The number of Harbor Guards was not small, and many of them were well-equipped musketeers. Though the rebel cultists appeared formidable, they still paled in comparison to a regular army. Just as Granny had said before, aside from the priests of the Silent Sanctum clad in heavy armor, no other extraordinary individual could withstand a volley of musket fire head-on. Moreover, the Church of the Mother of Life’s extraordinary path was not particularly powerful. As long as they advanced steadily and methodically, victory on the frontal battlefield was inevitable. Yet the Prince chose to take the initiative and strike, which made the group fall into contemplation. After witnessing the Prince’s series of actions, no one doubted his intelligence anymore. However, no matter how one looked at it, holding their position seemed the better option. A hasty assault only gave the enemy an opening and added unnecessary variables to the situation. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⟡𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵 Could it be that the Prince had gone through all this just to get Connor and the others to the docks? Was he really that kind-hearted? Just as the group pondered, Zoe spoke softly, “Could it be because... he’s especially familiar with these cultists?” Everyone’s eyes fell upon Zoe. She took a moment to organize her thoughts and continued, “That day, I was wandering through the lower district with Galahad. He was clearly impatient, but still didn’t stop me. Wherever I wanted to go, he followed.” “But when we passed by a few places, he told me it was dangerous and not to go in.” “Could it be that the Prince and his people actually know a great deal about the lower district and those cultists?” Connor’s eyes lit up at her words. “Very possible! A normal lord facing unknown cultists would typically shrink back into defense and request aid from the Church. Although there’s no Church here in Tis, the Prince made such an aggressive decision—” “Most likely because he knows these cultists!” Erwin continued. “Come to think of it, since when did he have extraordinary individuals by his side?” Before the assassination attempt, the Prince had no ties to the extraordinary world. But Galahad clearly was one. Judging by his timely interventions just now, the Prince obviously knew how to utilize extraordinary power to its fullest. The group all looked toward the Prince. This Grand Duke of Tis was growing more and more mysterious. The Harbor Guards had mostly finished assembling. They abandoned all baggage that was difficult to carry, preparing to march light. “Everyone, let’s move out.” He nodded toward the Castel group, then walked toward his soldiers. At that moment, facing his assembled troops, the Prince didn’t need to say much. He simply drew his sword, mounted his horse, and rode at the front. The soldiers cheered and followed behind. Erwin led the Holy Guard, taking a position slightly behind the Prince’s forces. Because there were a large number of infantry among the Harbor Guards, their pace was quite slow. Although they advanced slowly, the road ahead remained quiet. It wasn’t that they didn’t encounter any cultists, but rather that those Mother of Life priests were insane, not stupid. They might risk a fight if they saw a dozen isolated cavalry, but upon seeing this organized force, they had no intention of engaging head-on. The Castel group was also somewhat puzzled. After such a rushed deployment, why were they now advancing so slowly? They had expected the Prince to do as before—charge ahead swiftly with elite cavalry and let the infantry clean up afterward. But instead, he steadily led the army forward, showing no sign of urgency. Suddenly, Granny, who was riding her horse, lifted her head. She tugged at the reins and guided her horse beside Erwin and the others, lowering her voice as she spoke, “Up ahead seems to be a cultist stronghold.” The group was startled. Zoe looked around and suddenly her eyes lit up. “Yes, this is the place Galahad stopped me from entering.” They all drew in a sharp breath—clearly, the Prince’s understanding of the lower district far exceeded their expectations. “What are those cultists doing in there?” “Conducting a ritual,” Granny replied, then pointed ahead. The vanguard of the Harbor Guard had reached the entrance of a warehouse. Galahad kicked open the door with one swift motion, and the soldiers immediately raised their muskets and fired a volley inside. There were quite a few people inside. As soon as the door was kicked open, they began scattering in all directions. The first volley brought down only a few figures. The entrance was narrow, allowing only one squad to fire at a time. By the time the second group raised their weapons, most of the cultists had already fled. Erwin gestured with his hands, and two Holy Guard members urged their horses forward. They approached the warehouse entrance and peered inside. They quickly returned, their expressions deeply troubled—showing a mixture of shock, rage, and revulsion. Erwin raised an eyebrow. “What’s inside?” “...Monsters. Monsters made from human parts.” “Yes.” The Holy Guard soldier’s face was twisted as if he had seen something truly vile. “They stitched various limbs together... I even saw someone with three heads.” Having extra limbs wasn’t inherently strange—Banshees, after all, had six arms and a serpentine tail. Yet their bodies held a fluid elegance, and one could instantly sense the explosive power within their flesh. But judging from the Holy Guard’s expression, the monsters in the warehouse clearly did not meet any kind of human aesthetic. “Their limb joints looked like melted wax, with flesh and blood fused together in a grotesque, twisted manner. They looked like people tossed into boiling water—bloated all over, covered in blisters.” As he spoke, he covered his mouth and gagged. Erwin looked hesitantly at Granny, who simply shook her head. “They’re all mortals—mortals who’ve been modified by extraordinary power. I don’t know why they’d do this. These people don’t become stronger because of it.” The group fell silent for a moment, until Zoe suddenly said, “Let’s take a look ourselves.” Both Connor and Erwin nodded instinctively. Without seeing it for themselves, they couldn’t rest easy. The battle was nearly over. The Harbor Guards were already sweeping through the warehouse in search of remaining Mother of Life followers. There wasn’t much danger anymore. The Holy Guards passed through the Harbor Guard ranks and entered the warehouse. Before long, they laid eyes on those so-called “monsters.” They were indeed grotesque and repulsive. Several heads had been forcibly attached to a single body. With sharp eyes, Zoe pointed to a body lying in a pool of blood. “It looks like it’s still alive.” The group looked toward Granny. After she nodded, they cautiously approached. The creature had three heads, but only one remained intact—likely the original. It was breathing with effort, but each rise and fall of its chest brought more blood from its mouth. It appeared to be a young man. Though his face was twisted in pain, there were still some traces of humanity. When he saw the group approaching, a faint gleam appeared in his eyes.