Those who are infected have a voracious appetite, becoming irritable and easily incited.

And in the Lower City, there are many like Laris who are consumed by hatred. They held another meeting in the taverns overnight, although this time, few responded. They still expressed their dissatisfaction with the trial results during the gathering.

If things develop in this direction, these infected residents will sooner or later be incited by them.

"If possible, I hope you can cure the mutations that have occurred in them."

It is because of this mutation that over thirty disappearance cases occurred in the Lower City in just a few days. The victims are no longer limited to outsiders; there are also those who were at odds with Laris's group or those who opposed using outsiders as food.

"I've convinced the majority of them."

Grave came prepared for this trip. He took out a crumpled parchment, which turned out to be a confession letter, with a bunch of signatures scribbled on it. "As long as you can cure the mutations on their loved ones and continue the trials of the corrupt officials in Oasis City, they are willing to plead guilty and accept punishment."

"Under the law of the Far West, this is a capital crime."

Mary scrutinized Grave carefully, reminding him.

Their group had also experienced similar encounters in the inn. No matter what they had gone through before, feeding innocent travelers and opponents to these mutated fanged people was an unforgivable capital offense.

This is the mess Ave mentioned over the phone.

Cleaning up such a mess often satisfies most people, but it is more exhausting than judging a specific "villain".

Mary originally planned to conclude the affairs in the Upper City before addressing the disappearance cases in the Lower City but did not expect Grave to visit her in person to discuss this matter.

"Please believe me, they are fully aware of the consequences of their confession."

"If that's the case, then why..."

"Because only in this way can the remaining people truly reach the new era they yearn for. They were incited by Laris's gang for the sake of their loved ones, and now they plead guilty for the same reason. They... have already made up their minds."

At this point, Grave changed his tone. "But Laris and his associates, they all refuse to confess. I think even after this trial concludes, their anger will be difficult to appease."

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

Meanwhile, at the Eternal Theater.

The new day's performance was staged as scheduled, yet the audience seats remained fully occupied.

This had become a habit among the nobility, officials, and even many wealthy merchants of Oasis City. The only difference was that after witnessing Hawke's execution, there was less lively chatter in the theater. Although they sat here, they appeared lifeless.

The Security Office, under the pretext of controlling the epidemic, blocked the passage out of Oasis City, trapping all officials planning to flee with their money within the city.

The order came from a young man named Leon, who seemed to have rallied many people to his cause.

Under ordinary circumstances, Leon's body would be floating by the banks of the Green River that very night, but now the situation in Oasis City had reversed; they were no longer decision-makers who could dictate others' fates on a whim. Instead, they were now hanging by a thread.

No one knew better than they did the crimes they had committed.

Heriot and Hawke were merely scapegoats pushed to the forefront by them; most of the stolen funds ultimately ended up in their pockets.

All they could do was lock themselves in this most familiar place, awaiting the inevitable day when the security forces would break into their homes, pin them to the ground, and drag them outside.

Yet at this moment, even their favorite dramas had betrayed them.

The play was titled "A Pound of Water", one of the classic dramas of this era, which tells the story of a greedy official ultimately judged by the King.

Unconsciously, the play had reached its finale. Under the gloomy stage lights, a beam of light shone on the center stage, against the simple backdrop symbolizing the archways of City Hall. A man dressed in a luxurious velvet robe stood alone in the light, his downfall evident, being paraded by the citizens.

A play celebrating justice and advocating for the inevitable punishment of evil.

This used to be the favorite play of the officials of Oasis City because it was full of absurdity and comedy, which made them laugh uncontrollably.

They found it hilarious that civilians could drag City Hall officials into the streets, and that some people actually believed it.

This type of humor, transcending the script, always enchanted them. Every time the parade scene was enacted at the finale, the upper-class audience would join in as well.

But now, the theater was deathly silent.

They watched the lavishly dressed official being dragged into the streets. Rotten eggs and stones were thrown at him, and with the "upgraded" performance, a more bloody scene unfolded before the audience. They saw the official's head being smashed by stones, his eyes struck shut forever. Screams were soon drowned out by more projectiles, until he could no longer make a sound. He seemed to have already fainted, dragged along only by those escorting him, his body covered in filth, resembling a ragdoll.

No one jeered anymore.

They shuddered, because this might very well be their fate in a few days.

"Enough!"

A man sitting in the front row roared in anger, "Why perform this play?"

However, this time, the actors on stage continued the unnerving performance, ignoring his question.

"This is what you'll look like in two days, Mr. Mayor."

A gentle female voice came from beside the man. He turned his head towards the voice, and upon seeing the veiled face, his eyes widened in disbelief—before Heriot was nailed to the stake, he had also encountered this veiled woman, whom the detectives had identified as the murderer of Heriot.

"You're lucky, not everyone gets a preview of their own death."

The veiled woman squinted and smiled.

"You—!"

The man awoke from his dream, reaching out with anger to tear off her veil.

He intended to confront her, to tell this woman that even if he only had two days left, he could ensure she died without a complete body. However, when he saw the woman's face, words stuck in his throat, his raised fist frozen mid-air, replaced by unprecedented fear—fear so intense that he couldn't breathe, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

As the mayor of Oasis City, he had seen this woman more than once.

This was in the Crown of Dawn Cathedral in the Holy City. Even the current Pope Carlo had to bow his head in humility before her statue.

"Why... why!"

The man mumbled, drowning in boundless despair, "You greedy woman, how much have I offered you? There is no one here more devout than me, why do you treat me like this!"

Every quarter, he had to meet Carlo in the Holy City, bringing a large sum of ill-gotten gains.

This money was used for rebuilding cathedrals and supporting Carlo's endeavors, ensuring he could rest easy maintaining the status quo of Oasis City.

His "Salvation Contribution Points" ranked among the top, signifying his indelible contributions to the Church Court.

Sometimes, he even fantasized that upon the "Prophecy" of the True God's return, he would personally meet the Goddess of Life and be rewarded.

Yet at this moment, a trace of satire passed through the goddess's gentle eyes.

"Mr. Hafeez, do you think I look like someone short of money?"

Meanwhile, on stage, the man being escorted was brought to the guillotine.

The blade fell, and what Hafeez saw was a face contorted with terror—the expression of the beheaded, forever frozen like a piece of art at that instant.

The goddess smiled at him, "Mr. Hafeez, it's game over for you."