The Ultimate Value of Corrupt Officials? Welcome to the Human Power Plant Tour!

The Supreme Emergency Secret Order from the Pope!

Salas shuddered, the nausea churned up by the infrasound waves suppressed somewhat by this sudden turn of events.

He snatched the soul guidance communicator that was still flashing frantically, not bothering to wipe the filth from the corner of his mouth, and pressed the answer button with trembling hands.

A cold, majestic, and emotionless female voice resonated directly in his mind.

It wasn't a recording; it was a direct mental connection!

It was Pope Bibi Dong!

"Salas."

Those two words alone sent a chill racing up Salas's spine.

"I have sensed Nana's life aura, right there in that city. However, it is extremely weak, enveloped by an energy field I cannot analyze."

"At the same time, I also sensed a power... one that makes even me feel a palpitation of fear. Just a moment ago, it tore through space."

Bibi Dong's voice paused, and that brief silence was more terrifying to Salas than any reprimand.

"My order is: go in, find Nana, and bring her back. At any cost."

"As for that unknown existence... until you receive my orders, you are forbidden from engaging in any form of direct conflict with him. All you need to do is observe and gather intelligence."

"Do you understand?"

"I... I understand!" Cold sweat instantly drenched Salas.

A power that even the Pope felt a palpitation of fear from?

Was that thing that tore through space just now not a hallucination?

And, a prohibition on direct conflict?

This was tantamount to saying that today, he had to swallow this humiliation whole!

The communication cut off.

Salas stood where he was, his face shifting between shades of green and white, his chest heaving violently.

Behind him, Xie Yue and Yan, seeing the expression on the Bishop's face—as if he had swallowed a dead fly—dared not even breathe loudly.

"Bishop, we..." Xie Yue spoke cautiously.

"Shut up!" Salas whipped his head around, his bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at that cold alloy city gate.

A few seconds later, it was as if all his strength had been drained away, and his entire aura slumped.

He began to walk.

Not charging toward the city gate, nor retreating.

Instead, he walked toward the west side of the gate, toward a small booth constructed from simple metal plates, with a sign hanging on it that read "Temporary Resident Registration Office."

One step, two steps...

Every step felt like walking on the edge of a blade.

Every step was trampling on his dignity as a Platinum Bishop.

Xie Yue and Yan were completely stunned.

The Bishop... was really going to register?

If this got out, would Martial Soul Hall have any face left?!

Salas arrived in front of the small booth.

There was no living person inside, only a cold mechanical arm and a scanning screen embedded in the wall.

"Name." A synthesized mechanical voice rang out.

Salas's fists clenched, cracking audibly, as he squeezed two words through his teeth: "Salas."

"Affiliated faction."

"...Martial Soul Hall."

"Reason for entry."

"...Searching for someone."

"Please place your right hand on the scanning area to record your biological information."

Below the screen, a blue light panel lit up.

Salas stared fixedly at that light panel; he felt it wasn't a scanner, but a pillar of shame for his entire life.

In the end, he reached out in humiliation and pressed his hand down heavily.

"Beep—Information recording complete."

"According to Article 3 of the Nuoding City Foreign Personnel Management Regulations, all temporary visitors without a guarantor must provide an item of value as collateral for their identity."

Collateral?

Salas was so angry he nearly vomited blood again.

He fished a bag of Gold Soul Coins from his Soul Tool and slammed it onto the table.

"Is this enough?"

"Warning: Unknown metal detected. This city has completely abolished the precious metal currency system. Please provide items with identity identification or energy value."

Abolished Gold Soul Coins?

Salas felt his brain could no longer keep up.

On his person, aside from his Soul Tool, the only thing that could represent his identity was the token symbolizing the authority of a Platinum Bishop.

That had been bestowed upon him by the Pope herself!

Gritting his teeth, he practically dug the token—crafted entirely from rare metals and engraved with a relief of a six-winged angel—out from his robes and slapped it onto the scanning platform.

"This, this has to be enough!"

A mechanical arm picked up the token and extended it under a red scanning beam.

"Beep-beep—Analyzing item composition and energy structure..."

"Analysis complete."

"Item material: Mithril and Star Steel mixture. Energy structure: Low-tier soul power inscription. Value assessment: None."

"Comprehensive rating: This item belongs to high-pollution, non-biodegradable industrial waste."

"Classification: Hazardous waste."

What?!

Hazardous waste?!

Salas's eyes turned red in an instant, and he felt a surge of hot blood rush straight to his crown!

Before he could even lash out.

"Click."

A red bin beside him, labeled "Hazardous Waste Recycling," automatically popped its lid open.

The mechanical arm did not hesitate to toss the Platinum Bishop token inside.

"Clang."

The lid closed.

"Collateral received. Temporary entry permit generated."

"Clatter."

A thin card, looking like a piece of plastic, dropped from the card slot.

Printed on it was the headshot Salas had just recorded, with a line of small text below:

[Nuoding City Temporary Entry Permit]

Name: Salas

ID: T-00897

Valid time: 24 hours

Remarks: Holder of hazardous waste.

Salas picked up the card and stared at the remarks; his hands were shaking, and his entire body was trembling.

He felt as if he hadn't come to get a permit.

He had come to sign a surrender document!

"Rumble..."

The massive alloy city gate slowly rose upward.

But it only rose less than two meters high, like a dog door.

"Permit holders, please enter the city as soon as possible. The gate will close in thirty seconds."

Salas bent his waist and lowered his head, like a stray dog, and led the equally head-bowed Xie Yue and Yan through that humiliating gap in the gate.

Their carriage and their knights were all left outside the city.

The moment they stepped inside, the city gate slammed shut behind them.

The entire world seemed to have changed.

The streets were impossibly clean, and there wasn't a trace of foul odor in the air, only the faint scent of disinfectant.

On both sides of the road, those dilapidated shops were nowhere to be seen, replaced by rows of silver-white buildings with a uniform style.

The most eerie thing was that there wasn't a single person on the street.

It was terrifyingly quiet.

Just as Salas was feeling uneasy and warily scanning his surroundings.

"Zzz--"

On both sides of the street, every black loudspeaker mounted on the exterior walls of the buildings was activated at the same time.

Qin Feng's voice, carrying a hint of a smile, rang out across the entire empty city like the judgment of a god.

"Attention all citizens, attention all citizens."

"We are now interrupting with a city health and safety announcement."

"A high-risk pollution source codenamed 'Platinum Trash' entered this city through the east gate three minutes ago."

"I repeat, a high-risk pollution source codenamed 'Platinum Trash' has entered the city."

"All security units are to immediately elevate to Level 2 alert status, and sanitation-bots are to begin city-wide sterilization operations."

"We ask all citizens to remain safely in their homes and refrain from making contact with any suspicious trash."

"This announcement is brought to you by the Nuoding City Municipal Administration and Sanitation Department."

Salas jerked his head up.

He saw that on the giant screen of a building ahead, a clear recording was playing of him at the registration desk, bending over to vomit, and tossing his token into the trash bin.

In the bottom right corner of the screen, a title was displayed in bright red, bold characters:

On the Self-Cultivation of Hazardous Waste.