Aside from the Cultivator Guild, the only remaining options were the law enforcers and the border patrol.
If the border patrol was interested in earning some experience points, that could work. If they weren't interested, then unless there was a military order, there was no way to mobilize them.
In the end, the law enforcers were the only option. However, their numbers were few, and their average level of competence was quite poor. If it came down to confronting the Cidi followers, the outcome was uncertain.
After the wedding, Anna and Ashu returned home and shared the intelligence they had gathered with Ashu.
Upon hearing this.
Ashu looked thoughtfully toward the southern part of the village.
"That day, three law enforcers from Hudeninglaw and Kidopriest went to the riverbank. There was no movement for most of the day, but at night, only the giant serpent and a priest appeared. If the Cidi followers' base is also at the river, then it all makes sense," Ashu speculated. "Kidopriest is a Cidi follower. He's a heretic who plays both sides!"
Ashu didn't often assume the worst about people, but when his safety was at stake, he immediately began to suspect everyone.
After the ambush by the Cidi followers yesterday, he had asked Anna about the Cidi cult's main activities. Most of those who worshipped Cidi had simply intensified their desires for lust, and to summon the evil god to fulfill their wishes, they had to perform live sacrifices.
"If we let Kyle know about this, he could mobilize people to act. Our goals may not align perfectly, but the outcome would be the same," Ashu said.
"But what if Kyle, the law enforcer, is a Cidi follower?" Anna asked cautiously.
"Then we're in trouble. If the Cultivator Guild and the city hall have been infiltrated by the Cidi cult, we have no other option but to move, for now."
The Cultivator Guild's and the city hall's power essentially covered everything in the area. If these two institutions had been corrupted, then the citizens within that region were left as helpless lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
Unless someone had the strength to take down these two institutions, there was no way out. One person's fists couldn't fight against four hands, and even the mightiest hero couldn't overcome deceit.
Just as the two were discussing this, a familiar voice came from outside on the village road.
"Sorry to interrupt your good fortune, young man, but someone discovered a body on the main road. We need your cooperation."
"Speak of the devil…" Ashu sighed.
He quickly adjusted his expression and opened the door. Standing outside was Kyle, the law enforcer, holding the mask of one of the Cidi followers from yesterday.
It seemed someone had passed by, seen the body, and reported it.
The manner of death for the three bodies was identical to that of the monster Carol, the wizard Ula-Ula, and the alchemical giant serpent. This evidence didn't even need to be questioned.
"It was me," Ashu said directly. "I was on my way back yesterday when I ran into four bandits. They nearly slit my throat, but fortunately, I was able to defend myself." He didn't mention the Cidi followers, instead referring to them as bandits.
The bandits' identities were unquestionable—based on their clothing, tools, and the evidence they carried, the four of them fit the description perfectly.
A cultivator killing bandits was considered self-defense, and therefore, not guilty.
"Good thing it was you, young man. If it had been someone else, they might not have made it out alive. I owe you an apology. Recently, the security situation has gotten worse. The city hall is full of lazy good-for-nothings. Oh, by the way, on behalf of my family, I'd like to wish you a happy marriage." Kyle pulled a white box from his tool bag. "I didn't have time to prepare a gift, but this is something I always carry with me. Please accept it."
In terms of common human decency, Ashu and Kyle hardly had any real relationship.
They were the kind of people who wouldn't even exchange invitations for a wedding.
Yet, here Kyle was, bringing a gift.
Gifts for a wedding blessing were often something that couldn't be refused, as they represented the well-wishes of others for the newlyweds.
The white box, as Kyle had said, was something he always carried with him, and it showed significant wear and tear.
Ashu took the box and opened it in front of Kyle. Inside, there was a pair of throwing darts, gleaming with a cold light.
"These were made by the Kyle family. If you can't catch up to your enemy, just throw them without hesitation. They're enchanted with 'Precision.' As long as you're not a rookie, you should hit your target," Kyle explained.
"Thanks for the gift. Would you like to sit inside?" Ashu asked.
"No, it's fine. There's no one inside, so let's just talk here," Kyle replied, slipping the Cidi follower's mask back into his pocket. His expression became more cautious. "The people you killed weren't actually bandits."
