Chapter 43: The Scapegoat
Huxiro joined the Sun Gate team because, for now, he couldn't tell whether what the Guild Leader Rogash said was true or false.
The library on the twelfth floor of the Magic Association Headquarters fell silent again. Su Xiao's thumb paused for a moment as he touched the screen, and the puzzle game's display turned black and white. The game character he controlled was strangled to death by a long-haired monster using its fur, blood splattering everywhere.
Putting away the game terminal, Su Xiao turned his gaze to Huxiro, then to Anier, Huxiro's sister.
Whether what Guild Leader Rogash said was true or false wasn't hard to judge. First, the fact that he had touched the Dark Mask was highly likely true, and passing that contact down to the two siblings wasn't suspicious either.
Based on these two pieces of genuine information, many things could be inferred. For example, Guild Leader Rogash desperately wanted the Dark Mask, with a desire no less than that of the Priest.
From the current situation, to obtain the Dark Mask, one must first pass through the Sun Gate. The Dark Mask should be behind the gate, which meant the five "keys" were necessary.
The key point was here: regardless, Huxiro had delivered a key, the "Heart Flame."
The female secret mage Huxiro had stuffed into a large cloth bag had, a few days prior, secretly followed him along with several other secret mages. Huxiro discovered them, killed all the other secret mages, and only spared the female one.
This female secret mage was deliberately sent by Guild Leader Rogash to lure Huxiro there. At that time, Huxiro had already obtained the "Heart Flame."
Guild Leader Rogash knew Huxiro well. As long as Huxiro saw the female secret mage's face, he would definitely fight his way back to the Magic Association Headquarters, thus delivering one key.
If Su Xiao's guess was correct, according to Guild Leader Rogash's plan, Huxiro's return would have been his death sentence. This was prearranged: Huxiro dies, and the more obedient Anier holds the key.
The current situation had changed because, two days ago, the Priest had arrived wearing a "key," clashed with Rogash, and after acknowledging each other's strength, they began cooperating.
Additionally, Su Xiao had also arrived wearing a key, disrupting Guild Leader Rogash's plan but advancing the progress of opening the Sun Gate.
Guild Leader Rogash had clearly realized that on his own, he didn't know how many more years it would take to open the Sun Gate. The five "keys" were all special; only those qualified to use them could sense their existence.
Therefore, even with Guild Leader Rogash's power and influence, it was difficult to gather all five keys. Over so many years, he had only found the "Judgment Scepter," and that was because he was qualified to use it.
"We're only missing one key, and it's the most important one: the Blazing Sun Disk."
The Priest's gaze turned to Guild Leader Rogash, who was flipping through a book. Rogash remained silent, apparently unaware of the Blazing Sun Disk's location.
"Priest, where is this?"
Su Xiao tossed a photo to the Priest. The photo wasn't clear, and faint blue phantom images could be seen at the edges.
Seeing this photo, the Priest's smile faded slightly. This was where he had tricked and killed over 200 contractors from the Sanctuary Paradise faction, and also where he had become a violator.
"Just a large cathedral, nothing special."
"Is that so? Forget it then."
Su Xiao tossed the photo onto a small round table and leaned back in a single sofa to rest. He had just finished a World War not long ago and needed to rest.
The atmosphere fell silent again. At some point, Guild Leader Rogash's gaze shifted from his book to the Priest.
This silence lasted a full hour before the Priest stood up and walked toward the library exit.
"Perhaps in that cathedral, there really will be clues about the Blazing Sun Disk."
Leaving these words, the Priest walked out of the library. Huxiro glanced at the Priest's back, then went to the window, kicked it to pieces, and leaped out.
Guild Leader Rogash looked at the broken door, then at the hole in the window. He frowned. Iron-sand-like energy gathered before him, forming a one-meter-diameter disk. Rogash stepped onto it and vanished in an instant.
"Boss, aren't we going?"
Baha was a bit eager, wanting to see the excitement.
"Of course we're going."
Su Xiao stood up and walked outside, descending the stairs floor by floor. He felt there was an over 80% chance that the Priest knew where the "Blazing Sun Disk" was, but had avoided contacting its holder out of fear. Now that the Sun Gate team was very strong, there was no need to hold back.
Leaving the Magic Association Headquarters, following the traces left by the Priest, Su Xiao arrived at the northern side of Baida City.
The houses here were somewhat old, and stray dogs barked incessantly. Since it was past midnight, the streets were empty, giving the place an eerie feel.
