Brushing Off His Sleeves After the Deed Was Done

"Fire elemental disturbance! Oh no! The enemy is casting Forbidden Spell! Scatter!"

As soon as the white-haired old man finished speaking, the Church members who had been gathered together to defend themselves scattered and fled like frightened birds.

The anticipated Forbidden Spell didn't land. Instead, the team's dispersal gave Beldens an opportunity, and the number of victims kept increasing...

Realizing they had been tricked, there was nothing they could do.

This is an open conspiracy. Maxim can control Forbidden Spell at will; if they don't dodge, what falls will be a true Forbidden Spell.

If their small bodies were to withstand Forbidden Spell, there's a 99% chance they'd be reduced to ashes, with only a 1% chance of leaving behind some remains.

Choosing to dodge would destroy the original defensive formation. Faced with Beldens' sneak attack, an eighth-tier paladin might be able to withstand a couple of blows if he was prepared, but the rest would be doomed.

The difference in strength was too great. No matter how well prepared they were, they couldn't stop a Holy Domain expert from launching a sneak attack!

Mages are especially vulnerable; even an eighth-rank Great Sorcerer has no chance to struggle once Beldens gets close.

The Giant Dragon drew everyone's attention from the front, while the Earth Bear launched a sneak attack from behind. This perfect combination left the Church delegation speechless.

Watching helplessly as their ranks dwindled, they wanted to organize a counterattack but didn't know where to begin.

They originally thought that the Dragon Knight Hudson would be a weakness, but unfortunately the Giant Dragon didn't engage in close combat with them, instead just harassing them with magic from afar in the sky.

They had advanced less than five kilometers when they were attacked seven times. The original team of more than two hundred people had now been reduced to more than half.

Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Yelachich said with a gloomy face, "Those hypocritical nobles value their reputation the most. Hudson's willingness to stoop to a sneak attack clearly shows that he has no intention of letting us leave alive."

The gunfire has ceased; the enemy navy is everywhere outside. Our previously devised evacuation plan is now no longer feasible.

For now, our only option is to hide on the island and wait for the fog to cover the sea again before we have a chance to break through and leave.

If everyone gathers together, we'll be too conspicuous and easily spotted by the enemy. From now on, we'll split up and our survival will depend entirely on luck.

"As long as someone is alive, take the message back and let..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a shower of meteorites falling from the sky.

"The enemy's sneak attack is on again!"

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Yelachich could no longer hesitate and decisively ordered, "Split up!"

This order was extremely cruel, meaning that most of the team would die in the enemy's pursuit.

But there was no other way. Rather than gathering together and being worn down by wave after wave of enemy ambushes, it was better to scatter and hide, seeking a glimmer of hope.

Since the enemy destroyed the ship, even if everyone gathered together, there was no way to evacuate from Poison Dragon Island.

Now they can only gamble with their lives, hoping that once the fog blankets this sea area again, merchant ships will stray into the area, giving them a chance to leave.

Otherwise, they would be trapped and starve to death on this deserted island.

The scattering of the troops did indeed give them a glimmer of hope, but it also created an opportunity for Beldens.

What was originally a sneak attack has now turned into a full-blown chase. When disaster strikes, everyone flees for their lives; there's no need to outrun the enemy, just outrun your own comrades.

The white-haired old man running at the front of the group suddenly realized something was wrong. He felt something was watching him from behind. When he turned around, he was shocked to see the Giant Dragon that had caught up with him.

"Count Hudson, let's talk this over! We're all..."

Before the old man could finish speaking, a rain of fire enveloped the area, startling him into hastily taking cover.

Unfortunately, it was all in vain. They dodged the magical attack, but they couldn't dodge Maxim's Dragon Tail Sweep.

The mage's fragile nature was exposed at this moment. Even with a magical shield, he couldn't avoid being smashed into mincemeat.

The old man only realized the problem in his last moments before he died.

They had no grudges against each other, yet they didn't kill so many of his underlings along the way, but instead singled him out to hunt him down. It was clear they were after the "Scepter of Glory" in his hand.

