8th of September, Pig's Head Bar.
It was evening, the busiest time in the bar, but the difference from the past was that the bard Raphael was not here to tell stories, so the atmosphere in the bar was not as lively as it was a few days ago.
The wooden door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man dressed in black walked in. His brown linen robe was not eye-catching, but his wrinkled face had a pair of sharp triangular eyes. When he looked at the people around him, he gave off the feeling of a venomous snake with undisguised coldness.
This middle-aged man looked to be around forty years old. Although he was past his peak, his mental state was at least one or two times stronger than the people who were drinking. Hook, who was sitting at the bar, felt an invisible pressure when this man glanced at him, and he felt uncomfortable all over.
The man did not seem to be interested in drinking, and only walked up to the second floor, as if he was looking for someone.
"Impressive guy …"
Hook, who thought that he had better eyesight than others, commented.
But of course, he did not understand that this middle-aged man who walked to a room on the second floor … could not be described with just the word "impressive".
He raised his hand and knocked on the door in a certain rhythm. Someone in the room opened the wooden door, and then respectfully welcomed the middle-aged man in —
"Lord Gallup."
"Lord Bishop."
Honorifics sounded in the room, and the ones who spoke were the five Viper Cross believers dressed as adventurers.
The arrogance of these fellows in the past was now completely gone, and the two-meter-tall brawny man even knelt on one knee to receive the robe that Gallup took off. After carefully putting it away, he waited at the side like the lowliest servant for the next order.
Gallup, who was addressed as the bishop, had a natural expression as he walked to the main seat. After his triangular eyes swept across his subordinates, he said calmly, "Sit."
"Yesterday, you sent me a message, saying that there are nobles in Hollier City who are willing to work with us?"
His voice was hoarse and not loud, but it was obvious that he was in a superior position. The bishop of the Viper Cross was far more powerful and ruthless than a dean like Benjamin.
"Someone contacted the mole we sent out, but they didn't reveal their identity. They only left a letter, revealing their intentions. Judging from the conditions they promised, they should be a big noble in the city, and their influence isn't small."
"Heh, just a little bit of information, and they want to use the Viper Cross?"
Gallup narrowed his eyes, and took the letter from Francis' subordinate, Willie. He scanned through it casually, and then curled his lips. A dark purple light suddenly appeared on his fingertips, and after shredding the parchment into pieces, he said in a low voice, "These nobles, other than infighting, they won't do anything else. The next time we meet these self-righteous b * tches … just ignore them."
His eyes swept across the subordinates in front of him, and his tone was a mixture of fanaticism and coldness. "For this operation, the church has sent out all the forces that have been lurking here for the past ten years! Remember, what we have to do is far more than just exterminating these heretics. So, I will not allow any side issues to arise … Do you understand? "
"Yes, Your Eminence!"
The five adventurers responded in unison. Gallup nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Continue to expose the flaws that should be exposed. Let the Rose Cross bastards think that they have all the information on us. Only then will the operation go smoothly. Rubens will only go to the city square on the 20th, so we … "
Gallup explained the following arrangements and his subordinates listened attentively, not daring to slack off. In their eyes, the cold-eyed bishop in front of them was definitely not someone to be trifled with, because he had a nickname within the Church, "Snake's Tooth". It meant that his character was as sinister as a snake, and his every move was bloody and merciless.
In such a sect, promotions did not rely on donations or prayers, but on "external attacks"!
Whether it was against the nobles, against the commoners, against the "Rose Cross", as long as they could profit and attract more believers, the "Viper Cross" was willing to do anything. To put it bluntly, it was a terrorist organization. And with that as a prerequisite, in order to maintain internal stability, the "Viper Cross" used a "high-pressure policy" — they were ruthless to the outside world, and even more ruthless to the inside!
Gallup was one of the leaders of such an organization. So far, he had only failed on "small missions", but he had never failed on "big missions". Therefore, he was currently in the limelight within the Church. And if he could successfully complete the next mission, he would be able to successfully enter the core leadership of the "Viper Cross". That meant more resources, a higher position, and an almost limitless future.
Forty-two years old Gallup was at the peak of his powers. He was shrewd and had a ruthless side to him. If he had enough opportunities, he would definitely become an ambitious person. This was something that everyone within the Church agreed on. Gallup's superior, Jackad, had high hopes for him, and had even sent a "capable subordinate" to assist him in this operation.
And this "capable subordinate" was the beautiful woman who had visited the Pig's Head Bar some time ago … the priest, Akasha.
