Wang Zhifan followed his lead and noticed that the city square ahead was densely packed with people, possibly around two thousand, gathered to watch sothing. However, due to the limited view from the street, they couldn’t see the square’s overall situation clearly.
"I sll kerosene... could it be..."
Upon hearing this, Gate’s face imdiately darkened. He urged his old horse beneath him to speed up a bit.
Wang Zhifan did the sa. With his superior perception ability, he roughly guessed what was happening in the square ahead.
A few minutes later, the two passed through the intersection and reached the city square.
Due to the large crowd, they could only stop at the outskirts to watch. Fortunately, being on horseback, they were tall enough to see over the crowd and get a clear view of the low platform in the square’s center.
It was a platform made of large stone slabs, with two vertical iron fras erected on it. Two people tightly bound by ropes hung from these iron fras.
Beneath them, two piles of kerosene-soaked firewood had been stacked into a cone shape. Several fully ard guards surrounded the stone platform, and soone holding a torch was ready to ignite it at any mont.
Amidst them stood an elderly man in a black robe, loudly addressing the onlookers, although the noise of the crowded square made it hard to hear clearly.
"They really are burning witches."
Wang Zhifan instantly recognized the event currently happening here as the real witch burning he had heard about from the village at the start.
According to his perceptual probe, the two about to be burned were relatively young won. There was supernatural energy in their bodies, yet sohow it was locked, which was likely why they were bound and about to be burned alive, unable to resist.
While pondering, Wang Zhifan noticed that the demon hunter Gate beside him wore a look of extre shock. He surprisingly removed the eyepatch he was wearing, glanced intently at the bound individuals afar, then pulled his hood up to cover his face, swiftly dismounted, and squeezed into the crowd in the square, relying on his tall and robust build to push others aside, striving to get closer to the central area.
"What’s wrong with him? Enjoying the spectacle? Or did he discover sothing?"
It was the first ti Wang Zhifan had seen this young demon hunter so out of sorts. He thought about it, didn’t dismount to follow, but subtly released a Dream Avatar to follow, taking advantage of the avatar’s non-physical properties to easily catch up behind the exertingly advancing Gate.
Not long after, through the avatar’s vision, he saw Gate finally reach near the central low platform. The demon hunter raised his hood-hidden head slightly, staring straight at one of the won hanging from the iron fra, disbelief written all over his face, revealing an aura of hopelessness.
"Irina... you..."
He could only hear him laboriously moving his lips, trying to say a na but suppressing it out of fear that voicing it would bring him considerable trouble due to the surrounding pressure.
At the sa ti, his body trembled almost imperceptibly. Several tis, he attempted to raise his arm and draw the longsword hidden under his cloak, but reason made him desist.
The current environnt was too harsh, and with his ability, it was utterly impossible to change the cruel reality. Recklessness would only result in getting himself involved.
This feeling montarily plunged him into extre pain, his facial muscles twisting into multiple parts. He desperately wanted to do sothing, but the reason he had cultivated for so long prevented further action, like a partially paralyzed person battling with illness for control of his body.
"It seems there’s soone he knows among those about to be burned and very close to him; otherwise, he wouldn’t be so agitated... Typically, others at this juncture would rush forward to rescue without hesitation, but he didn’t, because he knew it was impossible. With his abilities, there’s no way to save a person from so many guards."
While Wang Zhifan observed Gate’s situation through the infiltrative avatar, he pondered the current scenario. He couldn’t precisely know Gate’s thoughts, but he could broadly guess that Gate was trapped in great pain and despair, only able to watch as soone important to him was burned alive under the harsh reality and cold reason.
"Ugh~"
"Uh-wooh~"
On the iron fra, the two won who felt they were about to et their end amidst ashes struggled with all their might to break free from the bonds around them. However, the ropes were terrifyingly resilient, and they couldn’t loosen at all. What’s more despairing was that their tongues had been cut off long ago, rendering them unable to emit normal sounds, only able to cry out incomprehensible final pleas for help like lambs to the slaughter, before turning into ashes amidst futile struggles.
"Citizens! The cris committed by these two evil witches have been clearly stated! I hereby announce the execution to comnce!"
Below the pyre, the black-robed elder finally finished his lengthy proclamation, bringing this public execution to its real implentation. Through this execution, he intended to demonstrate to the populace the imnse power of the kingdom, firmly standing on the side of justice without hesitation in seizing all from the two wicked witches.
Of course, the so-called wickedness was all additional. He had fabricated enough charges even if those tongue-less wretches couldn’t defend themselves -- everything had to sound convincing to the people below, with no evident loopholes.
"Ignite!"
Following this, the head of the guards commanded the two torch-bearers. Standing next to the kerosene-soaked woodpiles, they only needed to throw torches together to set the two large fires ablaze, bringing the event to a satisfactory conclusion.
Rewind to monts earlier, when Gate, engulfed by hopelessness and numbness, heard a young man’s voice in his ear.
"Need help? Do what you want to do and don’t leave lifelong regrets."
"But..."
Although Gate wasn’t particularly surprised hearing Wang Zhifan’s voice, he had no ntal energy to wonder when Wang Zhifan caught up. He was endeavoring to decide what course of action to take.
"No buts! Is there anything without risk? If you dare act, I’ll definitely assist you! Make your choice!"
Wang Zhifan’s response through the avatar fell like the last weight on the scales, setting a blaze of bold resolve in the heart of soone who was already despairing, firmly overpowering the will to retreat dictated by reason.
Because he recalled the intimate past with the one being executed. Abandoning her would undoubtedly cast a massive, indelible shadow over his life. He also rembered Wang Zhifan’s shown strength and mystery along the journey; with his assistance, miracles might truly be possible.
"Frost Seal!"
The mont the demon hunter Gate, having made his final decision, fearlessly took action as the two guards were about to ignite the woodpiles.
He chose to extend his left hand to cast a maximum-intensity Frost Seal, letting the freezing power cover the largest area to simultaneously snuff out two torches, eliminating the current greatest threat. Simultaneously, his right hand swiftly drew the longsword from his back, his feet suddenly gaining power and his figure crashing through the crowd toward the pyre in a charge.
"He actually chose to save two people; could he know both?"
Witnessing this scene, Wang Zhifan was amazed by the demon hunter’s character. At such a critical mont, he understood to care for others, which was a rare quality, especially since he previously showed concern only for one of the condemned, with little reaction toward the other.
However, although Gate was fast, the guards around the platform ahead weren’t slow, especially the black-robed elder who had just finished his speech. A disdainful smile flashed across his face.
"Guards! Stop him!"
"Fireball Technique!"
Amidst his loud calls for nearby guards to defend, he flung two large fireballs at the woodpiles, determined to complete the execution.
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