Chapter 84

“You’re even more impressive than a cultist.”

The Derton Manor, once grand, had fallen on hard times… Just look at the notices. A request to find the cat of Baron Hastings’ daughter? Distributing antidotes for the Redemption Society? And this… Assassinating a member of the North An Su Brotherhood active in Borough City? Anonymous… When did you start taking such politically charged requests?

“Isn’t there anything more challenging? Like finding some cultists or disrupting a ritual summoning an evil deity.”

In the commission hall of Derton Manor, a woman with messy pink curls was scratching her head, muttering incessantly.

None of the people around her paid attention. Across the counter stood a man wearing a green chip mask, who, after a moment of silence, asked:

“Miss Goodwin, would you like to continue accepting commissions? If not, let others have your spot.”

“Heh, no, I won’t be taking any more. I’ll never come back to this Derton Manor.”

The woman with pink hair, known as Miss Goodwin, snatched the membership card from the attendant, gave him a friendly international gesture, and turned to leave.

But when she turned around, she froze.

Three individuals, clearly of the “Gambler” path, stood by the exit, seemingly discussing something. Sharp-eyed Goodwin noticed that all three were loading bullets into their pistols.

What were the “Gamblers” doing loading bullets inside Derton Manor?

This was a commission hall, not a death wheel arena.

The intense premonition of danger made Goodwin furrow her brow, yet she acted as if she hadn’t noticed, turning to the attendant and shouting, “Hey, where’s the restroom?”

“It’s straight ahead on your left. Just open the door and walk to the end.”

The attendant seemed unperturbed by Goodwin’s attitude and continued his explanation calmly.

“Alright, thanks.”

Without looking back, Goodwin waved her hand and turned left, heading towards the corridor, avoiding the three guards at the entrance.

Just as she was about to step into the side corridor, a deep voice echoed from the entrance.

“Goodwin.”

Goodwin instinctively turned her head toward the source of the voice and saw three dark gun barrels pointed at her.

Click, click, click—

“Damn!”

Goodwin muttered under her breath and quickly stepped into the side corridor, pressing herself against the wall perpendicular to the entrance. She peeked out slightly to see the doorway.

All three shots were blanks…

However, Goodwin, familiar with the “Gambler” path, didn’t feel relieved. She had worked with “Gamblers” before, knowing their capabilities.

Individually, “Gamblers” weren’t particularly impressive. But with support, they could load just one bullet and rely on their teammates to keep them safe until the last shot turned the tide.

Goodwin was certain that one of those “Gamblers” had only loaded a single bullet.

If that shot was fired, she was done for.

When did I get involved with Derton Manor? Isn’t it supposed to be the safest trading place?

The footsteps drew closer, and Goodwin clenched her teeth, reaching for two daggers with sharp finger rings at her waist.

Fleeing… wouldn’t solve anything.

Only daring actions could make an “Adventurer” stronger.

With barely any hesitation, Goodwin gripped the daggers in reverse, crossed her arms, and thrust them toward her shoulders.

The dagger tips sliced through her skin and muscle, cutting blood vessels that oozed profusely.

The pain intensified her adrenaline, steadying her mind.

As the footsteps neared, she rolled along the carpet, then leaped toward the fastest “Gambler.”

Bang—

Goodwin swung her right fist, and the dagger pierced the “Gambler’s” cheek, sending him sprawling unconscious.

Two dice fell from his hand, rolling to Goodwin’s feet, landing on sixes.

“Goodwin! We mean no harm, we just want you to come with us!”

The “Gambler” on the left pulled the trigger, aiming at Goodwin’s arm.

Bang—

The bullet flew toward her left arm, piercing it.

The “Gambler” on the right also fired.

Bang—

Goodwin raised her right dagger to block, deflecting the bullet with a clang.

She felt a glimmer of hope.

She had managed to block a shot by chance…

Luck was on her side.

But then, the bullet deflected slightly after hitting the dagger.

Instead of hitting her arm, it struck her cheek, shattering her teeth and breaking her left cheekbone.

