The carriage finally arrived at the scene, a rare open area in the lower district, now a demolished building site likely destined for a factory.
Luo Wei and Ophelia were the first to jump off the carriage.
What lay before them was a sight straight out of hell. The carriage driver was nearly driven to emotional collapse by the horrifying scene.
The deafening roar of drums filled the air with a venomous, oppressive sound. Naked cultists danced maniacally around a boiling inferno, laughing, jumping, and howling like beasts, as if engaged in an endless, frenzied celebration.
In front and behind them hung mutilated, dismembered bodies—some from the Saint Callen Police Department, others from the once-sane superhuman agents. The sheer number of corpses, piled high like a mountain of flesh and blood, suggested many innocent lower district residents were among the victims.
At the center of the ritual site was a series of eerie symbols drawn in crimson blood. The statue of the Truth Church's deity stood in the middle, its once-holy and compassionate half-body figure now flickering ominously in the firelight, creating an unsettling, otherworldly atmosphere.
Even with the bird-beak masks, the stench of blood and decay seeped into their nostrils.
The driver retched, vomiting inside his mask, which only made him feel even more nauseous.
Ophelia's trusted aides also showed signs of unease and tension.
Luo Wei, however, remained relatively calm. He had imagined countless terrifying scenarios before arriving, and this scene still fell within his comprehension. He focused on comforting Helena, whose contamination levels had skyrocketed the moment she saw the carnage.
Evelyn, who had seen her share of horrors, merely frowned as she surveyed the ritual site, her eyes darting warily to the firelit surroundings.
A dangerous aura lingered in the air, and she instinctively summoned a crimson scythe.
The Holy Edict Knight Order arrived shortly after, quickly mobilizing and charging into the ritual site.
Any cultist who tried to resist was immediately blown to pieces by their double-barreled shotguns. The knights weren’t there to arrest anyone—they were there to control the chaos and end the madness.
To them, the frenzied cultists were the root of the disorder.
The deafening gunfire soon spread, making everyone’s ears itch.
Facing the heavily armed and powerful knights, the scene quickly turned into a one-sided massacre. Ophelia frowned at Luo Wei, her eyes behind the mask filled with confusion.
Luo Wei understood her unspoken question. If it was this easy to deal with, what had happened to the superhuman agents whose bodies lay scattered around? There had to be something far more dangerous lurking.
“Your Highness!” Jason, the leader of the shadow guards, suddenly ran over, his gaze fixed on the fog and firelit sky.
“Something’s coming!”
As soon as he spoke, an ear-piercing screech enveloped the entire area.
Everyone looked up in alarm, only to see a massive shadow emerge from the mist.
It was a flying, serpent-like creature with a grotesquely twisted head covered in tentacle-like appendages. Its black, rubbery wings didn’t seem to be the source of its flight, as it hovered effortlessly in midair, staring down at everyone below.
“Is that… the evil god?” Caroline immediately went on alert, and all the guards formed a protective circle around Ophelia.
As the monstrous creature swooped down, the knights unleashed all their firepower at it.
But the attacks had no effect—instead, they only enraged it.
The monster flapped its wings, its massive black tail sweeping through the air and effortlessly sending the knights flying like chess pieces.
Its screech also unleashed a wave of mental corruption that threatened to drive everyone insane.
【Evelyn】
【Contamination Level: 55↑】
【Helena】
【Contamination Level: 63↑】
Luo Wei gritted his teeth as he looked at them. Helena’s tentacles were flailing uncontrollably, her face contorted in pain, her entire body trembling violently. Evelyn’s eyes had once again turned a lifeless gray.
The masks they wore offered little protection, and they had already inhaled a significant amount of the fog. Combined with the mental assault, even Luo Wei, with his high mental resilience, nearly lost consciousness.
He immediately covered his ears, trying to block out all sensory input, then quickly turned to Helena and Evelyn, issuing a 【Control】 command.
The backlash effects on them gradually subsided.
Luo Wei looked back at the sky.
The creature’s oppressive presence was indescribable. A single casual attack, combined with its mental assault, had left everyone unable to fight back.
“Luo Wei…” Ophelia gripped his wrist tightly, her eyes now a deep crimson.
Luo Wei immediately administered the suppression serum he always carried, then handed some to the guards around her.
“Find cover!” he ordered through gritted teeth. Fighting a flying monster in an open area was suicide.
Once the guards regained their composure, they quickly surrounded Ophelia and rushed toward the nearby buildings.
Luo Wei kept his eyes on the monster’s movements as he pulled Evelyn and Helena along with them.
“How do we deal with something like that…?” Evelyn muttered, her gaze fixed on the chaotic scene.
The knights drew their swords, fired their guns, and cast spells, but none of their attacks seemed to faze the massive creature.
The Knight Order had even brought something akin to an armored vehicle, but after another swipe from the monster’s tail, the heavily armored, heavily armed vehicle exploded midair.
“We’re too late…” Luo Wei said grimly.
They had spent too much time at the mental hospital—the summoning ritual must have already been completed…
Still, the massive, creature-like monster didn’t seem entirely invincible.
If it was a living being, it had a weakness. The Knight Order’s firepower wasn’t enough, and neither was the support they had on hand. Luo Wei refused to believe it could withstand two rounds of naval artillery.
But just as he thought this, a little girl’s giggling voice suddenly reached his ears.
Luo Wei turned in shock.
A dark-skinned girl, no older than ten, was sitting on the roof of a wrecked vehicle, her bare feet swinging back and forth as she watched the chaos with a cheerful smile, seemingly enjoying herself.
Her presence in such a bloody, chaotic ritual site, coupled with her carefree demeanor, was deeply unsettling. Luo Wei immediately felt a surge of caution and tension.
“Who are you?” he demanded coldly.
The girl didn’t answer. Instead, she gazed at the hellish scene before her, her smile one of pure delight and satisfaction.
“Interesting…”
“This is what makes it fun~”
“I didn’t come here for nothing. This is great~”