Chapter 378: Chapter 366: Give One Chance (Please Subscribe)
Underground, in a spacious hall, the flame in the corner burned silently.
In this hall, more than ten to twenty black-robed figures stood, their wide hats obscuring their faces, adding a touch of eerie silence to the already quiet atmosphere.
At that moment, from the front left, came the sound of footsteps, like leather shoes stepping on the floor.
A middle-aged man in a red robe walked slowly towards them.
He looked around thirty or forty years old, with fluffy curly hair and a smile on his face, giving a sense of warmth and kindness,
"Greetings, Lord Bishop!"
More than twenty black-clad figures uniformly kneeled on one knee, looking at the red-robed man with eyes full of respect.
"With Lord Black Demon above."
The red-robed man showed an expression of devotion, touching his fingers to his body a few times and looking diagonally upwards.
Then he slowly lowered his head and his smile became even more gentle, "Stand up, everyone."
The black-clad figures then stood up from the ground.
"Lord Bishop, do you have an announcement for us?"
The leading black-robed figure asked respectfully.
The red-robed man nodded, his eyes sweeping over the crowd, "There are two matters, let’s start with the first."
He clapped his hands.
In the next moment, a person nailed to a wooden frame was pushed out by two black-robed figures from a small door.
Instantly, a bloody smell permeated the hall.
The person bound to the wooden frame had no good flesh on his body, barely breathing, clearly tortured and could die at any moment.
The eyes of the black-robed figures showed pity.
Not that they haven’t seen worse scenes, but because they recognized the tortured person.
Or, put differently, a few days ago, he was one of them.
"You all know him, right?"
The red-robed man asked smiling.
"Yes."
"Yes."
The crowd responded quickly.
The bound man seemed to be awakened by the commotion, struggling to open his eyes slightly, looking at everything around him.
The hall became quiet at that moment.
"L-Lord Bishop."
The man seemed to awaken fully, his eyes pleading, his voice weak, "Lord Bishop, please, give me another chance."
"Another chance?"
The red-robed man smirked.
"Yes, y-yes," the man stammered, "Last time was an accident, Lord Bishop, give me another chance, I will double the lost Sacred Artifact back, please, Lord Bishop."
If Chen Fan were here, he would recognize that the person in front of him, despite being unrecognizable, was the pawn he arranged to infiltrate the Evil Cult.
His purpose was to use this pawn to acquire information on other cult teams; to eliminate them and destroy their Black Balls for substantial Experience Points.
But from this scene, it seemed his goal had not been achieved.
"Do you think I should give him another chance?" The red-robed man asked the crowd.
The crowd glanced at each other, unsure of his stance, and remained silent.
Then the initially speaking man straightened his chest and said, "Lord Bishop, I think not."
"Oh? Why?" The red-robed man asked with a smile.
"Lord Bishop, Peng Song was ineffective, not only losing the Sacred Artifact but also causing the team members’ deaths. If we let him go now, what happens next time if someone else fails? Should we let them go too?"
"Fang Liang, you, you..."
Peng Song glared at the man speaking, eyes full of deep hatred.
"Lord Bishop, I believe Peng Song should not be spared." Another black-robed figure spoke, revealing it was a woman.
Fang Liang frowned, appearing dissatisfied.
The woman’s face was cold, "Peng Song lost the Sacred Artifact yet he dares to return. And with all team members dead, he’s the only survivor. Is it possible he abandoned the Sacred Artifact and his teammates to save his own life?"
"You, you, slander!"
Peng Song’s eyes filled with blood-red fury.
He remembered clearly that his teammates sacrificed their lives to buy him time to escape safely.
It was not out of cowardice or fear!
"Slander?" The woman sneered, "Even if I am, you failed your mission, should you not self-penalize? If it were me, losing the Sacred Artifact means I wouldn’t return, I would perish with the enemy."
The red-robed man showed a hint of approval.
Fang Liang looked at the woman, clenching his fists tightly.
That sycophant, absolutely shameless!
The red-robed man’s gaze crossed to the others, "Does anyone have anything else to say?"
People glanced at each other.
Among them were those with good relations with Peng Song, showing pity for the torment he suffered, now realizing Fang Liang’s words condemned Peng Song to death.
Realizing they shared the same mission.
Today, Peng Song is tortured to death for losing the Sacred Artifact.
Tomorrow, they might be next.
Wouldn’t Peng Song’s fate be their cautionary tale?
So, supporting Peng Song meant supporting themselves.
"Lord Bishop,"
A black-robed figure spoke, "Peng Song dedicated himself to the cult for years, despite no merit, he has labor. Though he deserves death for losing the Sacred Artifact, Lord Bishop, would you give him a chance to redeem himself for his years of hard work and punishment?"
"Yes, Lord Bishop," others followed, "If Peng Song fails again, he won’t need your intervention, he will self-penalize."
"Lord Bishop, give him a chance."
Hearing many pleas, Peng Song relaxed somewhat.
With so many advocating for him, he likely would escape punishment today.
Had he known this would happen upon return, he’d flee elsewhere, enduring pursuit over this inhuman torture.
But it’s too late now.
He glanced at Fang Liang and the woman.
When the opportunity arose, he’d make them pay for today’s words!!!
"Oh?"
The red-robed man smirked, "So many plead for him."
Silence fell in the hall.
Those who spoke shut their mouths quickly out of fear.
"Should I praise your camaraderie or your cleverness?"
Walking slowly, his smile vanished.
"You plead for him, actually thinking if you fail one day, you might have a way out, right?"
Everyone bowed their heads quickly.
Peng Song’s anxiety grew stronger.
What did this mean?
Didn’t the Bishop intend to spare him?
"Remember your circumstances before joining? Starving, homeless, risking being killed or eaten, or dying to beasts,
Now? None of you worry about food, with Awakener-level power, thanks to Lord Black Demon, thanks to the sect.
Joining, you swore to give all, even your life for the sect.
Now, after enjoying power, have you become cowardly, unwilling to sacrifice for Lord Black Demon?"
"Bang!"
Everyone knelt, shaking their heads and denying fervently.
Especially those who pleaded for Peng Song cried sorrowfully.
The red-robed man regained his smile, "Alright, stand up, I know your loyalty to Lord Black Demon and willingness to sacrifice for the sect. Your pleas showed brotherhood, however,"
He turned to Fang Liang and the woman, "Fang Liang was right, if I spare Peng Song now, what happens next time someone fails?
Should I spare them too? If every failure gets a chance, no one would care about the mission, isn’t that right?"
"The Lord Bishop is right," kneeling, Fang Liang looked up, "Without rules, the world collapses, Peng Song failed and must die."
"Indeed, Peng Song brought this on himself."
"Failing and still daring to return, where’s his courage from?"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
Soon, all voices echoed with these three words.
Peng Song’s face turned pale, not expecting his chance of escape vanished so fast.
"L-Lord Bishop."
Crying, he begged, "Please, give me another chance, I won’t disappoint you."
"It’s not me denying you, it’s they who deny you."
The red-robed man sighed, producing a Black Ball twice the size of the previous.
Suddenly, red and black energy flew from Peng Song into the Black Ball.
His body shriveled, aged, turning to a pile of clothes in seconds.
Just like those he’d sacrificed before.
The crowd watched this with cold, fearful eyes.
Withdrawing the Black Ball, the red-robed man looked at the kneeling crowd, satisfied.
"Now, the second matter is about Anshan City, very important, listen well, for it’s a rare opportunity for both me and you."
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