Chapter 591, Why Are Your Movements So Familiar
Someone followed the tamed beasts here, making the members of the guild immediately tense.
Steward Slater and several squad captains quickly climbed the city wall.
Looking at the figure outside.
Clad in a black cloak, wearing a mask.
"Check if there are any others." Slater said to the person beside her.
Swish~!
Several tamed beasts soared into the sky, flying in all directions.
"No others found." Several rangers responded.
The black-cloaked figure outside the village swept his gaze over the village gate and walls, then cast an unfriendly glance at the group. With a faint smile, he slowly retreated, intending to leave.
"He's trying to leave!" someone reminded.
Slater watched as the figure retreated step by step, her expression turning hesitant.
But right now, he was alone.
If they really let him go and he delivered the message back, it would only cause more trouble later.
"Open the gate! We can't let him escape." Slater ordered coldly.
The village gate opened, and the crowd surged out, chasing in the direction of the retreating figure.
The golden leopard led the charge, leaping through the air towards the target.
The fleeing man suddenly stopped, twisted his waist, and lashed out with his right leg like an iron whip.
Bang~!
A dull sound rang out, and the golden leopard was sent flying.
Whoosh whoosh~!
The sound of arrows piercing the air echoed as the black-robed man crouched low to evade, quickly taking cover behind a thick tree.
Hearing the approaching footsteps surrounding him, he sneered coldly, "I was afraid you wouldn't come out."
As he spoke, a smoke bomb was thrown to the ground.
A thick cloud of smoke covered the entire forest.
The black-robed man drew two swords, one long and one short, and with a ghostly movement, dashed back into the mist.
"Beware of the mist! Spread out!" Slater's voice rang out.
The next second, a sharp sword suddenly stabbed out from the mist.
Slater's eyes sharpened as she tilted her head to dodge the strike and swung her longsword forward.
In the sky, an eagle wearing leather armor suddenly transformed into a giant bear, plummeting from above.
Bang~!
A heavy impact shook the ground, striking the spot where the black-robed man had just been.
The force of the impact caused the mist to disperse to both sides.
The others also spotted their target, and arrows whistled through the air as they closed in.
The black-robed man swung his long and short swords swiftly, slashing two wounds into the giant bear before weaving through the trees again, cutting down those surrounding him.
People kept getting injured, sent flying backward.
A Tier 4 Professional.
He must be at least level 15; otherwise, he couldn't possibly have such combat prowess.
"Retreat to the village!" Slater shouted again.
The command was given, immediately drawing the enemy's attention.
His steps shifted, and his figure flickered. In an instant, he appeared in front of Slater, his weapons stabbing and slashing rapidly, forming streaks of sword light.
"Aunt~!" The giant bear charged again.
"Fall back first…." Slater called out.
"Steward of Blackstone Town, if I kill you, I'll be richly rewarded when I return…."
Bang~ Splurt!
As he spoke, the black-robed man's chest suddenly exploded, blood gushing out from his sundered armor.
His eyes widened, and without hesitation, he flipped backward to evade.
Another smoke bomb was thrown, and his figure disappeared into the mist.
Bang bang bang~!
Explosions rang out as bullets shot into the smoke.
"Damn~!"
A curse came from within the smoke, then silence.
...…
Slater's eyes narrowed.
That sound… it was too familiar.
A firearm used by Wu Heng.
But without confirming the situation, it was still too risky to assume. Chasing after the enemy just now had already been an unwise decision.
She led the group back cautiously, remaining on alert for the smoke ahead.
At that moment, the sound of an engine roared.
Two figures riding strange vehicles appeared in sight, stopping by the smoke. One figure stepped into the mist and dragged out the black-cloaked corpse.
Tossing it onto the open ground in front of them.
Slater and her group stared at the two.
Not Wu Heng!
A middle-aged man with rough skin, as if he had spent years exposed to harsh sunlight.
And the powerful black-robed man…
Now dragged out of the smoke like a lifeless corpse, leaving behind a long, thin trail of blood.
Dead!
He died just like that?
It seemed like they were helping, with no hostility.
But Slater still gave the order, "Close the gate. Those who are injured, take a potion. Yuli, give one to Kulo as well."
The village gate was shut once more.
The others also began taking their potions. Yuli lifted the wounded golden leopard and poured the opened potion into its mouth.
...…
Outside the village.
Wu Heng looked at the corpse that had been dragged out and bent down to remove the mask.
Beneath the mask was a middle-aged man.
Grayish-brown hair, unlike the common hair color of the Ekow Kingdom's people.
The mask was neither a magic item nor an artifact, just an ordinary disguise to conceal his identity.
The only magical item was the spatial ring on his hand.
A 5-cubic-meter storage space filled with silver coins, smoke bombs, magic scrolls, and other items.
This meant he hadn't even used his full strength against Slater and the others.
