Chapter 179 - 175: Capturing the Ringleader, Pacifying the People’s Hearts with Power

Chapter 179: Chapter 175: Capturing the Ringleader, Pacifying the People’s Hearts with Power

At that moment, the false mask on Adonis’s face shattered completely, leaving only pain and terror.

He curled up, coughing up mouthfuls of blood. Each violent hack brought up more dark-red, frothy blood, a clear sign of the severe backlash he suffered from the impact of the Holy Light.

"Now!"

Jon didn’t hesitate for a second. The moment Adonis hit the ground, he struck!

[Swords of Revealing Light]!

VMMMM—

The power of light condensed in his palm. A three-dimensional cage, woven from countless fine threads of light, rapidly formed, enveloping the now-defenseless Adonis.

The attack had come suddenly, and it ended just as swiftly.

The mastermind of the attack failed to escape and was captured on the spot. The servants who had turned into monsters hadn’t caused much carnage before the two Official Level Sun Monks, Xia and Xina, brought them under control and swiftly put them down.

Yet no one felt any joy in this victory.

"How... How on earth did they do it?"

A lavishly dressed lady, her face pale as a sheet, clutched the edge of a table, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"Namira... She just served me breakfast this morning... How could she turn into... that? I’ve known her since she was a little girl..."

Her words sparked a fresh wave of suppressed sobs and fearful whispers.

The nobles’ gazes darted from one another to the faces of their servants, who looked just as terrified.

Every servant brought to an occasion like this was supposed to be a trusted confidant with an impeccable background and long-proven loyalty.

Yet these same people—their own people—who had been chatting and sharing drinks with them just moments before, could transform into man-eating monsters in the blink of an eye!

Trust had been betrayed in an instant, and their lives now hung by a thread. This uncertainty allowed fear to take root in their hearts. Invisible walls rose between them as suspicion and doubt spread in silence.

The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew suffocatingly oppressive.

Just then, a figure strode firmly into the center of the hall.

It was Reya.

She wore a red dress, her fiery hair swaying under the lights. She seemed to burn like a living flame, involuntarily drawing every eye in the room.

"Everyone! There is no need for panic!"

"The vile method used just now was a form of Evil Magic that desecrates the soul! I have personally experienced a similar attack, and I know its nature well!"

She raised her hand slightly, and a gentle, pure golden radiance gathered at her fingertips. It wasn’t blinding, but like the light of a rising sun, it made their fearful hearts instinctively yearn to draw closer.

"This Evil Magic can exploit the cracks in a person’s heart, twisting the innocent into puppets. More often, however, the transformation is forced."

"I suspect that on your journey to Birch Town, someone with malicious intent planted items on your servants. These items were then triggered just now, causing this tragedy."

"However—"

Reya raised her hand, the light at her fingertips growing more brilliant as she raised her voice.

"Before the radiance of my Lord, Po Ao, these filthy practitioners of Evil Magic and their schemes will have nowhere to hide!"

"I give you my word as a Divine Favored: the Sun Church will provide the means to detect and eliminate any hidden threats. You have my assurance!"

The panicked crowd watched the Holy Light dancing on her fingertips and listened to her resolute declaration. Their frayed nerves finally found something to cling to.

Many of them knew Reya. They had all seen her step forward to help them, and they had all witnessed her use the tangible power of light to foil Adonis’s escape.

That power, that decisiveness, was the most powerful endorsement of her words.

And so, the soft sobs and whispers gradually died down.

Paris seized the moment, striding to Reya’s side and declaring in a loud voice.

"Miss Reya is right!"

"These evil tricks only prove their weakness and fear! What do they fear? They fear our unity! They fear that we dare to fight back!"

His gaze swept like a hawk’s over every noble present, lingering on the representatives of families who had just lost loved ones or retainers.

"Look at this carnage! Look at the blood of the dead! This is the ’independence’ the Blood Eye Association speaks of!"

"This is the ’future’ they promise! Compromise? Concessions? Do you truly believe that bowing to the jackals who caused this tragedy will bring us peace? Do you think it will protect our lands, our wealth, and our very lives?"

Yed Xavier chose this moment to step forward as well. The voice of the guild leader, a man known for his calm wisdom, was equally filled with power.

"My friends, the true nature of these fanatics is plunder and chaos! Their goal is not merely independence, but a great purge!"

"Today, they secretly control our servants to assassinate us. Tomorrow, they could be planting daggers by our pillows as we sleep!"

"Compromise will never bring peace. It will only embolden them and hasten the destruction of us all! Only by uniting as one, fighting back without hesitation, and completely eradicating this cancerous growth can we achieve true tranquility!"

Their words struck the hearts of the nobles like twin sledgehammers.

The cruelty and utter ruthlessness displayed by the Blood Eye Association had slammed shut any door to a peaceful retreat they might have imagined.

The will to fight had been rekindled in their hearts, but they still wavered, worried about their lack of strength and the difficulty of defending themselves. It was then that Jon, who had been silent until now, walked over to the two black Mechanical Bodies standing silently by.

He reached out and patted the cold, solid breastplate of one of the Mechanical Bodies. The resulting CLANK CLANK of metal on metal instantly drew everyone’s attention.

"Your determination is admirable, my lords, but a guarantee of strength is equally important."

"As you have seen, the Blood Eye Association excels at subterfuge. We will surely face many complex situations."

"These two Mechanical Bodies are the [Gun Cavalry I] model. I had planned to present them to Lord Paris and all of you later this evening. They are designed to compensate for our lack of combat power on the front lines and in special environments."

"As for their capabilities, you have all just witnessed them firsthand."

At Jon’s words, the thrilling scene from moments ago flashed through everyone’s mind.

When the two steel creations charged, they had nimbly avoided the innocent bystanders. Their attacks were heavy, precise, and ruthless. More importantly, they had completely ignored Adonis’s bizarre Spell Counter ability!

Their silent, efficient performance was utterly different from that of a human Warrior, yet it was strangely reassuring and dependable.

Jon continued speaking.

"Mechanical Bodies are immune to Mind Control and can negate most forms of Energy Interference. They are tireless and absolutely loyal."

"My Giant God Workshop and I will do everything in our power to produce more Mechanical Bodies in the shortest time possible. They will work alongside the Defender Warriors and the Lord’s Guard to undertake the defense of Birch Town and provide solid military support for the counterattack to come!"

Reya’s radiance had soothed their spiritual fear, the declarations from Paris and Yed had ignited their will to fight, and now Jon’s tangible, powerful Mechanical Bodies gave them the confidence they needed to face the unknown threat.

With this threefold assurance, the suffocating panic that had filled the banquet hall finally began to recede like the tide.

The panic on their faces gradually subsided. Though traces of grief, anger, and lingering fear remained, the despair that had turned their gazes to dead ash was gone.

But Jon, Paris, and Yed did not relax. They exchanged a look, their hearts growing heavier still.

Capturing Adonis was only the beginning.

Just as the man had said, their fight against the Blood Eye Association was just getting started...