old geezers brought up Karsus. He was corrupted by darkness, completely fallen, and executed. He’s a stain on the Hero Squad that can’t be erased.”

“That old man used this to attack the Hero Squad, saying that we’re no longer trustworthy, that new members are needed to protect the Second Hero, Qin Chu.”

“Karsus’s rampage, killing thousands of Holy Knights and hundreds of nobles, and his two attacks on the Hero are all facts. Augustus and the others even threatened to strip us of our identities as members of the Hero Squad if we didn’t agree… Loseweisse had no choice but to accept.”

Ronald’s slender fingers clenched, his body trembling, his face flushed.

“Damn Augustus…”

“Damn Qin Chu.”

This matter actually had little to do with Qin Chu, but Ronald hated him nonetheless. After all, in his eyes, if it weren’t for Qin Chu, none of this would have happened… But without Qin Chu, there would be no hope of resurrecting Jie Luo.

This contradiction made Ronald feel even worse.

After a long while, he finally calmed down slightly, “Who are the new members?”

“Four of them are representatives of Sage Mountain, the Holy See, the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, and the royal family. The other four are Qin Chu’s women…”

These words enraged Ronald again.

“That damned bastard! What does he take the Hero Squad for? His harem? Bringing those filthy women in!”

If he could leave this place, Ronald really wanted to rush to Qin Chu and tear his face apart.

“And there’s more bad news…” Eileen added, “The newly formed Hero Squad, coupled with the recent disasters in the human world, needs a victory to boost morale.”

“Those old geezers discussed it and decided on the Hero’s first expedition. The members of the Hero Squad naturally have to follow… which means Loseweisse and the others can’t come to our aid.”

Eileen’s voice was clear, but filled with a sense of oppression, “We have to find a way to escape from here ourselves.”

After a pause, Eileen stuffed the remaining pieces of meat into her mouth and glanced at Ronald with her orange eyes, “Alright, it’s time for us to leave this place…”

They couldn’t stay in the same place for too long. Demon Beasts had a keen sense of smell, and if they stayed in one place for too long, they would be discovered.

They hadn’t had a proper rest in days and were exhausted.

Ronald also knew that being angry was useless now, but he had already made up his mind. After leaving this place, he would definitely find an opportunity to teach that damned Qin Chu a lesson… After all, he couldn’t defeat Augustus and Saint Monique.

But dealing with Qin Chu shouldn’t be a problem.

Even if he couldn’t kill him directly, castrating that womanizing idiot should still be possible, right?

He carefully buried the traces they had left behind.

Standing on a treetop, Eileen could see a great distance. Demon Beasts often flew across the sky.

A large number of Demon Beasts had appeared around their location, surrounding the area layer by layer.

Eileen wasn’t afraid. This had happened many times before.

Those Demon Beasts could only determine their approximate location. As long as she and Ronald remained invisible, they couldn’t pinpoint their exact coordinates.

A large number of Demon Beasts would enter the area to search, and Eileen and Ronald would take the opportunity to escape from the encirclement. After all, no matter how tight the encirclement, there would always be gaps.

The same scenario as before, it even bored Eileen a little.

She was about to go down and take Ronald with her when she suddenly noticed something different this time.

The large tree beneath her seemed to be trembling slightly.

The ground seemed to be under tremendous pressure. Eileen frowned and looked into the distance. Her expression quickly changed.

She saw a figure as tall as a mountain, its massive body, tens of meters high, even taller than the tallest trees in the forest. Every movement sent tremors through the ground.

It was… Lomond.

The one who trapped them here.

A bad premonition arose in Eileen’s heart. This was the first time Lomond had personally appeared.

And that wasn’t all. The number of flying Demon Beasts in the sky seemed to be even greater than usual, and it was still increasing.

Figures flickered continuously in Eileen’s eyes.

They were a type of Demon Beast called Flamingos. They had ugly bodies and human-like limbs, but their heads were completely bird-shaped, with crimson wings on their backs.

These Demon Beasts weren’t very strong. Their wings could shoot flames, about as powerful as the small fireballs cast by human mages.

They weren’t very fast, and their sense of smell wasn’t very keen.

What was the purpose of arranging so many Flamingos?