Unfortunately, it was too late to realize all this. If he had reacted earlier while fleeing and thrown the artifact in his hand, he would not have died so quickly.

Hudson put away the Scepter of Glory and sighed. It wasn't that he was ruthless; the item was simply too troublesome, leaving him no choice but to silence it.

He hadn't realized it when the divine sword was taken away, but when the old man used his staff to cast Forbidden Spell, he recognized it as the legendary "Scepter of Glory".

The Sacred Crown, the Scepter of Glory, and the Holy Sword of Light —two of the three standard artifacts of the Church had fallen into his hands.

If this news gets out, the Mountain Territory will never have peace again. Not only will the Church cause him trouble, but other powers on the continent will also be eyeing his territory.

Just by looking at this small Church squad, you can tell how deep the foundation of a truly top-tier power is; it's simply beyond the capabilities of a Dragon Knight.

For safety's sake, the only option is to kill them all. Hudson has made up his mind that if he fails to wipe out the entire Church delegation, he will blockade the Misty Sea and prohibit ships from using this route.

This is clearly not something he can accomplish alone; he would need the help of several powerful coastal noble families to make it possible.

Given Hudson's current status and position, it wouldn't be difficult for him to get people to do him a favor; the challenge lies in not arousing suspicion from the outside world.

Human nature is such that the more something is obstructed, the more it arouses people's curiosity. Blocking shipping routes can only block passing merchant ships, but it cannot stop these nobles from sending people to explore.

Hudson faced two paths:

Firstly, they would share the two artifacts with the Dalton Family and face the crisis together.

But based on Hudson's understanding of Count Pierce, he wasn't exactly a man of such courage. Besides, the artifact held no real significance for the Dalton Family.

The inherent political significance of the artifact lies primarily in its potential to undermine the legitimacy of the Church, something that no single noble family could control alone.

Both artifacts are light-based, so at least two eighth-level experts who cultivate light-based power are needed to wield them effectively.

Even if the artifact were given to the Dalton Family, they wouldn't be able to find anyone who could use it. For the Dalton Family, keeping the artifact was simply a hot potato.

Secondly, send something to the King to divert attention and gain some benefits in return.

In any case, only the people of the Church know that he has obtained two divine artifacts. As long as these people are not allowed to leave alive, the outside world will not know that he has both divine artifacts.

After all, encountering even one divine artifact is a miracle. Finding two at once is something no one would believe.

"Never mind, you have to give up something to gain something!"

After hesitating for a moment, Hudson made a choice between the two artifacts. The "Scepter of Glory" was completely unusable, while the "Holy Sword of Light" could at least be used to kill people.

On the surface, the sealed Holy Sword of Light and his knight's sword look quite similar. Because of Maxim, no one dares to get close to examine his knight's sword, and it can be replaced without anyone noticing.

Having made his decision, Hudson wanted to capture someone alive for questioning, but Beldens had already finished the job.

Aside from a few lucky survivors who managed to hide, the rest either perished in the bear's claws or were devoured by poisonous insects. To get answers from them, it seems the only option is to summon their Undead.

Hudson does know a little bit of Undead, but how could someone who has dealt with heretics for so long not be prepared?

The Holy Water they carry greatly reduces the probability of turning them into Undead. Even if the summoning is successful, most Undead creatures cannot retain their memories from their previous life.

Why the "Scepter of Glory" and the "Holy Sword of Light" appeared here has become a mystery to Hudson.

The Church's higher-ups certainly knew, but he couldn't possibly ask. Satisfying his curiosity was important, but preserving his life was even more crucial.

Having given up his desire to get to the bottom of things, he picked up the artifact and returned to the fleet, only to find a group of pirates gathered on the shore, surrendering to the fleet.

Clearly, these surrendering fellows are all intelligent men. Knowing that the Church wouldn't let them off the hook, they decisively switched to another ally.

But now they were in trouble. The fleet in front of them represented not only the Dalton Family, but also the Coslo Family.

