In the aftermath of the altercation, the city of Vorandis was eerily quiet. The crowd was still buzzing with low whispers about the confrontation between Mira, Norrick, and Alden. Even as the spectators dispersed, the atmosphere remained tense.
Back at the mansion, Maria couldn't help but bring up the confrontation. "Mira, why did you let that bastard off so easily?" Maria asked, worry evident in her eyes.
Mira, who had been calmly drinking tea that Lina had served, looked at Maria. She set her cup down and smirked, "What makes you think I let him go?"
Seeing the confusion in Maria's eyes, Mira sighed. "Norrick is a small fry, a simple pawn. Killing him right there wouldn't serve any purpose other than to create more problems for us."
"But-"
Mira interrupted Maria before she could speak, "However, even though that's the case, I'd never let someone like him leave with his life. But pawns like him can still be useful. That's why, instead of taking his life, I took his freedom. Now, I won't have to get my hands dirty to muddy the waters." Just thinking about the trouble she could cause made her smile.
Maria was still confused about what she meant by that, but Mira had no desire to explain. The Abyssal Enslavement Technique she used was, even in her mind, evil. It made its targets nothing more than living puppets at the cost of her sanity.
She didn't think Maria needed to know that such a technique existed or that she was using it.
Maria fell silent, trying to digest Mira's words before she said, "I didn't know you could be so sneaky, Mira."
Mira shrugged her shoulders, "Seeing how successful Aelina is, I figured I should take a page out of her book."
That was only half-true. In any other scenario, she would've killed Norrick without regard for the consequences. It was only because she was here with Maria that she decided to tone it down a notch.
"Mmhm. Well, if there's anything Aelina's good at, it's playing the long game." Maria nodded, deciding to go along with it. She could tell Mira was hiding something, but since she didn't want to say what, then it simply meant she didn't need to know.
'I'm just glad things ended without bloodshed.'
"Ah!" Maria suddenly recalled something and shot up from her seat, "Now that we're back, I can finally give you your surprises!"
Without waiting for Mira's answer, she turned around and ran off.
***
Meanwhile, at the city guard's headquarters, Norrick was facing the wrath of Alden. He was in a small room, only Alden and a few trusted guards present.
*BOOM!*
Alden kicked Norrick in the stomach, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.
Alden looked at him with an icy glare, his green eyes piercing. "Norrick, you have disappointed me. Not only did you provoke a power you couldn't afford to provoke, but you also dragged our district into this mess."
Norrick's body peeled off of the cracked wall, but he kept his head low, not daring to meet Alden's gaze. "I'm sorry, Boss."
"Sorry isn't going to cut it, Norrick. You've brought shame upon yourself, your position, and most importantly, ME." Alden's voice was cold, devoid of any warmth or sympathy. He kicked Norrick again, this time in the time, pummeling his face into the ground.
"In light of your actions, you are demoted to a regular guard. You'll be confiscated of all your belongings and will not receive any pay for the next 10 years. You'll work as a dog for me until you Is that understood?" Alden commanded, his voice echoing in the silent room.
Norrick didn't dare to protest. All he could do was lower his head even further, uttering a low "Yes, Boss."
Alden nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Good. Now, leave. Make sure to clean up your mess and the city."
Norrick was quick to leave, his figure resembling a defeated dog. As he exited, he couldn't help but cast a final look at Alden. He saw Alden, the man he had once looked up to, but now, he felt a chasm separating them.
As he left, Alden leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Today's events were more than he had bargained for. 'Sigh… Why did that fool have to cause so much trouble? It would've been fine if it was anyone else, but why'd he have to mess with those two?'
Not only was Maria and the Sanctum very popular among the general public and even a few of the District Leaders, but Mira was like a sleeping dragon. He'd lived a very long time and come across many people, but she was one of the very few people who seemed genuinely unafraid of death. Getting involved with someone like that, especially someone of her strength and status, would just shorten his lifespan.
'Hopefully, she doesn't stay for too long and leaves quietly.' He closed his eyes in thought, but he had a bad premonition. Mira's appearance was definitely some kind of omen.