"Oh?"
"They were heretics, cultists. I don't know what they worship, but the recent disappearances are likely connected to them. Most cultists share one trait—they use human sacrifices. A few years ago, I went with an organization to take down one of their hideouts, and the scene was… well, let's just say it was a fortunate thing that you're still alive."
Ashu, pretending not to understand, replied, "Cultists? But I don't follow any religion, nor do I believe in cults. Why would they attack me? I thought it was bandits after me because of the reward money."
"They targeted you as a sacrifice. Of course, they need money to live as well," Kyle shared. "These guys usually blend in with the crowd, so you can't tell who's good or bad. You only recognize them by stripping away their disguises and looking for those cult marks on them."
From this, Ashu got an idea.
He thought it might be useful to check Kidopriest's back.
At this point, he strongly suspected that Kidopriest was playing both sides, serving both the Holy Cultivator Guild and the Cidi cult.
If Kidopriest had those same marks, it would pretty much seal his fate.
In that case, it would apply to Kyle as well.
Ashu picked up on the thread of the conversation and joked, "Well, you should just stay at the bathhouse. It would be the easiest place to observe."
"Hell, I wish I could, but that's against the law," Kyle said, sounding somewhat frustrated. "That cult hideout must be near Riven. They wouldn't go to the trouble of capturing people from far away. I've connected the places where you were attacked and where others went missing, and the area has already been narrowed down a lot. We're just one step away now."
"One step away? What's that?"
"I need backup."
"You're talking to me because you want me to be your backup?" Ashu asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If you're willing, that would be great," Kyle replied.
Ashu gave him a look, clearly signaling his unspoken refusal. He wasn't about to become someone's foot soldier without an official position.
This was pure outsourcing, temporary labor—there wouldn't be much compensation even if you died.
"Why don't you request additional manpower from your superiors?" Ashu asked.
At this point, what Kyle really wanted to discuss finally surfaced.
His expression grew even darker, almost to the point of despair.
He spoke, his voice heavy: "The situation now is more complicated than anything. Have you ever met the mayor of Riven?"
"No."
"I have. I see him often. Sometimes, when I'm impatient, I just barge in, even if they try to stop me. So, guess what I saw?"
"Sleeping with his secretary?"
"Oh, heavens, even the newlywed from Gorn Village knows about our mayor's depraved lifestyle. Yes, but it's not just that. He wasn't messing around with a secretary; it was a female noble from the higher city. Can you imagine that? A pig like him, with the stench of dog crap in his mouth—how does a noblewoman fall for him? But here's the kicker—today, I opened up the backs of those cultists you killed, and the symbols on their backs matched exactly the ones on the mayor's stationery. That's when I understood everything."
Upon hearing this, Ashu's expression changed.
All the concerns he had, all the worst-case scenarios he'd feared, had come true—and it was even worse than he had imagined.
Whether Kyle was a cultist or not was one issue.
Now, the mayor of Riven had become a cultist—likely a high-ranking one, someone who could use dark methods to control his desired victims as playthings.
The Cultivator Guild had Kidopriest; the city hall had the mayor.
It was a perfect storm. If the border patrol was corrupted too, then the citizens in this region wouldn't be able to escape, even if they tried.
"Kyle, law enforcer, that's a very serious accusation. If it's rejected, you could lose your head for this," Ashu said, his tone hardening.
"That's why I'm only talking to you. I wouldn't dare speak to anyone else," Kyle replied, his voice filled with a mix of fear and urgency.
"Why are you telling me this?" Ashu asked, his brow furrowed.
"I've looked into the Holy Cultivator Guild's title for the Saintess... So, actually, I'm asking for your help," Kyle explained.
So, that's it.
But Ashu had only just been promoted to a formal mage, and Anna was still recovering from being exiled by the Witch's Guild—she had only recently reached the level of a formal cultivator herself.
With their current strength, they couldn't offer much help. If they faced off against a full army of cultists, they'd be overwhelmed and likely killed in no time.
"By the way, didn't Kidopriest give a speech? He's in a hurry to raise a crusade to eradicate the heretics, right?" Ashu hinted.