I find it very sacred to pick someone up and make them a saint.

Fred kicked Paul into the water.

Purple magic swirled around Pol's men to the side.

They were still high and passed out on the ground, being well taken care of by Fred's men.

In a state between sleep and wakefulness, an unstoppable force entered their minds.

—"A person who openly breaks a contract will inevitably be abandoned by those around him upon his death."

Someone couldn't help but mutter to themselves.

After a while, Fred's men escorted them back, and before parting, they were reluctant to leave, calling each other brothers.

"Hey," someone asked, "how did we end up hanging out with them?"

"Um..." Everyone fell into thought, and soon concluded: "It seems that Boss Paul and Fred have made up."

"Where's Boss Boer?"

The group scratched their heads: "They seem to still be at his lover's place..."

"I remember he let us go first."

…………

The pain in his head grew stronger, and with a groan, Paul slowly opened his eyes.

It was pitch black all around, and I felt myself sitting, but I couldn't move.

As his consciousness gradually returned, he found himself naked from the waist up, tied to a chair fixed to the ground, with black leather straps binding his neck and limbs.

A deep, dark fantasy, imbued with a philosophical atmosphere.

"Who is it?! Who the hell is it?!"

Paul realized he had been kidnapped. Who was it? ...His last memory...it seemed to be fishing with Fred! Fred!

"Fred! You bastard, get out here! Fred!!"

As he cursed, a figure appeared. The light shone on her, revealing her to be a young woman with a full head of red hair and a slender figure, leisurely walking over while carrying a sage.

Who is she? I don't remember seeing her around here.

Phyllis spat out the sage and asked with a smile, "What's your name?"

"Hmph." Paul sneered, "I'm not going to tell you anything... Aaaaaaah!!!!"

A powerful electric shock caused Bohr to convulse and his eyes to roll back.

The electric shock stopped, and Paul, panting heavily, said, "If Miles finds out, do you know what will happen to you?"

Phyllis leaned against a nearby table, the Academy badge on her chest gleaming, and held up a token:

"I am an investigative scholar from the Temple Academy. Tell me your name."

The Academy of Scholars? Familiar yet unfamiliar words entered my ears.

He felt unjustifiably relieved that he wasn't a law enforcement officer or a rival gang member, and his weak appearance didn't exude any powerful sense of oppression.

He opened his mouth and cursed, "I'll go to hell..."

He was electrocuted again, his eyes rolling back in his head, and a puff of white smoke rose around him: "Aaaaaah!!!!"

"Speak."

The intense current was strictly controlled, precisely at the maximum level that would not endanger life; Phyllis had never seen anyone withstand it.

After a long while, Bohr finally let out a long breath, feeling like he had come back to life, but he gritted his teeth and said:

"I...I won't tell you anything."

Phyllis was quite surprised. Although her work did not often involve torture, she had handled hundreds of cases. How could a criminal be so loyal?

If one meal wasn't enough, they tried two or three, and the room began to fill with the smell of barbecue.

Half-dead, Paul opened his eyes with a trembling voice: "I won't say anything."

Phyllis was in a dilemma. Most people, once they sit down in the chair, immediately regret it and become sober, answering whatever is asked.

He glanced instinctively at Mien behind him, feeling a little flustered.

Bohr was able to persevere because he was supported by two beliefs.

"I won't let Boss Miles down."

He murmured, "He has already taken care of me once; I will not let him down again."

Phyllis snapped, "Your so-called elder brother won't escape either; it's just a matter of who comes first."

Paul revealed a look of righteous indignation: "Then I'll die with him!"

"Furthermore, I have sworn an oath of absolute loyalty to the Mother Goddess, and if I were to betray her, I would suffer unbearable punishment!"

Phyllis was at a loss as to where to begin.

Mien shook her head. It seemed she still lacked experience in interrogation. She rolled up her sleeves and stepped out of the shadows. Phyllis slipped to the side.

"Ha, afraid of suffering unbearable pain and punishment?"

Then you will first experience the pain of betraying the Goddess of Light.

Has the person been changed?

Paul wanted to laugh, but looking at Mien's indifferent and serious expression, he felt a strange sense of fear.

Without saying a word, Mien used magic to break off one of his fingers.

Before Bohr could even scream in pain, they continued to break off one piece after another.

