Witch Redemption

Suddenly, a blood-red eyeball appeared in front of him, hovering in the air like a huge, eerie basketball. The eerie blood-red eyes had radiating black pupils that were incredibly deep and possessed a captivating, soul-stealing magic, giving him the illusion that his consciousness was being frantically pulled apart.

Fear! The ultimate fear that defies description!

Just like a lower being facing a higher being, a strong, suffocating sense of oppression rolled over him, leaving Arnold's mind completely blank!

"She is the main character's servant! Not some witch!"

"I'll let you off this time since it's your first offense, but don't let it happen again! Get out!"

The eerie eyeball emitted two chilling, murderous sentences. The voices seemed to materialize, piercing his soul in an instant and bringing him an intense, unbearable pain.

immediately......

As if from another world, Arnold, now fully awake, seemed to have experienced an incredibly long dream. His face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat began to pour from his forehead.

Finally, his right hand, which he had suddenly raised, gripped his chest tightly. Unable to suppress the pain, Arnold staggered back a few steps and suddenly spat out a mouthful of black pus and blood. The black blood made a shocking corrosive sizzling sound as it hit the ground, and emitted a large amount of foul-smelling smoke.

The oppressive atmosphere at the scene finally exploded. Witnessing their superior suddenly encounter such a strange situation, all the Imperial soldiers who had surrounded them suddenly pulled the safety on their steam revolvers, intending to kill the suspected witch immediately.

"Wait!"

At the critical moment, Arnold, who was in a state of extreme panic, stopped his accomplices who were about to fight and raised his hand to indicate that he was alright.

He then ignored the shocking pool of corrosive black blood on the ground and stared intently at the figure inside the building who resembled a witch.

He uttered a voice filled with fear and even awe, "Who...who are you?"

The sudden turn of events left Li Lan completely bewildered. He had been planning to slip away and seek help from Viscount Ivan, but unexpectedly, this bizarre incident occurred the next second.

This aggressive imperial soldier suddenly took several steps back, his face looking as if he were seriously ill, and he even coughed up a horrifying mouthful of blood.

Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.

However, Li Lan also gleaned a crucial piece of information from the guy's changed tone: the other party probably wouldn't resort to force.

“I’ve already made myself very clear. This soldier is royalty among the dark elves, not the witch you imagine. Also, soldier, you don’t look well. I currently run a small medical business in Kobe City. You can call me a doctor. Would you like me to take a look at you?”

Li Lan understood the principle that if you're going to act, you have to keep going, or you'll inevitably slip up. So, she pretended to be kind and asked.

"no need!"

Arnold took a few steps back with considerable apprehension. He thought to himself, "This guy might not actually be a witch. I've heard that the situation of the intelligent races in the Savage Lands is extremely dire. Many tribes are even involved in a great deal of terrifying evil god worship, completely selling their bodies and souls to the evil gods from beyond the realm. The fact that I just had that hallucination and was injured by it is very likely that the evil god behind this guy was behind it, and it's something extraordinary!"

"Logically speaking, it's absolutely impossible for a witch to have an evil god backing her up, but there are always exceptions. It's said that a little over a month ago, a witch on the border of the Imperial Mori City was bewitched by an evil god and mutated into an abyss god. So this guy could also be one of them."

“No matter what, she must be escorted back to the Empire for investigation. I cannot afford to provoke the person behind this. Although I am a major general, I have not yet been recognized by the artifact, and I do not yet have the ability to confront a god-level being head-on. In addition, the trump card that Virginia left me is for dealing with the abyss monster Hati, and cannot be used against this woman.”

"It seems we have no choice but to ask the Dark Order for help. If the Dark Order intervenes..."

How could Arnold possibly give up so easily? From the moment he suspected that this elven woman was a witch, he was determined to capture her and bring her back to the empire. Even if he couldn't take action against her for the time being, it didn't mean he couldn't use other forces to exert pressure on her.

Having made up his mind, Arnold decided to summon the Dark Order's priest, Garan.

