Chapter 1616: Shocking News III

Ever since learning the possible source of Alina’s gift, Lory had sensed something deeply unsettling about her power. Yet never in her darkest thoughts had she imagined it would be this malicious.

"My question is..." Lory asked quietly, doubt clouding her gaze, "Did Alina know what she had done?"

"It would be strange if she didn’t know, wouldn’t it?" Lucas shook his head. "However, that isn’t what concerns me most."

He leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. "What makes me curious is the significant difference between Alina’s power and Maya Summer’s."

"Oh?" Lory looked at him curiously. "There’s a difference?"

"From the information we gather, it is said Maya could only heal two or three people a day, and even that left her utterly exhausted," Lucas explained, his voice tinged with suspicion. "But the Saintess... she could heal hundreds in a single day."

"Is not hard to guess it because the Seed of Life from Zalchana?" Zhao Li Xin connected the pieces with ease, his brows knitting as he sank into thought. "No wonder they were dead set to collude with Zalchana. Knowing the power of the Seed of Life, they managed to create a monster like Bael to terrorize people. They also knew the Seed could amplify humans, and the Paladin and the Saintess would be the best example. Even though there were also cases like that guy, who transformed into monsters like Bael."

"Yes... But how did that happen?" Lory asked warily. "How could paladins turn into Bael?" ℴ𝗆

The room fell silent as everyone pondered the question.

Then suddenly, Jay spoke. "Could it be because of the side effects of overusing the Seed of Life?"

Everyone turned to stare at him.

Feeling awkward beneath their gazes, Jay hurriedly elaborated. "Hear me out. From Project Resurgence, we discovered that while the Seed of Life grants power, still and all, compatibility remains unpredictable. Only a few people can synchronize with it, and don’t forget, it said they require monthly doses to maintain their abilities."

Jay leaned forward, growing more confident as he spoke. "So... just like people who rely on drugs to make themselves stronger, there might be side effects from using that power excessively."

Fargo stared at Jay for a long moment before letting out a snort.

Jay frowned in annoyance. "What? You don’t believe me?"

"I don’t believe you can actually use your brain," Fargo remarked with blatant sarcasm.

"Hey, I’m a genius hacker, you know!" Jay protested.

"Yes, you are a genius in that field," Fargo replied dryly. "But that’s where it ends. You’re stupid in everything else." He looked Jay up and down with unmistakable skepticism.

"How can you compliment and insult me at the same time?" Jay looked aggrieved for a moment before his face suddenly brightened. "Actually, who cares? I’ll take it as a compliment."

"Good for you, buddy," Clift said kindly while patting Jay’s shoulder.

"Okay, back to the symbol I saw in the basement." Lory steered the conversation back to the main point.

"Yes." Fredhardt nodded. "That thing, as I mentioned before, is a portal used to transfer energy. It works by carving the symbol into the owner, then drawing the same symbol upon the ground and above the place where the sacrifice is positioned. Once the owner activates their power, the spell acts as a conduit linked to the bearer of the symbol, rendering distance meaningless."

Lory’s expression darkened. "So they can perform the sacrificial ritual anywhere and send it anywhere, regardless of distance?"

"Annoying, right?" Fredhardt folded his arms. "And again, this is where Alinna’s power differs from Maya’s. When Maya performed such a transfer, the sacrifice could not be too far from her while she redirected the illness to another. But Alinna’s power is far stronger..." His voice lowered grimly. "Making the distance no longer serves as a limitation."

"The seed of life really increased her power, huh?" Jay sneered, "How convenient."

"Yeah, I guess they chose Alina because of her unique talents, and they see her potential." Fredhardt rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

"Is that why they didn’t just use a normal healer, instead as the Saintess?" Lory ponder.

Lucas set down his coffee cup before speaking in a thoughtful tone. "We need to ask Alexander Behrenn to ask for that. Anyway, the more important matter is that the Saintess’s power is dangerous. As long as she continues healing people, it means innocent lives will continue to be sacrificed."

