Chapter 2192: Mentally Collapsed
These words dropped into the crowd like a bomb, causing the believers who had just relaxed to instantly explode. "Who killed the Holy Maiden?"
"What kind of person would dare to kill the Holy Maiden!"
"Kill him to avenge the Holy Maiden!"
The believers, who had seemed filled with compassion just a second ago, instantly surged with murderous intent. They naturally turned their gazes toward the outer zone players in the square, their eyes filled with hatred.
"Hey, do you people have something wrong with your brains?" The long-haired player had united about a dozen players to confront the temple head-on, and these people were still standing in the center of the square. The speaker was a short-haired woman, who said irritably, "What does your Holy Maiden's death have to do with us? Some of us only arrived in this district today, alright?"
"Besides, if the Holy Maiden was killed, you should first investigate your own people! The Holy Maiden always lived in the temple. It's hard enough for outsiders like us to even get through the door!"
These words, somewhat sarcastic but clearly reasonable, did not restore the believers' rationality, because they only believed in one principle:
"Besides outsiders, no one in our country would harm the Holy Maiden, and no one could harm the Holy Maiden!"
The Holy Maiden lived in the temple, protected by both the Divine Envoys and the players, and also blessed by the Goddess. Their status was second only to the Divine Envoys. It was absolutely impossible for anyone to kill them!
"That's hard to say. Maybe it was your own players or Divine Envoys?" the short-haired woman said impatiently. "You people unconditionally obey the Goddess's words, but the Divine Envoys might not."
"Even more so, maybe the Goddess herself did it. Holy Maiden? Sounds nice, but aren't they just a group of hermaphrodites raised to bear children for you? What status do they have? What's so strange about being killed? If it were me, I might even commit suicide..."
These words challenged the faith of the Goddess Cult and clearly enraged everyone present. Seeing that no useful information was coming out and the situation might turn violent, Xu Huo used his trait and spoke up at the right moment: "Can I say a few words?"
The trait only affected a small portion of people, and the effect was very poor. For example, the believers closest to him not only didn't listen to him but instead grew even angrier, as if one wrong word from him would result in a beating.
"I saw the Holy Maiden perform a ceremony in Purple Lake City." Xu Huo slowed his speech and said slowly, "Although I only watched from the middle, I still felt the call of faith."
"It's hard for a worldly person like me to entrust my body and soul to faith, and I don't really believe that such pure people exist in the world. The Goddess Cult has overturned my view."
"I heard from a local friend that the selection of the Holy Maiden is extremely strict. Very few people in the entire country can become Holy Maidens. After being chosen, they spend most of their time living in the temple, serving only the Goddess. As the people closest to the Goddess, any harm done to any of them should be a harm to the Goddess herself, let alone being killed."
"Moreover, they are not just Holy Maidens; they also bear the future of this country. Whether out of admiration for the Goddess Cult or personal respect for her, I really want to know this Holy Maiden's name."
He then looked at the Divine Envoy, "I came from an outer zone and will leave here. Many of the outer zone players present are the same. I and they will take this name to the outer zones."
"I wonder if the Divine Envoy would be willing to tell us?"
The Divine Envoy maintained his previous posture, not even glancing sideways at Xu Huo. Faced with this sincere and pleasant speech, he first expressed his thanks, then politely refused, because the case of the Holy Maiden's murder was not yet concluded, so the Holy Maiden's information could not be disclosed. On one hand, this was to prevent the murderer from learning more details; on the other hand, it was to avoid making the Holy Maiden a topic of gossip.
Xu Huo expressed understanding, then said, "The Holy Maiden lived in the temple for a long time. I believe both the Divine Envoy and the players responsible for protecting the temple must be very remorseful for not being able to save her in time. Please accept my condolences. If needed, we outer zone players can also help. If it was an outer zone player who did it, it would be more convenient for us to investigate ourselves than for you to investigate unilaterally."
The Divine Envoy still refused, not even revealing any characteristics of the murderer. Finally, he calmed the believers present, telling them not to vent their anger for the Holy Maiden's death on innocent people. The temple would definitely catch the murderer... After all, with so many outer zone players, they couldn't all be murderers.
The believers also calmed down, but their eyes towards the outer zone players remained unfriendly.
"Apologies, but the temple will be closed for two more days. Players who have cleared the instance can go to other cities first. After receiving recognition from the Divine Envoys in other cities, you can come back here."
After saying this, the Divine Envoy returned to the temple, and the temple doors closed again.
This was barely considered a resolution for the outer zone players. The long-haired player and the others could no longer force their way into the temple. If they didn't want to become enemies with the entire district, they had to leave first.
"Had to be so meddlesome. Talked so nicely, made it seem like he really believed in the Goddess Cult, but in the end, he didn't even get a seal stamped." Someone said in a voice neither too loud nor too soft, but as soon as the words fell, the other players nearby gave him a warning look. Regardless of Xu Huo's motives, he had just helped defuse the situation for everyone. Did they really want to start a fight with a bunch of ordinary people?
Picking a fight at this point would be rather dishonorable.
Xu Huo's words were beautiful, but his exposed arm had no eye pattern, and he had come from Purple Lake City. Wasn't this saying one thing and doing another?
"Really not a decent person." The blond sneered.
Xu Huo smiled and said, "I'm not a clearance player, so I don't need a seal."
This remark made even more outer zone players look over. A few who had been stuck for a long time felt their mentality collapse and left in anger.
"Let's go too." Xu Huo turned to the blond and said, "Stay one night, then go to another temple."
The three of them found a hotel far from the temple and checked in. As soon as they entered the room, the blond frowned. "These people, seriously? Holding a grudge over such a small thing?"
Three players had followed them to the vicinity of the hotel.
"It's not a grudge over a small thing; it's picking on the weak." Xu Huo glanced out the window. "Probably saw that I'm injured and wanted to take advantage."
The blond cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry, with me here, I'll make sure they don't come back!"
"Then thanks a lot." Xu Huo called Ahai over and suggested they stay together for convenience.
Ahai nodded and said, "How about we push the two beds together and squeeze in for the night?"
"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" the blond said immediately. "Aren't you... don't you mind?"
But Ahai showed a firmness that didn't match his behavior along the way. "When facing a man, I am also a man."
The blond was very conflicted. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I don't think you should be so confident. You are a hermaphrodite. When facing a woman, you can be a man, but when facing a man, you're probably a woman."
"Ordinary people are indeed weak compared to players, but hermaphrodites are protected by the Goddess. They are by no means weak, otherwise how could our country have survived?" Ahai said while making the bed, then lay down without any hesitation.
Seeing this, the blond turned his face to Xu Huo. "Should I carry you up?"
Xu Huo glanced at him coldly. "If you don't want to sleep in the bed, you can sleep on the floor."