Eileen couldn’t understand Lomond’s decision for a moment.

But soon, she shivered, her face turning pale.

The clever girl seemed to realize something. The next second, she jumped down from the treetop and rushed to Ronald’s side, grabbing his wrist.

Ronald was still puzzled, not understanding what was going on.

“Damn it, that Lomond… he’s planning to burn the forest!”

Eileen’s anxious words made Ronald’s face change drastically.

Without time to think, Eileen immediately took Ronald and activated their invisibility, “We have to leave here immediately. It will be troublesome if we’re late…”

On the other side, a twisted smile appeared on Lomond’s face as he looked at the increasing number of Flamingos in the sky, his eyes filled with cruelty and madness.

The suggestion provided by that mysterious person was quite good… After Candice left, the more Lomond thought about it, the more brilliant the plan seemed.

Of course, he had also thought of it, but that mysterious person had mentioned it first. This didn’t mean that he was less intelligent than that person.

Eileen, the Twin Thief, and Ronald, the Noble Swordsman, your doomsday has arrived.

His gaze swept over the tens of thousands of Flamingos filling the sky and the countless Cerberus surrounding the forest.

Lomond raised an arm high, his eyes seemingly burning with flames.

“Burn!”

With a roar, Lomond’s arm slammed down.

Instantly, tens of thousands of Cerberus raised one of their heads and opened their maws.

The next second, fiery flames erupted from their mouths simultaneously.

A huge ring of fire suddenly appeared around the forest, the flames instantly rising tens of meters high, completely sealing off the area.

The decaying leaves and dry branches on the ground were ignited almost simultaneously.

The fire grew stronger and stronger.

Then, the Cerberus raised another head, spewing out a fierce wind.

In an instant, the sea of fire surged forward like a tsunami, the crimson light dispelling the darkness of the Demon Beast territory, the entire world bathed in a red glow.

Thick, black smoke billowed into the sky, blotting out the sun.

The flames soared higher and higher.

The crackling sound of burning filled the air, and countless animals in the forest were turned to ashes amidst their desperate cries. Lomond believed that Ronald and Eileen would meet the same fate.

Meanwhile, the Flamingos also descended upon the forest, their wings spread wide, raining down a dense shower of fireballs.

Chapter 197: The Saintess’s Green Hat (Part 2)

O’Niens couldn’t understand this sudden urge.

Sister Agatha was over fifty years old. Although well-maintained, wrinkles lined her face, and her skin wasn’t as smooth and delicate as Inas’s. Yet, O’Niens found himself inexplicably drawn to her, a powerful desire to possess her surging within him.

And for O’Niens, anything he wanted, he got.

A gentle smile appeared on his face. “Sister Agatha,” he said, “I want to sleep with you tonight.”

Agatha was surprised, but a warm, maternal smile quickly appeared on her face as she gently stroked his hair. “My dear O’Niens,” she said, “you’re not a child anymore. You should learn to sleep by yourself.”

She was surprised by his sudden request. After all, he had been sleeping alone for four years now, like a proper young man. She didn’t understand this regression.

Ah, right, it must be the uneven ground, the howling night wind, the flimsy tent, the buzzing insects… All of this must be very unsettling for the Saint Son, who had never left the comforts of the Imperial City before.

This harsh environment was torture for the pampered Saint Son.

It was natural for him to feel afraid and need comfort.

As the nun who had always taken care of him, Agatha felt it was her duty to provide that comfort.

So, she changed her mind. “Alright, Saint Son,” she said, “but just this once.”

O’Niens smiled.

Seeing his smile, Agatha shivered. There was something unsettling about that familiar smile, something that made her skin crawl.

She was puzzled by her own reaction, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. O’Niens took her hand and led her into the tent.

Once inside, he waved his hand, creating a soundproof barrier. The next second, he shoved her roughly onto the bed.

His sudden violence terrified Agatha. She didn’t understand why the usually gentle and courteous Saint Son had become like this. She tried to struggle, but earth-yellow chains sprouted from the ground, binding her.

She vaguely understood what was about to happen, and her face turned pale.

Her eyes widened with fear, and she struggled desperately, the chains rattling.

