Witch Redemption

Upon briefly sensing the state of his magical power, Lachesis suddenly discovered that his magical power had increased by at least tenfold. Furthermore, he could also perceive the constantly moving silvery-white particles in the air. These silvery-white particles were called elements, specifically lightning-attribute elements.

"What on earth has happened to my body? I'm so terrifying right now!"

If strength were ranked according to the military ranks of the British Empire, then Lachesis would definitely be a lieutenant general at this moment! If she could gain the approval of the witch's artifact, she would definitely be able to advance to the level of a general!

The reason she is so strong, besides the faith imprint that amplifies her strength, is another factor: her inhuman body has begun to awaken.

Chapter 34 One Month Later

Days passed peacefully, and although the border city of Kobe in the Viana theocratic state appeared calm on the surface, undercurrents were already surging beneath the surface.

For the past month, aside from the occasional one or two ill-fitting adventurers who come to him for help each day, Li Lan has been working tirelessly to become stronger.

Since that night that almost cost him his life, he has been very impressed with his current "bodyguard," Lachesis Wagner. On the one hand, he is keeping her special identity as a "god's vessel" a secret, and on the other hand, he is surprised to see her getting stronger day by day at a visible rate.

From this point on, Li Lan could finally confirm with 100% certainty that the so-called faith imprint transplantation could transform the magical core of a dead monster into a second heart for an intelligent being, providing a much larger amount of magical power. Furthermore, on this basis, it could also directly transplant certain special abilities or magical abilities that the monster possessed in its previous life into the body of an intelligent being.

Lachesis, in her current form, can be identified as a humanoid unicorn thunder behemoth, and the destructive power she can cause is even three times stronger than the original high-level monster.

Aside from Lachesis, another person who also had a high-level monster's magic core transplanted into him, a dark offspring belonging to the Dark Order, a melancholy and weathered middle-aged man, Christian Will, had also met with Li Lan once. Perhaps for the sake of secrecy, the two did not have any verbal exchange.

However, Li Lan could clearly sense that this "high-level undercover agent" of the Dark Order had become unfathomable. According to Viscount Ivan Hank, this handsome man had successfully advanced to the rank of Dark Priest of the Dark Order and already possessed a certain degree of influence in Kobe City. It was believed that in another six months, Christian would be able to successfully advance to the rank of Archbishop. At that time, the religious forces of the entire Kobe City would be under his control, and his influence would be able to radiate to other cities in the Viana Theocracy.

Of course, the two groups of confidants sent by Viscount Ivan, totaling twenty-one people, were also transplanted with the imprint of faith. All of them were Viscount Ivan's loyal followers.

However, the faith imprints transplanted into these people were not of a high grade; they were all made from the magic cores of mid-level monsters. Although they could amplify their strength, the effect was far less than that of Lachesis and Christian.

Serving Viscount Ivan was one aspect, but on the other hand, making good use of the "Life Creator" to improve his own strength in a short period of time also became an urgent need for Li Lan.

During this time, he successfully created another intelligent servant, "Debbie," a female creation made using the mid-level monster "Man-eating Vine." Her initial talents are "poison, madness, and plant magic," making her a dangerous "thorny" individual with the potential to be a yandere.

It's said that after joining Wood Annason's adventurer mercenary group, this guy immediately became a star member and received considerable resources. Unfortunately, Debbie lacks any reproductive capabilities, so the large number of hormone-fueled human adventurers are destined to be turned away and left disappointed.

The hunting trips of his three servants, Thomas, Cozmo, and Debbie, undoubtedly brought Li Lan a wealth of magic book experience. In the past month alone, they have successfully increased his magic book experience by half a level. At this rate, it will only take another month to raise his magic book level to level twelve, which will further enhance Li Lan's physical attributes.

Meanwhile, the number of servants in secret increased by eighty-eight, bringing the total to one hundred and one. These servants, each with a numerical code, resided in the magic book, awaiting Li Lan's summons at any time.

Now that he has a large number of cannon fodder in his grasp, he is much more confident than when he first arrived in Kobe City.

"If quality is not enough, quantity will prevail. The more of these servants who do not have much intelligence, the better. We need to continue to increase the amount we can accumulate each month. If we can accumulate tens of thousands of them, and all of them are at the same level as me, then they will form a fighting force that should not be underestimated."