What kind of luck is this?!

The intense pain halted her momentarily, but soon, the threat of death spurred her body’s potential. With red-rimmed eyes, she lunged at the “Gambler” on the left.

Her left fist knocked the revolver from his hand, and her right hand rose to strike his heart.

Plop… plop…

Goodwin’s blood flowed from her mouth, dripping onto the carpet.

Her right hand couldn’t complete the strike.

“Miss Goodwin,” a detached female voice came from the doorway.

Goodwin’s vision blurred. She looked up and saw a woman in black uniform and a black chip mask standing at the door.

Manager…?

“We just want you to join us for a small gathering… Please consider attending. Don’t make things difficult.”

The manager stood at the door, calm as she spoke, while a white figure carrying a red potion slowly approached Goodwin.

With her last ounce of strength, Goodwin turned her eyes to her lifted right hand.

Her wrist was held by a white figure, which she couldn’t break free from no matter how hard she struggled.

Despair spread through Goodwin. She never thought she’d be defeated in Derton Manor, a place she believed to be safe.

Goodwin soon slipped into a shallow coma, only regaining consciousness when the potion was forced down her throat.

“Three against one, nearly killed…”

“Forget it, completing the task is important…”

“Watch her, don’t let her die…”

In a daze, she heard the manager speaking.

Two maids, each wearing a red chip mask, escorted Goodwin out the door.

In her haze, Goodwin saw the gruesome scenes in other halls.

Most members of Derton Manor attacked others, even their own comrades, as if driven mad.

Members scattered, but none escaped, bound and dragged away like livestock.

Whether they were digesting or completing a replication ritual, or just gambling, all were dragged in the same direction.

The entire manor became a hell on earth.

The potion started working, stopping her bleeding and restoring some energy.

But she knew once its effects wore off, she’d be weaker. She must escape before then.

Goodwin gritted her teeth, squinting, memorizing her location.

Heading underground… Is it the exchange area?

But soon, Goodwin realized something was wrong.

She had taken many commissions here and occasionally played at the tables. She knew the layout well.

The route the maids took her on couldn’t possibly lead to the exchange area.

The exchange area was on the first floor below ground… Yet, the spiral staircase they descended kept going down, even after reaching the first basement level.

Secret room?

Goodwin was surprised. She never knew Derton Manor had a secret underground room.

As the temperature dropped, Goodwin was finally led to the bottom of the spiral staircase.

Raising her eyes, she saw a sudden narrowing of her pupils.

This…

A wide underground church, a circular and semi-circular emblem carved everywhere, faceless gods…

A strong sense of crisis washed over Goodwin.

Holy ground!!! This is a cultist’s holy ground!!!

A cultist’s holy ground right beneath Derton Manor?!

Over a hundred people were bound and kneeling in the center.

Cries, curses, prayers echoed. Occasionally, someone would scream in despair, tearing at their hair and face.

Squish—

A maid stepped on something, making a noise. Goodwin looked down and saw a squished eyeball.

“Is everyone here…”

The manager’s voice echoed behind her, crushing any thoughts of escape. Goodwin watched helplessly as a white figure approached, grabbed her collar, and dragged her forward.

In Goodwin’s field of vision, she saw only the white figure dragging her and the oppressive presence of the terrifying manager ahead.

Thrown to the ground in front of the crowd, Goodwin used her trembling hands to push herself up and looked around.

Surrounding her were other injured “Extraordinary” individuals.

“Master… Everyone has arrived.”

Goodwin slowly raised her head and saw the once-arrogant manager now respectfully walking to the altar, removing her mask and kneeling.

Looking up, she saw a stone throne at the altar, with a red-haired girl half-lying on it.

The girl’s head rested on one armrest, her legs on another, lounging as if on her own couch.

After hearing the manager’s words, the girl tilted her head toward the crowd.

A fierce spiritual alert rang in Goodwin’s ears, causing her to lower her head instantly, though still slightly tainted by darkness.