But if one were to look at her now, they would discover a very interesting fact. Compared to the hale and hearty Gallup, this beautiful woman who was staying in a hidden hotel a few kilometers away was in a completely different state.
The fireplace in the room was not lit, and there was a chilly atmosphere everywhere. The cheap hotel had simple furniture, and a lone candle was lit on the table. Amidst the flickering light, Akasha, who was wearing a chiffon nightgown, was sitting on a chair, enduring something with a pained expression on her face.
If someone who did not know the situation saw this scene, they would probably think that this priest with a voluptuous figure was a exhibitionist with a "special fetish". If it was a hot summer day, no one would say anything if she dressed like this in private. But the temperature at this time was high enough for people to wear long sleeves to keep warm. No matter how one looked at it, it was not normal for her to be dressed like this.
The room was quiet, and occasionally, the sound of Akasha's uneven breathing could be heard.
Although this beautiful priest's figure could make one's blood boil, only when one got closer would one see her tightly furrowed brows, tightly biting lips, and slightly trembling fingers …
This scene lasted for about ten minutes before Akasha, whose eyes were slightly red, took a deep breath. She raised her hand to wipe away the sweat on her forehead and slightly straightened her body …
The originally sexy chiffon nightgown had been soaked in blood at some point in time. The pain from the friction caused Akasha's mouth to twitch, but she seemed to be used to it. She did not show much of an expression, and only silently and quickly treated the wound.
She raised her hand and took off her nightgown. After her body was completely exposed to the air, Akasha softly chanted a prayer. Light flashed, and the "Middle Level Recovery Spell" instantly healed the wound on her back. But because she had to go through this process every day, the healing effect of the "Divine Spell" had begun to weaken, and the scar left behind had not completely disappeared. The originally smooth and delicate skin on her back was now scarred, as if she had been whipped.
This was one of the punishments that the "Viper Cross" imposed on the internal members of the sect: the punishment of whipping.
The effect of the "whipping" originated from Elder Gakkad's "Dark Curse". Once cast, she would be subjected to this punishment every day for a period of time. The power of the curse ignored the defense of shields, so the victim had to endure the punishment caused by the shadow energy in order to be considered "atoned". After failing the previous mission, Akasha should have been subjected to a harsher punishment, but Elder Gakkad took good care of her, and only gave her the punishment of "whipping". At the same time, he allowed her to participate in Gallup's mission to "atone for her crime".
If she succeeded, she would be able to go one step further. If she failed, what awaited her was an even more terrifying punishment. And in this regard, Akasha had no room to resist.
Oppression, enslavement, exploitation … The "Viper Cross" rule over their believers was bloody and depraved. Someone like Gallup could be like a fish in water in such a struggle, and a gentle woman like Akasha would only feel tired and fearful of the painful punishment and the oppressive rule of the sect.
Those who could not withstand it would be eliminated, and there was no other way but to die … This was the consensus of all the clergymen in the "Viper Cross" Sect. Most blind believers only saw the bright surface of the sect, and only those who gradually "stood out" and became the "backbone" would slowly realize the true nature of the sect.
But for those like Akasha who realized the true nature and felt some "regret", there was no turning back. They could only grit their teeth and continue under the control of those behind the scenes …
The pain in her body gradually disappeared, but the pain in her heart could not be eliminated. Akasha stood up and threw the blood-stained pajamas aside. A few complicated emotions flashed across her pale face. She silently put on a clean undergarment and robe, and her chestnut-colored curly hair was tucked behind her head. Her weak body trembled slightly, but she still propped herself up and sat in front of the study table.
She took a few deep breaths, and then took out a letter that she had already written. She stared at the handwriting that she had personally written a few days ago, lost in thought.
"Is this really … the only way left?"
*****
When Roddy walked into the Pig's Head Bar with a haggard expression, he brushed past Gallup who had just walked out of the door.
If it was in the past, he would definitely be curious about this guy with such a high level. But at this time, he was in a terrible mood, and did not even have the interest to raise his head. He walked straight to the bar counter, ordered a glass of expensive rum from Hook, and took a big gulp. He then choked and coughed for five minutes.
"F * ck, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough …"
The dumbfounded Hook looked at Roddy, and then quickly poured a glass of water for him, and patted the young lad's back across the bar counter.
"Cough, cough, cough, cough … Hook … I'm really sorry, I'm really not in the mood to tell stories today, I — cough, cough, cough …"
"I can tell. What's wrong, you've fallen out of love?"
Seeing that he was almost fine, Hook sat back down and poured himself a glass of ale. He threw the rag aside, and with a look of "experience", he casually said, "I should have told you that women are all liars … Let me tell you, when I was young …"
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