"My lord, we’ve loaded all the valuables from the territory onto the wagons."

A wolfkin cavalryman stepped forward to report. As seasoned raiders, their efficiency in looting was astonishing.

Phield carefully stored the eagle eggs inside one of the wagons.

"You all leave first with the convoy. Wait for me in the concealed area near Maple Leaf Territory." Phield pulled out the map he had marked beforehand and quickly issued orders.

"Now that the soldiers have left, the rest is Rosalia’s task."

Phield took a deep breath and looked coldly at the villagers around him whose faces were twisted with madness.

"They’re all trash. There’s no room for mercy."

Wind Tour Territory seemed to have become somewhat urbanized.

The mark of the Goddess of Corruption sank into the earth. The villagers who had been calmly waiting for death suddenly felt a chilling terror rise from deep within their bodies.

By noon, the endless mountain rain finally came to an end.

The fresh wilderness and damp air were refreshing beyond compare.

Two members of the Imperial Guards, Biskaly and Dark Curse, rode leisurely toward Wind Tour Territory atop snow white warmblood horses. Behind them followed a merchant caravan.

"Have you ever fought against Night Owl?" Dark Curse continuously wiped her long blade clean, the reflection of the steel gleaming within her eyes.

"Hey, when you talk to someone, look into my eyes." Biskaly puffed her cheeks in protest. Then she placed one hand on her waist and said with an innocent smile, "I’ve only officially joined for three months, so I haven’t had the opportunity yet. But if they fall into my hands, I’ll definitely take very good care of them."

"Then you’d better not encounter my sister. You’ll die horribly."

Dark Curse smiled grimly. "Of course, I’ll avenge you afterward."

"Stop trying to scare me. Whether it’s the Shadow World Sect or Night Owl, they’re both trash among trash. They’re no match for us at all."

Biskaly laughed awkwardly twice. She wanted to get angry, but after remembering Dark Curse’s terrifying abilities, she helplessly changed the subject.

"Let’s hurry to Wind Tour Territory. Baron Busby is the rising star of our family. He’s a very good man. We’ll definitely receive the highest level of hospitality there. Also, I’ll cover all the expenses for this trip."

"Miss Biskaly is truly beautiful and kindhearted."

The skinny merchant following behind them stepped forward with a lecherous grin. His greedy eyes scraped across Biskaly’s thighs as he rubbed his hands together.

"Altering trade routes is extremely expensive. If it weren’t for Miss Biskaly’s sake, our Merchant Association would never agree to such an unprofitable venture."

"Thank you for your hard work, Mister Teli. We appreciate the Merchant Association’s assistance."

Biskaly thanked him sweetly, though the disgust and contempt on her face were not hidden in the slightest.

"Oh, oh, Miss, you’re far too polite. You even remembered my name." The merchant became so delighted that bubbles nearly formed from his nose. "This is truly the greatest day of my life."

Dark Curse snorted coldly. She knew exactly what kind of person Biskaly was beneath that gentle appearance.

"Wait. There’s a smell of blood in the forest."

Dark Curse’s expression suddenly sharpened. She instantly flipped off her horse. Her eyes became as still as a dead lake as her feet lightly touched the ground and she darted rapidly toward the forest.

"Hey, hey, wait for me." Biskaly hurried after her.

The two rushed into the woods and followed the scent of blood until they witnessed a horrifying scene.

Broken corpses littered the ground like discarded garbage, piled together in chaotic heaps. Most of the armor had been stripped from the bodies, while anything slightly valuable, such as jewelry or quality weapons, had been thoroughly looted.

The soldiers of Nightfall Domain were terrifyingly professional when it came to robbery.

"Wind Tour Territory has encountered trouble. There are no survivors here." Dark Curse sheathed her blade with a metallic clang. "These soldiers were wiped out by another army. The enemy’s strength is quite formidable."

"Th... this is horrifying."

The members of the merchant caravan also arrived and were deeply shaken by the sight before them.

Cold sweat streamed down Teli’s face as he continuously wiped it with a handkerchief.

"I’ve traveled through many regions of the Empire, but a battlefield this gruesome is truly shocking. I’m afraid I’ll never dare travel this trade route again."

"Shut your mouth."

Biskaly angrily rebuked Teli as her own heart pounded violently.

"Hurry and reinforce Wind Tour Territory. It must be those damned Shadow World Sect bastards. Looks like the missing Shadow World Sect deacon has been hiding there. That territory belongs to our family."

"Let’s go."

Dark Curse handled missions with utmost seriousness. The two immediately sped toward Wind Tour Territory.

By the time they could barely see the city in the distance, the entire city of Wind Tour had already been enveloped in a strange and terrifying gray fog.

The eagle beasts that once circled overhead had fled elsewhere. The entire city radiated a chilling aura of death. From within the city came occasional screams and the roars of monsters.

"This again. The Corruption Calamity has descended."

Dark Curse clenched her teeth.

"This is already the fourth city corrupted by the plague of corruption. What exactly is going on? There are border walls meant to stop these calamities, so how are corruption outbreaks still occurring? Could it be that the Shadow World Sect possesses the power of corruption?"

"No... no..."

Biskaly’s mentality nearly collapsed.

This was her family’s territory. Even if it was merely a barony, it still represented a valuable piece of land. More importantly, the family’s favored younger generation now had an uncertain fate.

"I’ll make the people of the Shadow World Sect pay for this."

Enraged, Biskaly immediately charged toward the city shrouded in gray fog.

"Rosalia’s advancement is taking much longer this time."

Hidden within the gray fog, Phield used his divine artifact telescope to observe Biskaly and her companion. He let out a long sigh.

"Just my luck. They could’ve come early or late, but they had to arrive now. Hopefully they won’t suspect me in the future."

After all, he frequently traveled to the Northern Frontier. It would be easy for people to make connections.

Turning to Rosalia, he saw that her divine mark remained activated. The power within the earth was being frantically absorbed by her. The surrounding flowers and vegetation visibly withered and decayed before the naked eye.

Her advancement had already lasted for three hours.

Seeing Biskaly’s group rapidly approaching, Phield stood up and put on his mask. Suppressing the unease in his heart, he deliberately lowered his voice and shouted loudly:

"Don’t come in, Miss Biskaly. There’s a trap inside the city. Cough... damn it. This place has already been occupied by a deacon of the Shadow World Sect."

The two rushing shadows abruptly halted.

If it had been an ordinary warning shout, neither of them would have paid attention. But the person inside not only knew Biskaly’s name, he also knew about the Shadow World Sect deacon. That meant he was definitely not some ordinary nobody.

"What happened inside?" Dark Curse cautiously scanned the surroundings as she asked vigilantly.

"It was that bastard Baron Busby. He secretly joined the Shadow World Sect long ago. He slaughtered everyone in the territory in an attempt to create a Slaughter Divine Chosen."

"What nonsense are you spouting, idiot?"

Biskaly instantly panicked.

Baron Busby was part of her own family. Even if he truly had joined the rebels, the matter absolutely had to be covered up.