“No, Saint Son, you can’t do this! This is blasphemy…!”

The Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, like the Holy See, had strict rules. The Saint Son and Saintess had to remain pure until they relinquished their titles at the age of thirty. Breaking this vow would result in their dismissal and even execution for disrespecting the deity.

Blasphemy?

This word seemed to strike a nerve with O’Niens.

Looking at the struggling Agatha, was she defying him?

A surge of rage and violence coursed through him.

“Submit, bitch!” he snarled.

…

Meanwhile, Inas bit her lip, her heart aching.

She was an orphan.

Because of her beauty and magical talent, she had been taken in by the former Holy Maiden, O’Niens’s mother.

She had been indoctrinated from a young age to believe that O’Niens was her destined husband, that she had to obey, care for, and protect him.

Because of this brainwashing, she didn’t see anything wrong with this arrangement. Nominally, she was the Saintess, his lover, but in reality, she was more like a pet.

O’Niens was her master, and she couldn’t refuse any of his commands.

However, Inas was no longer a child. Although the education of a Saintess was very strict, she was beginning to understand certain things.

Seeing O’Niens enter the tent with Agatha, a pang of jealousy stabbed at her heart.

It felt as if something was choking her, making it difficult to breathe.

She didn’t understand what she had done to displease O’Niens. She had always obeyed him, fulfilling his every whim.

His sudden change in attitude hurt her deeply.

Inas didn’t know that it was precisely her obedience that made O’Niens lose interest in her. In his eyes, she was already his possession, offering no challenge, no thrill of conquest.

After a few seconds, Inas shook her head slightly, a forced smile appearing on her face.

Perhaps she was overthinking it. Sister Agatha was much older, old enough to be his mother. O’Niens probably just wanted to cuddle with her, like when he was a child.

The poor Saintess didn’t realize that she was now wearing a metaphorical green hat, a different style than the Grand Prince and Karsus, but the same color.

…

“What?”

“The thread I pulled from my soul entered O’Niens’s body?”

Sylph, curled up in Qin Chu’s arms, was shocked and worried.

Although O’Niens was a good-for-nothing idiot whom she despised, his status was still very important.

If that thread had some adverse effect on him, even causing a transformation like Karsus and eventually leading to his death, the consequences would be disastrous.

The former Holy Maiden of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess would definitely go berserk.

And if the investigation led back to Qin Chu and her, their lives might be in danger.

Qin Chu, however, just shrugged nonchalantly, “Why worry? Even O’Niens doesn’t know what happened. We just happen to be lacking a test subject. We can observe the effects of these things on a normal human body.”

“It’s just a pity that I only have this one sample. Perhaps I need to extract another one from your soul, Sylph.”

After a slight pause, Qin Chu suddenly spoke to Shaye in his mind, “By the way, Miss Shaye, can you go observe O’Niens’s situation?”

Shaye grumbled in dissatisfaction and left.

As for Sylph, her cheeks flushed crimson. She knew what Qin Chu meant.

Her breathing quickened, her beautiful eyes filled with anticipation… and this anticipation wasn’t just because of the possibility of reducing her corruption.

She seemed to crave more.

Although Qin Chu had rejected her several times these past few days, she had always made sure she was…prepared.

…

Under the cover of night, Shaye floated in the air.

She was dissatisfied with Qin Chu ordering her around, muttering complaints under her breath.

Soon, she arrived near the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess’s camp.

The Holy See, the royal family, and the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess had all sent people to accompany them.

The Holy See had one hundred Holy Knights and an Archbishop. The royal family had one hundred and fifty elite Royal Guards led by Morton.

The numbers weren’t large, but each of them was quite strong.

Only the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess’s contingent seemed excessively large, numbering three hundred. Nearly a hundred nuns were responsible for attending to Saint Son O’Niens’s every need, and the rest were powerful experts responsible for his protection.

They seemed to be here just to escort O’Niens on a tour.

O’Niens’s tent wasn’t hard to find. It was the most luxurious one. Seemingly afraid that O’Niens would be cold at night, and worried that the smoke from a fire inside the tent would irritate his nose, the people from the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess had set up a ring of bonfires around his tent, ensuring that it remained warm without any smoke.