After breaking all ten fingers, use healing magic to heal them all, then break them off one by one again without any further contact.

The scholars observing the investigation couldn't help but frown.

"What is 1000-7?" Bohr finally got his first question.

"Huh? What, what?... Ah!!!"

"Chang Wei, do you know martial arts?"

Three or four wooden sticks clamped his ankles and forcefully broke them off.

"Jonvi? Who is Jonvi?...Ah!!!!!!"

"Hello, do you wanna play a game?"

A rapidly spinning gear was getting closer and closer to him.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"

"Tsukuyomi, Sukuyomi."...

…………

For half an hour, chilling howls echoed continuously inside the room, drawing the attention of the scholars outside.

Paul realized that the other person didn't seem to want his answer at all; they were simply enjoying themselves.

Mien tried every torture method he could think of, and finally, a flame shot out from the ring on his right hand, transforming into a burning iron rod.

"Choose: answer honestly or choose the iron rod?"

"Answer the truth! I always choose the truth!"

Although Paul didn't know what Mien intended to do with it, his instincts told him it would be terrifying!

Somewhat disappointed, Mien put away the iron rod and sat down to the side.

"Speak."

"What did you say?" Bohr was relieved to be alive.

Mien's buttocks were suspended in mid-air.

Paul felt his heart skip a beat. "I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you everything!!"

Mien sat down in the chair, gesturing for him to continue.

The researchers standing nearby were dumbfounded.

They used to be mindful of the academic academy's image and wouldn't carry out such brutal punishments, after all, they were cultured and respectable people.

Mien's behavior just now completely overturned the traditional image of a scholar; he was practically like a mad alchemist.

But now, Paul's change from defiance to submission and Mien's return to a calm and collected demeanor greatly shocked them.

As expected of Chief Mien, his understanding of interrogation is so profound that they can't easily comprehend it. Let's focus on solving the problem together!

Bohr began to recount everything he knew in great detail.

Phyllis glanced sideways: What about your loyalty to Boss Miles and the God of Contractual Truth?

Listening, everyone roughly understood their plan.

Just like in Iron Can Street, they were proselytized by a hooded woman, received a way to connect with the God of Contractual Truth, and joined the cult.

They attempted to resurrect the Mother Goddess, who had vanished into time, through a sacrificial ritual, thereby strengthening Her and their own authority and power.

The problem is that they don't have enough power right now, so they can't perform large-scale sacrifices.

We can't offer large-scale sacrifices. That means we can't gain enough power, and we're stuck here.

After much thought, someone had a sudden inspiration: how could they, as gangsters who lend money every day, have forgotten about this?

Can't the loan be processed soon?

One could sacrifice oneself to gain immense power and acquire the first pot of gold.

After successfully completing a large-scale sacrifice, one can obtain several times or even dozens of times more energy.

Once you're successful, you can just pay back the loan.

Phyllis asked, "How many people would be willing to do something so risky? It's like giving up your life in advance."

"A lot!" Paul said, his eyes shining with a hint of pride.

It's very simple, just make the pie big enough.

All those who voluntarily offered sacrifices, once they successfully awakened the Mother Goddess, became original shareholders and the first believers of the Mother Goddess to descend to earth, absolutely proving their piety.

In the future, you will be able to control life and death, and your future will be limitless!

Soon, one by one, they gradually became eager to sacrifice themselves, vying to be the first.

At this point, Pol revealed a sinister smile and told Mien and the others that they had never intended to pay off their debts, even after successfully awakening the Mother Goddess.

At that time, those people will die serving with their own flesh and blood, just like ordinary people.

Mien sighed.

Looking at Fred and the others' actions, did Paul ever consider that they were also being used as cannon fodder?

After all, every original shareholder is one less, and who would be so kind as to share with others?

Phyllis: "Has the sacrifice already been performed?"

Bohr nodded:

"Many people have already signed contracts and combined them with the magic array of the Contract Truth Cult to concentrate the energy they have acquired into one person."

"Wait, tell us one by one, who was the energy gathered on?"

Bohr shook his head helplessly:

"Nobody knows this except Miles and Theodore."

After all, the core information of the esoteric religion was designed even though we, the core members, were excluded.