After examining everything,
Wu Heng had a skeleton drag the corpse to the village gate.
Locking eyes with Slater, he said, "I learned about your situation from the Blackstone Town Guild and came specifically to assist in capturing the cultists."
Wu Heng was still wearing the 'Faceless One Skin,' which he had put on shortly before arriving.
He had no intention of letting too many people know he was in Blackstone Town.
Or that he could alter his appearance.
Slater frowned slightly, still skeptical. "Let me see your insignia."
Wu Heng took out his insignia and waved it forward before saying, "Open the gate. Don't waste time. I sent you that letter three days ago."
Slater nodded. "Open the gate. This is the reinforcements we've been waiting for."
The village gate opened.
Wu Heng walked ahead, with the skeleton dragging the corpse behind him.
Slater immediately said, "Come inside with me. Yuli, confirm the corpse's identity. The rest of the squads, secure the perimeter in case of more enemies."
"Yes!" the squads responded.
Wu Heng followed Slater into a side house, with the skeleton dragging the corpse along.
Inside, the lighting was dim.
Slater stopped in her tracks, staring intently at his face.
Wu Heng reached behind his ear and yanked off the Faceless One Skin. "It's me. What are you staring at?"
Slater glanced at the mask in his hand, then at his face. "What the hell is that? So ugly."
"Just a mask. Too many people knowing I'm back would bring trouble to you." Wu Heng explained.
Slater's brows relaxed. She stepped forward and hugged him. "What took you so long? You've been delaying for days."
Wu Heng patted her back lightly. "Got held up on the way. But I arrived just in time."
"You almost didn't get to see Yuli and me again." Slater pulled away and sat down. "This cult, the one you investigated as the Destiny Cult, is now in Tul Village, southwest of here. It's about a three-hour trek through the forest."
Slater's side hadn't been idle.
They had already pinpointed the cult's location.
But dealing with them was too difficult due to the level gap.
Wu Heng nodded and said to the skeleton beside him, "Drag that corpse inside."
The skeleton stepped out and dragged the corpse in.
"Are you going to interrogate it?" Slater asked.
"Need to find out their preparations and how many high-level professionals they have." Wu Heng replied.
"This corpse was probably level 15. Aren't you going to convert it?"
"One less won't make a difference." Wu Heng said, then cast [Speak with Dead]on the body.
The fallen corpse sat up, its cloudy eyes looking toward them.
Wu Heng asked directly, "Where is your base?"
The corpse answered, "Tul Village."
"Who are the high-level professionals there?"
The corpse answered, "The bishop and the great knight are both at least level 18 professionals."
Slater's face grew even more serious.
Wu Heng mentioned in the letter that the Destiny Cult might have more than one Level 18 Professional, and now it seems to be true.
Such a lineup, yet they're causing trouble in such a small place.
Wu Heng continued asking, "How many people in total?"
"Recently gathered believers, fewer than three hundred."
"Do you have any ambushes prepared?"
"No."
"When do you plan to leave?"
"Probably in two or three days, then continue westward along the route."
After answering five questions, the corpse collapsed with a thud.
Slater's expression grew serious.
She asked, "What should we do? None of the guilds in this area have Level 18 Professionals stationed."
"It's fine, nothing to fear!" Wu Heng reassured her, then asked, "Can you find Tul Village?"
"Yes!"
"Then come with me later. We'll head to Tul Village. If the squads follow us, it'll be harder to get close, so let them return to Blackstone Town first." Wu Heng said directly.
"Just the two of us going to Tul Village? Will that work?"
Slater knew Wu Heng was quite strong, but facing two Level 18 Professionals…
That could be really difficult.
"Trust me! I have a plan." Wu Heng said confidently.
At this point, Slater had no better options.
There was already a dead cultist lying at their feet; by tomorrow or the day after, the enemy might trace them here.
She could only believe that Wu Heng could pull it off.
Even if they had to make a big scene to intimidate the enemy, that would be fine.
"Alright, I'll follow your lead."
...…
Wu Heng put on his mask and walked out of the house with Slater.
As soon as they stepped through the door,
Yuli, with the golden leopard, approached them.
One person and one beast circled around, Yuli scrutinizing him with furrowed brows, while the golden leopard kept sniffing to identify his scent.
"Why do your walking movements look so familiar? You're not using illusion magic, are you?" Yuli's voice was full of suspicion.
The golden leopard bared its teeth, showing it also found him familiar.
Wu Heng glanced at Slater from the corner of his eye and saw her shaking her head. He said flatly, "Go play somewhere else."
Yuli's frown deepened, and she continued, "Where did you get the weapon that killed that guy? Don't try to fool me. I recognized your footwork in just two steps."
Before Wu Heng could speak, Slater interjected, "Yuli, stop messing around. This gentleman came from Rentam City. I'll explain when we return. Go call the squad captains."
