Chapter 372: A Different Offering Ceremony
“Riya, you…” Dazzy hesitated, words caught in her throat.
“It’s fine, just stay here and mind your own business. I can guarantee your safety,” Riya assured them.
At her words, the four of them obediently zipped their lips.
They had figured it out: Walian, the Emerald Level powerhouse, remained so on guard around Riya because she had seen through him. So, Riya was at least his equal in strength.
Guess they really came here for some fun…
Yuliya and Walian exchanged glances and suddenly broke into a grin. “I have a bit of a question. Can you help me clear it up?”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ve done some digging, and I found out that previously, during offering ceremonies, at least half of the adventurers made it back. Why is it that this time, it’s an all-or-nothing deal? And why send an Emerald Level like you to oversee the operation personally?”
Emerald Level—quite the feat, even for the Jade Emperor Kingdom. Definitely top-notch.
“This Calamity is far stronger than previous ones, much more bl**d is required this time.”
“bl**d? More like lives, right?”
Walian paused for a moment of silence but eventually nodded. “You’re not wrong.”
The offering ceremony wasn’t about appeasing the heavens; it was about appeasing gods and demons.
Actually, it was just like the situation in the Smoke and Ash Realm, where sacrifices of life were made to please the deities for survival.
What they really wanted was human lives, not just the bl**d of monsters.
That story going around, about fighting monsters? Just a cover-up to pacify the citizens, making it easier for them to swallow the bitter pill.
“Have you ever thought about why this Calamity is so much more powerful this time? Could it be the result of piling up calamities like a snowball effect?”
Delaying the response to this calamity was just kicking the can down the road. The longer it took, the worse it would get, and eventually, it would devour everything.
Walian coldly replied, “That’s not our concern. We only need to carry out orders.”
“Fair enough, but at least you’re aware of the situation,” Yuliya said with a grin.
Well, as long as they knew, there would eventually come a day when they’d have to face it head-on.
“So, from which day did the Soldier Leader know about the extermination plan? The fourth day or the fifth day?”
“The fifth day.”
“Got it.”
Yuliya had basically pieced together what was going on.
The Soldier Leader’s initial behavior was understandable; wanting to take responsibility for everyone’s lives. But then a superior popped up and fired off a new order, and he had no choice but to follow suit.
He started figuring out ways to cut down on the number of adventurers. Although the soldiers were strong and could crush them, too many adventurers would lead to heavy casualties for the soldiers and probably cause a stampede.
Once they finished dealing with one batch of adventurers, they’d have to assist other teams.
So, little by little, he changed the routes to send the adventurers to their doom.
Meanwhile, they stoked suspicion among the adventurers until they were divided and conquered.
But there was one variable, or two, really.
This Gold Level adventurer team needed to be taken seriously, but above all, it was Yuliya herself who mattered most.
Yuliya had noticed the adventurers were dropping like flies on the second night.
Thus, the plan to wipe out all adventurers on the sixth day was pushed back to the seventh.
“So back to that initial question. When you say everyone will d*e, does that include you as well?”
Walian glanced at the soldiers forming a tight circle around them and the Soldier Leader behind him, finally nodding.
“Including us. We will all d*e in this forest.”
This offering ceremony had to end with a total annihilation—no survivors.
Otherwise, if they returned only to report that the adventurers had all perished, they wouldn’t be able to explain it to the citizens.
At the same time, it would serve as a form of penance for them.
“It’s not just this place; other cities will also face complete annihilation during their offering ceremonies. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone on this dead-end road.”
With that, Walian raised his hand and waved it.
The encirclement was completed, trapping the remaining five adventurers in the middle.
The reason he droned on like this was not merely to let out a laughable bit of relief but also to buy some time.
Four Gold Level adventurers and one whose strength was still unknown—but probably not weaker than him—needed careful attention.
Yuliya tilted her head back, ignoring Dazzy tugging at her robe to remind her of the surrounding soldiers, and let out a heavy sigh.
“I acknowledge your determination. But your methods are a bit naïve. Well, I can’t really control how you operate.”
“Let’s talk about something that concerns me. Regardless, you’ve managed to dump the dirty water on me, and those adventurers have had their eyes on me for days. That’s quite irritating.”
“I tend to have a peculiar personality; I don’t like to hold grudges. Grudges are too tiring; I usually settle things on the spot. So…”
Yuliya suddenly raised her hand, beaming a golden light into the sky, sending ripples of energy throughout the area.
“Alert!”
The Soldier Leader immediately barked the order.
The soldiers encircling Yuliya came to a halt, shifting into defensive stances.
Walian eyed Yuliya warily as well, but after three seconds, he noticed she wasn’t making any further moves.
Just a bluff?
Walian was puzzled, but just as he was about to act, he suddenly whipped his head around. “Watch out! Over there!”
As soon as he spoke, a massive figure came barreling through the forest at impressive speeds.
When it fully revealed itself, they all saw it was a giant bear towering over ten meters tall.
“Is that… the Steelback Bear King?!”
“Prepare to engage!”
As the soldiers began to react, the Steelback Bear King charged in, swiping down with its paw and instantly turning two soldiers into a mushy pulp.
With a deafening roar, it sent several others flying, some so critically injured they dropped dead while others lay gravely wounded.
“It really is the Steelback Bear King! How did it appear here? It’s far from its territory!”
The soldiers formed a line to counter the Steelback Bear King, but their attempts were laughable at best. They couldn’t even scratch its armor.
The Soldier Leader rushed forward to assist.
But even he, despite his prowess, barely inflicted any damage on the Steelback Bear King.
Known for its defensive strength, the massive beast was an Emerald Level BOSS—not something a Gold Level Soldier Leader could faze.
In a frenzy, the Steelback Bear King slapped left and right, even ripping a tree out of the ground to use as a weapon, clearing a path as it charged forward.
A whirlwind of destruction erupted, akin to a farming simulator gone haywire.
Then suddenly, with a thunderous roar, it leapt into the air, clearly preparing for something grand.
But just as it launched upward, it froze mid-jump, spotting a tiny human below. It immediately halted its movement and crashed down, sprawling out like a clumsy pup.
Then it rolled over and, in a goofy manner, let out several grunts towards them.
The soldiers and Dazzy, bracing for impact, were left utterly baffled.
You look at me, I look at you, and then back at the enormous bear.
“Tsk, this scene is a bit underwhelming,” Yuliya scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Whatever, it’s just a bear; not a big deal.”