The tent was surrounded by guards, and without the Saint Son’s permission, not even the Saintess could approach.

It was very quiet inside, clearly soundproofed by a barrier.

Shaye’s consciousness entered the tent. Seeing the scene inside, she frowned slightly.

Agatha was dead.

There were clear finger marks on her neck. She had been strangled by O’Niens.

There was a clear look of disgust on O’Niens’s face.

He didn’t understand what had come over him. Before he had Agatha, he had been consumed by a powerful desire to possess her… But after having her, only an inexplicable emptiness remained.

The more he looked at Agatha’s face, the more disgusted and irritated he felt.

And then, as Agatha screamed, he had snapped her neck, just to get rid of her.

O’Niens didn’t even notice that his eyes had turned crimson, a twisted smile playing on his lips.

This sight startled Shaye. She sensed a flicker of Karsus in O’Niens… but there was also a subtle difference.

…

Meanwhile, in the Demon Beast territory.

A dark corner.

A handsome, slender young man was cutting up the carcass of a beast with a sharp knife.

Looking at the bloody pieces of meat in his hand, the young man frowned, but he still stuffed them into his mouth.

He wanted cooked meat, but he couldn’t risk it. This was Demon Beast territory, and they were being hunted. A fire would reveal their location.

The smell of blood and raw meat made him gag, but he suppressed his nausea and swallowed the flesh, bite by bite.

Then he offered some of the cut meat to a petite girl beside him.

“Eileen, you should eat something too…”

Chapter 196: Saintess? Bullshit! (Part 1)

O’Niens had been constantly flirting with Inas along the way, giving Qin Chu the cold shoulder. Qin Chu didn’t bother with them either. There had been no interaction between them, so who would have thought that this idiot O’Niens would actually attack him directly?

He didn’t care about the broken light seal, but the crimson thread, which had been sealed inside by the Holy Light, took the opportunity to burrow into O’Niens’s body, finding a new host.

Qin Chu was speechless.

He didn’t even know what to say.

He looked at O’Niens as if he were looking at a landlord’s foolish son.

On Earth, he would be the typical good-for-nothing rich kid, with terrible grades, yet somehow managing to graduate from a prestigious foreign university… People thought that children from wealthy families would receive an elite education and become outstanding talents, but cases like this were definitely not uncommon.

Being the son of the former Holy Maiden of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess had given O’Niens a head start in life from the moment he was born.

The most difficult first step in cultivation, sensing elemental energy? It wasn’t difficult for him. His mother had instilled her consciousness into him, guiding him to directly absorb magic elements.

Saint Quartz were rare treasures and materials, but for O’Niens, they were just ordinary tools used during cultivation.

Potions that accelerated cultivation speed and increased Mana capacity were priceless, but for O’Niens, they were just ordinary drinks.

Precious magic spells? Were they really that precious? Weren’t they something he could get whenever he wanted?

Magic teachers? His mother was the best magic teacher.

Powerful magic staffs? Oh, those things, there were as many as he wanted in the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess’s treasury.

Before O’Niens was even born, his mother had already arranged his future. If he were a girl, she would be the next Holy Maiden. If he were a boy, he would be the Saint Son.

O’Niens was just a beautiful puppet, walking along the path his mother had paved for him.

And one thing was very important.

That was that O’Niens’s mother was still alive.

She had voluntarily stepped down from her position as the Holy Maiden of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been Saint Monique’s turn… This also resulted in a large number of believers in the Church flocking to O’Niens’s side. Growing up in an environment of extreme pampering and flattery had made O’Niens arrogant and conceited.

Actually, in Qin Chu’s eyes, O’Niens’s talent wasn’t that outstanding. With countless Saint Quartz and potions, the best magic teachers and spells, his level was only 79, even lower than Inas’s.

It could be seen that if it weren’t for his mother, the former Holy Maiden, O’Niens’s achievements in this life would have been very limited.

Although Qin Chu understood why O’Niens had developed such an arrogant and domineering personality, he didn’t expect him to dare to directly attack him, the Hero.

Holy shit, you idiot!

This was the only thing Qin Chu could think of after a long while.