Yuli wanted to say more, but now was clearly not the time for such discussions.
She could only nod and leave to find the others.
Before long, the other squad captains arrived.
Slater spoke directly, "This cult is an outlawed heretical group wanted by the guild. It's beyond what we can handle. All squads return to Blackstone Town and notify the city defense to strengthen security."
A cult designated as heretical by the guild.
That meant they had already committed many crimes before.
No wonder they were so difficult to deal with.
"Steward, what about you?" Yuli asked.
When working, they addressed each other by title.
"I'm going to Tul Village to gather intelligence." Slater said, and before Yuli could respond, she issued the order, "Everyone move now. Return immediately."
"Yes!" the squads answered and began preparing to leave.
Once everything was ready,
The squads returned, while Wu Heng and Slater cut through the forest.
...…
A few hours later.
The two of them emerged from the forest and hid behind a large boulder, looking toward the village ahead.
"That's Tul Village. It's outside Blackstone Town's jurisdiction. Mobilizing nearby town guards will be difficult." Slater said.
Wu Heng took out binoculars and observed the walls. With a thought, a wraith flew out to gather intelligence.
Before long, the wraith returned, sharing its vision.
One Level 18 Professional, and another close to Level 18—likely Level 17.
Just one step away.
"Prepare for battle," Wu Heng said.
Slater panicked, "Huh? Just the two of us? Fighting?"
"You don't need to. Just protect yourself." Wu Heng said, waving his hand to the side.
A rift and a stone gate opened, revealing cannons, machine guns, and an armory filled with skeletons.
...…
Tul Village.
In the spacious central plaza, a large gathering of black-robed Destiny Cult followers assembled.
At the forefront, a massive circular emblem hung high, glowing with an imposing radiance.
A robed protector stood solemnly on a raised platform, holding a thick tome and chanting loudly.
Below, the devout followers knelt, each holding candles and chanting the words of their god.
The bishop, 'Fatih,' sat beneath the ring, basking in the worship meant for the deity.
As long as he had enough time, he could gain boundless prestige.
One day, he would ascend to the rank of hero.
Just like those who sat in the Hero's Hall, commanding with a wave of their hands, enjoying the same respect.
Heresy? Murder? So what?
As long as his strength was absolute, no one could stop him.
The thought of sitting in such a legendary position one day…
Sent a thrilling surge of pleasure through his body.
Power. Everything was determined by power.
The chanting session ended, and it was time for 'Fatih' to step forward. He stroked the armrest, stood up, adjusted his robes, and walked forward slowly.
With a gentle smile, he raised his hand slightly in greeting.
Just as he was about to speak, a terrifying sense of crisis suddenly surged in his heart.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh~!
The sound of projectiles slicing through the air echoed.
Large objects rained down from above.
Fatih dodged sideways quickly—boom! An explosion erupted, sending him flying.
Boom boom boom~!
Explosions followed, engulfing the entire village.
The cultists were torn apart—severed limbs, shattered stones, wooden debris scattering in all directions.
Panic and screams filled the air, throwing the gathering into complete chaos.
"Enemy attack, prepare—" A cult leader began to shout orders, but in the next second, a grenade exploded at his feet.
His entire body was blasted into the air, his legs gone, vomiting blood.
High-level Professionals possessed formidable vitality.
But the impact of the explosion still ruptured his internal organs, rendering him incapable of fighting.
Someone shouted, "Get inside! Prepare for battle!"
The explosions were deafening.
No one could hear any orders; panic reigned, and even the church's totem was trampled into the mud.
...…
Outside the village.
[Mansion Spell] remained active, launching grenade after grenade into the sky, relentlessly bombarding the village.
Over a thousand grenades had been used.
All prepared for this exact situation.
Level 18 Professionals were considered top-tier combatants in this world. Their combat power had to be severely weakened.
Ideally, they would be killed outright or left critically injured.
The force of grenade blasts, even with artifacts or magic items, was hard to fully resist.
If it hit, the target would suffer regardless.
Slater stood to the side, eyes wide, staring at the scene before her.
Shell after shell rained down on the village, shaking the ground. The gate and walls were torn apart, smoke and dust covering everything.
Was combat… different now?
Was this how battles were fought these days?
...…
After a wave of bombardments.
Xiaoxiao swiftly returned, diving into Wu Heng's body.
The shared vision came through.
Amid the smoke-filled ruins of the village, a group of people stumbled through the collapsed walls, fleeing to the side.
The Level 18 bishop!
Along with several other high-level Professionals.
Wu Heng pointed to the side, "Over there. Kashu, lead the charge and kill them all."
Kashu kicked off, transforming into a shadowy blur as he dashed forward.
Behind the stone gate, a deafening rattling of bones echoed as a horde of grotesquely mutated skeletons surged out, charging into battle.