"Now I can only hope that things stay calm and nothing changes too much, if I can lie low in this area for a year or two..."

Whenever Li Lan considered the gap between himself and the Empire, he felt an indescribable sense of frustration. At the current rate, wouldn't it take hundreds of years to truly contend with the Empire? Even the Flame Witch Vesta, with a level 30 magic book, died a heroic death, let alone the weaker ones like them.

"During the recent Crimson Night Flood, they made contact with the slime again, for only ten minutes. She mentioned that they often assist Reiner and a middle-aged adventurer named Larenas on their expeditions, and their relationship is constantly warming up, for which they have received quite good rewards. I also heard that her team has the idea of ​​establishing a new trading company. As for the specifics, Larenas is still negotiating with his old forces. If successful, the slime and her team may be able to gain the opportunity to penetrate deep into the inner territories of the Empire."

Li Lan had heard of Larenas from Wood Annason, and later, in order to learn about the slime situation, he had also inquired about it.

All I've heard is that this middle-aged man was a descendant of an adventurous nobleman from the British Empire many years ago. He traveled around with his many friends, but unfortunately, he ended up in the Viana Theocracy. After returning home, he was betrayed by his family, his reputation was ruined, and he was sentenced to a year in prison. When he was released last year, he lived a miserable life for a long time. I've heard that he survived only because he was helped by a commoner.

Li Lan had a vague suspicion that the one who helped this unlucky guy might be the arrogant, overly kind Ryan brothers.

Of course, in the short ten minutes, the master and servant only exchanged some important information and did not have much small talk.

Therefore, Li Lan had no idea that his Slime Servant and the Starry Sky Maid had countless suitors in Mori City on the border of the Empire. After all, in this world, there weren't many women strong enough to stand and fight monsters head-on, and these guys disguised as humans were all incredibly fierce.

As men, who wouldn't want to conquer a man or woman stronger than themselves? So it's not surprising that they are so sought after.

Their activity drew the attention of the Empire's border troops to their origins. Fortunately, their so-called "advanced transformation" was far too powerful, directly altering their true nature, so their true demonic forms remained completely hidden. Had it been ordinary "transformation," they would likely have been wiped out long ago.

“Mira, what exactly is her identity? We’ve implanted three faith imprints into her in this short period of time, which at most gives her motivation, but cannot change the fact that her lifespan is nearing its end. Moreover, I dare not let her step out of here right now. I have a strong intuition that as soon as she is exposed to the public eye, not only her, but I might also die!”

This intense sense of crisis stems from a power distribution map that Ivan Hank had given him a month earlier.

It is obvious that all the shops and houses within a three-kilometer radius of his "Roman Clinic" have changed hands, and these owners are said to have all come from various continents and major countries. No matter who they are, they spend a certain amount of time exploring this area every day. They are like flies that smell dung, staring at this place closely and cannot be driven away.

"Among the forces I know, all the Imperial soldiers from the Southwest Noble District have moved to this area. The Pillar God Leragin and her man live in a villa a kilometer away. The Dark Order has also sent many people, but due to Christian's secret interference, some of them seem to have been replaced by his confidants."

The other factions were all a motley crew of adventurers whose origins were unclear, including the two elven beauties directly opposite them who liked to show off their muscles.

It has to be said that the business of those two muscular beauties has been incredibly booming lately, a hundred times better than Li Lan's deserted business. I'm so envious!

"No matter what, I don't want to cause trouble at this stage, but I really hope everything will be alright."

After a long period of quiet contemplation, Li Lan sat behind the counter, watching the darkness of another day descend. It was around 8 p.m., and there was still an hour until the curfew.

"Lachish is probably still upstairs reading with little Yu Hui and little Mira. They've been obsessed with trashy romance novels from the Viana Theocracy lately, things like 'The domineering bishop falls in love with me,' 'The domineering prince forces himself on me,' and other Mary Sue fantasies. They're practically forgetting to eat and sleep. Bullshit! If I hadn't forgotten most of the web novels I used to read, I would definitely recite a few to show them what real entertainment literature is. My great Celestial Empire's web novels are ten thousand years ahead of other worlds!"