"Then how are we supposed to stop her? people love her, depend on her." Lory leaned weakly against the chair, looking utterly helpless.

Everyone exchanged troubled glances. They had already arranged for the rescued healers to testify about what they had endured at White Rose Boarding School, but their testimonies had quickly been buried beneath the chaos of increasingly frequent Bael attacks and the widespread destruction left in their wake—disasters that, so far, only the Saintess seemed capable of resolving.

That reality left the world leaders with their hands tied. Whether they trusted her or not, they still depended on the Saintess’s power to satisfy their citizens.

Therefore, without undeniable proof, they could not stop the Saintess from healing people, as doing so would ignite public outrage and give their enemies an opportunity to blame them.

Amid the heavy silence, Zhao Li Xin’s lazy voice suddenly broke through the tension.

"How about starting by destroying the human trafficking routes they use to gather sacrifices?"

Everyone immediately turned to look at him. Zhao Li Xin remained leaning lazily against the sofa, his expression calm as though he had merely suggested discussing the weather.

Fredhardt’s eyes lit up slightly. "That’s... actually not a bad idea. Logically, without sacrifices, the Saintess wouldn’t be able to heal people, right?" he muttered. "We may not be able to stop them immediately, but we can slow them down and buy ourselves time to come up with a better plan."

Clift nodded in agreement. "If the trafficking routes used for sacrifices are cut off, they will panic," he said grimly. "And if we keep pushing them, they might actually wage full-scale war against us, and when that happens..." He raised his brows, giving everyone a meaningful look.

"That’s good, but don’t forget we still have to deal with the environmental damage caused by Bael’s toxin." Fredhardt turned to Zhao Li Xin. "By the way, could Jade help?"

However, it was Lory who answered instead. "Although Jade can purify the land, he cannot remain in our world for long. I don’t know whether it’s because his body hasn’t matured yet or because his power isn’t strong enough, but his abilities are still quite limited...for now, at least."

"Well, that will be a problem," Fredhardt muttered.

"As for this problem, let me speak with Jade. Perhaps we can find another solution," Zhao Li Xin said calmly.

"Okay then, we leave it in your capable hands." Lucas gave Zhao Li Xin a firm nod, then he turned to Jay and Clift, "And what about you, about the new seedling the anchora produce, do you get it?"

"Duh, who do you think we are?" Jay said matter-of-factly. "We even bring back all the important data about it, right?"

"Yes, good job, everyone. That indeed helps a lot," Fredhardt said in a rather flat tone, not because he didn’t appreciate their efforts, but because he had already expected it.

"Oh yeah, we also burned down the Anchora warehouse where the seeds were stored. Hopefully, that will slow them down a little."Clift said flatly, as though burning down a heavily guarded facility was nothing worth mentioning.

Obviously, with the backing of Luxemborough and the S.A.I.N.T. organization, one could only imagine how heavily guarded the Anchora warehouse had been. It was no exaggeration to say that its security might have rivaled, or even surpassed, that of the National Security Agency itself.

Yet despite those formidable defenses, Clift and Jay had managed to infiltrate the facility, bypass its security measures, and reduce the entire warehouse to ashes. By any standard, the operation had been an undeniable success.

Lory’s eyes widened. "You burned it all down?"

Jay looked at her in confusion. "Duh, we burned down the entire Blackridge, the national project in Luxembourg’s capital city, so why are you surprised we burned down the mere Anchora company warehouse?"

Lory paused for a moment before shrugging in realization. "You’re right."

"Anyway, where are the new crop seeds now?" Fargo asked, steering the conversation back to the matter at hand.

"They’ve already been handed over to the N.I.M.S for further research," Clift replied.

Lucas folded his hands together. "I think we’ll have a clearer answer within a few days."

"You think we have a few days?" Lory said before taking the last spoonful of her salad.