She felt the potion within her stirring restlessly, and strange visions began to appear.

“Master, do you need me to recite the prayer?”

The manager, Jiti, said humbly.

“No, I can do it myself.”

A sweet, youthful voice echoed from the throne, conveying a smile in her tone.

“Thank you, Jiti.”

A brief flash of silver-white light, followed by a loud gunshot.

Bang—!

Manager Jiti’s body was thrown backward several meters, landing on the ground in front of Goodwin.

Goodwin stared in horror at the mangled face of the manager lying before her.

Bloody orchids bloomed from her cheeks, their petals glistening with blood, swaying gently before Goodwin.

“High Priestess Jiti!”

“Manager!”

“Master, what about you?!”

The nearby cultists noticed Jiti’s body, causing some commotion.

“Silence!”

The authoritative voice of the girl on the altar diverted Goodwin’s attention from the mangled corpse.

This… Cultist infighting?

“Jiti volunteered for this sacrifice… Don’t worry, the Mother Goddess will take her soon.”

Plop—

The girl jumped from the altar, landing beside the corpse. Goodwin dared not look up, only maintaining her kneeling posture, eyes fixed on the faceless corpse.

“I***”

A string of unfamiliar words escaped the girl’s lips, causing the minds of almost all the “Extraordinary” present to become frenzied.

Ritual… It’s an evil deity’s summoning ritual?!

Whispers and fear surged in Goodwin’s mind. She made up her mind and turned sharply toward the trembling crowd kneeling on the ground.

“Get away… Get away!”

Gudewin struggled to get up, pushing away the people behind her and ran towards the stairs she came from according to her memory.

But at that moment, the girl’s voice echoed again.

“I*****”

The girl’s murmuring sounded like a thunderclap in everyone’s ears, causing people in the crowd to fall into madness one after another and turn around to run in the opposite direction.

“Ah!!!”

“Ughaa!!!”

Blood lines rapidly flew through the air, forming a huge ritual array that encompassed everyone.

Those closest to the blood array tried to run out, but their bodies were already corroded by something unknown as soon as they crossed the array—no blood was left, as if they had run into an invisible monster’s mouth.

The entire underground sanctuary turned into a hell on earth.

Gudewin felt her life force rapidly draining, death approaching step by step. Desperately, she looked back, seeking out the source of all this chaos.

The girl stood at the edge of the inner array, holding an ancient silver pocket watch, her body withered and devoid of any color. The blood drawn from her, along with the bloodlines of everyone else, formed a massive blood vortex in mid-air above the sanctuary.

The vortex spun, but Gudewin had no energy left to care. Her vision was consumed by darkness, with the center of that darkness being the almost withered red-haired girl.

Freak…

To summon an existence that only brings madness and destruction, she sacrificed everyone, including herself…

Freak!!!

Gudewin clenched her teeth, breaking off a tooth which pierced her gums, reopening the wound that had already scabbed over. This risky move gave her a bit of strength and a few seconds of clarity.

She suddenly crouched down, pulling out a sharp throwing knife from her boot and throwing it with all her might towards the girl.

Swoosh —

The knife spun and embedded itself into the girl’s heart.

Was… was it successful?

The entire array paused slightly, and Gudewin slowly raised her head. In the darkness, the blood vortex above had stopped rotating.

And around her, all she could hear were mutterings; there was no other sound.

I… stopped the demon god from descending?

If I survive this… I must have completed the ritual beyond expectations, allowing me to drink the next phase potion without being assimilated…

Gudewin staggered, the darkness in her eyes gradually fading. She saw the colors around her again, and the ground littered with dried corpses.

“9…”

A faint voice filtered through the mutterings, reaching Gudewin’s ear. She quickly looked in the direction of the voice and saw the withered girl, mechanically opening her mouth.

“1…”

A delicate silver clock face shadow appeared behind the girl, with the second hand rapidly moving back ten seconds.

