Chapter 236: Annihilation in the Flames

At this point, if the old thief named Gerald still didn’t understand what was going on, then he was really quite foolish.

There was only one answer.

The false “Arbitration Sword” placed in the ruins near the temple was done by the Thieves’ Guild themselves.

Or rather, by individuals who ordered the Thieves’ Guild to do this.

The purpose, of course, was not to frame Gerald and others, but rather that the orchestrators probably didn’t care at all who would dig up that sword.

What Gerald and the others wanted was simply the objective outcome of the “Arbitration Sword reappearing in the City of Saint Sanos, leading to a citywide hunt by demons.”

That’s why Gerald ended up with that item that clearly shouldn’t be in his hands; his information didn’t even mention that “the Arbitration Sword” would erupt in such dazzling light, akin to a flare shooting skyward.

As for why it was buried near the temple and why they chose Gerald’s group, it was simply because that place was closest to the demons’ stronghold, making them more likely to notice it, and the latter group particularly hated demons, willing to risk taking on such dangerous tasks.

The moment Gerald dug up the special false sword, and the brilliant aura shot into the sky, the person directing the situation toward its current state had already achieved their goal.

Initially, Vilyric had only contemplated this possibility but couldn’t be entirely sure until she arrived here—at the former stronghold of the Thieves’ Guild—where she was finally able to confirm that the facts were indeed as she suspected.

Actually, there was nothing particularly clever about it… it was just too clean here.

In both the literal sense and the deeper meaning.

There were no remnants of any objects or information related to the Thieves’ Guild, the tables and chairs were arranged neatly, and this seemingly reasonable but completely flawless layout only made this place feel even stranger.

If the Thieves’ Guild had hurriedly withdrawn after that blinding light shot up, alarming the demons in the city, there was no way they could have maintained such meticulous detail.

This meant that the Thieves’ Guild had known in advance what would happen tonight and had made arrangements ahead of time. If Vilyric remembered correctly, Gerald had explicitly mentioned that he hadn’t informed anyone before deciding to act, even his accomplices had only received news at the last minute.

Earlier, Vilyric had even discovered a hidden array within that fake “Arbitration Sword,” capable of tracking and locating, suggesting there might have been further plans.

Oh, of course, that’s probably all in shambles now.

“Are you saying the Guild… sold us out?”

Seeing the thief with a face full of doubt and incredulity, Vilyric felt slightly helpless but didn’t bother to comfort him. Instead, she simply stood up and placed her hand on Eudora’s shoulder, who seemed a bit bewildered but not resistant.

“You should blame yourselves for acting too outstandingly and giving it your all. No one is specifically targeting you; it’s just that someone had to take on this task, and unfortunately, you were chosen as those unlucky ‘sacrifices.'”

“Oh right, I suggest you move closer to me right now, otherwise…”

The deep red light and overwhelming heat cut off the White Fox Girl’s unfinished words.

“Boom boom boom boom boom!!!!!!!”

The next moment, the flames that shot skyward had already consumed everything in front of them.

The violent chain explosions turned a dilapidated wooden house at the center and all the surrounding, uninhabited houses into a swath of scorched earth.

By the time the large group of demons arrived in response to the commotion, there was no trace of any living beings or past remnants left at the site.

…

As they fell from the sky once more, the figures of six individuals, led by a certain Little Dragon Daughter, including Tilysha and the Grim Reaper’s Scythe, appeared. They were all gazing at the blazing inferno still raging in the distance when they noticed the White Fox Girl slowly descending with Eudora in her arms; they hurriedly approached.

“Master… Miss Xī, are you alright?”

“Miss Xī, what’s over there…?”

After setting the now human-formed Little Loli down, letting her stand on her own, Vilyric lightly waved her sleeve and shook her head.

“It’s nothing, just went to verify some guesses and was warmly welcomed in return. Don’t worry, it was nothing more than a childish ruckus, not even worth mentioning.”

However, that Gerald looked rather foolish, yet his desire to survive was pretty strong—he managed to react in the heat of the moment, so I guess he’s lucky.

Glancing at the four members of the Grim Reaper’s Scythe, who looked somewhat disheveled, clearly having just been through a battle, the White Fox Miss raised an eyebrow beneath her mask.

“You guys, where did you run off to before? Why didn’t you gather near the temple as agreed?”

“Uh…”

The soul, whose gray robe was stained with dirt and blood, paused slightly before awkwardly scratching his head and smiling.

“Sorry, we encountered some conflicts with demons on our way here. After finally shaking them off, we saw what was happening in the city.”

“Thanks to Miss Xiao Guang and Miss Tilysha actively seeking us out, otherwise we really wouldn’t have known how to regroup with everyone.”

“…Is that so.”

That’s a lie.

Saying it’s a lie might be a bit much; judging by Vilyric’s understanding of the soul, he didn’t seem like the type to pull tricks behind his allies’ backs. But at least… he wasn’t being fully honest.

He had just mentioned that they clashed with demons first and then noticed the turmoil in the city, which indeed explained why they didn’t arrive sooner. Still, it didn’t add up.

If they could enter the city without issue, the demons had no reason to show hostility toward the souls and others, so it must have been the Grim Reaper’s Scythe who did something that infringed upon the demons’ interests, provoking a conflict between the two sides.

But it seemed he had no intention to clarify in public.

Was it about the Lingyin Merchant Association, as mentioned earlier, and certain secret missions targeting demons?

For some reason, the Priestess suddenly recalled the layout designed by the Thieves’ Guild in this very city that she had just come into contact with.

Without a doubt, it was also an exceptionally confidential mission; otherwise, the Thieves’ Guild wouldn’t have resorted to such violent measures to erase any subsequent traces.

But if the goal was to kill Gerald, Vilyric felt the original aim seemed more like destroying that fake “Arbitration Sword,” at least to ensure it wouldn’t truly spill out into the world.

But then… why purposely lead the demons to come knocking? Wouldn’t letting the demons know that the sword was fake affect the orchestrator’s plans?

Strange, strange… there had to be something fishy going on.

The reason Vilyric and the others came to the City of Saint Sanos was due to the soul’s suggestion, with the rationale being that it was the location of the Judging Saintess’s final battle and disappearance, where they perhaps could find some intel regarding the Saintess.

Additionally, the Grim Reaper’s Scythe also needed to complete certain secret tasks here.

Because the soul had mentioned that, it was a private task within the Merchant Association, and they were merely responsible for executing it without knowing the purpose. So originally, Vilyric hadn’t paid too much attention.

But… now that the bizarre event of the fake “Arbitration Sword” suddenly appearing had occurred, she began to question whether the Grim Reaper’s Scythe’s and the Thieves’ Guild’s work in the City of Saint Sanos were…

Actually serving the same purpose?

Then, for one force to simultaneously compel both parties to act on their behalf, even if perhaps just indirectly, in the Holy Nation, the powers that possessed such ability were indeed few and far between.

Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed in the girl’s mind, causing her to involuntarily let out a low gasp of astonishment.

“Is it… her?”

   

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