In just over ten seconds, the five Holy See guards, each bearing injuries ranging from minor to severe, were completely brought under control.
The players gagged them, restrained them like pigs, and then tied them up like dumplings with the vines Ed handed them.
When the last Holy See Guard was completely incapacitated, the mission completion notification reappeared. [ Howling Pothos ] stared blankly at the notification box in front of him:
[Urgent Mission - Capture the Traitor: Completed]
Settlement progress: 5 traitors captured alive, no neutral NPC casualties, no faction leader NPC casualties.
Personal Data: Controls 1 apostate, assists in binding 2 apostates, equivalent to 20% progress in a single-player mission.
Mission rating: S (Perfect)
Rewards: Ed Adrian Trust +10, Silver Coins *20 (Unclaimed), Unknown Drop Materials (To be redeemed)
*Note: The currency reward coefficient for emergency missions is increased by 50%, and the currency reward coefficient for perfect ratings is increased by 50%.
Thinking about what she had just done, [ Howling Pothos ] couldn't help but feel fortunate for her quick reflexes.
There were ten players present, while there were only five apostates, making it clear at a glance that this was a mission with far more players than available opportunities.
Although he lost a leg in the previous battle, he still managed to capture the enemy who also lost a leg and then help the others tie him up. This allowed him to enjoy 20% of the reward pool and receive the extra reward.
But for every winner, there must be a loser. [ Good Times Don't Last ] was clearly the kind of person who was a bit slow on the uptake. It wasn't until the Holy See guard he was treating wanted to get up and run away that he finally realized the shift in the balance of power. Unfortunately, it was too late. The 10 silver coins that were within his grasp fell into the hands of [ Zhongde ] and [ Do Some Farm Work ].
[ Do Some Farm Work ] Because he did nothing but pull the monsters in the previous BOSS battle and even gave away a kill, his previous quest results panel was simply unbearable to look at.
In an attempt to avenge his previous defeat, he lunged at the nearest wounded player the moment Ed gave the order. Although he still couldn't beat the other players, he managed to secure 15% of the contribution points.
As for the other players, those who still had a shred of strength joined the sudden battle. Only [ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ], who was almost drained dry by the Deadwood Vine vines, remained lying on the ground, looking as if he had disconnected.
With the battlefield cleaned up, the players planned to return to the castle with these constantly wriggling "zongzi" (rice dumplings).
Just then, the villagers from Upperstream Village, who had scattered during the monster battle, gradually gathered around.
"Gurgle."
[ His Good Times Don't Last.] He swallowed hard, having learned his lesson, and now he was carefully watching the edge of the villagers, ready to pounce and capture them the moment they turned against him.
But looking at the deformed and emaciated bodies of these villagers, [ the Good Times Don't Last ] he felt a little soft-hearted. Although these villagers outnumbered him, they were not as strong and resilient as the five apostates from before.
If they also become enemies, [ Good Times Don't Last ] I feel like I'll start "making a scene at the nursing home".
Fortunately, the villagers' stance remained unchanged. Under Kaping's leadership, the villagers who had gathered around gradually became orderly. They did not look at the apostates who were tied up like dumplings, because they had more important things to say at the moment.
Kaping, at the very front, approached Ed:
"Bishop Adrian, thank you for saving us."
Ed grasped his aged hands:
"I am the bishop of this diocese, and it is my duty to eradicate heresy within it. As the Holy Scripture say..."
After hastily making up a story, Ed once again fooled the villagers in front of him. However, just as he was about to lead the players home, he suddenly heard Kaping's sigh behind him:
"Your Excellency, what should we do?"
"What?"
Ed turned around, and then he immediately understood what Kaping was talking about.
Indeed, none of the ninety-two people from Upperstream Village suffered any casualties in the previous battle, not even a scratch or sprain.
Indeed, the valiant Bishop Adrian and the Elite Warrior of the Tree Worship Church saved the villagers.
But they did not save the village.
The entire Upperstream Village had been reduced to ruins in the recent battle. Although a few houses remained intact, the roads leading to those places were buried under rubble and wood, making the few remaining huts look dilapidated.
According to the usual tropes of Western fantasy worlds, the heroic team that helped the villagers solve their problems should have left without a trace, perhaps reluctantly looting some of the village's gold and silver, and taking away a good village sword and the village chief's daughter before leaving.
But the situation now seems quite different.
In this corrupted and Alienation world, there are no heroes, no good swordsmen, and even normal villagers are on the verge of extinction.
In this despairing world, powerful monsters and "heroes" from who-knows-where suddenly began to fight!
Then the aftershocks of the "heroes'" battle crushed their houses like an insect being crushed, and the villagers, due to physical reasons, were unable to even rebuild their homes.
what to do?
Ed knew that whether his identity as a member of the Tree Worship Church was real or not, the trust these common people placed in him was genuine.
To establish himself in this world, he couldn't rely solely on the players who were in a state of chaos, so he couldn't disregard the villagers' expectations.
But how exactly should this problem be solved?
Ed fell into a brief moment of thought, and as he looked at today's emergency from a longer-term perspective, he suddenly realized—
This doesn't seem like a bad thing?
When Ed turned to look at Kaping and the villagers, his face already wore his signature gentle smile:
"Since we are all brothers and sisters of the Tree Worship Church, I naturally have an inescapable responsibility in dealing with this matter."
"But think about it, almost a hundred years have passed since the outbreak of the Demonic Tide. Even after such a long time, the monsters from a hundred years ago could still revive. No one wants to see such a dangerous thing happen a second time."
"For the glory of the Tree God, for the stability of the diocese, and for your safety, I sincerely suggest that you all move to another place to live."
"Your current village is on an open space next to the river. I happen to know of another open space by the river. If you are willing to move there, not only will your safety be guaranteed, but Elite Warrior will also help with the reconstruction of the village."
His words reached the ears of all the villagers. Some showed surprise and delight, while others seemed to still have some doubts.
Kaping has already asked the questions that everyone wants to know:
"Your Excellency, where is that open space you mentioned?"
Ed turned to the side, pointing his finger to the back:
"Right next to the Shattered Castle."