However, before he could speak, a cacophony of footsteps suddenly came from the street corner not far away.

...... ...... ......

"Ivan Hank?!"

Not only Major General Arnold of the Empire, but also many clergy members of the Dark Order expressed their surprise.

Then, a tall man dressed in the uniform of a merchant in the British Empire, wearing a black overcoat, walked slowly in. The crisp sound of his leather shoes drowned out the chaotic footsteps of all his subordinates and broke the oppressive atmosphere around them.

Arnold recognized the handsome red-haired man. This guy was quite a figure in the British Empire, and had close relationships with many nobles in the empire, frequently traveling between the two countries for trade.

Although he was born in the theocratic state of Viana and even had a viscount title personally bestowed by the king, this extraordinary man yearned for the culture and knowledge of the empire. He was not at all conservative or arrogant, which was typical of the old nobles of the theocratic state. For many years, he has been a tireless promoter of the imperial culture.

Now, Ivan's clothing is no different from that of a normal merchant in the British Empire. On the surface, this guy is just showing off by wearing a black coat in the sweltering summer heat.

But Arnold knew that this guy wasn't just showing off. His coat had some kind of cooling magic, and wearing it now felt like wearing ice. In the empire, only the royal family could afford to wear it.

Of course, what attracted the most attention was not Viscount Ivan's unique attire, but the large group of people behind him!

The group was densely packed with bodyguards from the Beicheng Merchant Guild, as well as the "Xinei Mercenary Group," a group of orc bodyguards formed by a large number of Rune people. They were not nominally affiliated with the Beicheng Merchant Guild and could accept commissions from any faction.

The human bodyguards were tall and imposing, while the orc bodyguards were burly and robust. Numerous weapons gleamed coldly on their backs and waists. On the surface, this group of several hundred people was just a rabble, yet no one dared to underestimate the intimidating power of this massive force.

This group represents the upper echelon of the Gold Adventurers; they are all veterans who have faced life and death in monster-infested areas, and their individual combat strength is explosive.

When they were only about thirty meters away, Ivan Hank raised his muscular right hand, signaling the troops behind him to stop there. He then walked slowly toward the Imperial soldiers and Dark Order clergy gathered at 999 South 12th Street.

"Good morning, Priest Garan and Major General Arnold."

Ivan smiled and extended a friendly hand.

The priestess Garan, whose face was extremely pale, responded coldly, "Viscount Ivan, please explain. Are you trying to incite a mutiny?"

“Where? Behind me is the Hank family, the nobles of this great country. Patriotism and love for the people are the virtues of nobles. How could I possibly do such a despicable and foolish thing?” Ivan smiled and increased the pressure in his hand, as if he was testing each other’s strength. “The reason I brought so many people here is because I received news from above that a major general of the Empire died here. I brought people here to investigate the situation.”

“Priest Garan, as you know, this is no small matter. It could easily lead to unpleasantness between our two countries. Therefore, investigating the cause of death and seeking justice for the deceased is my duty as one of the future heirs of the Hank family!”

“No need for you to trouble yourself,” the old man said, still pressing the issue of the long-standing conflict between the Dark Order and the imperial nobles, though it hadn’t reached the point of open hostility. “Leave everything to the Dark Order and these imperial envoys. If you know what’s good for you, leave immediately and disband your party!”

"That won't do! Besides investigating the cause of death of this Imperial Major General, I've come here today to announce something else, and that is!"

"South 12th Street is the territory of the Beicheng Merchant Guild! We lease this place to numerous adventurers, and whatever has happened here, my Hank family has the right to intervene!"

Seeing the priest's face turn ashen and he about to erupt, Ivan moved closer to the old man and, based on previous intelligence, spoke in a voice they could both hear, "It is said that last night the Dark Order joined forces with several other forces to annihilate a god-level being and a super-abyssal demon. Although I do not know how much the Dark Order will gain from this, I would like to advise Your Excellency, since the Order has decided to stand aside and not want to get too involved in the death of this Imperial Major General, it would be better to leave everything aside and let the nobles take charge."

