Chapter 183: The Devastating Fall Of Desmond Hale

Chapter 183: Chapter 183: The Devastating Fall Of Desmond Hale

A Demon General had finally appeared, only to take one look at their side and retreat before the battle even began?

Xavier, Charles, Liam, and the other Shelby Family experts were momentarily speechless.

Meanwhile, Desmond Hale, who had witnessed everything through the formation, felt as though his entire world had collapsed.

He had sacrificed almost his entire body to summon that creature.

And what had it done?

It had barely stepped out before retreating!

Desmond Hale couldn’t believe it.

How could such a tiny movement cause so much damage to his carefully prepared plan?

He had placed all his remaining hopes on the Demon General.

Now, those hopes had vanished.

Only one thought remained in his mind.

I’m finished!

Outside the Nine Nether Abyss Formation, Victoria Quill stood with the experts from the Groundcrest branch of the Extraordinary Department. They had been attacking the enormous barrier surrounding the Shelby Family manor for quite some time, but their efforts had produced almost no results.

Victoria’s expression grew more serious with every passing minute.

"Minister, we’ve been at this for nearly half an hour. Is there really no way to break through?"

The Groundcrest Minister shook his head.

"General Quill, we’ve already brought together every Extraordinary Department expert in the city who has reached the Spirit Platform Realm or higher. Even with all of us attacking together, we can barely make the formation tremble. I’m afraid this won’t be easy."

One of the experts beside him spoke up.

"The Minister is right. But we have reason to hope. Captain Stanley has been contacted, and his team should be here in less than ten minutes."

Victoria turned toward him.

"Captain Stanley?"

"Yes. He’s a peak Divine Power Realm expert, and his team specializes in dealing with the Abyss Cult. They’re part of the Evil Suppression Group, not the Extraordinary Department. When it comes to threats of this nature, they have far more experience than we do."

The explanation did little to ease Victoria’s concern, but she understood why they had called for reinforcements. The Extraordinary Department handled extraordinary incidents across the country, but the Evil Suppression Group dealt with particularly dangerous organizations that ordinary forces struggled to contain. If anyone could find a way through this formation, Stanley’s team had a better chance than most.

Still, Victoria found it difficult to remain calm.

Almost an hour had passed since Xavier had sent her, Mira, and Maya out of the formation. She trusted his strength, but Desmond Hale was no ordinary enemy. He had spent years preparing to sacrifice the entire Shelby Family, and someone capable of carrying out such an elaborate plan was unlikely to be without powerful tricks.

His connection to the Abyss Cult made the situation even more troubling.

Victoria imagined what it would be like to face the Nine Nether Abyss Formation from the inside. Even with her current strength, she wasn’t sure she would make it out alive.

"I hope Captain Stanley gets here soon," she said quietly. "The longer that formation stays active, the more worried I become."

She hadn’t wanted to depend on reinforcements who hadn’t arrived, but there was little else she could do. The simplest way to destroy a formation was to overpower its barrier. Unfortunately, the combined attacks of the local experts had barely made a dent.

"Mr. X will be fine."

Mira stepped closer, trying to reassure her.

"My martial uncle is incredibly strong. I believe in him. My master and my martial uncle are both people who can handle almost anything."

Maya nodded in agreement.

Neither young woman could do anything to break the formation, and they knew it. All they could do was trust Xavier and hope he was safe inside.

Victoria looked at them. Their confidence helped ease some of the tension in her chest.

"I hope you’re right."

Before long, the reinforcements finally arrived.

A group of martial artists approached at impressive speed. At their head was a sharp-eyed middle-aged man who appeared to be around forty.

He stopped in front of Victoria and the others.

"I’m Captain Stanley. I’ll be taking charge of the operation from here."

After introducing himself, he gave Victoria a reassuring nod.

"General Quill, I’ve already received a report on the situation. I’m familiar with the Nine Nether Abyss Formation. Give me twenty minutes to examine it, and I’ll see what I can do."

