Chapter 482

Chapter 482: Chapter 479: "Why Did You Invest First, Sir?Su Ming’an understood.

What Noel was talking about was "legitimacy."

Just like in ancient times when rebels needed a big banner to lead their cause, the Raven was like that banner, naturally able to summon countless fervent believers.

If he really wanted to contest the position of Clan Leader against Fengchang, his odds of winning were surprisingly not low.

However, the only issue was that Fengchang’s combat power was terrifying... he couldn’t defeat Fengchang.

Hoping that Fengchang would willingly hand over Qiongdi was completely out of the question, especially since the other party hadn’t conceded even when their favorability was maxed out. He preferred maintaining a good relationship with Fengchang, waiting for him to come into power, and then having him cooperate in

In the busy market of the First Tribe’s outer city, two figures in black cloaks were conversing stealthily.

One of them lowered his hood slightly, revealing strands of blonde hair.

They stood in a dim alley, people coming and going past them, the air fragrant with the scent of fruits and vegetables.

The outer city of the First Tribe, a place for commoners, was no different in size from a small town and much better off than those small tribes without even a fence. The people here lived in relative prosperity, not having to endure the feast or famine conditions of other tribes.

The disparity between the rich and poor, even in Qiongdi, was starkly evident.

"I am sure."

The other cloaked figure nodded and said,

"Su Ming’an’s Guide, she is the young lady from the Zeven family who was exiled from the tribes a few years ago, she is a Heretic. If you bring people from the Tribunal to capture him, he will surely be taken for Judgment, it’s an opportunity you should seize, Edward, you’ve disliked him for a long time, haven’t you."

Listening to the tempting words of the other, Edward snorted lightly, "Migael said there are no Heretics in Qiongdi, it seems he too is deceiving me."

"Migael... your Guide?" the person opposite said, "This name, I’ve heard it. He controls the Time authority, the third-ranking Guide, right? He’s a member of the ’Heretic Tribunal’. This makes it even more legitimate for you to take people to pursue Su Ming’an."

Edward narrowed his eyes, "You know all this?"

Over these three days, Edward, with the power of Migael, had managed to secure six Silver Stars and confirmed his identity—when he woke up, he saw an Ancient Castle that was actually Qiongdi’s ’Heretic Tribunal’, and his initial identity was a ’Preparatory Judge’ in the Tribunal.

The ’Heretic Tribunal’, as its name suggests, is an organization that judges heretics. In Qiongdi, heretics mean "those who are not needed."

—For instance, those on the brink of a curse outbreak, those who have committed heinous crimes, and heretics.

Edward’s Guide, Migael, was a Judgment Chief of the Tribunal of Heretics, and Migael despised these kinds of people deeply. If he knew that the Saintess Zhou Lili had broken the rules by allowing Xiber, the exiled, to enter the tribe, he would definitely force his way to capture her.

Listening to Edward’s nonchalant words, the other party let out a laugh.

"After all... I am known as the ’Prophet’ in the United Group," the other party boasted unabashedly, waved his hand, and turned around, "So, Edward, that’s all the help I can offer you. If you want information about the future, remember to give me a ’reward’. Be it equipment, props, or United Group Currency, anything is acceptable. I... sincerely welcome your trade."

With those words, he left, his figure gradually blending into the bustling crowd, like an inconspicuous breeze.

Watching the man walk away, a flicker of enlightenment shone in Edward’s eyes.

A moment later, he muttered to himself, "To have a special identity that provides certain future information... how convenient."

He knew that this cloaked figure was Atlanda, a top player of the United Group. Early on, Atlanda had acquired a special status akin to that of a ’Prophet’, similar to those of ’Supervisor’ and ’Ruler’.

Atlanda could foresee many events, such as partial information about the next instance, future potential branches, and some secret plots. He was also very adept at avoiding harm, often steering clear of crises.

Edward envied this kind of status, believing that this man’s strength today was entirely due to such help.

—If he also had such a status, he was certain he could do even better. For instance, if he had the ’Ruler’ status...

Edward, repeatedly warned and instructed by the United Group, harbored a natural animosity toward Su Ming’an.

Of this indoctrination, he was even still unaware.

After watching Atlanda leave, he immediately contacted Migael.

"Zhou Lili has really lost her senses!" Upon hearing Edward’s message, Migael flew into a rage, "Even if Miss Zeven had a good relationship with her in her childhood, she should not have been partial...