***
Unfortunately for Alden, his instincts proved correct.
As soon as Norrick exited the building, his eyes glazed over, and he unsheathed his sword. Sweeping his Soul Sense across the city, as Mira had ordered, he searched for signs of beast-like beings in human form.
"Hey, Leader! How did it go? Did the Boss punish you?" Norrick's team approached him, their inquisitive expressions revealing curiosity.
"Indeed," Norrick affirmed, "As punishment, he has ordered us all to accompany him in ridding the city of any beasts! Gather all the guards and follow me!"
His subordinates appeared puzzled by the order, as they had never expected Alden to give such a command. Yet, they dared not question their leader. Perhaps Alden truly wished to eradicate any beast spies within their city.
"Yes, Sir!" they saluted, prepared to carry out their leader's command.
"Remember what to look out for! They may wear unique pendants, emit distorted auras, and conceal their true forms through illusions. Watch for signs of panic in their eyes and distinguish their walking pattern from ours. Execute them on sight! Should we mistakenly target the wrong person, I will bear the responsibility!" Norrick issued his orders, and they saluted once more before dispersing.
In an instant, Norrick erupted with Qi and soared through the air, heading toward his first target. His prey, a man with brown hair, had no time to react before Norrick's blade sliced through his neck.
The 'person' transformed into a hawk mid-fall, confusion lingering in its eyes as it failed to comprehend its sudden demise.
Without pausing for respite, Norrick pursued his next 'target'.
Simultaneously, the other guards spread the word and initiated the same actions. They extended their Soul Sense, despite the practice being frowned upon within the city, and mercilessly struck down anyone resembling a beast.
Though the beasts that infiltrated the city were mostly Rank 8, equivalent to the Soul Transformation Realm, they concealed their identities in human form, which weakened them significantly. Furthermore, weaker races or those unsuited for combat were the ones typically dispatched. As a result, even a team of Nascent Soul Realm guards could kill them with relative ease.
The city of Vorandis swiftly descended into chaos, except this time on a much larger scale. The sudden and unanticipated assaults by the city guards upon seemingly innocent citizens shocked the populace. The sight of lifeless bodies transforming back into their original forms put an end to initial confusion but failed to alleviate fear.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Maria remained blissfully unaware of the turmoil unfolding in the city. Engrossed in her search, she rummaged through her treasury, her brows furrowing in concentration.
After several minutes of relentless searching, she finally found what she sought. Yet, she still had one more item in mind for Mira. Hurriedly, she made her way to her office, gathering a few additional things.
Now equipped with everything, she hurried back to Mira's side.
"Mira, I have something for you," Maria exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. From her storage ring, she produced numerous items and handed them over.
With a glance, Mira could tell that the things offered were quite precious. One item resembled a necklace adorned with a precious gemstone pendant. Another appeared to be an unusual veil, far from ordinary. The last object seemed to contain information, though its specific contents remained unknown for now, but one did look like a map.
Maria giggled at Mira's expression and proceeded to explain, "The first item I wanted to give you is called a Heavenly Sound Stone. By infusing your Qi into it, the stone produces heavenly sounds that calm the mind, enhance concentration, and improve Qi control. I placed it in a necklace so that it could always be by your side."
"The second item, as you can see, is a veil called the Ethereal Veil. It not only conceals your face but also diminishes your presence."
"The last item is a map of the Ancient Beast Mountain Range, along with all the information I've gathered on the various Beast Clans. I don't know what information Aelina has or is willing to share, but this compilation represents everything I have learned, both from my Intelligence Department and as payment for my various services. I'm confident it'll help you in the future, especially since Aelina is planning to go against the Beast Clans."
Mira glanced at Maria, then down at the items, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She hadn't anticipated Maria acquiring such valuable items and information in such a short span of time.
'I guess that's what extraordinary luck does. She could even find treasures in a pile of shit, much less this place.'
"Mmhm, I will make good use of them," Mira nodded, her smile slightly widening. Maria beamed with satisfaction.
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