Chapter 372: The Ghost Witch Stole a Child Again

"Where have you been? What took you so long?"

When the Messenger reappeared in his colleague’s line of sight and deftly slipped into their hiding spot, the other man, whose legs were nearly numb from squatting, couldn’t help but complain.

According to regulations, surveillance operations required teams of at least two, and they were not to leave each other’s sight for more than five minutes. The guy was supposed to have adhered to that time limit while tracking the suspicious person, but he had clearly violated the rule.

"Ugh, don’t even ask," the newly returned Messenger said, adjusting his clothes, which fit his frame perfectly. "Ever been down one of those alleys? The second that cold wind blew, man... my stomach was churning like crazy! I just couldn’t hold it in!"

Rose City’s unique geographical location meant it remained snowless even during this unusually harsh winter. However, the low temperatures were unavoidable. The wind whipping through the streets and alleys was bone-chillingly cold, enough to make life miserable for these Messengers who lacked proper winter clothing.

"Alright, alright," his colleague said, hastily shuffling a few steps away. "Don’t say another word. The smell is bad enough."

Though they both served a Deity, they were, in the end, only human. Such things were bound to happen. But on that topic, his colleague couldn’t help but feel a surge of frustration and anger. "It’s not fair, you know? How come the guys assigned to watch Delusional Land get an extra allowance for winter gear, while we have to freeze our asses off out here?"

The "Messenger’s" eyes darted about before he joined in with a cold laugh. "Right? I refuse to believe a couple more pieces of clothing would cost that much! It’s all because—"

"Shh, shh!" his partner quickly pressed a finger to his lips. "Quiet! A little complaining is one thing, but what if..."

He pointed upward, implying that even the watchers were being watched.

But because of this exchange, the last bit of suspicion the man had for his briefly absent partner vanished completely. For the past few years, their superiors had been treating them less and less like human beings. It would have been strange if the grunts doing the dirty work didn’t have any complaints.

This surveillance shift wouldn’t end until dinnertime. To the Messenger’s surprise, his colleague seemed unusually generous today, treating him to a decent dinner. In return, of course, the Messenger pretended not to notice his partner wandering the streets for half an hour after the meal. When they returned to the church where they were staying, he even helped cover for the man, allowing him to evade the Bishop’s questioning.

It had nothing to do with Gold Coins; it was just a matter of camaraderie. The right thing to do.

"That manor across the way is really something else, isn’t it?" Just before bed, the "Messenger" unrolled his sleeping bag on the cold floor, but his eyes remained fixed outside the church on the grand estate, still visible several hundred meters away. "When will we ever get to live in a place like that?"

"Aren’t our fortresses grander than that?" his partner scoffed, slithering into his bedding like a fish and wrapping himself up tightly. "We’ve dedicated our lives to the Gods of Order. Don’t waste your time daydreaming about stuff like that."

"The owner of that manor is a merchant who just became a noble. A bona fide rich man."

"Looks like the God of Trade favors him greatly," the "Messenger" nodded. "Or maybe the Lady of Luck?"

"Wrong on both counts," the other Messenger mumbled, already half-asleep and smacking his lips. "I heard... he follows our faith, too... It’s so unfair. How come he gets to be rich?"

"What’s even more infuriating is that he received the Deity’s grace but refuses to cooperate with our operation. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had to grab that couple... Hahh..."

After extinguishing the candle in the side hall, the "Messenger’s" eyes shone brightly in the moonlight.

As a doppelganger, pilfering the surface thoughts of others was an innate talent. This not only allowed him to perfectly imitate the every move of the person he replaced, but also made it impossible for others to tell the difference. When everything someone says is exactly what you’re thinking, why would you ever suspect them for no reason?

Quest let out a cold laugh and lay down in his sleeping bag, still fully clothed. This was an action he had taken on his own initiative, but as a seasoned veteran, he was certain it would only help Ron execute his plan more effectively.

’What’s the best way to guide others into doing exactly what you want? By pretending to be one of them, of course!’

Early the next morning, the Messengers from the relief shift rushed in, reporting to everyone that Ron and his party were heading straight for Hendrix’s manor.

"How did they find this place?" The Bishop in charge twitched his comical, downturned eyebrows. "What have you all been monitoring these past few days? They just wander around a few churches and monasteries, and then suddenly they’re making a beeline for the main target?!"

"What about the arrangements from above? The misleading clues we planted!"

"We don’t know. Maybe they had other sources?" Quest muttered under his breath. "He is a Lord, after all. He doesn’t need to report his every move to us."

"Lord Sred won’t like that explanation," the Bishop snorted, waving a hand dismissively. "Forget it. What’s done is done. All of you, inform the other churches immediately. Prepare to move out!"

"We must capture Ron and force him to submit! How can we allow this Holy War to be undermined by such a scoundrel?"

Several clergymen called out in acknowledgment and immediately ran for the exit. But before they could open the doors, the main gate of the church was forced open. A man and a woman, both commoners, lost their balance as the doors flew inward and tumbled to the ground in a heap.

"Who’s there?!" The highly tense members of the Religious Order were startled and nearly attacked. If the Bishop hadn’t remained relatively calm, the two commoners might have died at the hands of those they sought help from.

"Lord Bishop, please, you have to save us!" The tear-streaked woman struggled to lift her head, crying out in a hoarse, choked voice, "We can’t go on—"

"You... you two, speak slowly. What happened?" The Bishop’s heart skipped a beat. He hurried forward to help her up, but the woman pushed his outstretched arm away. "Madam, just crying won’t solve anything."

"I’m sorry, Your Excellency. Maria is just overcome with grief," the man said, wiping away his own tears and speaking for his wife in a pitiful tone. "It’s like this... a Ghost Witch has somehow snuck into Rose City. She stole our child! For the Deity’s sake, I’m begging you to help us!"

"A Ghost Witch?!" Upon hearing this, the Bishop’s expression changed several times. "This... since when has such an evil creature been hiding in Rose City!"

"She must have disguised herself as an old woman to get in. Isn’t that the Ghost Witch’s favorite trick?" a voice called out from the crowd. "My lord, we have to help them!"

"You be quiet!" The Bishop looked up and saw it was one of his own Priests. "Can’t you see the ranks of the Religious Order assembled here? We have more important things to do today!"

"But Your Excellency, what could possibly be more important than eradicating an evil Ghost Witch?" Quest stepped forward at this moment, loudly protesting. "Brothers, what are our doctrines? What is our duty? The mission from above is important, yes, but are we really supposed to stand by and do nothing in a situation like this?!"

"But the Archbishop repeatedly stressed the importance of this mission!" The Bishop frowned. Logically, a Messenger of this level was several ranks below him, but they didn’t belong to the same command structure, so the man didn’t have to unconditionally defer to him.

"Are we to abandon a poor child for the sake of some heretic? Gentlemen, is this what we truly want?" Quest completely ignored the mention of the Archbishop’s authority, continuing his tirade to the assembled Messengers and Priests. "His Eminence the Archbishop obviously can’t account for every possible situation. That’s why people like us must be the eyes, ears, and hands for our superiors! I believe that if the compassionate Lord Archbishop were here, he would surely approve of our actions!"

Quest’s words won the support of the vast majority of those present. Even the Bishop was swayed. Weighing the two options, the child’s life was clearly more precious. As for that Lord...

"Inform the other churches and monasteries! Explain the situation!" the Bishop said, gritting his teeth. "We have a sudden emergency here that must be prioritized. We’ll have to trouble them with the other matter!"

"Everyone, move out with me! Madam, sir, please lead the way!"