He spoke, charging into the Inner City at a swift pace.

Behind him followed a team of Judges dressed in black uniforms with white patterns.

The Judges saw the world in black and white; their creed was — all heretics must be eradicated, all who do not believe in Bai Shen deserve death.

In Qiongdi, anyone daring to openly promote anti-Bai Shen rhetoric would be stormed into their homes by them, captured, and burned to death with flames.

They were extremely extreme in their actions, unable to tolerate even a grain of sand in their eyes. Anyone showing the slightest unpiety, even if the shamanic rituals were not perfectly performed, would be accused of opposing the gods and could even bring calamity to their family.

Seeing the terrifying members of the Tribunal in action, the civilians immediately retreated to the sides, as if they had seen a flood or fierce beast. They feared being arrested simply for "blocking the path of judgment."

After all, the Judges bore the symbol of representing "Bai Shen." Their subjective judgments were the absolute rules. Because they held the so-called absolute righteousness of "faith," anything they did seemed bright and lofty.

Edward walked among the Judges, his eyes gleaming with the pleasure of imminent retribution.

The Tribunal of Heretics detested evil fervently, and once they caught Xiber, they would certainly not let Su Ming’an, who had made a contract with her, off the hook.

He followed the Judges as they stormed into the Inner City and up to a stone fortress —

The next moment, Migael kicked the door open, and the Judges stormed in.

They entered with stern faces and rigid postures, their presence overwhelming, even carrying strangely burning torches as if ready to set fire at any disagreement.

"Based on public accusations, the Sacrificial Saintess Zhou Lili harbored the exile Qianqian Zeven and deliberately introduced someone on the brink of a curse outbreak into the First Tribe, committing acts of partiality and grave injustice! The Tribunal of Heretics now specially arrives to arrest both—"

Migael’s sentence, resonant as a large bell, suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

As if time had suddenly frozen, the Judges before Edward’s eyes suddenly stopped moving.

"What’s going on?" Blocked by people, Edward couldn’t see what was happening inside the room, but he knew Ming’an was likely inside, truly cornering Ming’an with nowhere to escape.

He pushed through the crowd, looked inside the room, and was just about to mock something when he, like everyone else, froze in shock—

Inside, the "beautiful" Noel, dressed in a white dress and pointed shoes, was red-faced, hunched over, tugging at something. His body was wrapped in a bunch of threads that dug into the flesh, even pulling marks on the dress, it was unclear what play he was engaging in.

Edward recognized that it was Noel in drag, his face was already beginning to distort...truly, very distorted...

And at the other end of the room, Ming’an was indeed here, his shoulder bearing a black bird wrapped up like a sticky rice dumpling, continuously emitting screams.

This place resembled a scene of dismemberment torture.

—Edward had never seen such a scene before.

He had no idea what the top-ranked players in the world were up to in this small room.

It took him a good moment to come back to his senses.

After making eye contact with Ming’an, he composed his complicated emotions and his smile returned.

He felt very lucky that this time Ming’an was matched with a Heretic Guide, giving him the opportunity for judgment.

If Ming’an’s Guide had been even slightly stronger, even just not holding them back, Edward felt he wouldn’t have won so easily...

As long as the Judges executed Ming’an, he would win this time...

"You all..."

He immediately turned around, wanting to snap these people shocked by the scene back to reality.

Suddenly, he froze too.

As he turned around, it was like he saw a glimpse of Hell.

All the Judges, who had been so arrogant before...suddenly seemed cut down a notch.

They were kneeling all over the ground.

As for Migael, who had always looked after him...he was kneeling in the most standard way.

Migael’s hands were pressed against the ground, knees touching the floor, as if he couldn’t wait to sacrifice his entire being.

Despite hearing Edward’s call, Migael remained utterly motionless, like a statue, his forehead pressed against the ground, facing in the direction of the Raven, performing the grand gesture impeccably.

Looking at the colleagues who knelt all over the ground, decisively turning against him at the battlefront, Edward fell into a daze.

...I haven’t even made a move, why have you switched sides first?

"Sigh." In the corner of the room, Ming’an sighed softly.

...He was still seen.

From the moment he encountered the Raven that night, he had started walking a very dangerous plotline, as if pushed by an invisible hand.

He unwound the threads coiling round and round on the Raven, unraveling the threads tightening on Noel’s flesh.