In just a few words, he hit the nail on the head with Priest Garan. Indeed, the Order’s orders were for them to distance themselves as much as possible and only provide assistance in the investigation. If they could hand it over to a noble family that had nothing to do with the Order, that would be even better!

At the very least, no matter what unpleasant things the nobles might do in this regard, it would not directly escalate into a conflict between the two countries, and if necessary, they could even directly betray the noble families.

"Okay, I'll help the higher-ups cover this up for you, but please note that the death of this Imperial Major General is very suspicious. Not only do we need to find out the cause of death, but we also need to satisfy the Empire!"

These two old foxes have been rivals for a long time. They immediately reached a consensus on this matter, and they tacitly let go of each other's grudges. In the blink of an eye, their hostility disappeared without a trace.

“Indeed, as Viscount Ivan said, South 12th Street belongs to the Hank family's territory, a point I hadn't considered. In that case, we'll cooperate on the investigation. Viscount Ivan, please proceed!”

Priest Garan's behavior was as quick as turning the pages of a book, and Arnold always felt a sense of unease about it.

Furthermore, Arnold had a hunch that getting the Black Order involved was probably impossible.

Having reached a tacit agreement with the Dark Order, Ivan, smiling, approached Arnold again and extended a friendly hand. "Major General Arnold, what just happened?"

Arnold, suppressing the pain in his chest, glanced warily at the elven woman inside the building. "The Empire suspects this woman is a witch! She must come back to the Empire with us, and besides, she just attacked me in secret—that's a serious crime..."

“Major General Arnold, I think you’ve misunderstood,” Major General Ivan released his right hand, his massive figure standing in front of Arnold exuding an overwhelming aura. “Dr. Roman is not some witch. She is a distinguished guest that I personally invited back from the Wildlands. She is a genuine member of the Dark Elf royal family. Although she is considered a lower-ranking royal family there, that does not affect her bloodline.”

"Where's the evidence? Viscount Ivan's one-sided account alone is hardly convincing! This woman may not only be a witch, but she may also be implicated in the murder of Imperial Major General Virginia Palmer! Viscount Ivan may want to get involved, but before he does, he should make sure his stance is correct..."

“Ha,” Ivan raised his hand and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. “Major General Arnold, watch your words! As a nobleman of the Viana Theocracy, my side is with this country, not with your empire. If I were to side with your British Empire without any regard for right or wrong, that would truly be a case of biased allegiance!”

"The Beicheng Chamber of Commerce will go all out to investigate the death of Major General Virginia. On the other hand, if Major General Arnold continues to falsely accuse my distinguished guest, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

Faced with this series of extremely irritating remarks, Arnold laughed angrily, "Viscount Ivan has only been here a short time, and the matter hasn't even been formally investigated yet, but he dares to draw such conclusions. I'm afraid he's..."

"You're probably colluding in secret, aren't you? How much have you investigated about her being a witch? This is the territory of the Viana Theocracy, not your British Empire. This isn't a place where you can run wild. If you're not happy, then shut up!"

Having brought so many men along, Ivan Hank was perfectly calm; he was there to intimidate them. "You keep saying she's a witch, but where's your evidence? If you believe she's a witch, provide the evidence right now. Don't try that on me! In the Viana Theocracy, everything must be based on reason, evidence, and the fundamental laws of the theocracy!"

"The evidence is her inhuman features, and her eyes..."

"Then why isn't that big guy next to her a witch? What about the other characteristics of a witch, like a magic book and a cross sword? Besides, it's said that your country possesses a causal code that can control witches. If a witch still managed to escape, and even fled to the Viana Theocracy, just how incompetent are the people in your country in charge of witches?"

"you......"

Ivan retorted without mincing words, leaving the Imperial Major General speechless. He spread his hands and said, "You really think this guy is a witch? If she were a witch, would she be standing in front of you?"

