NOVPUB"What do you mean?" a girl asked, frowning.
"Just like I said—he's still alive," Garek replied with a grin, pointing toward the young man lying on the stretcher.
Everyone looked his way and realized the man was indeed still breathing. However, the look he cast at Garek was filled with seething hatred.
If looks could kill, that young man would've murdered Garek a thousand times over.
"When my team and I went to explore the area around that massive pillar of fire, one guy accidentally fell into the flames… and that's how he ended up like this."
The group shuddered. Just one glance at the young man's eyes made it clear—this was no accident.
But who cared?
That's right. No one cared. What mattered was finding out what would happen if someone came into contact with that mysterious flame.
And now, they had their answer.
Garek sighed and said, "As you can see, the flame didn't burn him or scorch him—instead, it slowly disintegrated him, killing him piece by piece."
"Now, he looks no different from a zombie, overflowing with pain and despair. That's why I can confidently conclude: that flame is extremely dangerous. We must not touch it."
As he finished speaking, Garek pulled out a metal rod, aimed it at the young man's head—and brought it down.
BAM!
The rod effortlessly crushed the man's skull. Blood and white brain matter splattered everywhere, causing those who witnessed it to recoil in horror.
Some vomited. Others stared at Garek in shock and disbelief.
Garek noticed some blood and brain fragments had splashed onto his clothes. His face twisted in disgust.
"Tsk!" he clicked his tongue. "Ruined my damn shirt."
He cast a sideways glance at Maisy—only to find her reaction far beyond his expectations.
She remained completely calm. In fact, her gaze even held a hint of amusement and intrigue as she looked at him.
Garek felt a flicker of discomfort: "This bitch's nerves are pretty tough… But give it time. I wonder if you'll still be this tough when you're on your back in bed."
He licked his lips, staring at Maisy with naked greed, making no effort to hide the look in his eyes.
Maisy pretended not to notice. She simply spoke, "Good. That confirms we should avoid that area."
"However, we still can't be careless. Ares, take a team to guard the surroundings of that location. If anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately. Understood?"
The young man named Ares bowed his head. "Yes, Captain."
"It seems like you've all forgotten something, haven't you?" Violette—who had been silent since the meeting began—finally spoke. Tilting her head innocently, she said, "We've completely forgotten about the Dark God."
"Ah! The Dark God…" Maisy chuckled. "Of course I remember. But that no longer matters."
"Hm?!" Violette looked at her in confusion. "Why not?"
"You all know that the Dark God is Zeka, don't you?"
At Maisy's words, everyone nodded. After all, they had all seen the System's announcement. They also knew who Zeka was, so the revelation had come as quite a surprise.
Naturally, their minds were full of questions. Why had Zeka become a Dark God?
What exactly was a Dark God? How terrifying must he be for the System to issue a warning to all Lords in the region?
Not to mention, the reward for killing a Dark God was massive—enough to make anyone salivate.
But they weren't fools. Until they knew how powerful a Dark God truly was, they couldn't recklessly throw their lives away.
Maisy scanned the room, her gaze settling on Violette before continuing, "Zeka used to be a Lord. After becoming a Dark God, it seems his Lord status remained intact, which means his territory is still within our jurisdiction."
"We can use his territory as bait. One way or another, he'll have to return to it. Or… at the very least, he's confined to this chaotic zone. He can't leave."
"That means all we have to do is locate him and then…"
Maisy didn't finish her sentence, but the way she licked her lips and the icy glint in her eyes were enough to make Zeka's fate crystal clear.
"Wait!" Violette spoke up. "We still don't fully understand the power of a Dark God. If we rush into battle, it could lead to unnecessary casualties. I… I don't want that to happen."
Hearing the worry and kindness in Violette's voice, many in the room were moved.
"Wow… Violette is always like that, always thinking of others."
"She's truly like an angel."
"Hahaha… With Violette here, this dark world suddenly feels a little brighter."
Maisy frowned slightly, her gaze at Violette carrying a strange, unreadable emotion.
"Violette, I'm not a fool. I wouldn't throw everyone into a death trap," Maisy said calmly. "Zeka becoming a Dark God is terrifying—unquestionably so."
"But tell me—aren't you curious about the mystery behind it? How did he become a Dark God? Why did the System trigger a global mission because of him?"
"And more importantly… are you really okay with letting such a massive reward just wander around freely?"
"If someone else happens to kill Zeka, they'll get the prize. Wouldn't that be a shame, if the one who takes him down isn't one of us?"
"But…" Violette tried to speak again.
Maisy cut her off. "Like I said, we control his territory. That means we can set a trap and lure him in."
"And then…"
Everyone immediately nodded in agreement—everyone except Garek, who simply rubbed his chin and smiled without saying a word. It was clear he had a different plan forming in his mind.
Violette sighed, her voice tired as she said, "Fine. Do as you wish. Just try not to cause too much unnecessary bloodshed."
With that, she stood and left. Maisy watched her departing figure, her eyes turning colder and more ruthless than ever.
She glanced at Ares and gave a slight nod. Ares returned the gesture and stood up, quietly exiting the room.
…
Outside, the snowfall had grown heavier. A thin layer of snow now blanketed the ground, making movement difficult.
Suddenly, Violette stopped. A deep sense of unease crept into her chest.
She turned around, scanning the area. Though no one was in sight, she remained on guard.
Just as she was about to hurry back to her territory, a shadow appeared in front of her.
"You… Ares?" Violette recognized the figure and spoke cautiously, "What do you want?"
"Hahaha… Don't be afraid, Violette. I'm just curious about how Zeka became a Dark God."
The moment Ares spoke, Violette immediately realized this bastard was one of Maisy's lapdogs. If that was the case, she had no reason to keep up her innocent act.
"Huh! Just Maisy's dog. Don't think for a second I'm afraid of you."
"Oh? So the little holy maiden's done pretending?" Ares sneered. "Too bad. Captain Maisy has ordered me to detain you."
"Why?" Violette frowned.
"It's simple. The Captain doesn't want you helping the others."
"What do you mean?" Violette was stunned, confused. "I… I have healing abilities. I should be the one protected."
"Hahaha… oh Violette," Ares laughed. "It's because you have healing powers that you're still alive."
"Now, kindly accompany me to my place for a few days. If not…"
He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he pulled out a dagger, twirling it menacingly in his hand.
"You're insane! Do you want everyone here to die? Who's going to heal them if I'm gone?" Violette snapped, furious.
"That's none of your concern," Ares said, laughing. "If you resist…"
Violette gritted her teeth and, in the end, could only nod. "Fine. I'll go with you."
"Hahaha… very good! Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on you… not until the Captain gives the order."
Hearing those words only made Violette more furious. Her thoughts suddenly turned to Noan.
Where is he now? What is he doing?
…
At the Singularity Point, Noan suddenly felt as if someone had just mentioned him.
"Who?" he murmured, frowning.
But he quickly shook it off, turning his attention back to something more important:
Territory Blueprint – Void Tower.