Shaking his head, he thought and thought. This world doesn't really have cell phones or computers. Entertainment options are unimaginably scarce. In fact, many people are so stressed about life that they don't even have the mind to read novels. It's understandable that Lachesis would pursue this kind of dry literature.

At least in Li Lan's eyes it was boring, but in their eyes it was probably a hot commodity.

Just as he was about to pack up his shop for closing time, he was suddenly confronted by an incredibly noisy commotion outside. He looked over abruptly and exclaimed, "What's going on here? So many Imperial soldiers have crowded around. Who are they fighting with?"

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

On September 3, 10003 (Gregorian calendar), the weather was slightly cool, and night fell quickly.

At shop number 977 South 12th Street, Imperial Major General Arnold Hopkins, who had just returned from outside the city, rushed into the shop. Soon after, the small area with the shop door closed fell into an unusual silence amidst the busy work of many soldiers.

Under the dim light of the magic crystal lamp, Arnold urgently summoned the six most important people in charge, all of whom were senior colonels and not to be underestimated.

"The investigation is complete. The two elves next door are from the Elf Kingdom in the Western Continent. They belong to the rescue team dispatched by the Elf Kingdom and are targets we must eliminate. Don't worry, I have already informed the royal family of the Theocracy and the Dark Order. We will take action later. The Theocracy will not interfere in this conflict and will take the initiative to clean up the mess for us after nightfall."

"That's the first thing. The second thing is that the location information of the Abyss Demon Hati and the Apostle Karamit has been divined. The locations that can be guessed at so far are 999, 998, and 997 South 12th Street. These three buildings need to be thoroughly investigated."

One of the soldiers frowned upon hearing this. "Wasn't it Captain Virginia who died...?"

"Yes, it's near the spot where she sacrificed herself."

Virginia Palmer, as the captain of a detachment of the Fifth Survey Corps of the Empire, held unimaginable prestige within the unit. It could be said that few descendants of the elite aristocracy possessed her level of compassion and impartiality towards her subordinates.

What a heavy blow her death was to this squad a little over a month ago! Since then, not one of these soldiers has failed to think of avenging their dead captain, but they have been struggling to find any clues. They are like headless flies, unable to find their way.

Now, Arnold's words undoubtedly caused a huge stir, making all the soldiers listening hold their breath and concentrate.

"Indeed, that woman who calls herself a dark elf is under close investigation. Unfortunately, she has Viscount Ivan Hank of the Theocracy backing her, so we can't easily take action against her right now. However, it's only a matter of time. Tomorrow, we'll secretly deal with those two overconfident forces at shops 997 and 998. Revenge isn't urgent; there will be plenty of opportunities!"

"Gather the rest of you immediately, we're moving in right now!"

It's around 8 p.m. right now. Due to the curfew, the streets are deserted, and most shops have already closed. It's the perfect time to make a move.

A few minutes later...

Two muscular elven beauties were inside the house, munching on white bread and tallying up their earnings for the day.

"Sister Rebecca, how much did you earn today?"

The shorter, elfin beauty, Susan, leaned back comfortably on the wooden chair, her face showing a hint of innocence.

"I can only tell you that there's a lot to say, but we're almost out of stock. We might have to close the shop and go hunting soon, returning to the life of adventurers."

The tall, blonde elven beauty possessed a more mature and cunning face compared to the younger man.

Susan hesitated for a moment after hearing this, then asked anxiously, "Sister Rebecca, actually I'm a little homesick."

"Hmm?" Rebecca understood the implication and patted the guy on the shoulder. "Don't overthink it. We're deserters now. Going back means we'll be on the guillotine. Besides, aren't we orphans? What home do we have? If you're talking about the place that took us in, then it's no big deal."

Most countries have orphanages, but the owners of these orphanages are not benevolent people. They will not take in children who are weak or sick, but only those who are strong, healthy and capable of creating value.

Take the Elf Kingdom for example. Children from orphanages are basically trained to be vanguard soldiers in the army, always at the forefront of everything.

Unlike Susan, whom she often sheltered, Rebecca had little affection for the orphanage, and even felt disgusted by it. The reason for her rebelliousness might stem from the many tragic memories that Susan had never heard of.

Carrying the heaviest loads, working like slaves, getting brutally beaten for displeasing their masters, and occasionally being used as a tool for sexual gratification... these are the realities of the Elf Kingdom's army. How much effort did Rebecca put in, dragging Susan, this burden, from the lowest rung of society to a powerful warrior? And how much resentment did she harbor towards this country?

Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken this opportunity to escape, and once she escaped, she never thought of going back.

Because she knew that taking the body of an apostle was an impossible task for them, she did not want to lose her life over it.

"Elves?" Occasionally, I can't help but think of the peace-loving elves, all handsome men and beautiful women, as portrayed in certain literary works. But what is the reality? As long as they are intelligent beings, they must have desires. Where there are desires, there must be exploitation and oppression. Elves are, in some ways, no different from humans in their ugliness, and perhaps even more so. The biggest difference between the two may only be their reproductive isolation.

Shaking her head, Rebecca recalled many past events she dared not let Susan know. Her expression returned to normal, and she said with a touch of affection, "With me here, wherever we go is our home, so don't think too much."

Chapter 35 Unexpected Disaster

Rebecca and Susan were chatting about everyday things and hadn't finished settling the day's accounts when a series of unsettling footsteps suddenly came from outside.

On ordinary days, after nightfall, the city of Kebei is filled with all sorts of strange noises, such as footsteps and knocking on doors.

However, the footsteps tonight were different from those in the past.

"These are the distinctive footsteps of living people, and these people are currently standing outside. What could this be...?"

What exactly happened? Rebecca frowned, stood up with unease, and took out a longsword specially made by the elves from the shelf next to her. It was her usual crescent-shaped scimitar, which was extremely sharp.

As elves, although their lifespan is not much different from that of humans, as descendants of an ancient mythological race, elves also have their own unique racial characteristics.

Besides their superior physical abilities and magical powers compared to humans, their most formidable advantage lies in their naturally enhanced eyesight and hearing, which allows them to distinguish between truth and falsehood to a certain extent.

For example, right now, Rebecca, as an experienced elven warrior, can not only tell whether the people outside are human or ghost, but also whether they are male or female and their approximate strength.

"Thirty-six in number, mostly at least Platinum-level adventurers. One of them is unidentifiable, but his strength probably surpasses that of a Diamond-level adventurer. Could these be the group of guys in military uniforms next door? I heard they are envoys sent by the British Empire, so they shouldn't have any connection with us."

The doubts and confusion, along with the intense unease, simply wouldn't go away.

Rebecca was wondering whether she should go up and open the door to check.

Unexpectedly, the next second, a loud crash resounded, and the shattered wooden door was flung backward...

Major General Arnold was an extremely steady man. He would plan any mission assigned by the Empire to be flawless.

Given their current situation, if he wants to eliminate these two elves, his method would be to have his teammates, who are at least majors, block all escape routes, and then have him, the strongest leader, take action personally.

Many lazy people would send their subordinates to their deaths one by one in order to take down their target, but Arnold was different.

As the strongest, he is qualified to carry the banner and be at the forefront. If even the strongest falls, who else can we rely on?

Of course, he wouldn't act rashly before knowing the strength of his opponents; it's just that the strength of his two current targets had already been thoroughly investigated.

"Rebecca Uro and Susan Wozru, orphans from Skandar on the border of the Elven Kingdom, were related by blood and were slaves who died in a rebellion fifteen years ago. Afterwards, Rebecca and Susan were sent to the Bath Orphanage as orphans and trained to be slave warriors."

"Two months ago, these two slave warriors participated in a secret mission at the summons of Elder Cameron of the Elf Kingdom. Afterwards, for unknown reasons, the two left first, while the rest of the main force continued to advance towards the Viana Theocracy, but was soon wiped out by the forces of the Fifth Apostle."

"The remaining two who slipped through the net are at most at the level of platinum-level adventurers, which is equivalent to lieutenant colonel."

With such strength, how could he possibly compete with Major General Arnold? Crushing those two would be no different than crushing two ants for him!

When all the soldiers around him had taken their positions and blocked all the way, Major General Arnold finally made his move.

The black military boots suddenly slammed down on the sturdy wooden door. At the same time, an immense magical power erupted into a terrifying force, causing the wooden door to instantly crumble and reveal the astonished faces inside the house.

Immediately afterwards, the military knife he grabbed left a smooth, flowing trail, turning his muscular body into a blur.

The killing intent has rekindled!

Unstoppable, utterly unstoppable!