Fir City, beneath the cathedral.
The prison that once held the Treant Hunter has now welcomed a new group of guests: several high- Holy Crusaders, including Grand Knights and Captains, who carried out Antiya Lisi's orders to hold the line until the very end.
"I am the legion commander, you can't treat me like this! You need me!"
A middle-aged man was shouting loudly in the prison cell.
He hadn't expected any response to his shouts until the cell door in front of him suddenly opened, and a young man walked in with a charcoal pencil and a folder.
"Hello, nice to meet you. The interrogation is about to begin, please be mentally prepared..."
After the western district and the city walls were completely occupied, the players swept through Fir City as quickly as bacteria Spread in a culture medium.
By that afternoon, only a few barracks filled with Holy Crusaders remained in Fir City, stubbornly resisting. They hadn't turned into half-tree people not because Antiya Lisi was merciful, but because there was a limit to the number of half-tree people Antiya Lisi could convert and control at one time, and he hadn't had time to prepare a second batch before he inexplicably died.
However, even though they survived a little longer, their resistance did not last long.
After learning that Fir City had fallen completely and that Archbishop Antiya Lisi and Marba had both died in battle, some subtle changes began to occur within the military camp.
Even though the higher-ups have generally become Stained Ones, this depravity has not yet Spread to every corner of the Knights.
Ironically, at this point, those Stained Ones, while those who intended to fight the rebels to the death were the relatively rigid-minded Pure Ones and some Stained Ones knew they were guilty of heinous crimes.
Subtle internal divisions have emerged within these Holy Crusaders Knight Order, a fact that players have keenly observed.
Just then, another group of players finished organizing the documents in Fir City Cathedral. After presenting these documents, along with the captured half-tree warriors and Treant Hunter, to these newcomers, the Holy Crusaders ultimately chose a more dignified approach—
Mutiny.
Ordinary Stained Ones felt this matter had little to do with them, while all the Pure Ones felt that Antiya Lisi was less humanoid than the rebels. As a result, several otherworldly mutinies quickly occurred in these non-adjacent legions.
Upon learning this news, the players immediately began to lend their support, further complicating the already distorted and chaotic battle situation.
Logically speaking, several Middle Tier Grand Knight Commanders, along with those Low Tier captains who could be considered strong, shouldn't have been defeated by the players so quickly.
But at this moment, a certain demon patted his chest and declared:
Having arrived at the Second Holy See and yet having accomplished nothing, I truly cannot accept the high salary of one hundred gold coins per month from the Son of God.
Ed, seeing the sincerity and longing in Duma's four eyes, finally agreed to his request to fight, but with a few minor conditions attached.
Soon, a temporary mini-event appeared on the players' quest panel. It was called a mini-event because it was more like a story animation than a combat Dungeon.
In this scene, the squad leader and the Grand Knight Commander were indeed fighting with all their might, but in front of a High Tier demon, their actions were as laughable as children fighting.
Whenever Duma cleverly strips these captains and high knights of their combat abilities, players swarm in shouting incomprehensible phrases like "weak period" or "toughness bar broken."
Although they didn't deal much damage, they definitely maximized the sense of participation, which allowed Duma to become somewhat familiar with some players who preferred aggressive playstyles.
Overall, the players really enjoyed the little skit Ed added on the spot.
Aside from the risk of being killed by the aftershocks of the battle if they got too close, they were satisfied with every other aspect of the plot.
The Holy Crusaders were clearly not satisfied with this, but unfortunately, their thoughts were always ignored.
After the war ended, Ed and Willow arrived at several military camps with a new batch of supplies.
They brought with them the ability to suppress shackles that everyone in the High-Quality Charcoal Processing Plant was very familiar with.
After Willow arrived in Fir City, she and Ed quickly produced a new batch of ability-suppressing shackles together.
The purpose of these shackles is to automatically apply a [ Disorder ] effect to the wearer for a period of time after detecting that the wearer is using the plant system's abilities.
The effect of the [ Disorder ] skill is random. If you are unlucky and the attribute allocation is too absurd, it may even kill the wearer on the spot.
After a few defiant prisoners tested the law themselves, the Low Tier and Middle Tier prisoners immediately became much more docile.
Finally Ed directed the players to divide the prisoners among themselves:
Those Pure Ones will be sent to Nuolun in Blue Gum Town after screening, where they will rediscover the Second Holy See and decide for themselves whether to continue as a Holy Crusaders or as ordinary believers.
Those Stained Ones will, without fail, be sent to High-Quality Charcoal Processing Plant after being identified, becoming part of the assembly line. There, many experienced workers will tell them about the consequences of not working hard—entering a place called the "Dungeon" to experience endless torment.
Those with more serious sins, as well as the middle and high-ranking members of the Holy Crusaders, were imprisoned in the dungeon below the cathedral.
And now, an interrogation is underway.
The young Soul Returner and opened the folder in front of him, reciting:
"The rules for today's interrogation are as follows--"
"The three Grand Knights will be interrogated separately by three different teams, and will be asked the same questions. If your answers differ..."
The young man placed a switch engraved with Psionic Energy Circuit on the table in front of him:
"You've already experienced the effects of the shackles. It's an external switch; if I press it, a short-term Disorder will be inflicted on you for thirty seconds."
"If there is even one difference in your answers, I will press the switch once."
"By the way, the duration of the Disorder can be accumulated."
The Grand Knight Commander, bound by shackles and restraints, looked utterly astonished.
"This is absurd. Does it mean that even if I tell the truth, I could still be subjected to Disorder?"
The young man in front of him nodded:
"That's exactly what I mean, so I suggest that while you're being honest, you also pray that your two colleagues are as honest as you are."
The Grand Knight Commander shook the wooden restraints binding him, which creaked loudly.
"You, you're abusing your power!"
Upon hearing this, the young man in front of him was speechless for a moment, then smiled:
"What else?"
He turned his head to look at his companion beside him:
"He only just realized that?"