Chapter 179: Penalties for defeat

Phield rubbed his brow. “Ten lashes, and half a month’s pay deducted. Punishment will be carried out after the battle.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

The soldier wiped the cold sweat from his face, inwardly relieved. As long as he kept his life, that was enough.

“Why did you attack me?”

Phield’s voice turned cold.

“Heh, what do you understand? If you and I died together, my children would inherit my title cleanly and restore the family’s glory. I knew Mai betrayed me and joined the Shadow World Sect, but I chose not to expose her—because she would never harm her own children.”

Baron Mountain Ape cackled.

“Whether the Empress wins or the Shadow World Sect wins, our family will survive.”

“Nice plan. Too bad I won’t leave a single one of you. Let me give you a couple of slaps first—see if that clears your head.”

Phield leaned down, smiling mockingly by his ear, then struck him twice across the face, leaving his mouth full of blood.

Then, as if performing a trick, he pulled out a vial from his pocket. Narrowing his eyes, Phield said, “Let’s try a specialty of Nightfall Domain—Vital Essence Oil. Care to guess what it does?”

“Hah, don’t think I’ll give in. Hannah will kill every last one of you.”

Baron Mountain Ape remained defiant. “You’ll all be buried here with me!”

“Is that so?”

After removing the baron’s artifact, Phield walked to the window and splashed the Vital Essence Oil directly onto the monsters swarming below.

“Roar! Roar!”

The monsters howled, their bodies heating up as if ignited from within.

Phield turned back. He had to keep up appearances—this world did not allow nobles to be killed casually. Acting as if nothing had happened, he announced publicly, “I will not pursue your offense, but I will no longer provide protection.”

With that, Phield led the soldiers away from the nearly overrun first floor, severing Baron Mountain Ape’s limbs and leaving him behind.

In an instant, the frenzied monsters broke through doors and windows, swarming toward him. But instead of tearing him apart immediately, they extended all kinds of grotesque appendages.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“N-No—please, just kill me! I was wrong!”

The baron’s smug expression was replaced by pure terror. The monsters didn’t kill him outright—they began to play with his body.

Phield’s vision conveniently censored itself. The scene before him was far too disturbing.

Amid bloodcurdling screams, Baron Mountain Ape became nothing but a blur—until he was finally torn to pieces.

“Serves you right. Nothing but trouble.”

Phield shook his head. Even though he hadn’t personally killed him, if other nobles found out, they would still make an issue of it. Nobles were troublesome creatures.

Even the Empress had to tread carefully when killing one. One misstep, and they might drag their lands and kin into rebellion.

“Hold the line. I have a feeling the goddess will protect us.”

Phield shouted calmly. On Rosalia’s side, the battle was nearing its end.

“Um… I want to help too.”

Gogris, her mouth stained with blood, had already taken up her weapon. There was a hint of courage in her eyes now.

⸻

On the other side—

Two heavily injured figures collided, energy bursting outward violently. The surrounding forest had already been reduced to something resembling plowed farmland.

Almost simultaneously, both fell from the sky.

Phield’s nerves were stretched to the limit.

Both struggled, forcing themselves up from the ground.

“Madwoman.”

Hannah was afraid now. Her eyes were filled with wariness. She had crushed Rosalia’s heart twice with divine techniques—yet she still couldn’t kill her. Meanwhile, her own divine power was nearly depleted.

“How can a second-tier be this strong? Is corruption inherently this powerful?”

Corrupted Divine Chosen were almost all combat-oriented—driven purely by destruction and slaughter, even more unreasonable than the cultists.

Though the Empire rarely spoke of corruption, as a Divine Chosen, Hannah knew some of the basics.

“But this ends now.” Hannah forced herself to stand. “Today—you die.”

“Huff… huff…”

Rosalia struggled to prop herself up with her greatsword. Her body trembled as she suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of blood.

“Is she going to lose…?”

Phield’s heart sank. The only option left would be to have Rosalia disengage her artifact and retreat. But if that happened, the Shadow World Sect would never stop hunting them.

“The dance is about to end.” Rosalia forced a smile. “How could I disappoint Phield?”

Hannah suddenly trembled violently. Unable to suppress her injuries any longer, she dropped to her knees, coughing up blood. “What’s happening…? My strength—it’s gone.”

Behind her, a gaping hole the size of a bowl had opened. Inside, her organs had already rotted away, grotesque parasites still chewing greedily, devouring her life force.

As if her power had been cut off, Hannah collapsed to the ground.

Phield was ecstatic. “Holy shit—she really pulled off a higher-tier kill. Rosalia, if this were a movie, you’d definitely be the main character.”

“Of course. Though… what’s a movie…?”

Rosalia swayed, her condition reaching its limit.

Fortunately, several parasites that had devoured Hannah’s life force wriggled back, their crimson bodies dissolving into streams of bloodlines that Rosalia absorbed. Only then did her brows relax slightly, her complexion improving.

“Good thing I got an extra skill. Is this the bond between the same kind? Thanks, Acorn.”

Dead Acorn: I have no objections.

The surrounding red monsters suddenly froze. Then, with eerie expressions, they turned toward the fallen Hannah and rushed forward.

“What are you doing?! Damn it—I created you!”

Hannah lay on the ground, weakly shouting.

“…What are they doing?”

The red monsters ignored her completely. They didn’t attack Rosalia either.

They grabbed Hannah, letting out grotesque laughter as more monsters piled in.

They had been transformed into monsters by her, tormented, and forced to kill. Now that they were free, they naturally sought revenge.

What followed was not something fit to be seen.

“Don’t look, don’t look. This will corrupt young minds.”

The scene was far too disturbing. Rosalia covered her eyes with her small hands.

All kinds of disturbing sounds echoed through the mountains.

“A defeat scene? So this really is a world straight out of an adult game…”

Phield was stunned. With no male characters around, could even summoned creatures take part?

“What a shame. If she hadn’t already been contracted, I might have saved her.”

As things stood, it was better not to get any closer.

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