The escape route was engulfed in an eerie silence. Horror gripped the citizens as their eyes fell upon the mound of lifeless bodies scattered on the ground.
The spies from the Red Moon Castle, tasked with holding the citizens hostage, stood frozen, their initial plans unraveling before their eyes.
'This isn't good. Who killed them?'
'What should we do now that we are down to a small number?'
'Only 400 of us, and we're just in the middle of the Warrior Spirit Realm!'
The spies exchanged glances, silently communicating and deciding on their next course of action.
Their primary objective remained unchanged – to take the citizens as hostages. Even if a formidable cultivator had eliminated the ambushers to rescue the people, the dynamic wouldn't shift. Holding everyone hostage would still be a potent strategy.
The spies discarded their disguises, revealing their true uniforms. The bystanders, unaware of the unfolding events, were left baffled and immobilized by shock.
"If we can't take everyone as our hostage, then we can at least take a few of them!" one of the spies proclaimed, seizing a child.
The child's mother, trembling with terror, burst into tears at the sight of her endangered offspring.
Emboldened by the lead spy, others followed suit, each holding a citizen as a human shield. The forest echoed with gasps, and even the guards found themselves paralyzed, fearing that any wrong move could lead to the death of those they were sworn to protect.
"If you are listening! I know you are, even if you try to hide your presence. I will kill this girl if you don't step out and surrender yourself!" the lead spy threatened.
Anticipation hung thick in the air. The mother, holding her breath, prayed for the mysterious savior to reveal themselves and rescue her child.
But no one emerged, shrouding the mother in despair, and she wept openly.
"Oh... so you don't want to? Then let's set an example."
The spy raised his weapon, targeting the quivering child's neck. Before he could carry out his sinister plan, however, he abruptly lost consciousness, collapsing before the frightened child.
Onlookers observed the demise of the spy, their assurance growing as they noticed the lifeless, white-eyed stare of the fallen infiltrator.
"H-He's dead?" one of the remaining spies stammered.
The mother clutched her daughter tightly, relief washing over her as the spies found themselves speechless.
Irritation festered among the spies, recognizing that the tide had turned against them as they encircled the citizens. In an attempt to regain control, they decided to escalate the situation.
"So, you decided to save the kid. But let's see if you can do it if we kill all of them at the same time."
However, before they could inflict harm on their hostages, a swift and mysterious force intervened. All of the spies met an untimely demise, collapsing without awareness of their impending fate. Their eyes turned white, as if choked to death within seconds.
The citizens, who were moments away from harm, could only feel a mix of agitation and wonder. How could someone possess such power, capable of eliminating threats without physical contact? In this realm, such abilities seemed unattainable.
Questions raced through their minds. Who saved them? Despite their hopefulness, why did this savior choose not to reveal themselves, putting the hostages' lives at risk?
Nonetheless, a sense of gratitude washed over the crowd, and they expressed their thanks.
"Thank you for saving us, our savior."
Yet, no one stepped forward. The wind whispered through the surroundings, leaving them with an eerie silence.
The mysterious figure remained concealed, a enigmatic and perhaps mystical presence. Despite the lack of a visible savior, the citizens couldn't help but admire and offer prayers to this unknown benefactor, as if placing their trust in a divine entity.
Finally safe, the grateful crowd continued their escape, leaving behind the mysterious aura that had shielded them from harm.
***
Lucas returned to the mansion where Arthur anxiously paced back and forth. Spotting Lucas, he hurried over, concern etched across his face.
"Don't worry, Arthur. The city is finally safe. You can call them back since I killed everyone who planned to cause harm to your city," Lucas reassured with a confident smile.
"Is it true? Thank you very much, Lucas. Without you, our city would be at the mercy of the Red Moon Castle," Arthur expressed his gratitude, kowtowing to Lucas.
"Stand up. I have a question. Who are these people? Why are they that huge?" Lucas inquired.
Arthur rose to his feet, reluctantly divulging what he knew about the formidable bandits. "Well, they are the biggest bandits in the eastern region, and their hideout can't be pinpointed. As for why their size was huge, like an army, I don't know. Their leader was even more mysterious at this moment," Arthur explained.
Lucas nodded understandingly. "I see... but you don't need to worry anymore. All of them are dead. The only issue is that the forest is covered with corpses. If you can, burn their bodies before they rot."
"I understand. Thank you, really, Lucas."
"Don't mind it. It was really my personal interest."
"But still, that was a reckless decision you made."
"Hahaha. Maybe. I am here to tell you that I'll be continuing my venture, so I will leave the city in minutes."
Despite his disappointment, Arthur couldn't argue. Lucas had not only helped his daughter but also saved the city. For the sake of his own safety, he couldn't detain Lucas any longer.
"Then, if you will leave, please at least take this." Arthur presented a medallion to Lucas.
"What's this?" Lucas inquired.
"That's a special pass. It may not grant you the very best priority to enter a city of experts, but it might still help you. I know you're more powerful than what you showed us, but I hope that I can assist you in small ways," Arthur explained.
'City of experts, huh. Perhaps in the future, I can go there, but not this time since I want to enjoy it a little,' Lucas pondered.
Lucas smiled at Arthur. "Thanks for this. I won't be humble and will make use of the privilege I can get from this."
Relieved, Arthur sighed, then handed a pouch filled with gold coins to Lucas.
Lucas raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"This was supposed to be the payment for the cultivators who would help us defend the city. But since they were useless and maybe spies, I hope you can have it instead," Arthur explained.
Lucas snickered. "I won't be humble then." He received the pouch and discreetly stored it in his storage magic.
"I will be going now. Stay safe, Arthur," Lucas said before leaving the mansion with a wave of his hand.
"Thank you, Lucas. You too."
A few moments later, Lucas and Felicity's figures disappeared, soaring into the air.
Arthur sighed, turning back towards his room. However, he collided with Pearl, who seemed to be in a hurry. Intrigued, he inquired about the problem.
"Is Lucas still there?" she asked.
Arthur sighed again and shook his head.
"Sorry, Pearl. Even if I wanted him to be your partner, the disparity between our worlds was too vast for him. I'm sorry," he explained, causing Pearl to feel as if she had been struck by lightning.
"You know?" she asked in disbelief.
"Of course. You are my daughter. Just give up," Arthur consoled her, embracing his daughter, who started bursting into tears at his words.