Chapter 1183: Sacrifice


    Trantor: Transn Editor: Transn


    "Here it is," Sir Youlong said in a hushed voice.


    The party observed the surroundings cautiously by looking through the venttion duct. They found themselves in arge nt, where a few overhead bridge cranes were hanging on either side of the wall. Belowy nothing but some dpidated machine tools and rusty conveyor belts covered in dust. Apparently, the nt owner had removed every piece of usable equipment before he had shut the nt down.


    The empty factory, however, was now lit by several torches, with their dazzling, greenish-white mes dancing around in the darkness. These torches were set in a circle, and there were around twenty distorted shadows in the middle.


    "Are those shadows our targets?" asked Luo Hua.


    "Most likely," one of the traditional martialists replied. "I can sense their fluctuating power, which tells me that these people are at thest stage of transitioning."


    Thest stage referred to a stage where the humans wouldpletely lose their humanity and consciousness, thus bing corrupted puppet. Fallen Evils at this stage only acted on their instincts like animals, as they lost all themunication ability they once had.


    "They used to be... martialists?"


    "Not necessarily. Although there were some fallen martialists ording to the Association’s records, generally speaking, amateurs are more prone to corruption."


    "It’s my first time seeing a living Fallen Evil, but regardless, a martialistck of self-discipline and proactivity is, in every aspect, useless," Luo Hua snorted with utmost contempt. "Pathetic... they don’t deserve the Force of Nature. Captain, let’s do this."


    "Wait a minute," Sir Youlong stopped Luo Hua calmly. "It appears that more Fallen Evils areing here. Wait until they’ve all gathered so that we can kill them all in one go. But, don’t you feel that this is strange? These Fallen Evils are all in theirst stages. Why didn’t they go kill the amateurs? Why did theye here? I have a feeling that things aren’t as simple as we thought. Perhaps, we should first find out their intentions rather than killing them all outright."


    While everyone was exchanging opinions, Rnd stole a nce at Fei Yuhan.


    That unexpected "Your Majesty" seemed to be still ringing in his ears.


    Within a few seconds, turbulent emotions had flooded through Rnd. He had not been so perturbed by someone over the past few years since his ascendence to the throne.


    At first, Rnd had thought it was Elena calling him and he had almost responded, but he had swallowed his words at thest minute. If Fei Yuhan was really Elena’s incarnation, she would not have introduced herself in the first ce and taken the seat beside him so carefreely.


    The abrupt change from joy to disappointment was almost as painful as the grief itself. As he recollected himself in the next few minutes, he soon figured out why Fei Yuhan had addressed him like this. Garcia had told him that martialists were usually acute observers, particrly for those gifted ones. As Fei Yuhan had attended the party held by the Clover Group, she must have overheard his conversation with the witches.


    The next question was — how much did Fei Yuhan know about him?


    Rnd judged that she probably did not know much at this stage, considering how she was still testing him. At least, she didn’t know anything about the other world yet. However, this was rming to Rnd, since no one would want to know that he was only fictional and only existed in dreams. Once the secret about this Dream World was known to someone, the consequences would be disastrous.


    Garcia was right. He needed to be extra cautious when dealing with Fei Yuhan.


    "Mhm? Look, the new Fallen Evil... looks a little different than the others." At that moment, a voice from the headset interrupted Rnd’s train of thought. "It seems that it’smanding the other Fallen Evils."


    Rnd took off his goggles and looked toward the center of the nt through the venttion. He saw a group of Fallen Evils slowly walk in while carrying three cargo containers, all the while at themand of a man in a suit.


    "Are they the Fallen Evils who have yet topletely lose their minds?" Sir Youlong mumbled in bewilderment. "What are they ying at?"


    Several traditional martialists frowned. Compared with transformed Fallen Evils, those still in transitioning period were normally more difficult to deal with. At that stage,passion and empathy had escaped them, but the dark side of human nature, such as subterfuge and shrewdness, remained. Typically, these Fallen Evils used to be well-established martialists.


    "Shh — " Fei Yuhan suddenly spoke. "Be quiet. Something’s in those containers."


    Everyone held their breath immediately.


    After a while, Fei Yuhan said heavily, "There are people... inside."


    "What?"


    "I heard someone crying and pleading. It seems like they’re gagged."