Stanley had been briefed while travelling to Groundcrest. He immediately began making arrangements to inspect the barrier and determine how best to break it.

However, before he could finish outlining his approach, the formation began to shake.

The tremors were faint at first, but they quickly grew stronger. The enormous barrier surrounding the Shelby Family manor shuddered as though something inside was tearing it apart.

Then came a sharp cracking sound.

It was like a giant sheet of glass breaking.

Everyone turned toward the barrier. Fine cracks spread across its surface, multiplying until the entire formation shattered and vanished.

"The barrier is gone!"

"What happened?"

"Whatever caused it, at least we can get inside now!"

The experts exchanged startled looks. Their frustration and worry quickly gave way to excitement.

Victoria didn’t waste a second.

"Let’s go!"

Her figure blurred as she shot toward the manor.

She had witnessed something similar when the leader of the Blood Shadow Sect attacked Arcadia Academy. On that occasion, the sudden collapse of the formation had also meant that the crisis inside was coming to an end.

Stanley turned to the experts who remained outside.

"Everyone else, stay here and keep watch. We’re dealing with a Divine Power Realm expert from the Abyss Cult. Don’t let your guard down just because the barrier has disappeared."

With that warning, he followed Victoria into the manor, accompanied by the Groundcrest Minister.

The three reached the central square almost at the same time.

A burst of cheering greeted them as soon as they arrived.

"General Quill! You’re finally here!"

Victoria recognized the voice and looked toward the crowd. Liam stood among the Shelby Family members, holding a severed head. Despite the blood and exhaustion surrounding him, he looked unusually cheerful.

"Did you come to help us?" he called out. "I’m afraid you’ve missed the excitement. We’ve already dealt with everything!"

Victoria’s eyes settled on the head in his hand.

It belonged to Desmond Hale.

After Apophis retreated, Desmond’s carefully prepared plan had fallen apart. He had used almost his entire body to fuel the formation, leaving himself with barely enough strength to keep his remaining head alive.

The Shelby Family’s Ancestor had taken advantage of that opportunity.

Using his Law of Perception, he searched the entire manor and soon discovered where Desmond was hiding. The man hadn’t fled the estate at all. He had been concealed in a secret chamber more than two hundred meters beneath the central square.

No one knew when he had managed to build such a hiding place.

Once the Ancestor found him, the Shelby Family’s experts hurried to capture him. Unfortunately, Desmond’s remaining life force ran out before they could bring him to the surface.

With the formation’s energy source gone, the Nine Nether Abyss Formation could no longer sustain itself. The barrier consequently collapsed, allowing Victoria and the others to enter the manor.

"We owe Mr. X a great deal," one of the Shelby Family members said. "Without him, none of us would have survived this."

"He’s the reason the family escaped such a terrible disaster. We were practically helpless until he stepped in."

"Only a dozen or so people lost their lives. Considering what Desmond intended to do, we were lucky."

"Still, losing the Second Elder and Seventh Elder is a heavy blow."

"And Desmond got off far too easily. He died before we could make him answer for everything he’d done!"

Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the Shelby Family’s conference room had settled.

Charles, Liam, and the other senior members of the family had gathered to thank Xavier for his help. Victoria, Mira, Maya, and Sarah Shelby were also present. Captain Stanley had joined them as well, accompanied by members of the Evil Suppression Group.

By then, everyone had heard the details of what had happened after the formation was activated.

The Shelby Family members took turns expressing their gratitude to Xavier. Victoria, Mira, and Maya were naturally pleased to see him receiving such recognition. Stanley, too, regarded him with genuine admiration.

Once the discussion had settled, the Ancestor raised a hand.

"That’s enough for now. Everyone should return to their duties."

Although Desmond had intended to sacrifice the entire Shelby Family, the formation had been destroyed before it could claim many lives. A little over a dozen family members had died, but the losses could have been far worse.