Click —

The illusory pocket watch started turning again, and the girl, who initially resembled a withered corpse, began to fill with flesh and blood. Even the dagger embedded in her chest was squeezed out by the new flesh.

The terrifying ritual began to spin once more, and Gudewin, after losing all hope, completely lost her sanity.

…

“Cough, cough…”

Xia’er emitted a soft cough.

She put away her pocket watch, wiped the blood from her mouth, and looked at the substantial blood vortex in front of her.

Luckily, she had pressed the stopwatch. Otherwise, this summoning array might have drained her like a withered corpse.

It should have recovered in ten seconds, but someone used a throwing knife on her, and although it didn’t kill her, it almost shattered her composure.

Luckily, she had lost all sensation from pain. The throwing knife barely registered on her skin, as if she were already a corpse.

The blood vortex in front of her finally showed some movement.

The enormous blood vortex was rapidly compressing, soon reducing to a size of two people. The original blood vortex compressed into a nearly black dark red.

“Why did it shrink?”

Xia’er frowned slightly.

With just one corpse of Jiti, she had summoned a terrifying monster capable of bursting through the roof of the exchange area.

But adding so many extraordinary people and cultists actually resulted in a smaller array?

Xia’er originally thought she could summon something strong enough to break through the ceiling of this huge underground sanctuary.

After all, bigger was better, stronger was better.

As Xia’er pondered, specks of light-like dust drifted out of the dark vortex.

The dust shimmered, standing out against the dark red vortex like stars in the universe.

The starlight dust floated, and Xia’er couldn’t look away until it drifted toward the relatively intact pink-haired corpse, pausing briefly and gradually possessing it.

The pink-haired corpse quickly rotted. Wounds closed and pus-filled boils appeared, expanding and stacking up, enveloping the entire body like distinct clusters of grapes.

Gradually, the pus-filled boils began to harden, as if frozen, with white frost forming on the surface.

Crack —

The giant egg-like cyst split open, and a human hand emerged.

Crack —

The cyst split in half and scattered in the wind, revealing a half-human, half-insect “thing” to Xia’er.

It was a monstrous creature resembling a teenage girl.

Her head had short dark red hair, her face devoid of any organs, and her body seemed tightly wrapped, like a skin enclosing something.

Behind her, six semi-transparent insect wings spread out, and four pairs of white, sharp insect legs protruded from her shoulders and sides, slowly extending.

On either side of her head, four chitin black curved horns twisted, creating a church emblem when viewed straight-on.

Xia’er: “…”

Xia’er took several steps back.

Seeing those highly symbolic horns instantly made her feel uneasy.

The system had mentioned that the type of spiritual beings summoned depended on what was sacrificed.

Could it be that sacrificing too many cultists with the “Satarna Mark” attracted these beings, which were favorable to “Satarna”?…

Moreover, the insect limbs and wings of this creature reminded her of the “Radiant Bishop” Xiū when she was mentally unstable…

Ssss —

The sound of skin tearing echoed as the faceless mask on the creature began to crack, revealing mouths without lips and sharp teeth irregularly spreading across the face.

Just as Xia’er considered suicide to eliminate some cultists and start over, a ethereal voice echoed in her mind.

“Mother… Satarne…”

The spiritual being had limited cognitive abilities and instinctively approached Xia’er, kneeling down slowly.

Xia’er looked at the half-human, half-insect creature kneeling before her, unsure what to do.

She could seemingly communicate with it.

It was calling out the name of the mother goddess, indicating its connection to “Satarne,” possibly a creation of “Satarne” or even its offspring.

Its voice didn’t seem to affect Xia’er, and for some reason, it mistook Xia’er for the mother goddess.

Considering the low intelligence of spiritual beings, it might simply view Xia’er as its master.

Xia’er noticed that the six large insect wings behind it were gradually dissipating, suggesting its time in this world was limited.

How strong is it in combat?

Xia’er summoned it mainly to counteract the Tier 3 “Radiant Bishop” cultist. If it couldn’t defeat that cultist, it would be a waste.

How could she test its strength?

Should she fight it herself?

