Pillar of Yita

”How did your inquiries about Stargate Port go?” Sicape finally asked.

”The information is closely guarded,” Kroid thought for a moment: ”But lately, another batch of troops has been stationed at Stargate Port. They arrived aboard Federation ships and include Americans, Chinese, and British. There’s also news from our old friends that the Second District recently recalled some retired personnel.”

”Is this related to the C District Plan?”

”Unknown, there’s chaotic domestic news during the Duma elections.” Kroid shook his head.

”But I have a hunch,” he answered again: ”Sicape, there could be a big plan at Stargate Port.”

...

Fang Hong was just pushing the door open, a stench hit him, causing him to involuntarily turn his head away.

Tianlan and Ai Xiaoxiao were covering their faces and fleeing, only Gita still stubbornly stood behind, Hilveld and Atira both frowned, even Tang Xin’s face looked pale, a few of the boys turned their heads as well, only Luo Hao remained unaffected.

”Don’t you smell it?” Elisa gagged for a while and turned back to inquire curiously.

”I’ve had a bit of rhinitis lately.” Luo Hao replied in a muffled voice.

Abed softly explained to them, although several days had passed, the odor still lingered in the courtyard. He pointed to a spot and told everyone, there used to be several corpses, and when they discovered the site, they were already decomposed beyond recognition, judging by the clothes, they were slave laborers captured by Sky Pirates.

The bodies had no external injuries nor signs of poisoning, they seemed to have died naturally. Slave traders only support those slaves who can earn them money, strong and healthy ones, and pretty females, while the old, weak, sick, and young often die during transport.

”Just this courtyard?”

Fang Hong asked.

The courtyard had been cleaned up thoroughly, and there wasn’t much worth seeing. Colin Ishurian’s bounty hunters had learned to preserve crime scenes, but this habit seemed not to have reached Istania—of course, leaving seriously decomposed corpses out in the hot weather without handling them wasn’t too appropriate either.

However, when Princess discovered the place, the bodies were already severely decomposed, indicating that the slave traders likely didn’t leave the site hastily. Istania, rich in Necromancers, could easily determine the actual time of death—approximately four days ago.

Meaning, on the third day after arriving at Tansnier, the slave traders left the location.

That day was also when they went to the ’Sand Lodge,’ where they encountered the Wandering Alchemist.

It’s unknown if there is any connection between these events.

”There are still a few rooms inside,” Abed introduced them: ”The central one is a warehouse, the left side detains slaves. The elderly, men, and women are locked separately, and there is also a courtyard where Mr. Alfan disguised himself with a contagious disease, gaining solitary confinement.”

He secretly dug a tunnel out from there to the warehouse, and escaped from it.”

Hearing this, Fang Hong couldn’t help but admire the old scholar, who could transform knowledge into strength to arm oneself and cleverly turn it into genuine utility, something not everyone can achieve.

Under Abed’s lead, he stepped into the room, shocked upon entering the hall.

The hall on the east side should have been the daily living area for the slave traders—at the center of the hall, a brown bloodstain stretched from one end to the other, forming a circle in the middle, not very neat, like child’s random doodles.

Yet it was this very sight that instilled a sense of unease.

Miss Natural Historian, upon witnessing this, couldn’t help but exclaim.

”Cult Ritual—”

Fang Hong instantly recognized what it was upon seeing this. Having dealt often with dark believers, he could almost be considered a semi-expert.

Abed had evidently seen this before and emotionlessly informed them, the hall originally also had a corpse—another slave, this time an elderly one, and when they found the body, the person was lying flat on the floor, heart and both eyes missing.

Actually, Princess Rupert had reported all this beforehand, yet seeing it firsthand was still quite shocking.

”Blind Followers,” Tata’s voice resonated in Fang Hong’s mind: ”Mr. Knight, without eyes, without a heart, it’s the live offering method mentioned in dark scriptures for ’Blind Followers,’ the slave traders have once summoned Blind God Dika here—’The Blind God will devour the flesh and heart of the offerings, responding to the believers, it paints a bloody road, leading to a realm of bones in the dark—’”

Fang Hong knew scant details about the Dark Saints, he was more familiar with the ’Golden Star Fire,’ a power from Dark Dragon King Leifgard.

Followers of the Dark Giant Dragon—Dragon Worshippers also practice live sacrifices, but utilizing flames.

Yet they worship ’Golden Star Fire’ falling to earth, ’the golden flames will burn all, evil, righteousness, filth, and beauty, treating all equally, it is the judgment of doomsday, everything, everyone is destined—’, thus Dolifen is engulfed in a sea of fire.

He couldn’t help but ask: ”What are Blind Followers?”

”An Evil God, one of the Dark Saints,” Tata calmly answered: ”Its believers are not commonly seen and seldom intersect with Dragon Worshippers, they are even antagonistic.”

Fang Hong was a bit surprised: ”I’ve never heard of them—”