The Priest at the front stopped at the entrance of a several-meter-wide alley. The buildings on both sides were at least three stories high, making the alley even darker.
A pair of green-glowing eyes appeared from the darkness. After a moment, a black cat emerged, walked past Su Xiao's feet, and disappeared at the end of the street.
This was very abnormal. Most animals dared not approach Su Xiao easily, especially perceptive ones like cats. Moreover, he was standing next to Guild Leader Rogash, the Priest, and Huxiro.
Although Huxiro wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he was no kind soul. Once hostile, he struck ruthlessly and understood the importance of finishing the job.
The Priest entered the alley first. At the end of the alley was a path, and after passing through the short path, a large cathedral appeared ahead.
The two metal doors of the cathedral were wide open, and the emblem on them indicated this was a cathedral of the Healing God Cult.
The cathedral was very quiet. This was where the Priest had tricked and killed over 200 contractors from the Sanctuary Paradise faction.
"Priest, you're familiar with this place. You go first?"
Baha landed on Amu's shoulder. Although it didn't know the exact situation inside the cathedral, it vaguely sensed danger.
"I no longer belong here. This is God's will."
The Priest smiled and shook his head, clearly refusing to enter. His gaze turned to Guild Leader Rogash.
"Rogash, Baida City is under the Magic Association's jurisdiction. In my opinion, this cathedral is problematic, and it's within your domain."
The Priest shifted the blame to Guild Leader Rogash. Rogash said nothing, closing his eyes and waiting.
"Are we going to wait until dawn?"
Huxiro crossed his arms and peered into the cathedral.
"Step back."
Su Xiao spoke as he took out a metal tube wrapped in wires. This item was about the length of a forearm, with an adjustable scale at the top. It was given to Su Xiao by a contractor named Mummy. The original owner of this explosive had died, causing it to lose its authentication rights, making it impossible to take out of this world.
Just as Su Xiao was about to twist the scale on the "Enforcer" to activate it, the Priest quickly stepped forward and grabbed Su Xiao's arm.
"White Night, are you planning to throw this in there?"
"Yeah."
"For now... there's no need to be so ruthless."
The corner of the Priest's eye twitched almost imperceptibly. When in doubt, use high-power explosives to clear the way—that was very Reincarnation Paradise.
Guild Leader Rogash said nothing, manipulating the soul energy disk under his feet to retreat a bit.
"I'll go."
Huxiro stepped toward the cathedral. He had an immortal body and feared ambushes the least.
Bang.
A dull sound came from inside the cathedral. Before Huxiro could dodge, an arrow embedded itself in his chest.
"Heh~"
Huxiro sneered, about to taunt.
Bang, bang, bang...
Explosive sounds rang out continuously from inside the cathedral. In an extremely short time, Huxiro's front was covered with arrows. He raised a hand to scratch his head and continued walking deeper into the cathedral.
Arrows kept coming, and soon Huxiro's form was no longer visible—only a ball of arrows moving forward.
"Aren't you tired..."
An arrow lodged in Huxiro's mouth. He tilted his head back, then pulled the arrow out with his hand.
Boom.
The arrows stuck all over Huxiro scattered in all directions. His arrow-riddled body healed quickly, and soul marks appeared around him. Just as he was about to strike.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of a cane hitting the ground. Hearing this, Huxiro's cheek twitched. He looked toward the inner wall of the cathedral, where a doorway was visible in the lower left corner. The sound came from inside.
A woman in a black court gown, holding a ruby cane, emerged from the darkness. Her eyes were wrapped in black cloth. As she stepped out of the doorway, she lightly pulled the cloth down—it was the Red-Eyed Woman.
"Not good."
Huxiro's expression turned grim. He had encountered his ultimate nemesis: the Red-Eyed Woman of the Healing God Cult.
Not only the Red-Eyed Woman, but secret doors opened all along the cathedral's walls, and at least several hundred clergy members emerged from these hidden passages.
Worse still, all of these were clergy recalled from the Western Continent. Most of them had participated in the battle against the Spider Woman, Younis.
A feeling of being framed washed over Huxiro. He looked toward the cathedral's main entrance, searching for the Priest's figure.
At that moment, the main entrance was empty, not even a ghost in sight. Seeing this, Huxiro felt dizzy with anger.
"Everyone, if I said I had nothing to do with what happened before, would you believe me?"
Bang. An arrow embedded itself in Huxiro's temple.