The two companies are working together on this project, and how to deal with these pirates also needs to be discussed and decided upon by both parties.

Perhaps out of respect for the strong, the fleet simply allowed the pirates to remain on the shore and did not immediately accept their surrender.

Hudson glanced at the pirate captain resting on the shore and said coldly, "I'll give you a chance to live. Tell me everything you know."

Don't try to hide it; without our protection, you won't survive a month on the island!

Deep down, Hudson was already considering whether or not to kill all of them.

Pirates are pirates after all. Even if they surrender, Hudson can still find an excuse to kill them all, let alone now that he hasn't accepted their surrender.

"Don't worry, sir, I'll tell you everything!"

I was originally a fallen nobleman from a small central country. Due to the decline of my family, I went out to find a living and was later noticed by people from the Church.

From then on, he followed their orders and became a pirate, active in the central and southern seas year-round.

The reason I was chosen to go north to Poison Dragon Island is that I once stumbled upon this place while I was wandering on the mainland, and I managed to escape alive.

The Church's purpose in this trip seems to be to search for some kind of magical artifact on the island. My position within the Church is very low, and that's all I know.

Hearing the Barbarian Beard's reply, Hudson's murderous intent lessened somewhat. Ignorance is one thing; the real problem is knowing too much.

No matter who asks, all that Lord Hudson gained on Poison Dragon Island was a single artifact.

"I've already obtained the artifact, but there are still many remnants of the Church active on the island. These people are quite powerful and are hiding in the shadows, so there's no time to wipe them out in a short period of time."

Byron, while the fog hasn't yet obscured your vision, send men to search the island and destroy all the ships.

Even if it's an antique ship from hundreds of years ago, blast it to pieces with the Magic Crystal Cannon. Don't let any large planks go unpunished either.

We don't have much time left; we must destroy all navigational equipment before the fog rises.

"Leave these pirates here for now. I'll keep an eye on them myself, and take them with me when we return!"

A commanding tone shouldn't be used between partners. However, Hudson's position is special; he also serves as the Kingdom's Commander-in-Chief of War Preparations.

A position where even the holder himself doesn't understand the boundaries of power only confuses the outside world further.

Whether or not Royal Capital had the authority to mobilize the nation's armed forces was not given a definitive answer, but that did not prevent Hudson from issuing orders.

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

Byron answered respectfully.

He had originally intended to discuss the ownership of the divine artifact, but he forcibly swallowed his words back. Regardless of who owned the artifact, it was none of his business as a member of a collateral branch of the family.

Even the count's own nephew didn't bring up the issue; he was too lazy to be the first to speak up.

Negotiations require an equal footing. Letting them negotiate with the Hudson would clearly put them at a significant disadvantage.

The fleet began its mission, with only Viscount Cayou and a group of guards remaining behind with Hudson. Ostensibly, they were there to help guard the pirates, but in reality, they were still eyeing the artifact.

However, since Hudson had seized the goods, Cayo really didn't know what excuse to use to intervene and get a share.

"The Scepter of Glory, interested?"

As he spoke, Hudson unabashedly tossed his scepter to Viscount Cayou, as if he had gotten rid of a major problem.

"The scepter of Church Scepter of Glory!"

"How is this possible?"

"Cayyo said, his voice trembling."

As a symbol of the Church, the Scepter of Glory appears at almost every major ceremony. There's no indication that it's been lost, but the divine staff in its hand doesn't lie.

After hesitating for a moment, Cayo hurriedly returned the Scepter of Glory to Hudson. This was something the Dalton Family could not possibly covet; taking it back would only bring them trouble.

"Your Excellency, this is something you acquired; you can dispose of it as you see fit. We will not interfere!"

Upon seeing this, Hudson feigned difficulty and gave a wry smile.

"The Scepter of Glory is unlike any other artifact; it's far too hot to handle for both of us."

Since the Dalton Family has no interest, I will send him to the Royal Capital. This would provide the best legal basis if His King wishes to establish a separate Church.

