Chapter 1625: A Pleasant Surprised

Zhao Li Xin leapt from the back of the flying beast Alcotrice, his figure cutting through the dense mist as he descended from the sky. The wind tugged at his long trench coat, but his expression remained calm and composed.

With a soft thud, he landed softly on the cracked road below, barely stirring up the dust that had accumulated over years of neglect. His knees bent slightly to absorb the impact before he straightened up and looked ahead.

The road stretched far into the distance like a forgotten scar on the land. The once-black asphalt was now cracked and uneven, its surface broken by countless cracks where weeds and roots had dug in. Pieces of pavement littered the ground, giving the impression that the road itself was slowly being taken over by nature.

On either side stood rows of abandoned buildings. Broken windows stared blankly into the fog, while rusted signs hung crookedly from the weathered walls. Some buildings had partially collapsed, leaving piles of rubble where homes and shops once stood.

Beyond them, dense forest extended into the settlement. Twisting branches stretched toward the road like skeletal fingers, their silhouettes barely visible through the thick fog. Thick fog cover the road and muffled every sound, creating an unsettling silence that pressed heavily on the ears. Not even the cries of birds and insects could be heard. The entire place seemed frozen in time.

Up there, Alcotrice let out a soft cry before flying away and disappearing into the gray sky, as if they were in a hurry to leave this place.

Zhao Li Xin watched Alcotrice’s giant silhouette disappear into the distance, leaving him alone in this eerie silence. If a normal person were left alone in a place like this, they might become panicked or crazy, but of course, that wasn’t the case for Zhao Li Xin.

Zhao Li Xin tilted his head slightly as he read the weathered sign standing beside the road.

’Welcome to Sweetville.’

The faded letters were barely visible beneath years of rust and decay. A faint sense of relief stirred within him, knowing he had stop on the right place.

His gaze followed the cracked road stretching ahead, disappearing into a veil of fog. Somewhere beyond it lay the abandoned town of Sweetville, the place where Maya Summer, the bearer of the Ashen Gift and the Saintess’s grandmother, had once lived.

He wondered if he would uncover any secrets in this place. Well, whatever it was, it could wait. Zhao Li Xin reached into his coat pocket and pulled out her phone. His fingers moved across the screen.

’I have arrived.’ The message was sent.

A few seconds later, the phone vibrated.

’Be careful, husband, I love you"?

A faint smile appeared on his face. A momentary warmth radiated from his dark, cold eyes, and the smile only lingered on his handsome face for two seconds before disappearing, returning to his icy expression.

He tucked his phone back into his coat and raised his gaze. He looked around, then his senses expanded, an invisible spiritual perception spreading outward like ripples on the surface of a lake. Soon, numerous signs of life entered his consciousness.

From the heartbeats, he could tell that they were humans, and there were many of them. They were scattered throughout the area.

Malice filled his eyes, then in one swift movement, his figure vanished, leaving only a faint shadow where he had stood, slowly disappearing into the mist. His body shot into the forest like a streak of lightning. The branches beneath his feet barely bent as he moved, and there wasn’t even the slightest rustle of leaves as he passed.

A moment later, he stopped on a dense tree branch. Below him stood a soldier. He carried a heavy weapon and leaned lazily against the tree trunk, smoking a cigarette, unaware that someone was watching him like a predator stalking its prey.

Suddenly, the distant roar of an engine echoed through the forest, shattering the previously silent silence. Zhao Li Xin’s attention was immediately drawn to the sound. Not long after, a large container truck emerged from the fog-shrouded road.

Behind it were several military jeeps. With his spiritual sense, he could detect dozens of human captives inside the truck, and from the sound of their heartbeats, Zhao Li Xin could sense that they were all anxious.

Zhao Li Xin immediately concluded that the truck was carrying another batch of human sacrifices for the Saint. He felt no particular sympathy for these unfortunate victims. Perhaps it was because of his upbringing, which had taught him to accept that such was the fate of the weak, to be exploited and trampled upon by the strong.

He didn’t care about them, but... someone did, someone very important to him.

Zhao Li Xin followed the truck. His figure darted through the trees as he trailed the convoy from above. The vehicles drove deeper into the abandoned area. Finally, they slowed down. A military checkpoint stood ahead.

