Crossing the Boundary (Part Two)

On the other side, the mages had completed their spell preparations as well. Numerous glass bottles had been arranged atop the trestle, each filled with pure souls.

What a lavish display, Jeren thought.

He knew how difficult it was to refine souls. Even during the assault on World Island, the mages had only used them at the most critical moments. Yet this time, they had brought out nearly a hundred bottles.

Heaven knew where all these souls had been gathered from.

At the duke's command, the soldiers began to turn the winches on the boxes with all their strength.

The iron boxes' side walls slowly drew together, inch by inch squeezing away the prisoners' living space.

Jeren could not help but feel surprised. Did His Excellency intend to crush the prisoners to death alive? There was nothing particularly improper about such an execution method. Carrying it out in the Imperial capital's plaza might even serve as a warning to others. But executing people like this amid the ice and snow of the Permafrost Sea felt rather superfluous.

"Your Excellency, are you planning to...?"

He had only just spoken when Aurora cut off his question.

"This is not meaningless torment. It is the key to triggering a soul tremor," she said calmly. "Have you ever heard of a Lesser Evil Spirit called an Abyss Ghost?"

Jeren honestly shook his head.

He could talk for an entire afternoon about types of cannons and ship-handling techniques, but his understanding of Lesser Evil Spirits remained little more than the impression that they were bizarre and troublesome enemies.

Opportunities to encounter Lesser Evil Spirits at sea were rare.

"That is the Eastern name. They divide Lesser Evil Spirits into six categories, then name them according to their traits. In this regard, they have done better