These words drew O’Niens’s mockery. He wasn’t angry, only disdainful, “As the Hero, to utter such vulgar words is truly undignified.”

“An outsider from another world, you have no manners at all.”

To be angry at a barbarian like Qin Chu would even be beneath him.

“Hero, I think you shouldn’t spend all your time on women and cultivation. You should spend more time learning the etiquette of high society in the Heavenly Continent. Otherwise, your behavior will disgrace all of us in the upper class.”

What a dumbass! The world was about to be trampled flat by Demon Beasts, and he was still talking about etiquette? Was there something wrong with this guy’s brain?

O’Niens seemed to have just remembered the sphere of light he had shattered, “By the way, Hero, what was that thing just now?”

Qin Chu shrugged, saying it was nothing. He stood up from the ground and stared at O’Niens. This gaze puzzled the Saint Son, “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing, I just think… you’re so damn handsome,” Qin Chu said with sincere admiration.

He and Shaye had been studying this thing, but they couldn’t reach a definite conclusion. Shaye had suggested that perhaps they could put this thread back into someone’s body and observe the changes, to determine its true effect.

Practice makes perfect!

But Qin Chu couldn’t use innocent, unrelated people for experiments. And then, this kid O’Niens had delivered himself to his doorstep, offering his body for the sake of scientific research in the Heavenly Continent. Qin Chu was truly touched.

He looked at O’Niens and patted him on the shoulder. This action displeased O’Niens, and he brushed Qin Chu’s hand away irritably.

Qin Chu wasn’t angry at all. He praised O’Niens’s noble sacrifice again, “Master O’Niens, I might have misunderstood you before, but now I realize that you are truly an outstanding person, with a noble character willing to sacrifice everything for the future of this world. Please allow me to express my deepest respect.”

Although O’Niens was used to all kinds of flattery and praise, being praised by the Hero still made him feel a little proud, and he subconsciously raised his head.

“Ah, right, Master O’Niens, did you come to me for something?”

O’Niens finally remembered his true purpose, and his expression became serious again, “Hero, I’m here to warn you, don’t even think about Inas, don’t try to make a move on her. Inas is mine…”

“Yes, yes, you can rest assured about that, Saint Son,” Qin Chu nodded, “I swear in the name of the Goddess of Holy Light that I will never make a move on Miss Inas.”

“If I break this oath, may the Goddess of Holy Light inflict the cruelest punishment upon me.”

“Are you satisfied now, Saint Son?” Qin Chu raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile.

In this world, swearing in the name of the goddess was a very solemn act. O’Niens nodded with satisfaction. Just as he turned to leave, he saw a figure walking towards them. It was Sylph, the Ghost Archer, a former member of the Hero Squad.

A filthy half-breed.

O’Niens had no favorable impression of Sylph. Although she looked beautiful, in his eyes, the purity of bloodline was paramount. Half-breeds were filthy and disgusting.

Even being near her would make O’Niens feel tainted.

But this time, for some reason, the moment he saw Sylph, he was captivated.

The moonlight shone on her fair face, giving it a jade-like luster. Although it wasn’t the first time he had seen her, O’Niens suddenly realized how beautiful this elf was, dreamlike, like a goddess in a dream.

There seemed to be an astonishing charm about her, drawing him in.

His gaze became fervent, his breathing quickening.

After a long time, O’Niens realized that his gaze might be a bit impolite. A gentlemanly smile appeared on his face, and he bowed elegantly, “Ah, beautiful Miss Sylph, the moonlight tonight is so bright, it must be shining for your beauty.”

“It’s my honor to meet such a beautiful goddess on such a beautiful night.”

O’Niens praised Sylph’s beauty with exaggerated words, like a bard. He took a step forward, seemingly wanting to take her hand and kiss it. But his disgusting appearance only made Sylph’s hair stand on end. Before he could even see her move, he felt a flash before his eyes, and the next instant, his chest was hit by a powerful kick, sending him flying backwards, rolling on the ground.

For O’Niens, who cared so much about decorum and etiquette, this was extremely humiliating. But he didn’t feel any anger at all.

His eyes even sparkled, as if he found Sylph’s unconventional behavior even more captivating.