Xia’er shook her head inwardly.

Although she hadn’t fought it, she felt she would be easily defeated.

There wasn’t enough time to let it chase extraordinary beings in the city…

Oh right, Nia is still outside, right?

She is a Tier 3 “Crown Guard” and should be quite resilient?

I’m sorry, Nia, I’ll use you in this simulation to test its capabilities.

Just make sure it doesn’t go all-out.

I will find a way to repay this favor when I return to reality.

Seemingly sensing Xia’er’s thoughts, the creature slowly turned and headed toward the spiral staircase.

“Oops, wrong way, here.”

Xia’er walked ahead of the creature, leading the way.

She didn’t notice that her body was starting to twist and flicker, with the negative status “Time Disruption” taking effect on her…

…

An hour passed… What happened inside?

Nia pulled out a bronze pocket watch, checking the time irritably before clipping it back onto her waist.

As expected, the tempter’s words couldn’t be trusted. It said everything would be resolved before the lady woke up, but nothing happened inside, and no one came out.

The Derton Manor was eerily quiet, filled with an aura that kept strangers away.

Zzzz —

A sudden buzzing in her mind alerted Nia, and she quickly drew her sword shield, the gaps in her armor glimmering with faint blue fluorescence.

In Nia’s tense gaze, a figure slowly emerged from the entrance of Derton Manor.

Is… it Xia’er?

In Nia’s vision, Xia’er’s mask had vanished, her red curls swaying slightly as she moved. Beside her were four illusory black shadows identical to Xia’er.

Nia: “?”

No?

“Tempter” can become a “Judge” now?

Xia’er just drank the “Tempter” potion, right?

What about those shadows? They aren’t…

Still puzzled, Nia suddenly stepped back, raising her shield and thrusting forward, a honeycomb-patterned blue glow shield unfolding in front of her.

She saw a terrifying creature, whose shape distorted in front of her, following Xia’er and the four shadows.

Screaming mutterings echoed in Nia’s mind, and as Xia’er slowly raised her hand and pointed in her direction, the terrifying illusion vanished in a blink.

200 meters…

150! 100! 5…

In just a few blinks, the terrifying illusion appeared in front of Nia’s face.

Nia stood there stunned for a while, the blue glow on her gradually fading. After some time, she supported herself with her sword shield and half-knelt towards Xia’er.

“Mother… above…”

A metallic hum echoed from Nia’s armor.

Xia’er’s shadow sank into the ground, emerging from Nia’s shadow like a fish. The shadow solidified, and Xia’er appeared behind Nia.

She looked at the half-kneeling Nia with a thoughtful expression.

Is this a super-enhanced version of the “Radiant Bishop”?

No matter what, Xia’er felt it was worth running another simulation to try facing the “Radiant Bishop” head-on…

Before the spiritual being dissipated, Xia’er removed the “Satarne Mark” from Nia, easily eliminating it.

This way, she could also attempt to remove the “Satarne Mark” from the “Gambler” save file…

Regardless, in future simulations, as long as Jiti was still at Derton Manor, she could come and sacrifice some cultists to help herself.

Derton Manor in Borough City had become Xia’er’s mysterious battleground.

After dragging the unconscious Nia into the bushes, Xia’er left Borough City and headed towards nearby towns, patiently waiting for time to pass.

Finally, after 24 hours, Xia’er was teleported to a silver-white space.

After saving the “Tempter” save file as No. 1, overwriting the original “Avenger” save file, Xia’er left the save space, enveloped in a silver light…

…

[Reality]

[June 20, 741 Sheng Year, 16:20]

[Evaluation: As always, you’re impressive]

[The Arrival Sect doesn’t know how to summon divine servants, but you do. You’re even better than the cultists]

[Unfortunately, if you had taken out another Tier 3 opponent, I could have given you more rewards ^^]

[Take them, they are well-deserved based on your performance]

[Reward: Mortality Points × 27, [Art of Conversation Lv. 3]]

[Mortality Points: 153]

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