Dekan and Clay's Rivalry for Best Actor

Inside the secret chamber of the temple.

The metal objects clashed together, sending sparks flying, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder, like that of a foundry.

The battle situation became chaotic again due to a minor incident where a brave soldier risked his life to save a hostage girl.

"Give me back my Lord!!"

After the half-dragon girl was taken away, the officiant of this absurd festival of the Church of Calamity went mad and rushed toward the direction where the half-dragon girl had been tackled.

The other soldiers, of course, wouldn't let the presiding priest, who was also the enemy leader, get his way, and together they blocked the cultists.

"..."

Dekan desperately wanted to pull Clay up from the ground and have him punch the leader of the Calamity Cult to death.

But clearly, Clay cannot reveal his true strength.

Moreover, given Clay's current injuries, it seems too unbelievable that he could fight another match.

Unfortunately, Dekan also can't make reckless moves.

Otherwise, cards with overly distinctive personal characteristics would instantly reveal their true identities.

Then we'll have to resort to some tricks.

Although they didn't know what the "upheaval in the capital" that Clay was referring to was, according to Clay's instructions, the best option now was to really pretend to be a pitiful girl who had been kidnapped by the Church of Calamity and used as a sacrifice, and infiltrate the Imperial Army.

After quickly analyzing the current situation, Dekan immediately determined the character and acting style that best suited the context and stance.

Although Dekan had seen many different types of pitiful girls crying.

But at this moment, the most suitable person is undoubtedly his weakest, most pitiful, and helpless little apprentice Eve!

Then.

Inside the secret room...

The half-dragon girl was so frightened that tears were almost falling from her eyes.

But she was still trembling all over, and with all her might, she dragged the Severe Injury imperial soldier who had just saved her away, stumbling backward toward the imperial army's camp.

"Well done, young lady!"

The half-dragon girl's performance clearly drew approving glances from many Imperial soldiers, and soon soldiers came to her aid along with the wounded.

This is the secret manual of De's performance --

The reasonable contrast further highlights the character's deep-seated qualities of perseverance, courage, and kindness!

After handing the wounded soldier over to other soldiers responsible for caring for the wounded, the half-dragon girl knelt on the ground as if her legs had gone limp.

She seemed to have lost all strength to go on.

Actually, her eyes had already lost their sparkle since earlier, and it seemed like she had twisted her ankle.

She was just holding on, wanting to repay the soldier who saved her.

Moreover, continuing to flee would kill the soldier.

Because the most powerful high priest of the Church of Calamity is getting closer and closer to her!

No matter which direction the girl went, the high priest would attack her relentlessly, oblivious to her own pain.

"Lord!! What should I do! Please answer me!!!"

The high priest roared in slurred speech, filled with confusion and resentment. He couldn't understand why the Lord of Calamity would save the Imperial Army and head towards the enemy camp!

From the beginning, he had been somewhat unable to understand the Lord of Calamity's behavior.

But he dared not question the Lord of Calamity, who was so real and so close at hand.

Even though this half-dragon girl was completely different from the Lord of Calamity that the priest had originally imagined.

But he was quite certain that the Holy Sacrificial Stone and the ancient magic array that the Church of Calamity had stolen from the Temple of the Sun had been successfully activated!

The miracle, the girl appearing out of nowhere—that's the best proof that the summoning was successful!

And this seemingly harmless girl must be the best disguise for the Lord of Calamity!

After all, no one could have imagined that the true form of the Lord of Calamity was such a beautiful young girl!

The Lord of Calamity is an unfathomable and truly untouchable being!

However.

The half-dragon girl ignored the priest's words, simply clutching her head in utter despair, as if waiting to die.

All of this was within Dekan's calculations.

At this point, he had escaped to a position that was sufficient.

Because the eighth-rank female officer of the Imperial Army had successfully arrived in front of him and blocked the priest in his place!

Get out of my way!

The presiding priest unleashed a powerful fighting force as if sacrificing his life, and even the imperial officer Andrea was knocked back twice before she could regain her footing.

"Even a centipede dies hard! You heretics will surely regret invading my Salon Empire!"

As soon as Andrea finished speaking with her authoritative voice, she finally unleashed her full power, treating this reckless seventh-tier fanatic as an equal opponent.

"You looted the Temple of the Sun, aren't you afraid of divine retribution?!"

As Andrea swung her short sword at the high priest, a Terror pressure emanated from it. The wind pressure seemed to threaten to overturn the secret chamber, causing the shattered stone bricks on the ground to tremble and crumble violently.

