Cannon Fodder NPCs Won't Be Ruthlessly Exterminated

The gray-robed figures who had charged with such ferocity were now fleeing in utter disarray.

The leading Fire Mage, Roer, didn't even bother to rally his subordinates. He abandoned several cultists who had been flung away by Vivian's massive Magic Shield and, with the few remaining by his side, bolted towards their deep-nesting headquarters.

"Bastards!" Roer thought as he ran, his mood souring. Some people's pride healed quickly because they were adept at finding all sorts of reasons and excuses for themselves.

"If it weren't for the strange plague that suddenly broke out in Huodian City, which severely suppressed my power, how could I possibly fail to deal with a lowly, despicable villager... cough... cough cough."

Roer's expression turned ferocious. Perhaps due to anxiety and rising anger, his blood churned. After a violent coughing fit, he spat fiercely onto the forest floor.

His phlegm contained streaks of blood and a faint, eerie blackness, giving off a sense of malevolence.

In truth, Roer wasn't entirely fabricating. As Fire God Alice was being secretly corrupted, the first to suffer misfortune and be poisoned were the mid-to-high-ranking members of their Fire God Cult.

Then, through their attendance at various gatherings and banquets, similar infections began to appear among the high-ranking nobles and many prominent families in Huodian City.

Conversely, the common folk at the lower levels of Huodian City remained temporarily safe, with few showing signs of poisoning or infection.

After all, they normally didn't even have the chance to interact with these influential figures of the upper echelons, so it was natural that infection hadn't reached them yet. However, if this situation weren't stopped, it was only a matter of time.

It was precisely because of this peculiar contagious disease that Huodian City entered a state of minor emergency, implementing a lockdown and prohibiting outsiders without a permit.

In fact, it wasn't just Huodian City; many cities within the Flame Domain were experiencing the same situation.

Everyone believed others were the source of the virus and wanted to seal their cities to isolate themselves. However, at this point in time, no matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't possibly fathom that the source of the infectious disease was the Sovereign of the Flame Domain, the Fire God Alice, who had always protected them.

"I'll take advantage of this failure to beg Lady Eugenia to ask Bishop to give me more Purple Crystal Grass to quickly cure this strange illness!"

"Besides, we've secretly cultivated so much. With Bishop's kindness and love for me, she definitely won't be stingy with just a few stalks!"

It wasn't just Liao Zixuan; or rather, it was someone within the Fire God Cult who discovered that "Purple Crystal Grass" could suppress and alleviate the infectious disease, which was how Liao Zixuan knew about it in his past life.

However, due to the limited growth environment of Purple Crystal Grass, it was extremely rare, making it impossible to meet the needs of an entire city.

Therefore, someone came up with a folk remedy, hoping to force its growth. After all, Purple Crystal Grass was priceless in Huodian City, and many high-ranking nobles would fight fiercely for a single stalk, sparing no expense.

From this, it was evident that mastering the supply chain for Purple Crystal Grass would be an incredibly lucrative business.

Thus, driven by immense profit, some people secretly sought out monster lairs suitable for Purple Crystal Grass growth. Then, using an evil secret method from an unknown source, they secretly stimulated the power of these leader monsters, causing them to release vast amounts of magic power. This magic power was then used as nourishment to cultivate large fields of Purple Crystal Grass.

Finally, through connections, these large quantities of Purple Crystal Grass were secretly transported into Huodian City and resold in the black market and at auction houses, thus forming a massive profit chain.

Bishop Eugenia was the most crucial link in this profit chain; her role was to provide the supply.

And when it came to the largest monster-infested area near Huodian City, Claw Forest was the most prominent. Naturally, the leader of the forest, "Claw," became their target.

However, this method had an extremely fatal flaw: in order to force the growth of Purple Crystal Grass, they continuously stimulated the monsters' potential. The evil secret method destroyed the monsters' minds, making them violent and ferocious. If not controlled properly, it could create a super-monster several times more terrifying than before.

If this method were made public, it would undoubtedly be banned by the council due to the severe consequences.

If a super-monster whose strength had increased severalfold were to suddenly go berserk, it would cause unimaginable devastation. At the very least, dozens of villages of various sizes around Claw Forest would be slaughtered.

This was precisely why Roer and his group came to intercept Vivian and prevent them from venturing deeper into the forest.

"Hmph, a villager who never even attended an academy and received no higher education is just an idiot. She actually let us escape like that. She's asking for death!"

Some people are inherently despicable; if others don't kill you, they'll still insult you behind your back for not doing so.

"She doesn't even know how to finish off her enemies. Letting one escape will lead to countless troubles later. She doesn't understand this basic principle; she's just a lowlife, a sow with magic power from who knows where!"

Even though Vivian had single-handedly beaten them back, in Roer's and all the Fire God Cult members' minds, Vivian was still equated with a sow.

Don't ask why. Just assume it's because city dwellers are inherently superior, and villagers are inferior. No, they aren't even considered human; in the eyes of the high-ranking nobles, they are livestock.

"When I get back and have Lady Eugenia deal with that female villager spellcaster, I will definitely slaughter the village she's from! And her seriously ill younger brother, hmph, I'll roast him alive right in front of her!"

Only through action can shame be washed away.

Roer always kept the Fire God's teachings in mind.

One couldn't help but wonder if Fire God Alice would directly blacken and fall if she knew how he interpreted her words, without even needing to be corrupted.

Indeed.

If they were truly allowed to escape like this, Roer would likely be able to reassemble a new batch of Fire God Cult followers within a day. Even if Vivian could protect herself, could a young girl protect the entire village?

This is the tragedy of the little people.

They are an organization, while you are just one person. Once an enmity is formed, you are always the one who suffers.

Therefore, the more this is the case, the more ruthless one must be, giving no chance for seeds of hatred to sprout.

Vivian cannot do it now, but someone else can.

"Ah! Lord Roer, help... help!" Suddenly, a subordinate's scream from behind made Roer's eyelids twitch.

Could it be that the female villager changed her mind and was pursuing them again!?

The Fire God Cult mage nervously looked back and saw a scene that would terrify him for the rest of his life.

Roer didn't see Vivian as he expected. Instead, what terrified him was that he couldn't see any enemies at all!

However...

Like dominoes, or like an invisible fuse, the few cultists following him, one after another, suddenly burst into flames with eerie black fire. In the blink of an eye, before they could even let out a few screams, they turned into charcoal.

Sometimes, it's not death that is terrifying.

It's watching others die one by one, knowing that you are next.

Finally...

As his most trusted subordinate, who was right behind him, was engulfed by the strange black flames and immolated, Roer's mental defenses completely collapsed.

He fell to his knees with a thud.

"Don't... don't kill me! I have Lady Eugenia's magic stone on me. Bishop can see everything that happens here. If... if you kill me, Bishop will never let you off!!!"