Chapter Forty-Five: Payment Must Be Public

Dadir City remained a scene of revelry and song even as the enemy approached its gates. For the higher-ups of the Skull Society, who had been in hiding for so long, this was a hard-won opportunity to finally take charge, and they intended to savor it to the fullest.

Even if a few clear-headed individuals existed, they were powerless against the prevailing tide. To put it bluntly, most of the Skull Society were common folk.

There were barely any "cultured individuals" who could even write their own names. Their limited vision kept them focused on their immediate surroundings, with absolutely no long-term planning.

If it weren't for the infusion of heretical beliefs, this would have been a typical peasant uprising. After overthrowing the rule of the nobles, they wouldn't have known what to do next.

A lack of talent wasn't just a problem for the Skull Society; it was a common issue faced by many heretical organizations across Aslant.

Theoretically, with the Holy See in decline and no longer pursuing them, heretical organizations should have flourished.

But the reality was the opposite; ever since the Holy See weakened, heretical organizations had declined along with it.

The nobles who took charge were exceptionally lenient with their own kind. The relaxed socio-political environment led to a near disappearance of nobles joining heretical organizations.

When the Church was in power, anyone associated with heresy, if unable to prove their innocence, would be sent to the stake, forcing many nobles to associate with them.

Now, it was useless. Merely being "suspected," without concrete evidence, meant the nobles couldn't be convicted.

Even if a crime was proven, as long as no actual harm had been caused, there was still a chance to atone for their sins.

This change directly caused the difficulty of heretical organizations recruiting members to increase exponentially. Even if they managed to lure someone in, they might waver.

The nobles no longer associated with them, leading to a sharp decline in the overall quality of the heretical organizations' leadership, and consequently, their combat effectiveness also declined.

Three hundred years ago, the formidable Blood Moon Cult could organize armies and confront the Holy See's forces head-on, forcing the various nations of the continent to unite against them. Now, heretical organizations could at best cause trouble in a single region.

The supposedly sacred assembly hall was now hosting an unrestrained orgy. The Skull Society's high-ranking members were discussing matters of state while engaging in their debauchery.

No one raised any objections because the core tenet of the Skull Society was: "Indulge your desires and return to your true self."

Whether such indulgence was appropriate was irrelevant; what mattered was that the evil god behind the scenes approved.

The hall was filled with an atmosphere of obscenity. What appeared to be a scene of debauchery was, in fact, a special ritual. The Skull Society's high-ranking members were, in this unique way, proving to the evil god that they were the most devout followers.

Clearly, this activity was not beneficial for the aging High Priest. He normally did not participate. Unfortunately, a series of failures had significantly diminished his authority within the cult, leaving him with no grounds to refuse.

Making a fool of himself was better than losing his life. His reputation as a "wise man" was shattered, and the Grey-robed Elder's position as High Priest was already precarious.

The prestige he had accumulated on his own, coupled with the High Priest's unique role in presiding over divine sacrifices, had allowed him to subtly contend with the Holy Lord. Now, he had no choice but to bow his head.

"Have you prepared the sacrifices?" the masked man asked coldly.

He didn't inquire about the enemy outside the city first, but rather about the sacrifices, demonstrating that in the masked man's eyes, the sacrifices were far more important than the approaching Noble Allied Forces.

Upon hearing the question, the middle-aged man responsible for preparing the sacrifices hurriedly pushed away the woman beneath him and replied:

"Reporting to the Holy Lord, we have prepared six hundred and sixty-six pairs of virgin boys and girls aged thirteen, along with all the necessary ritual items. All that remains is a high-level magical beast as an offering and endless slaughter as a catalyst."

The scale of the sacrifices indicated that the Skull Society was planning something major.

"Don't worry about the magical beast; someone has already delivered it. As for the endless slaughter, the enemies outside the city will soon help us achieve that.

Tell everyone below to control themselves. The women within the city can be played with freely, but the sacrifices for the gods must be pure. Anyone who dares to lay a hand on them will be sent to atone to the gods.

High Priest, you have the most experience in presiding over rituals. This century's grand sacrifice will be personally overseen by you!" the masked man commanded without room for argument.

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at the High Priest with schadenfreude. Their eyes revealed that presiding over this sacrifice would undoubtedly bring misfortune.

Facing the masked man's piercing gaze, the Grey-robed Elder ultimately dared not refuse, trembling as he replied, "Yes, Holy Lord!"

If one observed closely, they would notice a pool of mysterious liquid on the ground. He was so terrified that he lost control of his bodily functions and didn't dare to refuse. Clearly, the Skull Holy Lord before him was also a ruthless individual, and the consequences of refusal would likely be far worse than presiding over the sacrifice.

Looking at the boundary marker before him, Hudson was immediately drawn to the words "Maple Leaf Town." This was the pre-arranged meeting point.

Judging by the time, the raiding party should have already arrived. After all, the supply convoy had been delayed by a day due to an enemy attack.

"Pass down the order: have the wagons carrying the wounded lead the procession," Hudson commanded mournfully.

Reuniting with the main force meant an increase in safety, but it also meant a significant decrease in the military strength under his command.

When he didn't have to pay out of his own pocket, who wouldn't want more soldiers under their command? If possible, Hudson truly didn't want to give up this unit.

Unfortunately, reality was cruel. The serf soldiers were the private property of the nobles, and he couldn't just keep them.

By obediently returning command authority, he could maintain some goodwill. Causing trouble would only lead to suffering.

Even though he had to return them, putting on a show of hardship was still necessary. Without specifically emphasizing it, how could he highlight his own merits as Knight Hudson?

Especially since, for the sake of everyone's interests, he had rejected Count Pierce's overtures and turned down the "feudal baron" title that had been within his grasp.

The convoy slowly advanced. As he spotted the familiar tents appearing in the sky, Hudson secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The raiding party had arrived on time, which meant there were no unexpected incidents and the situation was still under control. It also meant his choice had been correct.

As these wagons, one after another, filled with wounded soldiers, slowly entered the camp, the nobles of the Fifth Army, who were already in a bad mood, looked even more displeased.

"Hudson, did anything happen on the road? Were there any losses in supplies or armaments?" Chers asked with concern.

If there were problems with the escorted supplies and armaments, he, as the commander of the Fifth Army, would be the primary responsible party. No matter how great the profits from the raid, they couldn't compensate for the resulting political consequences.

"Don't worry, Uncle Chers. We were ambushed by elite rebels on the road, but I managed to repel them with my troops.

There were indeed significant losses in supplies and armaments, but overall, they are within a controllable range. Given the battle achievements, it's enough to cover up the issue.

The current problem is that you were discovered by the Griffon Cavalry the day after you departed. It wouldn't have been a major issue, but the night before last, Count Pierce also sent someone..."