"If we were afraid of divine retribution, would we still worship the Lord of Calamity? How absurd and laughable!"

The presiding priest fought back desperately while refuting the arguments with reason and evidence.

This, in turn, startled Andrea for a moment.

However, she quickly realized that there was no point in talking to these completely insane cultists; killing them was the only solution.

Originally, in the Salon Empire, the Sun God Church was merely a neutral force with no real power; at most, it received some respect.

However, since Empress Ikatinos ascended the throne, the status of the Sun God Church within the empire has subtly risen considerably.

Because Queen Ikatinos was extremely devout to the Goddess.

Therefore, in recent years, even the most vicious criminals have not dared to harm the priests of the Temple of the Sun, otherwise they would be executed if caught.

However, some time ago, this group of Calamity Cult, together with the remnants of the Resurrection Church, formed the Church of Calamity, which dared to destroy a temple of the Sun God Church in the empire in broad daylight and steal a treasure that had been passed down for thousands of years.

According to legend, by using Holy Sacrificial Stone and corresponding magic scrolls, and by strengthening one's faith and establishing a connection, even evil gods from Purgatory can be summoned.

Therefore, the Church of Calamity selected a group of the most fanatical followers of the Lord of Calamity and decided to launch a ritual here to revive the Lord of Calamity!

The Imperial Magic Special Forces had already planted informants within the Church of Calamity and had discovered their gathering.

So the Imperial Army took this opportunity to wipe out the entire group of criminals!

However, seeing the priest's frenzied behavior, Andrea only felt that the cultists were utterly absurd.

Clearly, this festival cannot summon the Lord of Calamity; at best, it can only fool children and the mentally ill!

Her Majesty the Queen had personally studied these ancient treasures of the Sun God Church and confirmed that the Holy Sacrificial Stone and the Magic Array Scroll did not possess functions such as resurrection or summoning!

It only involves certain principles of spatial magic, and can only cause a very weak resonance and slight interference when other spatial magic is triggered.

"..."

Listening to the conversation between Andrea and the high priest, and the brief analysis of the remaining magical circuits on the Altar, Dekan felt he had a basic understanding of the situation.

You truly attained Buddhahood through sincere seeking of the Buddha.

And so, I have truly descended upon you all!

Divine retribution is coming.

After the hostages were rescued, the situation, which had initially favored the Imperial Army, quickly turned into a one-sided affair.

Even the most tenacious priest was nearing the point where he could no longer hold on.

It seemed like a survival instinct, or perhaps the last vestige of resentment in their hearts.

His focus had gradually shifted away from his adversary who could take his life at any moment.

Instead, he stared intently at the half-dragon girl in the distance.

"Lord! Why are you just watching?!"

Finally, the officiant cried out in despair.

At this point, even Andrea began to suspect that something was amiss with the half-dragon girl.

It seemed the high priest treated her not as a sacrifice to be enslaved by the Church of Calamity, but as a young girl whose body had been possessed by evil spirits?

Even Andrea felt a chill run down her spine. Taking advantage of the moment, she turned her head slightly and glanced at the half-dragon girl behind her.

However, the half-dragon girl was still trembling, her eyes wide open, biting her fingers incessantly, as if she had been tortured into madness.

She seemed terrified of the high priest; a single loud shout from him nearly drove her to the brink of madness.

It was even more unimaginable to Andrea what kind of inhumane torture this high priest had inflicted on the half-dragon girl.

"???"

The presiding priest felt a sense of collapse, as if saying, "We were ready to fight to the death, why has Your Majesty surrendered first?"

"Lord! What are you doing?!"

All he could do was scream desperately.

Dekan was inwardly cursing the high priest as an idiot.

This guy really talked way too much before he died!

If he continues talking, he might not be able to successfully infiltrate the Imperial Army and ask Clay for information.

But.

They worship the Lord of Calamity.

You've considered the consequences and the costs, haven't you?

"..."

Then.

Dekan finally responded to the high priest.

The red-haired half-dragon girl, her fingers trembling as she bit them, slightly raised her eyes and met the gaze of the priest presiding over the event in the distance.

The sudden change in his pupils sent a shiver down the spine of the high priest.

Without a doubt, her previous innocence was nothing but a masterful performance; her beastly eyes concealed an unfathomable abyss.

The next moment.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile suddenly appeared at the corners of the girl's lips.