He watched as Sylph walked straight towards the Hero, and as Qin Chu pulled her into the tent.

Seeing their embracing figures under the firelight, a surge of intense jealousy flashed through O’Niens’s eyes.

He didn’t know why, but he had disliked Sylph so much before, yet now, seeing her with Qin Chu, he felt so uncomfortable, as if something that belonged to him had been taken away.

He even had the urge to rush in and beat that damned Hero to a pulp, or even kill him…

But fortunately, although the rage in his heart was strong, O’Niens could still control it. Suppressing his feelings, he quickly left.

Near the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess’s camp, Inas was waiting by the campfire. Seeing her lover return, her eyes lit up, and she waved at him cheerfully.

O’Niens habitually tried to smile, but for some reason, it was very difficult for him to smile at Inas now.

Compared to the beautiful elf Sylph, the Saintess of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess was like a pile of dog shit, filthy and disgusting.

Not to mention compared to the elf, she was even far inferior to the maids beside her.

He didn’t know why, but he seemed to have suddenly lost all interest in his lover.

“Sorry, Inas, I’m a little tired and need to rest. You go back first,” O’Niens said coldly.

Inas was stunned, a look of disappointment on her face, but she didn’t think much of it. After telling him to rest early, she turned and left.

After Inas left, O’Niens’s gaze suddenly fell on the nun who had been taking care of him. An ambiguous smile appeared on his face.

Perhaps he should call her “Auntie”?

After all, she seemed to be in her fifties.

But for some reason, he wanted to possess this woman.

Chapter 195: Holy Shit, You Idiot! (Part 5)

Lomond shot up from his throne, his head nearly hitting the ceiling.

That damned wench! Who gave her permission to refuse?!

Lomond was furious.

Candice’s words had painted a favorable picture of this mysterious informant. Despite being a filthy human, he was intelligent, provided valuable information, and, most importantly, had excellent judgment.

With this person’s help, he could accumulate more achievements and increase his prestige among the Demon Beasts.

By then, many powerful Demon Beasts would flock to his side, and overthrowing his father to become the true Demon King wouldn’t be impossible… Demon Beasts had long lifespans. Waiting for his father to die of old age would take who knew how long. Lomond didn’t have that kind of patience.

Of course, he would arrange for his father’s…afterlife after he abdicated.

And Candice had thrown away such a good opportunity? Damn it!

Seeing Candice’s surprised expression, Lomond realized his reaction was a bit excessive. He coughed, “Ahem, Candice, you… you… you did well. Yes, very well, excellent.”

“To attempt to overthrow my father is treasonous.”

“As a prince, I should personally punish him.”

“But considering his contributions to me, I’ll let it slide. And don’t make decisions for me again. No matter what, ask me first.”

Lomond’s reaction almost made Candice laugh out loud. This guy practically had his thoughts written all over his face. Did he really think he was already the Demon King?

He hadn’t even noticed that he had started referring to himself as “this king.”

If someone like Lomond became the Demon King, the Demon Beasts would be doomed.

Lomond suppressed his excitement and sat back down, realizing his outburst had been unseemly. “Ahem… Alright, this king agrees to his terms. We can cooperate.”

“Now, tell me his information.”

“Of course,” Candice nodded immediately, “According to that mysterious person, there’s not just one member of the Hero Squad in the Demon Beast territory, but two: Ronald, and one of the Twin Thieves, Eileen.”

Lomond’s eyes lit up. Two members of the Hero Squad, that meant double the credit!

“It’s precisely because there’s a Master Thief helping Ronald hide that you haven’t been able to find them… However, although Eileen can help Ronald hide, she can’t break through the blockade you’ve set up. They should still be trapped in the Third Princess’s territory.”

Lomond pondered. This was important information, but it wasn’t enough for him to capture Ronald and Eileen immediately.

Seeing his confusion, Candice sighed slightly and continued, “Your Highness Lomond, can you pinpoint Ronald’s approximate location now?”

Lomond nodded his massive head. “Yes, no matter how carefully they hide, the scent of humans is still very distinct in the Demon Beast territory. It’s not difficult to determine Ronald’s approximate location. But every time we get close, he escapes…”

“So, that person’s suggestion is to stop searching so meticulously…” Candice said with a smile, “Although it might be a bit wasteful, why not gather thousands, tens of thousands, of magic-wielding Demon Beasts and launch a wide-scale attack on the area after determining their approximate location?”

