What is an offensive priest?

Chapter 35 Persuading to Surrender

Leave the riverside teahouse.

Avel finally couldn't help but speak up.

"Sir Richard, can we trust her?"

"Is that bottle of medicine really okay?"

Richard did not stop.

He walked ahead, warily scanning the red hats that were beginning to gather again around him.

The demons maintained a safe distance, but their scarlet eyes remained fixed on the two, like hyenas waiting for their chance to pounce and tear them apart.

"Of course we can't trust her." Richard's answer was short and firm. "The help of the witch doctor is often accompanied by a deeper scheming."

He paused, then added.

"But at least for now, she doesn't seem to be hostile towards us."

This statement stunned Avel.

No hostility?

Richard seemed to sense her confusion and offered an explanation.

"Just now at the tea table, I deliberately revealed my magical aura to test her reaction."

"If she wants to make a move, this is the perfect time. We're on her turf, surrounded by red hats, and there are probably more hidden traps inside."

He turned his head and looked at Avel.

But she didn't.

"Even when I took the medicine and uncorked the bottle to check it in front of her, she didn't stop me at all."

What does this mean?

Avel fell silent.

She recalled every detail of the tea room, where Aunt Ethel always sat with a smile.

She seemed to be just an old woman who wanted to repay a debt of gratitude.

Although Avel was unwilling to admit it, he still managed to speak with difficulty.

"This means her strength far surpasses ours, and she doesn't care whether we're on guard or not?"

"More than that." Richard shook his head, his pale golden pupils gleaming with a deep light. "It means her target isn't us."

"At least not now."

Remembering Aunt Ethel's constant mention of the baby, and the baby portrait in the room, Richard guessed that it might be related to this.

But he had no time to think it over; his immediate priority was to deliver the antidote to the lush woods.

After all, no one knows when those rats from the Underdark will launch another attack on Blackrock Town.

The longer the two of them linger here, the more dangerous Blackrock Town becomes.

Before leaving the cursed swamp, Richard walked toward the well filled with rotting flesh and blood.

The Tiflin woman, who was tied to the well, shrank back in terror when she heard footsteps.

The empty eye sockets, devoid of sight, groped for the source of the sound, a suppressed sob escaping from its throat.

What is most heartbreaking is the rusty iron chain around her neck, with links as thick as a thumb and the other end deeply embedded in the stones along the edge of the well, imprisoning her there like livestock.

In her panicked reaction, Richard grabbed the chain around her neck and snapped it off like a dry branch.

"You're free now, we'll take you home!"

Hearing Richard's calm voice in her ear, the Tiflin woman was stunned for a moment, her shoulders trembling slightly, and a viscous liquid mixed with blood welled up from her empty eye sockets.

"Thanks…!"

Looking at the pitiful state of the Tiflin woman and the countless remains in the well, Avir gripped the staff in his hand tightly.

He secretly vowed that one day he would return and eliminate this wicked witch!

at the same time.

Blackstone Town.

During the time Richard and Avery traveled to the Greenwoods for help.

The tense atmosphere in the town did not ease; instead, it became increasingly suffocating, like a noose tightening around it.

The watchtowers on the wall were on duty day and night, with the guards staring intently at the direction of the Howling Mountains with their bloodshot eyes. Every rustle of wind would trigger a tense commotion.

This endless pressure is slowly eroding everyone's will.

Finally, at noon on the third day

clang!clang!clang!

The rusty alarm bell was rung with all the might by the guards on the watchtower!

The urgent tolling of the bells, like a death knell, instantly shattered the town's brief peace!

"Enemy attack—!"

The sentry's roar came from above, sounding somewhat distorted due to excessive tension.

"The goblins are here again—!"

"Quick! Get over the wall!"

"Archers, get ready!"

A dozen young guards poured out from all over the town and ran wildly toward the wall!

Many people still had blood-soaked bandages wrapped around their bodies and bruises on their faces that had not yet healed.

But the spear and crossbow he held tightly in his hands did not tremble in the slightest.

Upon hearing the alarm, Crowe and the thief Maurice rushed out of their temporary camp almost simultaneously.

The two quickly climbed the wall.

But when they saw the scene outside the town, they were all stunned.

There were no densely packed goblin tribes, nor a surging army of supreme gods.

Only a thin goblin stood alone in the open space about fifty paces outside the wall.

The goblin was short, about three feet tall, with dirty gray-green skin, wearing tattered leather armor, and carrying no weapons.

It barked and howled at the wall in broken Common.

"By the command of... the True Soul, I have come to convey the will of the Supreme God!"

The guards on the wall looked at each other, clearly not understanding what was going on.

"The Supreme God? What is that?"

"And who is the True Soul One?"

"What nonsense is this damn goblin spouting..."

Soft whispers spread through the crowd, mixed with confusion and unease.

"quiet!"

Upon hearing the news, Chief of Staff Weiss climbed the wall and interrupted the guards' whispers with a soft rebuke.

Beneath the wall, the goblin puffed out his thin chest, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.

"Just hand over the child chosen by the Supreme God!"

"Will the True Soul Master spare Blackwater Town?"

"Otherwise, within three days, the army of the Supreme God will have razed everything to the ground!"

The words fell.

Secretary General Weiss did not respond.

He silently took a loaded crossbow from an archer beside him.

The crossbow body was made of refined iron, the bowstring was made of tanned cow tendons, and the arrow slot contained an arrow with the arrowhead coated with a dark green paralyzing poison.

He slowly raised the heavy crossbow.

The movements were steady, without the slightest tremor.

The crosshair locked onto the goblin's head.

Boom——!

The dull thud of the crossbow string vibrating.

The arrow transformed into a black afterimage, tearing through the air with a trembling shriek.

Before anyone could react, the arrow pierced the goblin's head with pinpoint accuracy!

The arrow pierced through the back of the head, bringing with it a spurt of dark green blood mixed with brain matter.

Chief Weiss demonstrated Blackrock Town's stance through his actions.

The wall was deathly silent.

All the guards' eyes were fixed on the weathered old soldier.

Chief of Staff Weiss simply lowered the heavy crossbow slowly, his voice calm.

"Clean up the bodies and increase security."

"yes--!"

The guards then seemed to wake from a dream and quickly got to work.

Kro walked up to the Chief of the Guards, whose brow furrowed slightly.

"Chief of Staff, won't this provoke them?"

"Enrage?" Chief of Staff Weiss turned to look at him, a cold smile on his scarred face. "Lord Crow, you underestimate those cunning greenskins."

"If you were in that situation, would you show mercy to prey that's so easily within your grasp?"

Upon hearing this, Kro frowned and fell into deep thought.

Promises from the Underdark are indeed not to be trusted.

Moreover, once this news reaches the town, it will only cause greater panic, and the villagers may even make foolish decisions.

Now, the only hope for Blackwater Town rests on Richard and his companion!