The First Order

Just a moment ago, Qian Weining had said they could not let any third party know about their conversation tonight. In the end, two people jumped right out from behind the curtains. It was such a surprise.

Faced with Qian Weining's query, Chen Jingshu did not admit nor deny it. In any case, she preferred letting Qian Weining have his suspicions.

If it were really as Qian Weining had said, that someone were out to kill him, Ren Xiaosu felt that the Northwest's branch office could also ease the entry conditions as required. After all, Comrade Melgor needed to have his own supporters.

That night, Melgor and Chen Jingshu went back separately. Meanwhile, Qian Weining was requested by Ren Xiaosu to stay in the room.

Ren Xiaosu only did this to prevent Qian Weining from suddenly going back on his word and ratting him out.

As such, Qian Weining stood in the room for the entire night and watched helplessly as Ren Xiaosu slept soundly.

Leave? He did not dare to.

Sneak attack Ren Xiaosu while he was asleep and hand over the young man to his patriarch for credit? He did not dare to do that either.

During the night, he still continued to have that lingering sense of fear. He somehow felt that he was facing an extremely dangerous being, even though he did not know why the other party could exude such a strong oppressive aura at his age.

The next morning, everyone put on their red robes and headed towards Winston Cathedral when they heard the bells chime. Yesterday afternoon, the Knights of the Hymn had informed the entire city there would be a memorial service held at the entrance of the cathedral today.

For ceremonies as grand as these, almost all of the residents of Winston City were required to attend. Everyone was dressed in their red robes as they streamed towards the cathedral like a red torrent.

Ren Xiaosu stood several hundred meters from the cathedral and said in a low voice, "Are the Winstons aware of your trade caravan's mission?"

"Yes," Qian Weining answered next to Ren Xiaosu. "Sir, ever since we left Vaduz City, it was the Knights of the Hymn who helped clear the bandits out of our way."

"Mhm, don't be too surprised if something happens later." Ren Xiaosu said with a grin, "Today, we'll be holding your pledge of allegiance ceremony. Remember, don't attempt to escape. You know the consequences."

Qian Weining was stunned. "Sir, what do you mean by that?"

"You'll find out in a while," Ren Xiaosu said.

Ren Xiaosu did not have Melgor, Chen Jingshu, or anyone else come along with him this morning. Instead, he instructed Chen Jingshu to assist Melgor in hiding. If she discovered anyone heading straight to the relay station to carry out a search, they were to stay hidden while they waited for him to go to their rescue.

When Ren Xiaosu told Melgor about this, Melgor more or less guessed that something big was about to happen in the city.

No one from the House of Berkeley showed up yet outside the cathedral. The person presiding over the ceremony was the Winston family's patriarch, and standing next to him were 10 other sorcerers and 36 elites of the Knights of the Hymn.

The Winston family's patriarch looked at the residents. "A few days ago, someone manipulated the power of the Devil and secretly attacked the devout followers and chosen ones in Winston City. We've followed the instructions of the gods and found the devil responsible for the attack and killed him."

After that, someone came out from the back of the cathedral carrying a wooden box. When the box was opened, Archmage Kayle's head was revealed.

The head had been cured with quicklime prior, so it looked exceptionally pale.

Everyone was getting riled up by the sight of the severed head. However, the Winston family's patriarch slammed the scepter in his hand to the ground. The dull thud felt like it pounded on everyone's hearts and left the crowd silent.

The Winston family's patriarch said vehemently, "You all might have heard about what happened in Vaduz City. The gods had issued a decree to the House of Berkeley to take on the heavy responsibility of exterminating the northern devils. Now that devils have reappeared in the world, our House of Winston, as servants of the gods, will naturally follow them into war!"

Ren Xiaosu curled his lips. The people in the Kingdom of Sorcerers really liked babbling too much, and all the nonsense they spouted was really just to serve their political cause.

They had obviously taken revenge on the wrong person, but in the end, they still came up with some reason claiming to have killed some devil.

Archmage Kayle had really died a wrongful death. When he left Ghent City, he was supposed to go and personally punish Ren Xiaosu and Melgor. In the end, it became a journey that took his life.

At this moment, the Winston family's patriarch signaled to the sorcerers around him. The ten sorcerers by his side held their Eyes of True Sight and cast a spell in unison.

A faint curtain of fire enveloped the Winston family's patriarch. When the residents saw this "miracle," they exclaimed. But Ren Xiaosu nearly laughed out loud at the sight of this. How was this a "miracle"? The patriarch was clearly trying to protect himself from getting slapped.

When the Winston family's patriarch saw that the fire curtain was fully cast, he breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and said to the residents, "After we killed the devil, the gods have bestowed upon us a new spell as a reward. My dear people, the gods have shown us their favor again."

Truly, this group of sorcerers were really shameless. It was clearly a spell they had kept hidden for a long time, yet they suddenly brought it out and claimed it was a reward from the gods.

It seemed like he only dared to say that because he felt it was impossible that he would get slapped in the face while hiding behind the curtain of fire.

When the residents heard they were favored by the gods again, they started cheering. Ren Xiaosu thought that if there had been a mandatory nine-year education system in place in the Kingdom of Sorcerers, these people would surely not get deceived by such nonsense.

The Winston family's patriarch cheered loudly, "The gods are with us--"

Before he could finish speaking, the jaws of the residents watching him dropped to the ground. Everyone could only watch helplessly as a Shadow Door suddenly opened up behind the curtain of fire. The legendary right hand of God had descended once again.

Slap!

The Winston family's patriarch was slapped so hard he spun around on the spot twice!

"I wish you happiness," Ren Xiaosu said softly.

At the next moment, the Winston family's patriarch burst into tears. The residents were shocked. "Does God have such a strong slap?"

"The archmage got slapped so hard he cried?"

"Listen to yourselves. If God doesn't have a strong slap, how can He be God?!"

Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt that his new combo was super overpowered. Whoever got slapped had to cry! It wouldn't even be their choice!

It had nothing to do with whether they could put up a strong front or not. It purely depended on how "happy" Ren Xiaosu wanted them to be.

Qian Weining slowly turned his head and looked at Ren Xiaosu in disbelief. At this moment, he suddenly realized why he could not stop crying back then. He also realized where those four slaps at the front of Vaduz Cathedral had come from.

The Winston family's patriarch was also dumbfounded. He believed he was a very strong person. Even if he got slapped, he shouldn't be crying, right?

But he couldn't stop crying at all!

The Berkeley family's patriarch, who had been standing inside the cathedral all this while, sneered when he saw this. He slowly walked out of the cathedral with the Knights of the Inferno behind him.

Michel Grantham Berkeley looked at the Winston family's patriarch and said disdainfully, "Do you have to cry?"

The Winston family's patriarch was speechless.

Right after, the Berkeley family's patriarch said angrily to the Knights of the Inferno, "Flush out the perpetrator!"

Ren Xiaosu looked at Qian Weining and said with a chuckle, "You can report me, but I can't guarantee your safety. Of course, you can also keep quiet and become one of us from now on."

Next, it could be predicted that the Knights of the Inferno would conduct checks on everyone present to track down the culprit.

Qian Weining immediately understood what Ren Xiaosu's so-called pledge of allegiance was. Ren Xiaosu did not need him to kill anyone or do anything at all. As long as he remained silent, he could never return to the Knights of the Inferno.

Because the Knights of the Inferno would not accept a tainted knight like him.

After this event, it would not matter whether Qian Weining was loyal. He could not turn back anymore.