Chapter 107
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Chapter 107: Cult? Just This?
At the end of the winding staircase, the three people encountered an open stone door.
Beyond it, a corridor resembling a mine tunnel stretched forward, with uneven stone walls supported by wooden structures and dimly illuminated by oil lamps.
Throughout this mine tunnel, white bones half-buried in rubble and rock crevices were visible everywhere. Their shapes clearly indicated these bones weren’t from livestock or monsters.
Water dripped from the damp rock ceiling, creating faint sounds as it fell into natural troughs formed by pockmarks on the ground, with no other movement present.
Though there were no magical fluctuations, everyone still sensed something wasn’t right.
“Are you certain Chyzh Winchester is a decent person…?”
Ann stepped on a fragment of bone, looking toward Isabella.
Isabella shook her head as well, “I only know of her from what my father told me, I don’t know her personally.”
The relatively simple passage soon came to an end.
As the three proceeded, the passage gradually widened, and after walking more than ten meters, they reached an opening ahead.
Stepping through, Lolth and her companions found themselves in a vast natural underground cave.
While there were traces of human activity, this clearly wasn’t Chyzh Winchester’s secret base for storing equipment, transforming at night, and fighting crime in Palgauro City.
Chyzh Winchester was a sheriff with superhero-level vigilante abilities; she could openly fight crime on the streets during daylight without needing to confine criminals to mental hospitals.
The artificial traces here emanated a strange atmosphere.
Besides their entrance, seven other openings existed at the base of the rock wall, apparently leading to different locations. On the ceiling, countless dark twisted symbols were carved, giving off a glow.
The most conspicuous man-made structure in the entire cave was a tall altar in the center, encircled by excavated troughs filled with thick black liquid that flowed slowly around it.
More importantly…
Lolth quickly noticed people present in the cave.
Outside the troughs, surrounding the altar, stood more than ten figures in gray robes, heads bowed toward the altar as if in prayer.
On the altar, three figures dressed in crimson robes formed a perfect equilateral triangle with the altar as the outer circle, holding hands and apparently chanting.
These individuals seemed involved in some sort of cult, dressed ceremoniously in an underground cave near an altar, each radiating a distinct aura of extraordinary power…
This couldn’t possibly be a mercenary group’s team-building exercise, right?
As Lolth considered this, Ann slightly furrowed her brow.
“It must be these people indeed…”
Lolth glanced at Ann and whispered, “I’ve been meaning to ask, besides Chyzh Winchester, you seem quite knowledgeable about ‘The Final Church’ too, correct?”
“No, the organization I know calls themselves ‘Day of Revival.’ It’s similar – they worship an ancient deity, aiming to dedicate the entire continent to their god,” Ann explained frankly. “But those people don’t use the ‘black magic’ you handle; they use various strange things they call ‘resurrection spells,’ somewhat like warlock’s magic.”
As Ann explained, a trace of contempt flickered in her eyes.
“Cults are generally quite similar, but considering their ‘evil god’ might be real, they could be legitimate,” Lolth calmly nodded and said. “At least the gods they believe in might share some similarities.”
“Evil gods… are they actually real?”
Ann couldn’t help asking.
“They existed at least in the past,” Lolth replied. “Even though you may not understand the specifics of what seems like magic to you, the ‘black magic’ we dealt with today is fundamentally a new type of magic with specific effects, obviously not something these people developed themselves – have you ever encountered anything similar in your fighting style?”
“Are you referring to… the divine spells used by priests?”
Isabella asked cautiously.
“Indeed, the light power of the Sanctuary of Light, the frost divine spells of the Frost Church, the battle will of the War Church, the gift divine potion of the Harvest Church… The power of gods is actually a more accessible, convenient form of magic,” Lolth said, gesturing with her hands. “Worshiping evil gods follows the same principle, but these evil gods seem less responsible, only providing raw materials rather than teaching specific usage like those divine spells… However, if The Final Church and the Day of Revival that Ann mentioned are the same, it suggests the evil gods might show favoritism, at least in Ann’s homeland, where they appear to have taught some divine spells.”
As Lolth spoke, Ann and Isabella exchanged glances.
“What should we do now?”
They couldn’t help asking.
“The cultists are clearly conducting some ceremony, and whatever it is, they don’t seem to be planning collective sacrifice… Let’s intervene.”
With these words, Lolth snapped her fingers.
Through magical fluctuations in the air, the three instantly appeared on the altar, standing amidst the three cultists in red robes.
Lolth’s action startled both Isabella and Ann, and they immediately prepared themselves.
But the truly startled ones were the cultists earnestly performing their ritual.
When three figures suddenly appeared on the altar, everyone instinctively thought their worshipped gods had arrived!
Then they realized something was wrong.
Today’s ceremony wasn’t meant to summon anyone!
“A succubus, human knight, and swordsman…”
The cultists then realized…
Something had gone terribly wrong!
“This is an attack!”
“Abort the ceremony, defend against the intruders!”
“Kill those who defiled the ceremony and altar!”
The three in red robes shouted almost simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Lolth finished counting their numbers during this pause.
Six regular, four elite, four exceptional…
“On the altar, there are two exceptional advanced and one epic beginner.”
After assessing the opponent’s forces, Lolth understood why these people were sneaking around with Shelldor.
If they didn’t need to be covert, they wouldn’t have required Shelldor’s help. Simply sending a captain with their own team could have defeated this cult!