Vol 2 Chapter 143 The Unknown Distance
"Arrival?" Sylutia couldn't understand the word, she could only guess it was so high-ranking title within the cult.
Seeing this "Demon Contractor" kneel, the other cult mbers in the group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to react.
About ten minutes later, the group ca to a complete stop. The Demon Contractor led around ten stronger Second Tier mbers to stand before Sylutia.
"Great Arrival, our operation this ti was to gather sacrifices needed for the sect's ritual," he stated bluntly, revealing the purpose of their mission.
"Ritual, sacrifices." The girl rubbed her brow, sensing she had run into a serious problem.
"First, tell which sect you belong to, and explain how you usually survive and operate." She wanted to know exactly what the Hundred-Eyes Sect was about.
Then the Demon Contractor began to lay out, point by point, the internal structure of the Hundred-Eyes Sect and how they lived and developed.
In a sense, the Hundred-Eyes Sect was very similar to other supernatural schools, made up of people focused on a particular Path or profession. The earliest Hundred-Eyes Sect erged in the Seventh Era, when the alien star arrived in the world and brought many Astral Plane creatures. Their forms were wildly varied, and so resembled the Eye Tyrants.
Those who worshipped and envied these astral beings began to study and imitate them. In that era many sects worshipping astral creatures sprang up, but not every astral lifeform was suitable for humans—so could not be mimicked, so could not be controlled, so were too difficult to learn, and so were too weak. In the end only a few kinds of creatures were adopted by sects; among them was the Hundred-Eyes Sect, which revered the Eye Tyrants.
The Hundred-Eyes Sect worshipped a great astral being called the "Master Who Gazes All Truth," said to possess 740 million eyeballs, able to simultaneously behold the births and destructions of countless worlds. It was itself an immortal existence.
To draw closer to this great being, mbers of the Hundred-Eyes Sect prided themselves on mastering multiple ocular techniques and growing many pairs of eyes. This signified they could see the world more clearly and thus grasp truth.
Because of their ocular techniques, sect mbers were excellent scouts and could use their skills to confuse ordinary people, making life and operations much easier. This significantly enhanced their chances of survival.
Normally, the sect established bases far from cities, places where only core believers could live. Ordinary cultists and peripheral mbers scattered among common society in various regions.
They collected donations from followers as operating funds, but it was often insufficient. More frequently, they colluded with certain nobles, providing special potions, helping eliminate rivals, or doing other unsavory tasks. Nobles were wealthier than ordinary people and supplied much of the sect's inco.
However, because powerful nobles often held the Castle rank, which made it difficult to use ocular techniques on them and control them, converting the upper class into followers had always been difficult for the Hundred-Eyes Sect.
Unable to gain influence at the top, the sect long remained among society's lower tiers, recruiting disgruntled Transcendents or duping villagers into mbership.
Those who truly rose to the sect's core were people who both worshipped the alien star's power and clearly understood the sect's nature. They preserved the Hundred-Eyes Sect's traditions, excelled at ritual secrets, and often served as heads of local branches, unifying scattered believers and bringing new mbers and strength to the sect.
After listening to the Demon Contractor's account, Sylutia realized that even inside an evil cult, advancing to a high rank required sobriety and learning ability. The fanatic and unlearned mostly ended up cannon fodder.
Studying really is the fastest way to change one's fate, she thought privately.
Having grasped the sect's general situation, Sylutia asked about their current status with Prince Jabers.
"The prince is currently at the valley stronghold with the Sect Leader, preparing the next ritual. We have also found enough people to serve as sacrifices for that ceremony," he reported.
"Prince Jabers has beco a follower of your sect?" Sylutia asked, a little surprised.
"Not yet, but many of us believe he will beco one of us sooner or later," the Demon Contractor said confidently.
"It seems a lot has happened in this ti." Sylutia didn't press for details. It was ti to free those imprisoned and take them away.
At Sylutia's request, the Demon Contractor ordered his mbers to unbind the prisoners.
So believers harbored doubts and confusion, but faced with the powerful Demon Contractor and the mysterious girl, they knew they couldn't resist and did not disobey.
Half an hour later, the freed miners thanked Sylutia again, so of them barely able to form coherent sentences.
"If not for Great Sylutia, we probably would not have escaped this ti."
After two consecutive terrible encounters, these people were severely lacking in security. Once they finished thanking Sylutia, they urgently sought a way to obtain power to protect themselves.
"Don't worry, I have already found so suitable instructors for you." At Sylutia's wave and signal, Karen rode over.
She had chased after Sylutia down the hillside not long ago and had seen the girl stop the group and successfully subdue these strange cultists.
"Tia, what is this?" Karen had many questions.
"I'll explain later, Sister Karen. First help escort these people back," Sylutia pulled Karen closer so she could et the refugees who had escaped Scorchstone City.
Among these four hundred people, a few had encountered Karen before in Scorchstone City. After a round of introductions, they instantly grew cordial.
Karen quickly gathered them and prepared to head toward Scorchstone City.
After handling the hermitage's refugees, many other captured villagers remained. They weren't far from ho and could mostly find their way, so Sylutia released them outright.
A small number of Anty soldiers, however, gave Sylutia more trouble.
They belonged to different garrison units and many did not know one another; so did not even know how to return to their original posts.
"Who among you holds the highest rank?" Sylutia asked one of the leaders.
"I do." A Second Tier officer stepped forward, clutching a shoulder wound. His left arm had been pierced by an Eye Tyrant during the fight; now he only had one arm.
