After having their fun, the Black Mages did not linger. They knew full well that indulging themselves too much at this time could easily affect the "purity" of the sacrifices.
One by one, they withdrew their hands in satisfaction and put away their mocking smiles.
The hall immediately returned to an oppressive silence, with only the women's trembling breaths remaining.
The women wore numb expressions, their eyes seeming to have lost all light.
They sat on the floor blankly like puppets, allowing others to manipulate them as they pleased.
The filth and humiliation from earlier still lingered in the air, like an invisible haze hanging overhead and making it hard to breathe.
One of the Black Mages suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "It's not as if you have no hope of surviving."
Upon hearing those words, the women's lifeless eyes suddenly trembled. They all raised their heads, a trace of unbelievable light appearing in their gazes.
Their lips quivered, and something close to longing burst forth in their eyes.
Seeing this, the mage's lips curled into a cold, sinister arc as he continued slowly, "From now on, you only need to remain optimistic. The method of sacrifice... will be decided by random selection."
Low murmurs instantly arose in the hall. The women looked at one another, and life gradually returned to their eyes.
Some tightly grasped their companions' hands, tears spilling from their eyes. Some pressed their palms together as though praying silently. Others trembled as they whispered, "Maybe... maybe I can survive..."
Ang watched coldly from the corner and sighed inwardly.
The light rekindled in the women's eyes was precisely what the Black Mages wanted.
Sure enough, the mage's smile deepened.
They exchanged glances and sneered inwardly. Only hope turning into despair made the most