Chapter 240: The Envoy Delegation from the Papal State
"Don't call me uncle, and don't call me brother either. Just call me Silver Mask!"
Susan's cheeks turned slightly red as she shot a glare at Silver Mask.
"I... I won't call you brother."
"Haha, that's more like it!"
"Alright, it's about time for me to make my exit. Farewell for now."
Li Meng waved his hand and turned to leave.
Alisa and Susan quickly stood up to see him off.
The three walked in single file along the small path in the courtyard.
"Silver Mask, will we have a chance to meet again?"
"Of course. When you're in trouble, no matter where you are, I'll find you."
Silver Mask's words reminded Susan of something: how had he found her in the first place?
Could it be that some kind of phenomenon occurred during the process of death reversal?
And was this phenomenon something that Silver Mask could sense?
Was that why he had been able to locate her so easily?
In the end, Susan still did not learn the reason why Silver Mask had been able to find her.
At the gate of the courtyard, Alisa and Susan watched as the figure in the black robe disappeared into the distance.
Before long, that black-robed figure vanished around the corner of the street.
---
Irisis Principality
The border city, "Leo."
Beyond the city lay vast wheat fields, crisscrossed by a road.
The road extended from Leo City toward the northeast.
It was midday, and the rhythmic sound of hooves suddenly echoed along the road.
A grand procession of over ten luxurious beast-drawn carriages traveled along the path through the wheat fields.
Accompanying the convoy was a group of knights in silver-white armor from the temple.
Inside one of the carriages sat a man in a white robe, leisurely gazing at the golden wheat fields outside.
"Your Excellency Bishop, do you think this trip will succeed?"
Another person was in the carriage as well—a woman wearing a white robe and holding a crystal staff.
The man addressed as Bishop did not turn his head.
"All we need is passage rights. As long as the Irisis Principality doesn't object, we're fine."
"Will they object?"
The man's lips curved into a faint smile as he turned and gestured for the woman to come closer.
The woman, wary, pulled the curtains shut before rising to her feet.
She swayed her hips as she seated herself sideways on the man's lap.
With her delicate body nestled against him, the man inhaled deeply, savoring her scent.
"They won't. As long as we give them a piece of meat, they'll eat it."
"True enough. After all, this matter benefits the Irisis Principality without any harm."
The woman moved to remove her robe, but the man stopped her.
"I'm a bishop, after all. I must maintain my radiant image. Wait until we reach the next town tonight."
The woman's cheeks flushed as she nodded lightly.
Although the Crystal Temple did not forbid marriage, it upheld monogamy.
Those who violated this rule could face expulsion or even trial.
If their affair were discovered, the two of them would be finished.
Thus, they were always cautious, maintaining distance in public and only being intimate when alone.
The convoy raced along the road through the wheat fields, attracting the attention of passersby.
Before long, the convoy left Leo City behind, and the road grew quieter with fewer travelers.
"Who goes there!"
Suddenly, a commotion broke out among the temple knights leading the way.
Ahead on the road stood a black-robed figure.
The figure's presence caused the knights' expressions to change.
The captain at the front bellowed, "Halt!"
Though the shout came from a distance, it still made the black-robed figure lift his head.
"So, they've arrived."
Gazing at the approaching convoy, a wide, grinning mouth appeared on the smooth, shiny silver head.
Li Meng stepped forward and swung his right fist.
A surge of terrifying energy exploded outward, creating a shockwave that shot toward the convoy.
"Enemy attack! Enem—!"
Before the knight could finish, the shockwave swept through the temple knights, sending them flying.
"Boom!"
A line of beast-drawn carriages shattered into pieces.
The overwhelming force sent debris and bodies flying into the air, raining blood and wreckage onto the road.
The scene turned into utter chaos, with severed limbs and broken fragments strewn everywhere.
"What... what just happened?"
A man in a luxurious white robe sat up in a daze on the roadside.
High Priest Tabetha shielded him as she stood in front.
"Tabetha, where are you?"
The man, regaining his senses, quickly scanned his surroundings.
Finally, he spotted Tabetha lying not far away and crawled toward her.
"Tabetha, how... how are you?"
The man turned her over and cradled her in his arms.
At the sight of her, his face turned pale.
Tabetha's beautiful face was ghastly white.
Her robes were tattered, exposing large patches of skin.
Wooden splinters were embedded in her chest, and blood poured out in torrents.
"Oh, still alive, huh?"
A sudden voice behind him made the man's face change drastically.
He whipped his head around, but the last thing he saw was a fist wrapped in cloth.
With a "smack," the man's head exploded like a crushed watermelon.
His headless body slumped onto the woman.
"Alive, are we?"
Li Meng kicked the man's body off the woman.
She was still alive, but barely.
Her heart continued to beat weakly, growing fainter by the second.
Li Meng pulled out a coin from his black robe.
"Let's leave your fate to the Goddess of Luck!"
With that, he flipped the coin into the air.
The coin spun before landing back in his hand.
"Heads. Lucky woman. Alright, from now on, you're mine! Wahaha!"
Laughing heartily, Li Meng slung the woman over his shoulder and walked away.
As evening fell, the sun sank lower on the horizon.
In a forest outside Leo City, Tabetha slowly opened her eyes, leaning against a large tree.
The lingering pain in her body brought her to full alertness.
She instinctively touched her chest.
Though her robe was still in tatters, her wounds had vanished.
"What happened?"
Tabetha looked around in confusion.
Wasn't she in a carriage?
How had she ended up in a forest?
Suddenly recalling the attack, her face paled.
Yes, the convoy had been attacked—ambushed by a powerful being.
The abrupt assault left her no time to react, forcing her to use mid-tier defensive magic instantly.
"You've finally woken up!"
A voice suddenly rang in her ear, startling her.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
"I'm right here!"
The voice came from close by.
Tabetha whipped her head around to see a black-robed figure squatting beside her.
The sight of the smooth, featureless silver head unnerved her.