Several guards waited there.

As Zhao Li Xin’s gaze swept across the area, he sensed something unusual. A strange energy enveloped the surroundings. It was invisible to the naked eye, yet impossible to conceal from his perception. At first glance, it appeared to be an illusory array. However, after observing it for a while, he realized it was different.

He wasn’t surprised; he knew this must be a spell cast by the gifted. The convoy stopped. One of the guards approached the driver and exchanged a few words with him. The driver took out his identity card. After carefully examining it, the guard nodded. ℯℓ.

Then something happened. The fog ahead suddenly shifted. It was like a curtain being pulled aside. The thick fog parted, revealing a hidden path that hadn’t been there a moment ago. Zhao Li Xin’s eyes lit up with interest.

Perhaps this was the Veilward Spell, as Fredhardt had mentioned earlier. A concealment spell capable of hiding an entire location from casual observation. Its effect resembled the illusion formations used by cultivators. However, its energy structure was fundamentally different.

If arrays manipulated spiritual energy through formations, then magic seemed to achieve similar results through an entirely separate principle, using runes and symbols to draw energy. He had always found it a fascinating system.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to dwell on it. The convoy began moving again. Without delay, he descended from the trees. His body landed quietly beneath the last jeep. Like a shadow, he pressed himself against the under the vehicle.

A few seconds later, the jeep passed through a hidden entrance. A subtle ripple enveloped its body. The magical barrier recognized the convoy and allowed it to pass. Behind them, the fog quickly closed, and the hidden passage disappeared once more.

The checkpoint vanished, and the entrance disappeared into the thick fog. Everything returned to normal. Anyone who arrived after would see nothing but endless fog.

Once safely inside, Zhao Li Xin released his grip. He slipped out from under the vehicle and disappeared into the nearby forest. The soldiers remained oblivious. Moving through the trees, Zhao Li Xin continued to track the convoy.

before long, the forest gradually cleared, and a massive facility appeared before him. Rows of barbed wire fences surrounded the complex. Guard towers guarded every entrance. Floodlights illuminated the perimeter, and army patrols could be seen constantly moving throughout the area.

The scale alone was far greater than the facility on the island, at least three times larger. Zhao Li Xin crouched on a high tree branch and observed silently. His expression remained calm and collected as he noticed five other container trucks parked inside the complex.

The doors of their containers opened, and one by one the prisoners were led out. There were men, women, elderly people, and some no older than thirteen or fourteen. They were forced to line up under the watchful eye of armed soldiers. Some bowed their heads in despair, some sobbed softly. Others looked around with terrified expressions.

The soldiers treated them no differently than cattle. They shouted and pushed them, hitting those who moved too slowly. They were all forced into neat rows, like cattle awaiting slaughter.

He watched them closely, trying to determine where they were taking the prisoners, as it was likely a ceremonial site, and he would have to destroy it.

Then, all of a sudden, Zhao Li Xin saw her.

A woman with burgundy hair and olive skin stood beneath the floodlights, her curvaceous figure wrapped in a luxurious white uniform. Behind her stood two men clad in silver armor. Zhao Li Xin immediately recognized them as Paladins.

However, what caught Zhao Li Xin’s attention was the woman’s face; yes, he recognized her. As someone who rarely paid attention to others, especially women other than Lory, the fact that he remembered her showed how important her presence in his minds, yes, she was very important.

He remembered that the woman’s name was Lucia, a member of the S.A.I.N.T. constellation. The arrogant woman who dared to touch his wife. Yes, how could he forget her? He would never forget those who hurt his wife. Lory might brush it off as if it was nothing, but not him.

And there she is, what a pleasant surprise.

His eyes lingered on Lucia’s face for a few seconds before moving to her arm. It was perfectly intact. He remembered burning Lucia’s arm for daring to touch his wife. He was sure she should have been paralyzed for life, but now it looked healthy, normal, and fully functional.

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "So her arm grew back. Good... very good."

Honestly, Zhao Li Xin felt like he had forgiven him too easily back then. But now that her arms had grown back, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity for him? Now he could cut off those dam*ed hands again, and this time without his wife around, he could truly go all out.