    "You’re saying that there are civilians in those containers?" Sir Youlong asked in surprise. "I’ve never seen anything like this before in the Association’s records. Fallen Evils do kill often, but they don’t really pick onmon people."


    They looked at each other in confusion when suddenly, themander of the Fallen Evils yelled, "It’s time, children! The divine will is approaching, and God is waiting for the sacrifices!"


    "Grrrrr — " all the other Fallen Evils growled.


    "Come. Let the power return to its source and let the Oracle grace continent with his presence once more!"


    "Grrrr—"


    "We’ll be reborn with the destruction of this world! Surrender everything to God. Let’s offer our sacrifice!"


    The Fallen Evils produced an ear-splitting roar.


    "Damn it, we have to act. Now," Sir Youlong said through clenched teeth. Although he had never heard Fallen Evils would perform human sacrifice or please the so-called God like some cults, they could not let innocent civilians die. In fact, as the mission of the Martialist Association was protecting the world, it was more important to save lives than annihting the Fallen Evils. "Let’s stay as close to the containers as possible to prevent these monsters from approaching them. It’s OK to let one or two go. I believe the other team will finish them off!"


    Fei Yuhan nodded expressionlessly and darted out first.


    The others followed at her heels and dashed toward the enemies.


    The deserted nt was instantly stirred!


    Caught unprepared, the Fallen Evils copsed under the impact of the Force of Nature and paralyzed when their cores were detached from their bodies.


    Rnd was thest to act. He followed his team members while at the same time hiding his ability carefully. This was not his first time fighting Fallen Evils, so he was much more experienced than the others. Unlike those awakened martialists possessed of the Force of Nature, Rnd did not need to throw himself into a fierce battle. Fallen Evils would immediately lose their power upon touching him and be at his mercy. Rnd did not wish to touch those detached red cyclones either, otherwise everyone would see numerous cores rise into the air of their own ord.


    Meanwhile, the bug on Rnd’s shoulder trembled slightly, which indicated that Phyllis and the other witches had arrived. Supported by his witches, Rnd felt more and more confident. He did not employ specificbat techniques, but he killed more Fallen Evils than anyone else except Fei Yuhan.


    As the other team members were all focused on the containers, and Rnd had been super cautious, nobody discovered his secret ability.


    They soon reached the containers. Only a few of them were injured.


    By that time, half of the Fallen Evils had been killed.


    "Well, that’s easier than I thought," Luo Hua said as he shook off the blood on his hands, snatched the lock, and broke it in half. "The Association should have issued me a hunting license as well. Hey, don’t be afraid. The Martialist Association is here to help — "


    Luo Hua stopped dead.


    The other members all took a step back.


    There were dozens of people tied to several metal posts, their eyes blinded and mouths sealed, who groaned with fear in one of the containers. A cyclone suspended in midair above each of them.


    Rnd felt all the hair at the back of his neck stood up.


    He suddenly remembered what Garcia had told him several months ago.


    "These cyclones are where Fallen Evils gain their power. They’re signs of corruption. Once a person is corrupted, he loses his Force of Nature. If we don’t store away these cyclones, they’ll infect other people. Ordinary people will instantly lose their minds upon a single touch."


    "Are you saying... that they can be transferred to multiple people?"


    "That’s why some people are collecting them. That’s exactly what they’re thinking. Are they not afraid that they’ll destroy this world?"


    "So... the Fallen Evils have been preparing over the past half a year just for this moment?"


    Rnd whipped his head around and stared at the leader of the Fallen Evils.


    He dressed like a butler, wearing a pair of monocled spectacles, with his hairbed all the way to the back of his head. His suit crisp and his white gloves spotless. However, his face was now contorted with rage.


    "We don’t necessarily need you toplete this human sacrifice. However, the more victims, the better. Don’t you think so?" With these words, he snapped his fingers.


    The cyclones above the containers instantly dropped.


    "No—!"


    Luo Hua attempted to untie the prisoners. However, as they were so tightly packed in the container that it was impossible to rescue them without touching the suspending cyclone.


    "Kill them, now!" a traditional martialist shouted.


    "But... these are all civilians..." Luo Hua muttered.


    Within a few seconds, those ordinary people hadpleted their transition to new Fallen Evils. Although they were not as strong as Fallen Evils that transformed from martialists, with so many of them, it was still quite dangerous.


    The Fallen Evils then swarmed out of their container, and Luo Hua was soon drowned by the wave of the enemies.