After listening to Catherine's transmission, the three exchanged glances.
It seemed the most likely candidate for the "Holy Son" was the city lord, Bernard Hoffman...
Then, under Ailiya's surprised gaze, Jiang Lin deactivated the effect of 【Slaughter Disguise】, revealing his original appearance.
A youth appeared, with golden hair and eyes, impossibly handsome, his features nearing perfection.
Ailiya's eyes widened.
How could this guy be so handsome?
"Is this your real face?"
Ailiya found it hard to look at the purple-robed mage persona Jiang Lin had previously adopted.
"Yes, why?"
Jiang Lin tilted his head.
"Nothing, just a bit surprised," Ailiya remarked.
Jiang Lin took the Saint Light Resonance Badge, the Star Track Ring, the Phase Warp Scroll, and the big man's crystal pendant from his robe, confirming they were all ready to be triggered.
Meanwhile, Jiang Lin indicated through the short-range communication crystal that he was preparing to head to the City Lord's Mansion to test the waters.
Catherine spoke:
"Wait a moment. I'll get you the other end of the directional teleportation scroll used by that 8th-rank powerhouse.
"We'll observe your situation through the synchronized recording crystal.
"Delay them as long as you can.
"Give our people enough time to reach the array cores and destroy them.
"If anything goes wrong, our 8th-rank powerhouse will teleport to you immediately.
"If the city lord shows no signs of being a cultist, he'll teleport directly to the Temple's directional array to secure the Temple Master."
"No problem."
Soon, Catherine met him at the designated spot to hand over the directional teleportation array and the synchronized recording crystal.
It was also her first time seeing Jiang Lin without his disguise, and she was momentarily stunned.
She hadn't expected this little guy to be so handsome.
He probably had quite a few young girls chasing him at school, right?
"Be careful. Your safety is the priority."
Jiang Lin nodded and melted into the night.
The Emerald City City Lord's Mansion was located in the north-central part of the city, a sprawling manor-style estate.
High walls, strict guards, and hidden magic essence fluctuations all signaled the heavy security of the place.
Jiang Lin stood before the towering wrought-iron gates of the mansion, took a deep breath, and knocked lightly.
A cautious inquiry came from inside:
"Who is it?"
"Tell Bernard that an old friend has come to visit."
Jiang Lin's voice was calm.
The guard was silent for a moment before replying, "Wait here while I inform Lord Bernard."
About two or three minutes later, the gate slowly creaked open a crack.
Jiang Lin walked in directly, his pace steady.
The interior of the mansion was quite luxurious. Crystal chandeliers refracted the light of magic crystals, expensive oil paintings hung on both sides of the corridors, and the air was thick with the scent of costly incense.
He had left Little Black outside.
He told it to run outside the city.
He was worried the space here might be sealed. If he used the Phase Warp Scroll and couldn't leave, and eventually had to use the system's life-saving measures, he might not be able to take it with him to Planet Teluofuto.
"This way, please."
An elderly man who looked like a butler bowed and led the way.
Jiang Lin followed him through the corridor to a heavy oak door.
The butler pushed the door open and bowed as he withdrew.
This was City Lord Bernard's private study and office.
Jiang Lin stepped into the room.
The interior of the study was even more spacious than the outside. The walls were covered with expensive oil paintings and taxidermy specimens of demonic beast heads. A massive mahogany desk stood in the center.
A middle-aged man sat behind the desk.
He wore a velvet dressing gown and held a glass of red wine, looking refined and scholarly.
It was the city lord of Emerald City, Bernard Hoffman.
Bernard's gaze fell on Jiang Lin, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"An old friend? I don't recall having such a young friend."
His voice was steady.
"City Lord Bernard."
Jiang Lin pulled up a chair and sat down as if he were in his own home.
"Of course we've met...
"Or should I call you... 'Holy Son'?"
The smile on Bernard's face didn't change in the slightest. He gently swirled his glass, the crimson liquid leaving streaks on the glass.
"Young man, I'm not quite sure what you're talking about."
He took a sip of wine, his tone carrying a perfectly measured amount of confusion.
"If you're seeking help or reporting something, you can go to the Temple.
"If it's personal business... I don't believe we're acquainted."
However, Jiang Lin, acting as if he had the man cornered, deactivated the 【Saint Concealment Rune】 within his body.
This way, if the other party was also chosen by an evil god, they would surely sense the Apostle's Heart within him.
He said confidently, "I believe... we've met before."
Then, a pitch-black title phantom, its edges bleeding with dark red light, appeared above his head—【Pope of one of the Four Great Secret Cults】.
An indescribable, sinister aura emanated from him.
