"I will remember you all!"
"I will come back!"
"Hahaha—"
These words, like an incantation, kept replaying in the minds of everyone present. Over and over, they couldn't shake them off, and with each repetition, they felt the overwhelming malice embedded in them.
The crowd, aside from Zhao Lun and his companions, hardly reacted to the voice. However, the bandits were horrified, collapsing onto the ground, staring blankly at the stage, unable to believe their ears.
The tale of the witch Lilith was widely known, even to these bandits. They feared the witch would come for them, always maintaining a sense of reverence. Even in their most reckless moments, they dared not show any disrespect toward her. Who could have anticipated that, despite all their precautions and fears, they would meet her—only to be marked and threatened with a return visit?
In an instant, the bandits felt as if the heavens were collapsing upon them. Whether or not Zhao Lun's group would spare them mattered little. It felt as though there was no hope left in life, and they were paralyzed in disbelief.
Crack! A stone was disturbed, and the bandits saw a figure appear at the stage, observing.
It was Zhao Lun! The moment the witch vanished, he had immediately reacted, without hesitation, rushing to the site to investigate. His actions prompted Monica and the others to follow closely behind.
Elgin's body on the stage seemed unaffected by the brief exposure to fire. It showed no signs of being scorched. However, his corpse had the pallor of someone who had been dead for two or three days, and it radiated an intense aura of malevolent power. The area around the stage had grown unnaturally cold.
"It's frozen!"
The slight frost on the stage shocked them all, a clear testament to the witch Lilith's terrifying power.
"Devil! The devil's here!"
"Help! The devil's coming!"
"Run!"
This was a day that these bandits would never forget.
They had begun by laying an ambush, only to be caught off guard and thoroughly beaten, utterly powerless to fight back. They were then driven to their lair. Expecting to turn the tables with the advantage of familiar terrain, they found themselves facing an even worse fate. Before they could even fire a shot, the opponent's large figure had shattered their doors, and some of their comrades had been crushed by falling debris.
During the battle, they felt as though they were facing not humans, but something else entirely—something they couldn't resist. Overcome with fear, they had no choice but to obey, begging for their lives.
Before they could even process whether they would survive, an unexpected turn of events occurred—the legendary witch appeared, and she had remembered them. Being marked by the witch was no different from being marked by death itself; it was a sentence of doom. Even if Zhao Lun spared them, their survival was far from guaranteed.
They feared the witch would come for them, tearing out their hearts and dragging them into the depths of hell.
To think they might fall into that horrific, legendary hell? The mere thought was unbearable!
The bandits, already on the brink of mental collapse from a string of frightful experiences, completely broke down when the witch emerged.
Their screams and frantic running only spread more panic, and without regard for their own safety, they began fleeing. Zhao Lun ignored them and quietly approached Maria and the others, ensuring no accidents occurred.
These men were already useless. Their weapons had been confiscated, and whether they ran or not, Zhao Lun didn't care. Outside, the dangers were immense; without weapons, they were powerless. He already knew their fate—either they would be devoured by wild beasts, or meet some other dreadful end.
Soon, only a small group remained at the site, aside from Zhao Lun and his companions.
Some of them were in a state of stupor, eyes vacant, noses running, mumbling incoherently, repeating, "The devil's here! The devil's here!"
Others, badly injured by stones, were still conscious. They had witnessed the terrifying events unfold, and though they wanted to flee, their wounds were too severe to allow it.
Their emotions were the most complicated, feeling a deep sense of injustice.
"Clean up the battlefield. All loot is lost!"
The witch? So what! They dared to trouble them? They would be dealt with! Zhao Lun and his group were not afraid. Seeing people fleeing, they didn't stop them. Instead, they set about looting the battlefield.
Many guns lay scattered on the ground, some of which were superior to muskets, resembling those used by the sheriff in Nikola City. Zhao Lun and his group didn't hesitate, collecting every single one without leaving behind a single weapon.
Finally, they entered the treasure room and cleared out all the gold, silver, jewelry, and other valuables.
The battle, the assault on the bandit den, and the looting of spoils marked the end of their cat-and-mouse game. After a busy day, it was already late. They didn't want to stay there any longer. Glancing at the remaining bandits, they chose to leave them to their fate, ignoring them entirely.
These bandits had committed many heinous acts; leaving them alive would only spare them too much.
If they were lucky, they might survive, but if not, they could be devoured by the beasts. The wilderness was home to many fierce predators, and with no walls left standing, the scent of blood would inevitably attract these carnivorous creatures.
A group of defenseless, wounded men faced such dangers—there was no need to guess what would happen.
Zhao Lun didn't want to be too ruthless, though. If any of these men managed to crawl back to the buildings that hadn't collapsed, they might just live through the night, depending on their luck.
Zhao Lun and his group left the area, avoiding the spot where they had previously ambushed the bandits. They found a safer location to set up camp, quickly establishing a temporary base.
That night, they sat around the campfire, sipping hot soup and discussing the day's battle.
"Maria, are you afraid?" Zhao Lun asked, looking at her with concern.
Today was her first battle, and she had taken a life. For someone like her, facing such circumstances was a huge shock. Zhao Lun was worried that the experience might have been too much for her, regretting his decision to involve her in this conflict. He felt he had been a bit rash.
"I'm not afraid!" Maria's face was pale, but she stubbornly refused to show weakness.
"What about Penelo? And you?" Zhao Lun's gaze softened as he turned to his girlfriend.
Technically, she hadn't killed anyone this afternoon, as the bandits were subdued by magic. But after spending time with Zhao Lun and experiencing two bouts of violence, it was a significant emotional burden for her. Zhao Lun felt the need to comfort her to ensure she was alright.
Penelo trembled slightly. "I... I don't know. But I should be okay."
"That's good. I want to congratulate you both for passing through the hardest part," Zhao Lun said.
Whether or not they were truly unafraid, Zhao Lun didn't continue to dwell on the matter.
The two girls looked at him in confusion. "Congratulate us? For what?"
Zhao Lun's eyes were serious as he responded, "You must understand, this world is very dangerous. Whether you are a wizard or an ordinary person, your life could be lost any day."
"Huh? Really? Is this world that terrifying?"
This time, it wasn't just Maria and Penelo who were confused. Even Nicole, Angela, Monica, and Mulan looked at Zhao Lun, waiting to hear what he had to say.