Deep in the black forest, the tangled roots of ancient, twisted trees merge with moss-covered rocks, naturally forming a concealed area.

A simple concealed magic array is set up nearby; this is the temporary refuge for the remnants of the Hand of Death.

Krug, the robust Lizardman priest of the Hand of Death, carefully lays the unconscious girl flat on a simple cot made of straw and soft animal skins.

His arms, covered in dense dark green scales, have bulging muscles, yet his movements are exceptionally gentle, as if he were holding fragile glass.

The white long dress is now stained with dirt and several dried dark spots, and the bare feet exposed under the hem are unnaturally pale.

Even though possessing the virtue of ’spirituality’ and being able to listen to divine will and borrow the powers of gods, the cost far exceeds what a mortal body can easily bear.

First, during her role in the massive sacrificial ceremony, she was constantly infused with the power of the Death God, and the sudden interruption of the ceremony caused a severe backlash that made her soul tremble.

Then, to combat the mysterious enemy manipulating the Slime, she had no choice but to use the death power that was bestowed upon her.

Finally, to carve a path for survival before the Empire Army could encircle them, she nearly drained the remaining divine grace within her.

At this moment, she curls up between the animal skins, her breathing weak to the point of being barely noticeable, with her brows furrowed in pain even in her unconscious state, and faint dark veins occasionally appear under her skin, then slowly fade.

Three priests surround the cot.

Besides the Lizardman Krug, there’s Jini, whose complexion is equally pale, and another companion who always hides their face in the thick shadow of their cloak, with a slightly thin and short stature.

A dozen cultists who managed to escape with them silently gather at the edge of a distant rock cave; most are injured, armor damaged, and their gazes towards the cot mix with relief for surviving and deep concern.

The High Priest is their only bridge for communicating with gods, and is the core that binds this remnant group together.

Jini kneels on one knee, hovering over the heart of the High Priest.

Without direct contact, her fingertips glow with a faint gray light. After carefully probing, she withdraws her hand, her face looking even uglier.

"Excessive depletion of spirituality, the body is severely eroded by death power, slowly disintegrating from within." Her voice is dry, "Conventional healing techniques or potions not only won’t work, but may provoke an accelerated backlash from death power. A special potion must be concocted to neutralize the death erosion, containing pure life force, to stabilize the situation."

"What materials are needed? I’ll go find them!" Krug stands up without hesitation.

Among the three priests, he is the only one from the Demon Race, making him more suitable to act in the Empire-controlled areas than the human Jini or the Catman priest.

Jini quickly lists several materials: "At least fifty years old sap from the main root of the Bleeding Vine, must be fresh... I still have some regeneration potion here... It’d be best to get some bone marrow or heart essence blood from an adult giant beast..."

Krug remembers them one by one: "I’ll go to the Giant Beast Bone Field in the north, be back soon, meanwhile, please take care of the High Priest, Jini!"

He turns to the remaining cultists, picking two who look less injured and are also from the Demon Race: "You two, come with me, the others stay and follow Jini Priest’s orders."

"May the goddess’s protection be with you... be careful meow." The Catman priest who has always been hidden under the hood softly speaks, with a gentle tone and a hint of worry.

Krug barely nods, his thick tail sweeps across the ground, then turns and leaves the hideout, leaving only the sound of footsteps gradually fading away.

...

"Cult?" In the study adorned with exotic beast skulls, Earl Bona, hearing the intent of the dusty Diamond Level officer opposite him, laughed as if he’d heard something absurd, "You’re joking, there’s no such thing as a cult here."

The officer was unmoved by Bona’s words, reiterating: "Earl, we’re not questioning your governance. Intelligence suggests the remnants of the Hand of Death might be roaming nearby; this visit is to request your assistance to collaborate in conducting the search within the city and surrounding areas."

"Oh... Oh! So that’s it!" Hearing he wasn’t the target, Earl Bona quickly nodded, "Cooperate, of course, full cooperation! Eliminating cults and maintaining the Empire’s stability is our responsibility as vassals. I’ll immediately issue orders for the patrols and local sheriffs to heed your direction; manpower, guides, ask freely!"

"Thank you for your cooperation." The officer saluted, then left the study.

As the wooden door closed, the kind smile on Earl Bona’s face collapsed like melting wax.

He almost sprang from his chair, rushing to the large oak desk, hurriedly opening a hidden compartment to retrieve the Yellow-covered Book.

"Master Holy Scripture... What do I do?" He lowered his voice, filled with panic, "They’re not after us, they’re chasing that pack of mangy dogs... But if, if during the search, they accidentally find something..."

Under long-term influence, Bona became a loyal servant of the Yellow-covered Book, yet he continued to worry about his wealth and status.

Though publicly he claimed that those magic arrays being set up were "large reconnaissance arrays for precision detection of buried giant beast remains."

Bona knew himself well, this rhetoric only deceived outsiders.

A proper array master could easily spot flaws upon real examination.

Even if one didn’t understand magic arrays, a careful calculation of the recent magic material values brought in would easily lead to the conclusion, "this magic array is too costly, it can’t merely be set up to excavate some remains."

Text appeared on the page:

[Don’t let them check]

"Yes, yes! I think so too, but... how to stop them? They’re Emperor’s people, with formal orders!"

[Up above want a cult, then let’s give them a cult.]

[As for those already hunting... Pursuing vicious cult remnants is inherently a bloody, risky affair. Unfortunate encounters with ambushes and total annihilation are not uncommon.]

[And you, my dear Earl, though your rescue was delayed, you avenged them after all, and slaughtered all the cultists... Surely, you’ll receive some commendation.]

"I... I understand, Master Holy Scripture!" A trace of ruthlessness and determination flashed in Bona’s eyes.

...

Disguised as mercenaries, Krug quietly observes the city ahead.

A strange feeling swirls in his heart, yet he can’t pinpoint its source.

Suppressing the uneasiness, he doesn’t have much time, the High Priest is still waiting for him.

Reaching the city’s market, searching for the required materials, he ends up with the worst possible outcome.

"Have all these materials been shipped to the Bone Field to set up magic arrays? What magic array requires such valuable materials?"