“A Master Thief’s stealth is very powerful. Even the sharpest eyes of a Demon Beast can’t see through it.”

“But even if they can conceal their whereabouts, they can’t avoid a wide-scale attack. As long as they’re affected by the attack, their hiding place will be exposed.”

“By then, wouldn’t they be sitting ducks?”

“Perhaps that Master Thief still has ways to escape, but Ronald definitely won’t be able to.”

This was a method Lord Horus had specifically devised for Lomond… Simple and crude, after all, Lomond probably couldn’t understand anything too complicated.

Lomond’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. This was indeed a feasible method. “Ahem, this pr… this king also thinks so. His thoughts coincide with mine. Yes, precisely.”

“Then go back and tell him. After I capture Ronald, I will hand him over to him for him to personally torture. And I also hope he can provide me with more useful information.”

“I understand… Ah, right, Your Highness, that person also said that before handing over Ronald, he hopes you can… entertain him well,” Candice suddenly remembered and quickly added.

Entertain?

This displeased Lomond.

After going through so much trouble to capture him, he still had to treat him well?

Was he imprisoning a criminal or entertaining a guest?

Candice sighed helplessly, “I think what he meant was that you can torture Ronald as much as you like, after all, there’s a deep grudge between them. As long as you keep Ronald alive.”

…

Meanwhile.

The new Hero Squad, after days of preparation, finally set off.

Qin Chu temporarily entrusted Karen to Louisa, Natia’s best friend, hoping she wouldn’t be led astray.

Eight new members had been added to the Hero Squad, expanding it from eight to sixteen.

Except for Muse, Ronald, and Eileen, who couldn’t be present, the other thirteen members followed the Hero to the front lines.

Everyone knew that this was a formidable force. Angelica and Anastasia were slightly weaker, but the strength of the others was impeccable.

But this was the Hero’s first true expedition to the battlefield, and all factions attached great importance to it. They couldn’t allow anything to happen to him. So, the Holy See, the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, and the royal family all sent a large number of elite troops to escort him.

And the leader of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess’s team was Saint Son Onions… This man was handsome, but very childish. He wasn’t qualified for this position, but his connections were very powerful.

Qin Chu seriously suspected that Saint Monique had deliberately sent Onions to the battlefield, hoping that the Demon Beasts would kill this idiot, saving her a lot of trouble.

Qin Chu didn’t bother with this idiot at all, but Onions harbored a strong hostility towards him, always glaring at him as if Qin Chu had stolen his wife.

Although they were all members of the Hero Squad, they were clearly divided into different groups.

Angelica and the others surrounded Qin Chu, while Athena, Airi, Loseweisse, and the other original members stayed together.

Shirley seemed to want to stay with Loseweisse, her senior, but she could sense that she wasn’t welcome there, so she politely distanced herself. However, she seemed to have a good relationship with Princess Carol.

Natia stayed by Qin Chu’s side, indifferent to the gazes of others.

Loseweisse occasionally moved between different groups. She was very sociable and seemed to have a good relationship with almost everyone.

Inas stayed close to O’Niens, and whenever this happened, O’Niens would look at Qin Chu with a smug… and envious gaze.

Smug because he had a beauty like Inas by his side…

Envious because he only had Inas.

He was jealous of how a mediocre man like Qin Chu could have so many beauties around him. That should be a privilege he enjoyed!

O’Niens hadn’t had such thoughts before, after all, the women he usually interacted with were mostly Inas, Saint Monique, and some nuns… But after leaving the Imperial City, he discovered that there were so many beautiful women in this world.

Although Inas was beautiful, after seeing her for so long, she seemed…ordinary.

Qin Chu completely ignored O’Niens’s gaze. He was more interested in the thread he had extracted from Sylph’s body.

In the past few days, Qin Chu had taken the time to examine Ekaterina’s soul.

He had thought that there would be similar things in her body, but there weren’t. Ekaterina’s soul world wasn’t as filthy as Sylph’s, although it wasn’t particularly pure either.

