The collected cores were now safely tucked away in Quinn’s inventory.

They weren’t particularly valuable, as most of them were merely Elite-tier, with the strongest among them being the master-level core harvested from the chieftain.

Fowshh... Fwoshh... Fwoshh...

While dealing with the Silverglade family wasn’t an immediate priority, gathering accurate intelligence was an absolute necessity. Quinn’s intelligence is limited as of now and he needs one at boot...so the old gremlin will fill that hole, it’s his pitiful role.

"This should be a suitable spot." Quinn noted, leaping down and walking straight toward a dense patch of forest with a hollow cavern yawning ahead...best place to shroud the desperate plea and shriek of the sealed life of a being.

"Fufu... then you can wait out here for us. We can wrap this up in a matter of minutes." Alice spoke as purple flames ignited at her fingertips, slowly advancing toward the captive elder.

"Arughhh!!!!!" A desperate, piercing shriek echoed through the trees, scattering the nearby birds in a frantic rush to escape the scene.

Quinn simply nodded. He could see perfectly well even from a distance and in the pitch black, so the location didn’t hinder him.

Alice knew exactly how to handle her business, and that was all that mattered afterall that’s her job in the Crucible, and the three are not exception.

***

Quinn had long since lost track of the countless cries and frantic pleas that filled the three grueling hours of interrogation.

Even a hardened veteran who had spilled his fair share of blood was ultimately reduced to a weeping, broken puddle...it’s figure is completely hollowed out, like a mummy that was sucked dry...the intense heat of the succumbing purple Fiery Fire was truly damning.

The word human could no longer be used to describe the figure left behind; he was scorched to a blackened crisp, completely ruined.

Only his mouth had been kept intact the entire time, functioning solely for his fragile attempts to bargain for mercy.

"Fufu... he truly was a monument to corruption." Alice remarked, thoroughly amused by their findings.

The old man had confessed everything in a desperate bid to cling to life.

It seemed the older he became, the greater his desire to survive grew. Too bad for him, his pathetic begging failed to stir a single shred of sympathy in Alice’s heart...it even made her mood into worse.

His suffering finally concluded when Lilith’s halberd severed his head.

It was arguably too merciful an end for the atrocities he had committed, but they didn’t care; none of the four women were saints looking to uphold justice.

They had all endured their own fair share of misery in the past, so playing the role of righteous saviors held no appeal for them... being hypocrite is not something the four fancies.

"Hmm... then let’s move out. We’ve already wasted enough time here." Twilight was fast approaching as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a breathtaking tapestry of golden red hue...a mesmerizing view for them to behold.

"Heh... then let’s not waste another second!"

The four leapt back onto Neko’s back, holding Quinn in a tight, affectionate embrace as Alice recounted every piece of data she had extracted.

...

"Who would have thought... they really are scheming behind the scenes, huh," Quinn mused, patting Alice’s head, deeply satisfied to have answers to most of his questions regarding the noble houses.

The domain was ruled by seven lineages: Stoneheart, Silverglade, Stormrune, Evernight, Naturehive, Umbral, and the undisputed strongest, Draven.

The balance of power hadn’t shifted drastically in centuries, with the Silverglade clan firmly entrenched at the bottom of the hierarchy.

According to the deceased elder, internal factions had formed among the ruling class.

House Draven, Evernight, and Stormrune had forged a monolithic alliance to systematically suppress and dominate the opposing coalition consisting of House Umbral, Silverglade, and Stoneheart.

As for House Naturehive, they remained entirely indifferent to the political maneuvering and shifts in power, choosing to focus solely on their own bloodline and territory, emphasizing a deep-rooted devotion to their natural surroundings and the nature of the world.

Both rival factions were constantly trying to dethrone one another because the resources and territory they coveted had grown incredibly scarce.

It was high time for them to challenge other Baron-tier noble races, but only a fool would dream of conquering foreign domains when they barely possessed the strength to defend their own borders.

So, instead of acting like conquerors, exploiting their fellow human houses proved far more sustainable, ensuring the risk of their own lineages being annihilated remained negligible. They can send more people to exploit, spies and guinea pigs like a rain...as long as it stays hidden.

As things stood, the Silverglade coalition was in a dire predicament, gradually being pushed to the absolute brink.

The system they had established had lasted for centuries, utilizing duels between heirs as a civilized facade to minimize mass bloodshed while maintaining an illusion of glory and prestige.

Deadly assassins were a constant threat they faced, especially alongside the monstrously powerful heirs produced by House Draven. At this stage, their situation felt utterly hopeless.

Consequently, the sudden phenomenon of the blinding celestial light had become a highly sought-after anomaly for the desperate house..a golden opportunity to turn the tide.

Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t a treasure meant for their taking; it was a devastating juggernaut that would inevitably trample them all.

’Hehe... then I’ll just take control of the board and proceed with my own agenda.’ Quinn smiled, completely satisfied with the intelligence they had retrieved.

As for tracking down the exact location of the Vale family and that specific bastard... it wouldn’t be difficult. Quinn simply needed to march straight into the Silverglade territory, which would solve all his problems at once.

"Now, it’s time to grant you your prize." Quinn stepped into the quarters, fully prepared to deliver the reward they had been eagerly anticipating.

It was finally Zero’s time to shine.