She placed the empty bowl on the coffee table and leaned back against her chair, her expression turning serious.

"Considering how these crop seeds sped growth, who knows how many people have consumed them as we speak?" Her brows furrowed slightly. "I think it’s more important for us to figure out how to neutralize the effects of the seeds, or at least find a cure for the people already affected by them; if not, we will always be one step behind them."

"Yeah, you’re right. We do have to act quickly." Lucas let out a long sigh as he rubbed his jaw, the burden of urgency settling heavily over the room.

Suddenly, the sharp ring of a phone broke the heavy silence.

Everyone instinctively glanced at their own devices, only to realize the sound was coming from Fredhardt’s cellphone.

"Yes? uh-huh...where?" Fredhardt’s expression turned serious.

The easy composure on his face vanished, replaced by something tense and unreadable. Without another word, he rose from the couch and scanned the room until his eyes landed on the television remote.

He picked it up and switched on the television.

At the same time, curiosity settled over the room as everyone’s attention shifted toward the dark screen. A second later, the television flickered to life, revealing the bold red banner of a breaking news broadcast.

The television flickered to life, and the bright studio lights of a news broadcast filled the room. A red banner stretched across the bottom of the screen.

—BREAKING NEWS—

The anchor appeared visibly unsettled as footage played beside her.

"We interrupt our regular broadcast with a breaking news update regarding Saintess Alina’s collapse during a public healing ceremony in Zenon City, the capital of Luxemborough."

The screen changes to shaky footage recorded by spectators. A massive crowd had gathered inside the hall plaza, their voices filled with prayer and devotion as the Saintess stood upon an elevated platform surrounded by clergy and guards.

"According to witnesses, the Saintess was performing a healing ritual for one of her followers when an unexpected incident occurred."

The footage zoomed in.

Alina could be seen placing her hand upon the sick worshiper’s forehead, her white robes stirring gently beneath the chandellier lights.

For several seconds, everything appeared normal. Then all of a sudden, her movement stop, her body trembled, she look in so much pain.

A visible shiver ran through her entire frame as though an invisible chill had seized her. Her expression twisted in brief pain, startling those closest to her. Gasps erupted from the crowd as the Saintess staggered backward, and then she fainted.

Chaos erupted in an instant.

"Saintess!"

Paladin and the saintess attendants rushed forward as Alina collapsed before the gathered worshippers. The crowd erupted into panic and confusion, prayers and screams mixing together beneath the cathedral dome.

The footage abruptly cut back to the studio.

"At this time, officials from the Saint Organization have not released an official explanation regarding the Saintess’s sudden collapse," the anchor continued.

"However, representatives have stated that her condition is stable and she is currently under medical supervision."

Shock spread across the faces of Lory, Lucas, and the others.

The news anchor explained that the footage had been recorded during yesterday’s healing ceremony, when the Saintess had been treating her followers.

A heavy silence settled over the room as the implication slowly sank in. The timing of the Saintess’s collapse seemed to coincide almost exactly with the destruction of the island.

Quiet glances were exchanged across the room, tension and suspicion thickening in the air. No one spoke, yet the same thought lingered in every mind.

Among them, the only one who managed to maintain his composure was Zhao Li Xin. He reached for the glass of milk Fredhardt had prepared beforehand and handed it to Lory.

"Since the symbol is connected to the Saintess," he said calmly, as though discussing something entirely ordinary, "it only makes sense that destroying the symbol would affect her. In my world, we call that a ’backlash.’" His smile deepened.

Lory accepted the glass absentmindedly and took a small sip, her thoughts still tangled in the implications of the news.

Zhao Li Xin watched her drink with a faint smile before shifting his gaze back to the television. "Who would’ve thought," he said leisurely, "stopping the Saintess may be easier than we thought." his eyes darkened.

Soon, everyone’s eyes in the room began to gleam with dangerous understanding, except Lory, who suddenly had the urge to vomit.