The index finger that was originally nibbling at her lips was now gently pressed against her lips.

It means --

Shut up.

Or to put it another way—you can die.

Haha, hahahaha!!!

The presiding priest suddenly threw his head back and burst into maniacal laughter.

He now understood what the Lord of Calamity wanted to do!

The great Lord of Calamity disguises himself as such a pitiful girl, infiltrating the Imperial Army and bringing endless fear to the Empire!

The priest completely averted his gaze from the half-dragon girl and looked up, shouting:

"Great Lord! I feel Your love!!"

Foolish Imperial Army, I'll be waiting for you in hell!

Silently reciting this phrase, the high priest lunged at Andrea as if willingly going to his death.

When Andrea inflicted the fatal wound on the high priest, it triggered a Terror explosion.

The presiding priest carried a self-destruct spell.

Suddenly, a violent burst of sparks erupted in the secret chamber, causing the temple to collapse.

The surrounding soldiers did their best to protect the weak and pitiful half-dragon girl with their shields.

Andrea, who was hit by the blast at close range, suffered minor injuries despite using magic to protect herself.

"Huff, huff..."

On the ruins, Andrea, panting slightly, stood up from the rubble and ashes.

She wasn't alarmed by the explosion.

Rather, it is.

Recalling what had just happened, she felt a chill run down her spine!

The dangerous fanatic seemed to glance in a direction behind her.

Without a doubt, it was in the direction where the Red-haired Girl was.

The fanatics then went completely mad, as if their minds had been corrupted, and died with utter madness and satisfaction!

Could it be... that girl really was some kind of evil entity beyond description?

Andrea gripped her weapon tighter, looking at the Red-haired Girl with wary eyes.

However.

When Andrea met the Red-haired Girl's gaze again...

She still looked as terrified and pitiful as before, her eyes devoid of hope.

The explosion had clearly terrified her again, and helpless tears streamed down her cheeks.

Andrea paused for a moment, then sighed and sheathed her weapon.

She stepped lightly across the ruins to the half-dragon girl's side and asked gently:

Do you have family?

"..."

The half-dragon girl didn't reply, like a soulless doll.

Andrea slowly reached out, wanting to touch the half-dragon girl, but the girl instinctively flinched away, as if she no longer trusted anyone.

This pitiful appearance, for some reason, made Andrea's heart ache.

"Well."

Andrea sighed with some self-reproach, and ordered her subordinates to bring a coat, which she carefully draped over the girl's shoulders.

The half-dragon girl was clearly weak. Even though she was at the sixth rank, her strength and stamina were far inferior to those of a fourth-rank warrior. She was clearly a clerical worker.

She was weak and pitiful, yet she was grateful and repaying kindness; she was clearly a kind person.

There's no reason to question a victim like her.

Andrea only regretted that her unintentional display of wariness and hostility seemed to have further alienated the half-dragon girl's shattered heart.

"Please come with us. We won't hurt you; we just need to investigate some things."

Andrea spoke cautiously.

However, the girl didn't seem to trust her very much.

The fragile and sensitive girl felt utterly distrusted by Andrea's momentary wariness.

Just as Andrea was struggling with what to do...

The girl suddenly seemed to notice something.

They were being carried by medics past a nearby stretcher on which lay a wounded soldier.

Despite her foot injury, the half-dragon girl struggled to her feet and ran to the stretcher of the Severe Injury soldier who had rescued her earlier. She gently hugged his arm and began to sob.

She seemed particularly worried about the soldier's injuries.

"Why don't you stay with him? We promise we won't touch you."

Andrea helplessly raised her hands and spoke to the half-dragon girl.

It seems this young woman only trusts the soldier who risked his life to save her.

However, in Andrea's view, this was already the best possible outcome.

Andrea then looked at Clay:

"McClay, how are your injuries? Could you look after this young girl for me?"

"Not good... although it should be fine for her to come with me,"

Clay responded weakly as he lay on the stretcher.

He raised his right hand with difficulty, making a V-sign.

"But it'll cost extra."

"You gambling addict sergeant, you're hopeless!"

Andrea covered her forehead and said helplessly, taking twenty Gold Coin out of her pocket and placing them on Clay's stretcher.

"Don't lose it all at once this time."

She had no doubt that there was anything wrong with the soldier.

"?"

Dekan witnessed all of this and was completely shocked.

You're not only a natural actor, but you also want to play yourself to make a quick buck, huh?!