Furan instantly decapitated the one who spoke first with a Wind Blade.
To her, she already possessed the power to crush any resistance; the only reason she didn't go on a killing spree was that it wasn't cost-effective, as recklessly killing everyone would only drive them all to oppose her.
While she could still force the entire city to obey her through sheer strength, it would consume more time, and that was simply too inefficient.
Furan's strike was so decisive and without warning that not a single person present could react in time.
Only after Xavier's head had come to a rest on the ground did the crowd opposite her let out screams of terror.
"Ah!" The commoner standing next to Xavier began to tremble, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"This is the fate of those who question my God's decisions."
Only then did Furan speak slowly, briefly explaining the reason for her sudden strike.
None of the commoners facing her dared to respond; they stood rooted to the spot, not even daring to move a muscle.
It was truly terrifying; their leader had been decapitated in an instant, leaving them without the courage to provoke her further.
Had Furan merely attacked Xavier, they might have found the courage to fight her under his instigation.
But Furan had killed him effortlessly with a single blow, all while maintaining an air of utter contempt.
This made them fear they would be the next to lose their lives, keeping them frozen in place.
Furan scanned the commoners; those she looked at instinctively lowered their gaze, not daring to meet her eyes.
Furan turned around and instructed the 'Half-Dragon People':
"Dispose of the body and take these people to the pre-designated location."
The 'Half-Dragon People' immediately sprang into action upon hearing the order. One Half-Dragon looked at the commoners with a disdainful gaze and said rudely:
"Follow me now."
The commoners didn't dare resist; having lost their pillar of support, they were at a loss and could only follow him.
Seeing that the situation was being handled, Furan turned and walked toward the center of the square.
Nearby, Tols witnessed the entire process. With a grim expression, he quickly headed back.
---
Tols hurried back to Eugene's side and explained what he had just seen.
After hearing Tols's account, Eugene beamed with joy, as if he had encountered something wonderful.
"What is it, Priest Eugene?" Tols asked, puzzled. Why was he smiling so happily? Their opponent was so ruthless she killed without blinking; shouldn't they be on Guard?
Eugene looked around to ensure no outsiders were watching, then turned to Tols and explained:
"I'm happy because our enemies have pushed even more people to the opposing side, which will only accelerate their own demise."
"That Divine Envoy did this to deal with Xavier, but they haven't dealt with the group Xavier represented."
"The conflict between them will only grow more intense, allowing us to return to this Temple even sooner."
In Eugene's vision, while he was confident he could reclaim the Temple from these commoners, it was certainly not something that could be done overnight.
According to his plan, it would take at least a month. During this time, he needed to win over the commoners, divide his opponents, and gather enough strength to overthrow them.
This process couldn't be rushed, as those commoners had truly used raw power to take the Temple and cripple the entire Guard Team.
This act had established the commoners' prestige, making almost everyone want to wait and see; no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out or be the lackey who died alongside them.
However, the other side had recklessly and swiftly executed an influential leader. This would undoubtedly breed resentment, making his plan to win over more people go even more smoothly.
Eugene glanced at the 'Half-Dragon People' standing as Guards in the square, a smile remaining on his face while his heart raced with excitement, as if he had already won.
---
The sunlight had almost vanished, leaving only a sliver of the setting sun on the horizon, while half the sky had turned black.
At this moment, in the square of Monsa City, lighting fixtures were placed nearly every two meters, yet they still failed to illuminate every corner.
The square was now packed with people, jostling against one another, making it difficult for the light to penetrate the crowd and illuminate more of the area.
Eugene and Tols were squeezed into the crowd of the Priest faction, their faces full of displeasure.
Ever since they became Priests, they had never had to huddle with a crowd in a place like this, their movements restricted by the bodies of others.
But they also knew they couldn't lash out now; doing so would merely give the opponent an opportunity to make an example of them, leading to a pointless death.
The sun finally sank completely behind the mountains, making the torchlight seem a bit brighter.
Only then did Furan finally step onto the platform.
She scanned the thousands of citizens gathered around, raising an eyebrow in surprise that the entire square was packed.
She had previously worried that the timing was too tight—having broken in at noon and giving a speech that same evening—fearing that the turnout might be low due to the rush.
She clapped her hands, signaling the 'Half-Dragon People' below to maintain order. Once the area had quieted down slightly, she began using a magical technique to amplify her voice.
"Residents of Monsa City, welcome."
"I am the Divine Envoy. Allow me to represent my God and tell you about what happened today."
"Today, my God dispatched me and His blessed people to stop the False God from continuing to deceive Monsa. We have slain the Priests who served the False God just to save their own lives, and we have liberated Monsa."
"I am very happy to share this joyous news with all of Monsa."
Furan's face was full of smiles, as if she truly was delighted to share such good news.
Her words caused Eugene to frown; he hadn't expected her to dare speak in such a manner.
He had originally thought they would at most suppress the Priests, but he never imagined she would directly call the god worshipped by all of Monsa City a False God.
This was a slap in the face to the entire city, as if saying they were all wrong and only she was right.
He was now beginning to doubt whether she had gathered so many people to win their hearts or if she was performing some kind of bizarre performance art.
Furan's words were very effective; nearly every citizen who heard them looked displeased and began whispering among themselves.
Furan ignored the murmurs below and continued:
"Next, let us judge the sinners before God, and I will show you exactly what errors they have committed."
Furan raised her hand, signaling for the prisoners to be brought forward.
The sight of the prisoners being brought up caused a gasp from the crowd; they were all still wearing their priestly robes, but their bodies were so battered that not a single patch of skin was unharmed, and they were being dragged across the ground.
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