"You should be familiar with Anty's garrison deploynt in Regas. Lead these soldiers away," Sylutia ordered.
The officer studied the girl's face for a few seconds, seemingly trying to commit her appearance to mory.
"Thank you, foreign maiden." He dropped to one knee and saluted solemnly, then stood and shouted orders, gathering the soldiers around him.
Soldiers, trained to obey, were easy to rally. Under his lead, they found a direction and departed.
By now, apart from a few still without a place to go, the plain was left mostly with mbers of the Hundred-Eyes Sect.
Sylutia approached the few who remained standing and asked why they had not left.
A tall, skinny boy about eleven stood there with a seven-year-old sister by his side.
"Why aren't you leaving?" Sylutia crouched down to ask.
"I want to learn powerful abilities from you so I can protect my sister," he said, his eyes unusually bright as he stared at the girl.
"I see." Sylutia blinked, then turned to the little girl.
"What about you, any other family?"
"I—I have no other family." The girl answered timidly.
"My father was killed by the Anty, my mother... my mother wasn't here yesterday either. Now I'm with my brother."
"I understand." Sylutia thought briefly.
"How about this: first go live with that big sister over there, I'll co by later and teach you so basics. How does that sound?" She pointed toward Karen, not far away.
The boy hesitated, stubbornly thinking Sylutia was consoling him. The little girl nodded.
"Okay, thank you, sister."
Seeing the sister agree so easily, the boy panicked and tried to cover her mouth, but with Sylutia standing before them he dared not use force.
"Don't be so anxious," Sylutia read his thoughts.
"Go on over first."
Then the boy, realizing he could no longer be willful, loosened his grip and led his sister toward Karen.
Halfway there he turned back.
"Sis... no, Great One, can you punish those bad people?" he asked.
"So many people died because of them—my mom, my dad, the old lady next door, the uncle who used to bring us fish."
"Which bad people do you an?" Sylutia asked.
"The ones in red robes, those Anty who left, the nobles who bullied us, the bandits who robbed our house, and..." He tried to list everyone who had ever hard them from mory.
"I understand how you feel, but I can't possibly punish all the people you ntioned, and I don't even know exactly who they are or where they are," Sylutia shook her head.
"If you want revenge, then train hard. But more important than revenge is your sister—right now she can only rely on you. You're the last family she has."
After Sylutia's words, the boy looked at his sister. His furious expression softened.
"You're right," he said, crouching to pick up his sister and hold her close. Tears involuntarily welled in his eyes.
"But it hurts so much; we'll never see those people again."
Hearing that, the sister, at a loss how to respond, could only make a childish sound to comfort her brother.
Watching their figures fade into the distance, Sylutia stood still for a long ti.
A sudden sense of sorrow welled up in her. Whether they were innocent civilians caught up in events, ordinary Anty soldiers, or fanatical, ignorant lower-tier believers, these people—though from different forces—were all dust crushed under the wheels of elite conflicts.
The Kingdom of Ante occupied Regas; countless high officers and nobles grew rich and lived indulgent lives. Most ordinary Anty soldiers rely changed guard posts. The forr Regas civilians who once paid taxes to local nobles now paid taxes to the Anty and endured the ravages of war.
As for the base-level followers of the Hundred-Eyes Sect, their prayers would never be answered; their lives were rely materials squandered by the sect's upper echelons.
Even in this fantastical world, much of history mirrored what she had learned on Earth. What could she change? It was nature for living beings to seek advantage and avoid harm, to admire strength and power.
Enough—she decided not to dwell on it further. Thinking more would only make her uncomfortable. She was not one who craved power, nor did she want to be dragged into the whirlpool of the era's conflicts.
Turning, Sylutia looked at the cultists waiting for her orders.
"You..." Now she felt troubled, unsure how to handle them.
Clearly these cultists would be hard to reintegrate into normal society. If set free, they'd likely return to recruiting followers, finding resources for sacrifices, and chasing the alien star's power.
But killing them all here would be too brutal. Many lower-level believers had been deceived and, while they had committed harm, they did not deserve death.
How to deal with their fate? Sylutia pressed her fingers to her brow, searching for a better solution.
"Great Arrival." The Demon Contractor again approached and knelt on one knee before Sylutia.
"Please follow to the valley headquarters. The Sect Leader will be extrely pleased by your arrival."
"And with you present, the success rate of the ritual will be greatly improved." Yet Sylutia had no idea what the Hundred-Eyes Sect's ritual entailed and wondered why they were so certain she could preside.
"I understand." She waved her palm, telling the Demon Contractor to stand and wait aside.
She then walked back toward a remaining middle-aged man who had not yet been assigned a place.
"Why aren't you leaving either?" Sylutia looked at the weary, hollow-faced man.
At her question he slowly lifted his head.
"I'm not leaving. I have no ho, no family, and no will to live."
"Let follow those cultists. I only want to see things in this world I've never seen." His gaze darkened again after he spoke.
Sylutia saw he was gravely ill and had suffered for a long ti. Without treatnt he had perhaps a month or two left.
She had intended to say more to comfort him, but when faced with his hollow, sorrowful eyes, shallow words felt empty.
With a quiet sigh, Sylutia ceased her persuasion.
"Then follow . I'll go see for myself what ritual is being brewed at that valley headquarters."
Bidding Karen farewell with a wave, Sylutia followed the group in the direction they had co from. Hidden among those mountains lay the Hundred-Eyes Sect's headquarters and an unknown, grand ritual underway.
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