In a space of pure white, twelve phantom figures sat around a circular conference table.
They wore spotless white robes, bathed in a milky glow that gave off an air of sanctity.
A closer look revealed that there were actually thirteen chairs at the table, though one of them was empty.
This was the Holy Hall of the Torch Church.
Put simply, it was where the Trailblazers of the Sanctuary held their meetings.
An old man in a gray robe stood at the center of the circular table.
His face was covered in wrinkles and his eyes were clouded. Neither his dull skin nor his robe fit in with this sacred meeting room.
His name was Alzu, and he had just returned from Jincheng City.
Facing the Trailblazers seated at the conference table, he wore a devout expression and spoke solemnly, recounting the events as though delivering a prayer during worship.
"The Jincheng City parish has fallen. We have lost contact with the remnants of Singularity City."
"They fought bravely to the very end, but our enemies showed them no mercy. They cut off their heads and burned them into charred husks. Their bodies filled Jincheng City's underground transit network..."
By the end, a trace of grief had entered his voice.
As his words fell, even the expressionless Trailblazers seated around the table stirred slightly.
They exchanged glances and whispered under their breath, conveying their shock and unease through their expressions alone.
"What barbarity!"
"...They didn't leave even one alive."
That settlement, which had once sheltered countless survivors, had met such an end. It was truly lamentable.
Those residents had been "pioneers" who embraced evolution. Though they had chosen a different path from the Trailblazers present, they had all been progressives brave enough to take the first step.
Yet those