Caesar IV is not Caesar III; whether he dares to take on this hot potato is anyone's guess.

However, it's better to get rid of the goods than to leave them in the Southeast Province and cause trouble for our own country. Given the size of the Alpha Kingdom, as long as the King has ambition, he can withstand the pressure.

"My lord, this topic is far too sensitive. There's a group of pirates here; it's really not the right time to discuss this!"

Viscount Cayou said in a flustered manner.

It's clear he's genuinely scared. Hudson can openly discuss things because he's powerful enough, and he's used to having debts.

Viscount Cayou is not suitable. Although he is a direct descendant of the Dalton Family, he is only a "member" and not the heir to the family.

His political influence was far less than Hudson's; if he recklessly got involved, he might die a violent death at any time.

For the Church See, killing a Dragon Knight is extremely difficult, but killing a nobleman's son is no problem at all.

In political struggles, Hudson never went too far, fearing that if he pushed people too far, they would cross all political lines and target ordinary members of the Coslo Family.

"Alright then, the Scepter of Glory is not suitable to remain. I will send it to the Royal Capital after things on the island are settled."

These pirate prisoners were only good for hard labor; they had little value and there was no need to differentiate them.

"Let's each take half, and you can send half of the people to the Mountain Territory afterwards."

Hudson said calmly.

It's a blatant conspiracy; the opportunity has been presented. If the Dalton Family wants a share, they only need to send someone along.

The divine artifact cannot be given away for free; the King will certainly compensate in other ways. The benefits are obvious, but the risks are also imminent.

It's uncertain how long the news can be kept under wraps. Once it gets out, both sides will have to bear the political consequences of seizing the artifact and killing important members of the Church.

Compared to these, a few pirate prisoners were indeed insignificant. To the Dalton Family, these people were simply used as laborers.

The moment he received the Scepter of Glory, Viscount Cayou's first reaction was to silence all those people.

With only a few hundred prisoners, the wealthy and powerful Dalton Family had no shortage of labor.

"Your Excellency, you may make your own decision; we will not participate."

The successful completion of this operation is mainly due to your efforts. You have the right to dispose of all the spoils.

"The pirate prisoners will be returned to your territory without exception."

Viscount Cayou hastily refused.

He believed that even his own uncle would have made a similar decision if he were here. If they had known there was Scepter of Glory on Poison Dragon Island, they would never have gotten involved.

The current situation is that not only has our own army suffered heavy losses, but we may also be dragged into the vortex of the power struggle between the Royal Authority and the divine right. If we are not careful, our family will be crushed to pieces.

Let Hudson handle this kind of hate-inducing stuff. Dragon Knight are tough and can withstand wind and rain, unlike ordinary people like them.

In an instant, Cayo's thirst for power reached its peak. The lack of peak combat strength became the biggest weakness restricting the Dalton Family's development.

Putting aside freaks like Dragon Knight, even cultivating a few eighth-tier powerhouses would increase one's influence.

Of course, this was something Kayo was unaware of. If he knew that the team sent by the Church included eight eighth-tier experts and more than twenty seventh-tier experts, his understanding of peak experts would change.

Hudson had no intention of showing off his achievements; in fact, the way he won was not in line with the spirit of nobility.

The best option is to bury the truth forever. That way, when the Church retaliates in the future, the Dalton Family will be among them.

Judging from the data alone, the Church's team of over two hundred people had no weaklings, clearly not something Hudson alone with two monsters could wipe out.

According to normal understanding, the Dalton Family must have been involved in the battle, and the two sides joined forces to commit the bloodshed.

People only believe what they see. The Dalton Family's fleet suffered heavy losses, which will most likely be included in the Church's battle losses.

The more legendary these tales Ghost Ship, the less people believe them.

The fog gradually thickened, as if it would envelop the entire sea area, and the noisy Poison Dragon Island fell silent once again.

The fleet slowly began its return journey. A dragon's roar pierced the air; Hudson had already departed.