It was as if he were a projection of some unspeakable entity.
The wine glass in Bernard Hoffman's hand froze.
For the first time, the gentle smile on his face cracked. His pupils constricted slightly as his gaze locked onto the title phantom above Jiang Lin's head.
Normally, the ability to disguise a title was never mentioned in any books.
Before Jiang Lin, almost no one possessed such an ability.
So, generally speaking, the title above one's head truly symbolized their identity.
At the same time, sensing the Apostle's Heart inside Jiang Lin made him even more bewildered.
"This is..."
A nearly imperceptible tremor ran through Bernard's voice.
"Young man, I don't understand what you mean.
"I think I should report you to the Temple immediately."
Yet, Jiang Lin remained unfazed.
"Bernard, I think there's no need for us to be so secretive anymore.
"I'm quite clear about your plans. Coming to see you now is merely giving you some face."
Jiang Lin leaned back in the chair, looking relaxed, as if he were talking to a subordinate in his own study.
Bernard was uncertain.
At the same time, he prepared to strike at any moment.
Jiang Lin continued:
"As you can see, this body is an experimental clone of mine. I've taken... a different path.
"Currently, I'm registered with the Temple..."
His voice was low, carrying a condescending indifference.
Simultaneously, the effect of 【Blood Deterrence】 triggered. Although the massive gap in strength meant it couldn't exert psychological pressure on the man, Bernard truly saw a vision of endless mountains of corpses and seas of blood behind Jiang Lin.
This scene undoubtedly bolstered the authenticity of Jiang Lin's words and identity.
Bernard slowly set down his wine glass.
"I wonder what commands Your Eminence has for coming to Emerald City in person?"
Hearing this, Jiang Lin felt greatly relieved. This guy was indeed a cult member!
"This current body of mine has been given a task.
"To investigate 'cult activities' in Emerald City."
Jiang Lin's tone was flat, as if he were speaking of something trivial.
"As it turns out, someone here is preparing an 'ascension ceremony' for the 'Holy Son'... and on quite a large scale."
He raised a finger and tapped the armrest of the chair.
"Bernard, do you know whose work this is?"
Bernard was silent for a moment.
"Since Your Eminence has come in person, you must have some guesses."
He walked to the desk, took out a dark purple crystal ball from a drawer, and placed it on the table.
Fine blood-red patterns appeared inside the crystal ball, identical to the sacrificial array markings Jiang Lin had seen at the array core.
"The 'ascension ceremony' in Emerald City is indeed hosted by me."
Bernard's voice was steady.
"The sacrificial array is already in place. Once the time is right, the life force and souls of all five hundred thousand residents of Emerald City will become the foundation for me to step into a higher level."
He looked at Jiang Lin, a hint of testing in his eyes.
"It's just... I didn't expect it would alert Your Eminence. According to the internal customs of the Cult, different factions shouldn't interfere with each other's 'ascension ceremony'."
Jiang Lin remained outwardly.
As expected, this guy was the "Holy Son."
Meanwhile, the external detection array had already been activated, accurately marking the seventy-two array core locations throughout Emerald City.
The Temple members rushed to their assigned areas, ready to strike simultaneously and destroy every array core they could.
"Rules?"
Jiang Lin let out a light chuckle, his laughter carrying a hint of mockery.
"Bernard, you seem to have forgotten my current identity..."
He stood up and walked slowly toward the desk, his gaze falling on the dark purple crystal ball.
"The Temple gave me a task, and I must complete it. However..."
Jiang Lin reached out, his fingertip lightly touching the surface of the crystal ball.
"If you're willing to cooperate, I can give you some compensation...
"You will certainly gain more than you lose..."
Bernard's breath hitched slightly.
"What does Your Eminence mean...?"
"Give up on Emerald City and set up somewhere else.
"As compensation, I can let you choose from several cities under my control."
"Your Eminence's proposal... is very tempting," Bernard said slowly. His fingers, however, quietly pressed a hidden groove beneath the desk.
"But unfortunately, I've already reached the point of no return."
Before he could finish his sentence, the entire mansion shook violently!
The oil paintings on the walls of the study suddenly peeled off, revealing dense, dark-red array markings underneath.
Strange runes began to appear on the floor, the ceiling, and even in the air. They writhed like living creatures, connecting to form a massive three-dimensional cage.
Jiang Lin's expression changed, and he instantly pulled out the teleportation end of the directional teleportation scroll Catherine had given him.
The next moment, the scroll glowed brilliantly, and a figure with a terrifying aura appeared in the room!
As the aura spread, the floor in the center of the study exploded!