The manor, however, had not escaped unscathed. Several buildings had been destroyed during the fighting, and other parts of the estate needed extensive repairs.

There was also the matter of the surviving family members. They had just endured a disaster that could have wiped out their entire clan. They needed reassurance, while the family leadership had to organize the repairs and deal with the casualties.

The Ancestor and the senior members had plenty to attend to.

As the Shelby Family members gradually left the conference room, Captain Stanley finally had the chance to approach Xavier.

"Mr. X, I’d like to introduce you to the organization I represent. The Evil Suppression Group is a national organization dedicated to dealing with dangerous forces that threaten the country. The Abyss Cult is one of our primary targets."

He paused briefly before explaining further.

"The Extraordinary Department handles extraordinary incidents and threats within its jurisdiction. But some enemies are simply beyond what its local branches can manage. When that happens, the case is usually transferred to us."

Stanley studied Xavier with clear appreciation.

"Your performance today was exceptional. The Evil Suppression Group isn’t a large organization, but everyone who serves in it is an experienced fighter. We’re always looking for people with the ability to handle the threats we face."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Have you ever considered joining us, Mr. X?"

Xavier had heard Victoria Quill mention the Evil Suppression Group during one of their casual conversations.

It was one of the most formidable organizations in the Dragon Kingdom. Although its membership was relatively small, every person accepted into its ranks was an exceptional martial artist, with cultivation no lower than the Spirit Platform Realm.

Even more impressive was its leader, the Venerable of Righteousness, one of the Ten Venerables publicly recognized throughout the Dragon Kingdom.

An organization of that standing was bound to possess resources that ordinary people could never hope to obtain, including rare treasures that weren’t available on the open market.

Stanley’s unexpected invitation therefore gave Xavier something to consider.

He remained silent for a few seconds before finally shaking his head.

"Thank you for the offer, but I’m more comfortable working independently. If our interests align, I’m certainly open to cooperating with your organization. However, I’m afraid I won’t be joining."

Membership in the Evil Suppression Group came with considerable advantages, but Xavier was no longer in a position where he needed to rely on an organization for opportunities.

He had already acquired treasures that most martial artists could only dream of. Thanks to the system’s returns, he possessed ninth-grade pills, Heavenly-level equipment, and even Saint-level martial arts techniques.

The Evil Suppression Group might have an impressive collection of resources, but he had no shortage of his own.

Rather than accepting a position that could place restrictions on his freedom, he preferred to maintain a good working relationship with them. There would undoubtedly be opportunities for cooperation in the future.

"That’s a shame, but I understand."

Stanley didn’t press the matter. He respected Xavier’s decision and took out a business card.

"Here, Mr. X. This is my personal contact information. If you ever reconsider, or if you have something that requires the Evil Suppression Group’s assistance, feel free to reach out to me."

Even setting aside Xavier’s performance during the Shelby Family crisis, he was already a master alchemist. Someone with that level of ability was worth building a relationship with.

Stanley naturally wanted to establish that connection on behalf of his organization.

"All right. I’ll keep it in mind."

Xavier accepted the card and placed it inside his spatial ring.

"I have a few things to take care of, so I won’t keep you any longer."

Stanley then turned toward Ancestor Wendell.

"Ancestor Wendell, once you’ve finished dealing with the aftermath of this incident, please visit the Extraordinary Department’s headquarters. Anything involving the Abyss Cult requires a thorough investigation. We can’t afford to overlook even the smallest clue."

Stanley still had work to do. He intended to examine the traces left by the Nine Nether Abyss Formation around the Shelby Family manor, so there was no reason for him to remain in the conference room.

After Ancestor Wendell agreed, he exchanged a few more words with the others and promptly departed.

"Please, continue with your conversation," Ancestor Wendell said to Victoria and the others.

He then turned to Xavier.

"Mr. X, would you mind accompanying me somewhere? I promised that the Shelby Family would reward you properly for everything you’ve done. There’s also something I’d like to discuss with you in private."