Free Web NovelChapter 517: Chapter 518: We Can Win This Wave_1
At the entrance to the cave in the research institute’s mountainside, a group of Resurrection Association refugees and soldiers were kneeling on the ground, forming several circles. Around the periphery were suppression troops and the corpses of the sacrificed followers from the association.
In the center of the circle, a man wearing a bloodied mask had fallen onto the ground, a peculiar dagger with blades on both ends of the handle deeply embedded in his chest.
Mr. Bloodshirt, the worshiped leader of the Resurrection Association, was dying, his life swiftly draining from his body; yet the surrounding followers merely worshiped, with no one stepping forward to help.
Blood seeped out from the wound, enveloping the dagger and pulling it out. More blood gushed forth, gathering into the shape of a familiar, bat-like familiar—high-ranking military personnel among the followers who provided Mr. Bloodshirt with the permissions to wield dark magic.
"Go," the dying man said with a laugh in his voice.
The crimson familiar grabbed the dagger and flew toward the depths of the mountainside at a speed not even a horse could match.
...
Meanwhile, Professor Dodge and his son were immersed in a touching moment, as Lamia and Qiqimora argued over the division of spoils. In the end, they reached an agreement where Qiqimora would take divinity, and Lamia would learn the divine language.
Only Aiden’s complexion changed; he realized he could no longer sense the presence of Mr. Bloodshirt—not that it was entirely gone, but it had become eerily weak, like a torch suddenly shrinking down to a flickering candle in the wind.
"Kid, I urge you to leave immediately!" the Avenging Goddess suddenly shouted, "He’s using ’Sacrifice’ to transfer his body!"
A shudder violently exploded within Aiden’s heart, realizing Mr. Bloodshirt had in fact long prepared to invade this space!
The power of "Sacrifice" could have several effects: one could cast off unwanted parts of oneself, transfer injuries and negative effects under mutual consent, create fanatical followers who would never betray, but most importantly, it could allow one to resurrect through the body of a fanatical follower.
This resurrection effect was very similar to the "Inheritance" power of the "Reproduction" authority. The difference lay in the fact that only individuals of Saint level or above could use "Sacrifice" to revive by swapping bodies, and the targeted fanatic must be one willingly offering everything to the user—just as the madman Halo to the Avenging Goddess. Furthermore, "Sacrifice" required both parties to actively release it while alive.
On the other hand, the "Inheritance" power had to be cast on a direct descendant and could be passive, ensuring automatic transfer to the designated progeny even in the event of an accidental death.
It was clear that Mr. Bloodshirt had been continuously sending his fanatical followers inside the base. The restricted area had always been at full capacity; those refugees hadn’t been completely killed yet, they were still in their cages, among them were Mr. Bloodshirt’s followers, his spare bodies!
He had long considered how to break the restrictions of the Scales of Justice statue, he was just waiting for the right opportunity!
Aiden realized he must leave immediately. The mercury amalgam golems left to cover their retreat probably wouldn’t be retrieved in time; it was best to leave them to that lunatic. What mattered most was his own life!
No sooner had this thought emerged than he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness and nausea.
A sense of inexplicable loathing surged up within him.
Fleeing? Why must he flee with his tail between his legs? Was Mr. Bloodshirt truly that frightening?
Now was actually a golden opportunity; Mr. Bloodshirt was unaware of the powers he possessed, nor that the other two Great Witches were his allies. If Qiqimora could obtain that bit of divinity and become a Saint, and with the help of Professor Dodge, who held the Hand of Oblivion, perhaps they had a fighting chance!
Sometimes, taking risks could be a shortcut to victory!
Like a ship suddenly coming about, Aiden’s thoughts underwent a radical change.
"No, this is an opportunity, we can ambush him here!" Aiden spoke to the goddess of revenge in his mind.
The phantom of the goddess of revenge widened her eyes as she looked at Aiden, unable to see his face, but the phantom expressed her consciousness.
This man had always been disgustingly cautious and cowardly to an extent she loathed, yet now he was even more impetuous than her, eager for revenge—was he truly considering a fight to the death with Mr. Bloodclothes now, when the "Wordless Code" had no rules left to write?
Yet she who once held the power of "Hatred" quickly realized what was happening.
In her consciousness, the reaction from Mr. Bloodclothes has disappeared from its original location, but it appeared nearby almost as if by teleportation—practically right outside this door.
He was already inside the forbidden area!
"Fool! You’ve already been influenced!?" The phantom of the goddess of revenge spat at Aiden, whose face was possessed.
She knew well that now, neither persuasion nor the little power she had left could change Aiden’s mind.
Mr. Bloodclothes, who had appeared in the forbidden area, launched the power of "Betrayal." Without seeing the target, this ability couldn’t achieve a precise strike. But Aiden was an exception. At such a close distance, the trickery of a dual spirit and the power of "Substitute" could no longer deceive Mr. Bloodclothes—he could clearly sense Aiden’s presence now!
Meanwhile, two Great Witches, oblivious to the exterior, noticed the scale on the left hand of the statue, symbolizing the number of people, shift slightly—it first tipped further in its original direction before balancing back.
Lamia and Qiqimora exchanged glances—the space was in an overloaded state, and even if one person disappeared, others from outside could not enter. This reaction was like someone in the space had died, but then was immediately resurrected.
The silver mercury amalgam golem suddenly burst through the iron door, startling everyone with the loud noise.
After entering, it emitted a ferocious metallic buzzing.
The mercury amalgam golem itself had no will, but the commands its master had imparted upon it were conscious. The power of "Betrayal" could reverse these commands, causing it to betray its master.
"How did this toy break?" Lamia hadn’t figured out the situation yet.
Behind the mercury amalgam golem, in the corridor, stood a shadowy figure, thin and seeming to be only about eighteen years old—a young man whose skin and features revealed him to be a Dilon from the south, while his patched-up clothes indicated he was a refugee who had been captured here. freēwebnovel.com
But this "refugee" currently wore a hideously eager grin on his face, and he raised one hand high.
Behind him, an officer influenced by the power of "Betrayal" dragged his gravely injured body to open the grand door. As soon as the door opened, a bloody afterimage flew in.
A blood-formed familiar flew into the forbidden area, quickly rushing into his raised palm and exploding into a mass of red plasma.
The "young man" clenched his hand, grasping the blood-stained dagger brought to him by the familiar.
At the same time, Aiden directly recited the divine words of "Punishment," still dominated by the thought that he could win.
His voice was abruptly cut off as his throat unexpectedly slit open with a deep gash, and blood gushed out from the wound.