At the same time, a shield appeared around Jiang Lin.
This wasn't the life-saving shield he had prepared himself, but one placed on him by the figure that had just appeared.
The newcomer was Rod, the 8th-rank powerhouse sent by the Temple!
He held a massive tower shield engraved with holy light runes, appearing like a moving mountain.
"Bernard Hoffman! Prepare for judgment!"
Rod's voice was like a Great Bell as he slammed the tower shield toward Bernard.
An 8th-rank fighting a 6th-rank was like a father beating a child.
Almost everyone who could reach the 8th-rank was a genius.
Thus, as one progressed, challenging someone of a higher rank became increasingly difficult.
Not to mention skipping two major ranks.
Under any circumstances, Bernard would only be on the receiving end of a beating.
Bernard had never expected this sudden turn of events.
After all, he hadn't received even a whisper of a warning.
Only today, a golden-haired, golden-eyed youth calling himself the "Pope" had suddenly appeared in his study.
Because his identity had been exposed, he feared that any further delay would lead to more problems, so he had decided to activate the plan early.
Then, the scroll in the youth's hand had burst with intense light.
And a burly man had suddenly appeared in his study.
Shouting some incomprehensible nonsense about dying, the man had charged at him.
Terror filled Bernard's face.
He didn't have time to dodge and could only let the tower shield slam into him.
"BANG—!"
Bernard's body exploded instantly. Flesh and blood splattered everywhere, coating the surrounding walls.
Like shattered porcelain, the scene was not fit for minors.
Jiang Lin's pupils shrank.
Everything had happened too fast; he couldn't react at all.
From his perspective, there was a flash of white light from the teleportation array, and then his 【Chronowalker's Evil Eye】 saw chunks of flesh appearing on the surrounding walls.
The next second, those chunks of flesh were truly before his eyes.
"This... he's dead?"
He couldn't believe it.
Almost at the same moment Bernard's body was destroyed, intense energy fluctuations erupted throughout Emerald City.
The abandoned mill in the east, the slums' underground in the south, the blacksmith's backyard in the west...
At the locations of the seventy-two array cores, the Temple's elite warriors struck simultaneously!
Multi-colored magical lights bloomed everywhere, accompanied by the sound of one explosion after another.
Catherine's voice rang in Jiang Lin's ear through the short-range communication crystal:
"All array cores destroyed simultaneously! I repeat, all array cores destroyed! No unusual resistance encountered!"
The scene before him gradually fell into a dead silence, with only the magic power of the fading array core cores continuously draining away.
Jiang Lin stared at the shattered remains of City Lord Bernard Hoffman on the study walls.
The sight stimulated his visual nerves.
Is it... over?
Everything had happened so quickly. The Temple's operation was like a precision machine, executing the planned strategy with perfect accuracy in an instant.
A scheme that might have been targeted at Emerald City for five or six years had ended in failure just like that.
In the end, the opponent had lost because of his own arrogance.
He probably thought that by preparing two sets of sacrificial arrays and setting traps in several of Emerald City's one-way teleportation arrays in advance, he could lure and kill the Temple's reinforcements.
So he had leaked the news, intending to let the Temple's experts walk into his net, while he himself would gain even more benefits from the ascension ceremony.
But he had never expected the Temple's reaction to be so swift.
On the day after he released the news, they had brought in over seventy people inside the city, nearly a hundred outside, and an 8th-rank powerhouse as reinforcements. They had found and destroyed all the array cores he had painstakingly set up over the years in a single instant!
"No, it shouldn't be over yet."
At that moment, the 8th-rank powerhouse Rod frowned.
A sense of alarm rose in his heart.
The instinct of a powerhouse told him that things were definitely not that simple.
He felt that something was wrong.
But he couldn't put his finger on it.
The two core array cores in the mansion had been destroyed by him.
And the city lord, Bernard, had also been killed.
Logically, it should be over.
And the Temple had sufficient intelligence, a numerical advantage, and a meticulous plan arranged in advance.
Completing such a swift and decisive operation should have been within reason.
But the fact that it had all gone so smoothly felt a bit abnormal.
He carefully scanned the room they were currently in, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find any clues.
Perhaps he was overthinking it...
He thought to himself.
Then, he grabbed Jiang Lin, who was beside him, intending to leave directly through the directional teleportation scroll.
However, after taking out the scroll, his brow furrowed.
What's going on? Space has been sealed?
The next moment, a sudden change occurred!
On the floor, walls, and ceiling of the study, the originally decorative patterns suddenly lit up with a blinding blood-red light, instantly weaving into a massive three-dimensional magic array.
It enveloped both Jiang Lin and Rod.
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