Although Arnold was inwardly furious, he was clearly in the wrong on the surface, so he dared not openly escalate the situation. He could only speak in a low voice, so that the two of them could hear him, "Viscount Ivan, you are a distinguished guest of my empire. I advise you not to interfere in the empire's..."

Unexpectedly, Ivan Hank showed him no mercy whatsoever. "Without evidence, you think you can just say it like that? Do you think everyone else is blind? This is the territory of the Theocracy, the domain of my Beicheng Chamber of Commerce. Even if you are a major general of the Empire, you cannot act recklessly here! Everything must be done according to the rules! Even if the Emperor of the Empire came, he would still have to follow the rules of the Theocracy!"

"So, you're going to protect this woman?"

Arnold's face darkened completely, but he couldn't lash out because he knew that his plan to take the woman away might really fall through.

"Indeed, today, not only this woman, but all the adventurers who have rented this territory are my honored guests! Until the evidence is clear, no one can touch them, not even the Empire!"

After finishing his last sentence, Ivan turned around and shouted to the group of bodyguards he had brought, "Men, go door to door and assist the army and the Dark Order in their investigation."

What is power? Power is not just about banding together for warmth. When power reaches a certain level, it represents a deterrent force and a protective umbrella!

Ivan is a powerful man burdened with a thirst for revenge. To achieve his long-cherished wish, what he wants to do now is to take this opportunity to completely conceal the witch's true identity. He will not allow anyone to ruin his plan.

If these imperial soldiers continue to be ungrateful, he will use his backup plan to wipe them all out!

"..."

Arnold hesitated for a moment, but then chickened out.

Chapter 24 Deepening Cooperation

Seeing that the empire's major general was no longer insisting, Ivan naturally didn't dwell on the matter any further.

"Then, Major General Arnold, please!"

Since Virginia Palmer died before this building 999, this place should be investigated first.

"Dr. Luo, please continue to cooperate from now on!"

Ivan strode forward without making a sound, his face remaining serious throughout, exuding a powerful aura.

"please!"

Li Lan never expected that at this critical moment, one of the leaders of the Beicheng Chamber of Commerce would personally come to her rescue, and she was flattered and surprised.

After realizing what was happening, he quickly pulled the little girl Yu Hui aside and gestured for Thomas to make way for the soldiers outside.

"It seems we are safe for now. I will thank Viscount Ivan later. Also, I don't think the Imperial soldiers will let this go so easily. Although there may be a lot of information I don't know, I shouldn't leave the city until the Book of Judgment can be restored to normal use."

Li Lan considered that these people might resort to underhanded tactics, such as ambushing him directly in the monster area and staging a "Don't run away after school" scenario, so she had to be extremely careful no matter what happened from now on.

Arnold gave the person who resembled a "witch" a displeased look, then, while pressing his aching chest, he started walking.

“This woman is protected by an evil god, and it seems even the noble forces of the Viana Theocracy are protecting her. If she really is a witch, does she truly deserve such treatment? Well, without the help of the Dark Order, forcibly taking her down might provoke the evil god's revenge, and everyone present would likely die here. It's better to let her go for now. I'll report this to the higher-ups in the next few days and let them make a decision. In addition, I need to place spies to monitor her whereabouts and every move she makes.”

Having made up his mind, he did not insist on this point, but followed them into the house.

The house was bare, with no furniture whatsoever, suggesting that the owner had only recently arrived, creating an inexplicable sense of incongruity.

"You said your profession is a doctor, right? This profession is..." Arnold asked, frowning, trying to glean more information about the elven woman.

"If someone is seriously injured, I can also perform some degree of surgery on them."

Li Lan replied that ever since he transmigrated here, he has known that there seems to be no such thing as a doctor in this world, but there are plenty of pharmacists.

The vast majority of indigenous people and adventurers who venture out on adventures treat their own illnesses or injuries by simply buying the relevant medicines from a pharmacy—a simple and straightforward approach.