Chapter 107: Lynn’s Reflections, and the Big Figure from the Imperial Capital

As someone who had experienced the entire Lemon Port crisis from beginning to end,

Lynn only later learned of Lemon Port’s destruction through the mouths of some mercenaries.

That was also why he had thought of sending Avril to investigate the situation.

In Lynn’s eyes—

He had already frightened the Lord of Decay into retreating back then.

Even if the remaining people were not entirely safe, they should have at least enjoyed a period of peace, right?

But the real outcome—

Was that Lemon Port had turned into a land of death!

Only countless black insects were left in the city, nesting and breeding with the flesh and blood of humans!

From afar, it looked like a black hell.

Lynn finally realized—

It was those detestable insects hiding in the sewers that had struck back!

“No way…”

“Those brainless bugs—how could they not flee together when their superior, the Lord of Decay, ran away?”

Lynn sighed helplessly.

Why hadn’t he completely wiped those bugs out back then?

Leaving such a massive hidden danger behind.

But in truth—

He had no way to deal with them at the time.

The Gate of Heaven—

It could only draw in and purify the undead who felt fear toward him.

Yet those bugs were all hiding underground, with extremely low perception.

They couldn’t be intimidated!

So at that time, the Gate of Heaven could only cleanse the undead army on the surface.

As for the thousands of insects below ground—he could do nothing.

“This is actually a major flaw.”

“If the Lord of Decay were to think carefully about it, he would undoubtedly notice this problem.”

“Why was ‘Michael’ so powerful, yet unable to purify the remaining parasites as well?”

“It wasn’t that he didn’t want to—it was that he couldn’t!”

“Once it figured that out, it might begin to suspect my true identity.”

“Maybe…” Lynn pondered.

“Maybe the Lord of Decay realized exactly that, and thus ordered those parasites to strike back…”

Otherwise, it couldn’t be explained—

Why those dull-minded insects acted so swiftly,

Emerging to slaughter the city not long after his avatar disappeared.

And even shamelessly turned the entire Lemon Port into a nest!

There must have been someone commanding them behind the scenes!

Lynn first sent Avril over to investigate the situation there,

To see if the Lord of Decay was present.

If not—

Then damn it, he would finally vent his anger!

He would purify all the insects in the city and avenge those who had died unjustly!

But if the Lord of Decay was there—

Then forget it for now…

He would endure a bit longer.

After all, the town had gained three thousand more believers.

The daily growth rate of Holy Radiance had doubled again and again.

In less than half a month, Lynn could advance to a Fourth-tier Sanctuary.

By then, destroying the Lord of Decay might be as easy as crushing an ant!

So what if it jumped around for a while longer?

Thinking to this point—

Lynn once again cast his divine sense toward the ruins, onto the maid who occupied his thoughts.

Gazing twice a day at the beautiful maid had become a daily ritual for him.

Besides, he wasn’t in a hurry to break through the gargoyle’s guard to seize the Mechanical Maid.

He was still accumulating Holy Radiance for his upgrade.

Spending tens of thousands of Holy Radiance all at once to destroy the gargoyle would only delay his advancement.

After all, that ruin had existed for over a thousand years.

It had been fine for so long—no need to rush now.

But advancing, that was an urgent matter!

As long as the Lord of Decay, that Sixth-tier threat, remained,

Lynn could never truly be at ease.

It was like a sharp sword hanging above his head.

Even during this period of peace, Lynn still felt uneasy.

He worried the Lord of Decay might find Holy Light Town,

Attack it, and destroy his true body.

Now, Holy Light Town was rather well-known throughout the entire Earl of Ladd’s territory.

Even if the Lord of Decay’s spies and subordinates had all been eliminated,

It might still be able to locate the place.

Thus, Lynn always stayed ready for battle.

If the Lord of Decay came, he would fight a positional war against it—

Drag it out until the enemy grew impatient.

Fortunately, the Lord of Decay never appeared in the end.

Even the scattered undead creatures had almost entirely disappeared from within Lynn’s divine sense range.

It was as if that battle back then—

Had wiped out all the undead in the Earl of Ladd’s Territory except for the Lord of Decay.

Now, aside from Lemon Port,

The other towns were unusually quiet.

Even White Rock Fort had reopened for trade.

No more Level-One lockdowns or full martial law.

It seemed that news of the great battle back then

Had somehow spread to the human side.

Once people got wind of it, naturally they became less wary.

No matter how dangerous the environment, people still had to live, had to eat—there was no other choice.

In addition—

There was another noteworthy piece of news.

The Empire’s reward for Old John had finally arrived.

He had indeed been promoted two ranks in a row—from a Baron straight to an Earl.

However, aside from this title and its associated honor, there were no additional rewards.

No gold or silver, and certainly no fief.

In the words of the Imperial high command—

“The Empire is currently in a time of war, fully preparing for battle.”

“To better deal with the Undead Scourge’s next all-out offensive.”

Thus, finances were tight, and the treasury owed much already.

As for land—there was even less to talk about.

Nearly half of the entire northern territories of the Empire had fallen.

Half of its land was lost.

Yet the nobles had fled faster than rabbits, suffering almost no loss.

Even though they were all willing to live safely in the Imperial Capital,

No new fiefs were being granted to any of these old noble families.

So how could a newly promoted minor Earl expect to get one?

Wouldn’t that make them all lose face?

They almost unanimously decided it would suffice to simply give Old John a noble title as a gesture.

As for any substantial rewards—forget it!

Even though they spread the victory at Oak Town far and wide, exaggerating it in grand speeches,

As if humanity had achieved some great triumph against the Undead Scourge…

In short—

For Old John, such a result was still acceptable.

After all, his true intent had only been to secure a hereditary title.

So that his descendants would not fall back into the ranks of commoners.

However, at this moment—

Old John, returning gloriously from the Imperial Holy City of Saint Anna,

Was accompanied not only by a few guards, but also by a silent knight.

That man rode alone behind the convoy on horseback.

His face appeared to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, perhaps a little older.

His short dark-brown hair was trimmed neatly, though several shallow scars marred his otherwise dignified features.

His suit of purple-black metal armor was heavily worn and battered.

He looked every bit the image of a fallen, wandering knight.

However—

Even Old John, the newly promoted Earl at the height of his fame,

Did not dare show the slightest disrespect in front of this knight.

Because this man was a member of one of the Empire’s Twelve Knight Orders—

The Deputy Commander of the Black Rose Knight Order,

Known as 【Silent Bastion】, Brian Price!

At the same time—

He was also a Seventh-tier Sanctuary Knight!

Due to his elevation in rank, Old John had also learned about The Violet Armistice.

And that made him even more astonished!

The Imperial high command had actually risked violating the treaty and being discovered by the undead,

Just to send a Seventh-tier powerhouse to a remote border town with him—

All to verify whether the so-called angel was real or not!?

In truth—

Originally, Oak Town’s achievement and the supposed “angel’s divine power”

Were matters of no importance at all in the eyes of the Empire.

After all, the power level was too low.

The so-called “angel” might very well have just been some powerful individual pretending to be one to conceal their identity.

But ever since information from the Battle of Lemon Port had gradually spread—

Speaking of a Sixteen-winged Supreme Archangel,

Who had beaten a powerful undead lord into utter retreat—

They finally began to take it seriously.

After careful consideration,

They sent a steady and cautious figure to investigate the truth.

As for the treaty issue—

The Imperial high command believed that with 【Silent Bastion】 handling it,

There would be little risk of any problems.

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