Mien moved his arm slightly, startling Paul so much he almost jumped up:

"I really don't know. I've already told you everything I know, so what reason do I have to lie to you now?!"

"What about the power of the person whose power was gathered?"

Paul pondered, "I don't know the specifics, but from what I've heard, it seems like they could easily kill our colonel here."

"What?" someone exclaimed.

The local colonel is at the level of a fifth-tier warrior.

Although almost all Holy Chapter Scholars are above the fifth rank, how many people can guarantee that they can kill them easily?

I don't know if Bohr's information was exaggerated, or by how much, but we can't gamble on matters of the battle.

The atmosphere began to turn serious. Despite their long years of work, the scholars had never faced such a powerful force before, since they were not involved in foreign wars.

After hearing this, Mien seemed relaxed and didn't care at all.

It was because he never intended to send a scholar from the Academy to the front lines, let alone put them at risk.

What is there to worry about?

There's no reason why intellectuals should be the first to go to the battlefield when problems arise.

One hundred soldiers or paladins cannot die, but not one scholar.

The only thing Mien needed to think about was how to drag them down with him.

He spoke with a menacing tone, "What else do you know?"

Bohr was deep in thought, and something came to mind:

"By the way! There might be more than one person who has been given the power! Judging from what Miles said, that person seems to be just a test subject. He and Theodore will probably acquire those powers themselves as well."

Mien lowered his head and analyzed the situation.

This is not a problem that can be solved simply by getting help from local law enforcement officers, who also lack the resources to handle it.

If we want to mobilize them, we need to mobilize other, more powerful forces.

He then asked, "So how do you obtain energy? How do you communicate and connect with the God of Truth through the Covenant?"

"The altar!" Paul replied immediately.

"That mysterious woman helped us build a huge altar behind the mountain!"

We can perform rituals, concoct potions, and obtain a certain amount of energy.

"But to complete a greater sacrifice and obtain greater energy, an altar alone is not enough, is it?"

Paul was somewhat surprised: "Yes! How did you know? And the magic array! That woman taught us that too, and it's what we're really busy with right now. There are five locations in total, namely..."

Mien quickly answered, "Under the cliff on the east side of the road, inside the abandoned factory, at the crossroads next to the food factory, the old school in the east of the city, and the casino in the west, right?"

Bohr and a scholar stared in astonishment.

This location was naturally derived by Mien after studying a large number of books and materials, such as "The Geography of Valgang" and "The Beliefs and Rituals of the Covenant Truth Church," drawing upon his extensive knowledge and experience.

Basic operations.

"Yes, yes," Paul said, trembling.

After listening, Mien waved his scholar's robe, and under the illumination of magic, many magical artifacts, monsters, and potions flew out, which were items that Hein had made according to his request.

The scholars who flew to different places were all pre-selected candidates.

"Go to these five locations separately and observe secretly. If anything unusual happens, use the ritual implements according to the instructions attached to them. If nothing happens, do not make a sound."

The group accepted the document with surprise, not expecting that everything had been prepared before Mien even arrived. They bowed respectfully and replied, "Yes."

After saying that, he left quickly.

"How's the progress going?"

"Only two things remain: the old school in the east of the city and the casino in the west, which are currently outside our control."

So after the Crippled Gang and the Blood Gang reconciled, they expanded their influence westward together. There were no powerful gangs there, so it was only a matter of time before they took over the area.

Once the magic circle is complete, we—no, they—will officially begin our operation.

Phyllis said gravely, "It looks like we're on the final trigger, just one last step away."

Mien nodded, then corrected him meaningfully:

"However, if we can control it, it's also a trigger in our hands."

"Once you start, there's no turning back," Mien laughed, glancing at Paul next door.

"Besides, we still have this thing in our hands. Even if it's just a fuse, we can decide when to light it."

After saying this, he stood up and looked at the crowd in front of him, all of whom were looking at him and waiting for his command.

"From today onwards, all researchers no longer need to hide. Put on your academic robes and conduct your investigations openly and honestly."

He further emphasized, "Just be careful to act as if you've just arrived, and even if you've already completed an investigation, do it again."

We need to let everyone, especially the gangs, know that we're here and investigating them, understand?

We need to put some pressure on them and slow down their progress significantly.

Everyone understood what Mien meant and responded in unison.

"Go ahead, everyone."