Spell-like Abilities

Fire Oranges looked much like ordinary oranges.

But they gave off a strange smell from within.

Through Qi Divination Technique, Roger could see blood qi surging skyward from every Fire Orange tree.

Its density was comparable to that of the Red Tide Corpse Queen.

With a grave expression, he cautiously made his way deeper into the orchard.

There, he discovered extensive traces of artificial harvesting.

"It seems Cindy didn't lie to me."

"Hanfulan has been cultivating these Fire Oranges all along."

"To attack Dragon Tooth Village, he's truly Ruthless and Vicious. He'll do even something this insane."

Roger knew very well.

These Fire Oranges had been prepared for the Marshland Refugees.

The Marshland Refugees were originally descendants of the humans who had survived the disaster.

After years of exposure to magical pollution,

their brains and torsos had undergone severe mutations.

As a result, most Marshland Refugees had also developed some "Spell-like Abilities." (Note 1)

Compared to true spells, these Spell-like Abilities were naturally child's play.

At most, they could be called "cantrips."

Even the strongest among the Marshland Refugees would lose the ability to cast any further spells after throwing two or three "Little Fireballs."

Thus, the spellcasting abilities of the Marshland Refugees had always been considered insignificant.

But during their last clash with Dragon Tooth Village, Cindy discovered that the Marshland Refugees' Spell-like Abilities had grown dramatically stronger! Hanfulan had even established three "Spell-like Ability Corps" specifically for them.

They took orders directly from Hanfulan and used Spell-like Abilities with similar elemental affinities, causing tremendous destruction.

According to Cindy's calculations afterward,

the destructive power of one "Spell-like Ability Corps" was equivalent to that of a normal mage at the peak of the first circle.

This was highly abnormal! The Marshland Refugees' Spell-like Abilities had existed for decades. Even if there was room for strengthening and improvement, they should not have suddenly advanced so dramatically.

The problem lay with these "Fire Oranges."

After secretly investigating for the past few months,

Cindy discovered an astonishing fact—

consuming Fire Oranges could greatly strengthen the Marshland Refugees' Spell-like Abilities.

With just a little training, an ordinary refugee could become a member of a "Spell-like Ability Corps."

And consuming large quantities of Fire Oranges over a short period could push this enhancement to its extreme.

But everything came at a price.

Eating Fire Oranges drastically shortened the already brief lifespans of the Marshland Refugees.

Marshland Refugees generally lived to around thirty.

But after consuming Fire Oranges, quite a few refugees had already died when the tumors on their necks burst.

Their deaths were said to have been horrific.

In fact, Dragon Tooth Village had originally intended to migrate normally.

But Hanfulan had blocked their route east.

He not only had "Spell-like Ability Corps," but also ballista carts traded from the Gray Dwarves.

The latter was what West Taroja Muse feared most.

No matter how powerful her bloodline was, she was still only a young dragon.

A moment of carelessness could get her slaughtered.

Hanfulan himself also possessed power that made the Emerald Young Dragon wary.

That was why Dragon Tooth Village's migration had been delayed.

Originally, this stalemate might have continued indefinitely.

It would have lasted until Hanfulan had accumulated enough power to launch an all-out attack.

But Roger's appearance changed everything.

Taking advantage of the night, Roger left the orchard.

With Shadow Cloak active, Roger slipped into the Marshland Refugees' village.

Compared to the reed beds, the buildings here were slightly better.

Most of the people living inside also appeared to be conscious most of the time.

But compared to Tongma Town,

this place looked more like a village built by goblins.

"Hmm?"

"There's firelight... Are people lining up ahead?"

Roger cautiously crept forward.

Ahead was a broad stretch of land, possibly a small plaza.

Two orderly lines were proceeding on the left and right.

Everyone was very quiet.

That was uncommon in Marshland Refugee settlements.

After observing for a while, Roger discovered that most of the people in the line on the left were men, while the line on the right consisted entirely of women.

The men were generally over fifteen.

The women were the opposite, all under fifteen.

The youngest looked barely over ten.

At the end of the men's line were baskets upon baskets of Fire Oranges.

The person handing them out was a burly man covered in scars.

The tumor on his neck was severely swollen.

His movements were brisk, and he spoke quickly:

"Next."

"Hurry up. Next."

The people in line stepped forward one after another, took their share, and left.

Roger noticed.

Each Marshland Refugee could receive two Fire Oranges.

Everyone who received Fire Oranges wolfed them down impatiently, unwilling even to peel them.

"Next..."

The scar-faced man was speaking when a bang suddenly rang out beside him! A man who had just received his Fire Oranges had, without warning, lost his head in an explosion!

A tremendous amount of blood sprayed out.

Some of it splashed onto the scar-faced man's lips and face.

He licked his lips, spat, then wiped his face with his colorless-looking clothes.

"Next."

he said.

The line slowly advanced.

There was no commotion and no sound.

Only the numb faces of the Marshland Refugees.

Roger silently stared at the headless corpse.

For a long time, he could not speak.

Leaving the men's line,

Roger approached the other one.

Compared to the men's numbness and hunger, the situation in this line seemed somewhat different.

Although everyone was still quiet,

Roger could clearly sense longing and joy written across the girls' faces.

This line led to a large house.

Guards stood watch at the entrance.

These guards also looked sallow and emaciated.

Roger crept over as quietly as possible.

Along the way, he heard the girls whispering:

"I heard that after becoming Lord Hanfulan's bride, you can receive a small basket of Fire Oranges all at once."

"Then you won't have to go hungry anymore."

"I really hope I can do well and give Lord Hanfulan more children..."

Roger stopped walking.

It was not that the girls' words had shocked him all that much.

Rather, he had spotted a "Gem of Truth"! This thing was extremely effective against invisibility abilities.

He was not sure whether Shadow Cloak could evade the Gem of Truth's effects.

After hesitating for a while, he chose to take a detour around the back of the large house.

Using Ladder Cloud Steps, he climbed onto the tall fence and carefully peered into the courtyard.

Just then, a girl staggered out of the house.

She was also carrying a small basket of Fire Oranges.

"Ah."

The girl suddenly cried out in pain and collapsed onto the ground.

Roger's eyelid twitched.

The girl's originally flat lower abdomen began swelling at a visible rate! In just ten minutes, it had swollen to the size of a full-term pregnancy.

She writhed in agony on the ground.

Someone ran out of the house and scolded her coldly: "I told you to leave after giving birth, but you refused to listen."

"Now you've caused us trouble."

Sweat beaded on the girl's forehead from the pain, but someone had finally come to help her.

Before long,

the sound of a newborn crying rang out through the courtyard.

Roger personally witnessed the infant grow from a newborn into a five- or six-year-old child.

It took only about an hour.

This absolutely could not be explained by mutation! This girl had entered the large house just today.

Yet when she came out, she was accompanied by a five- or six-year-old boy.

Her face had also aged by more than ten years!

Holding his breath, Roger once again carefully examined the large house with Qi Divination Technique.

Apart from the increasingly dense blood qi,

he found nothing.

He was just about to take a more aggressive approach and enter the large house

when, at that moment, the data panel, which had been silent for a long time, finally stirred.

Your talent—Qi Divination Technique—has increased in circle level

Qi Divination Technique's priority has been greatly increased

You have obtained new information

You have detected the Ritual of the God of Tainted Blood

(Note 1: Spell-like Abilities are extraordinary abilities similar to spells. The difference is that spells are acquired through later study, while Spell-like Abilities form innately and naturally.)