Since having one thread extracted, the mark on Sylph’s neck hadn’t worsened, which finally relieved her. Her attitude towards Qin Chu seemed to have improved slightly, no longer as hostile as before.

Of course, if other members of the Hero Squad were present, she would still have a sullen face and ignore him.

Sylph had also taken advantage of Qin Chu being alone to ask him to remove another mark from her soul, but he refused. He wouldn’t act again until he had thoroughly studied this thing.

This displeased Sylph, and the proud elf pouted, seemingly muttering something before leaving. Qin Chu didn’t hear clearly what she said.

Night fell.

This special team set up camp on a grassy plain.

They were still several days away from the front lines. The girls were preparing dinner, while Qin Chu sat alone by the campfire, not joining them.

He once again took out the sphere of Holy Light. The red, thread-like creature inside was still wriggling. It had been several days, and even though it had been extracted from Sylph’s soul, losing its host and being sealed by Holy Light, it still hadn’t dissipated.

It seemed to be a living being with its own consciousness.

Or perhaps it was just pure energy.

Qin Chu had tried to contact it with his consciousness, but the moment he touched it, a violent, murderous rage surged within him, an urge to kill, destroy, plunder, and possess everything…

Shaye also lay on his shoulder, but even with her knowledge, she couldn’t figure out what this was.

“Do you think this could be a strand of will separated from some powerful being?” Shaye suddenly proposed a bold hypothesis.

Will?

It was a difficult concept to describe, but Qin Chu felt that Shaye’s hypothesis was very likely.

“What I find strange is why Sylph’s mind hasn’t collapsed yet,” Qin Chu scratched his head, “I almost went mad just by sensing it slightly. I don’t think Sylph’s mind is that strong. I feel that this thing isn’t so simple, it seems even more terrifying than the thing that corrupted Karsus… Are we missing something?”

“If it’s also meant to transform Sylph, like Karsus, then what kind of monster are they planning to turn her into?”

When purifying Karsus, Qin Chu hadn’t sensed this kind of violent and ferocious aura from the thread. He instinctively judged that the thing residing within Sylph and the thing that transformed Karsus were not on the same level. Sylph’s was much higher level, and also much more dangerous.

He couldn’t imagine what Sylph would become if these threads were also meant to manipulate and transform her.

Qin Chu and Shaye were both engrossed in studying this mysterious being, neither of them noticing the faint footsteps approaching silently.

It was O’Niens, the Saint Son of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess.

Seeing Qin Chu, O’Niens frowned. He instinctively disliked this man who was more popular than him. He didn’t see any noble qualities in Qin Chu.

This was just a lowly, lecherous commoner from another world, hiding behind the title of Hero, without any of the corresponding qualities.

The title of Hero was just a tool for him to play with women.

This guy was far inferior to the First Hero.

He couldn’t understand why those women would fall for this filthy man. He was clearly superior, with a noble bloodline.

The handsome young man glanced around, relieved to find that the terrifying Ekaterina wasn’t here.

“Hey, Qin Chu…”

“I’m warning you, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re the Hero. I know what kind of person you are, but… Stay away from Inas… Understand? Inas is mine.”

Although he hated Qin Chu, O’Niens still decided to warn him.

Seeing that Qin Chu was staring intently at the sphere of light in his hand, completely ignoring him, O’Niens felt insulted.

This was the first time anyone had ever dared to ignore him like this.

His spoiled nature made him lose control immediately. This guy’s temper was even worse than the Grand Prince’s.

He couldn’t tolerate Qin Chu’s disregard and stepped forward, waving his hand at the sphere of light, “Hey, you, I’m talking to you! Don’t ignore me…”

Crack!

The sphere of light suddenly shattered!

The red thread instantly pierced through O’Niens’s finger and entered his body.

O’Niens seemed to feel a stinging pain in his fingertip, and he raised his hand, but there was no wound.

Qin Chu, on the other hand, just sat there, dumbfounded.

O’Niens thought that Qin Chu was stunned by his power, and he felt smug.

A few seconds later, Qin Chu’s body began to tremble strangely, and he pointed a finger at O’Niens, “Holy shit, you idiot…”