Chapter 1454: Chapter 1115: The Third Person Squeezed In

Peaceful yet desolate, remote and backward, the Giant Crystal Village, scattered with crystal pillars and bathed in sunlight, is inconveniently connected by poor transport. Recently, a group of odd folks arrived, wealthy, well-fed, idle, and with backing. Soon, Giant Crystal Village was brought to heel.

“Who are you?! Do you know who I am? You’ve got some nerve. My uncle is with the border patrol. When he comes back, I’ll report all of you!” A grungy-looking young man was being dragged away by a Stone person, struggling and shouting loudly.

“Keep shouting, it’s no use. Do you know who I am?” Negris said with her hands on her hips, arrogantly.

“Weren’t you just asking? Who are you?!” the young man struggled to shout.

“Listen up, I am Nefarian Uzmoz Lavalite Babuguli Griegory… the Knowledgeable Negris. Did you get that?” Negris spent several minutes stating her name.

The young man was perplexed, shaking his head: “Who can remember such a long name?”

But it was no longer important. After Negris finished reciting her name, they had reached the destination. The grungy young man was hung on the Stake of Executions.

Anthony sat at a table right in front, looking at the trial scroll, then turned to ask the two cloaked individuals next to him, “Is it him?”

One of them, who looked frail, shrank back timidly, while the other, taller one, said angrily, “It’s him. Even if he rotted in the sewer, I’d recognize him.”

Hearing this voice, the grungy young man’s eyes widened in shock: “It’s you? No, no, it’s not my fault, it wasn’t my idea, no…”

Anthony waved his hand, and suddenly the young man found he couldn’t open his mouth.

“Giralimo, you–” Anthony looked at Giralimo on the Stake of Executions, and as he shouted “you,” his eyes turned golden, and another voice, not his own, rang out: “Guilty.”

Clang clang clang, three chains sprung up and bound Giralimo to the Stake of Executions.

Negris peeked curiously at the scene and exclaimed in surprise, “Eh, how can I see the markings on the chains too? Rape, murder, robbery? Is that the Original Sin Shackles?”

With a golden glint in his eyes and an expressionless face, Anthony stated, “Multiple offenses, exacted together. Stake of Executions, execute immediately.”

Following his words, Giralimo bound to the Stake of Executions caught fire, letting out a piercing scream and struggling frantically.

Among the two cloaked figures, the frail one stayed hunched behind her companion, wishing she could disappear.

But after hearing Anthony announce the punishment, her body shivered, she raised her head to look toward the Stake of Executions, and upon seeing the flames, she instinctively straightened her stooped figure. Hearing the other’s piercing screams, she trembled even more.

The roaring Sacred Flame continued for several seconds, until Giralimo on the Stake of Executions burned from flesh to skeleton, from skeleton to ash. Until the very last second, his screams of agony and his frantic struggles were testament to his excruciating pain.

Halfway through the burning, a skeletal figure struggled within the crackling flames, which looked quite eerie. However, the two cloaked individuals watched with excitement, the frail one clutching her fists tightly.

Only when completely reduced to ash did the Sacred Flame extinguish, the Stake of Executions remained undamaged. Anthony said flatly, “Next.”

The Stone Giants began to drag another person out. Before transforming into the Black Warrior, Anthony was a Wizard–though not specialized in Earth Element magic, summoning a few Stone Giants was easy. The command, however, was bothersome and distracting.

It was a pity they didn’t bring everyone during their arrival, like Graystick Nagi Shah and the others, so all tasks had to be personally attended to.

“I need to recruit more people quickly,” Anthony muttered to himself, when the frailer of the two cloaked individuals suddenly threw back her hood and dashed out, knocking her forehead against Anthony’s in three firm bows.

After she finished and raised her head, tears streamed down her fair, delicate face, but her gaze was unshakably determined.

Anthony smiled and nodded, saying, “May the light illuminate your path ahead.”

A fair trial straightened the posture of a timid girl and deeply impressed the onlookers nearby.

Anthony had ‘invited’ most of the people from Giant Crystal Village, wanting the faith to spread quickly. Merely bestowing favors was not enough; intimidation was also necessary.

Most people remember punishment more than they remember kindness. Simple generosity carries no weight. Only when one hand holds a knife and the other the law will the carrot you offer be truly treasured.

First extend favors, then show power. Soon many disciples of the Lord of Light emerged in Giant Crystal Village. Even Old John and Aji would murmur “May the Lord of Light illuminate the path ahead” from time to time while on duty.

After the trial was concluded, Anthony burned four vile criminals to death. All of them had committed heinous crimes like murder and rape but had avoided punishment due to strong backing, evidence issues, and such.

However, their strength was only enough to bully this remote village, hardly better than local tyrants. Anthony summoned a few Stone Giants and easily subdued them, which tells how isolated this place was.

Having packed up the tables, Anthony was stopped on his way back by Faradi, who pushed the frail girl in a Cloak towards him and said irritably:

“Her head is petrified, closed off, muddled. She wants to spread the glory of the Light and refuses to be dissuaded; she’s the third one already. I tell you, girl, instead of marrying and having children, what glory are you spreading? Is faith that easy to spread? If you meet a strong foe, they could kill you with one strike…”

Faradi rambled on, but all of her words were ignored by the frail girl, who stood there with a determined look on her face, gazing at Anthony.

Anthony looked at her with affection: “Those who harbor the Light in their heart can become envoys of the Light. May the Lord of Light be with you. Follow me, I will give you guidance of the Light.”

The frail girl immediately followed behind Anthony. Faradi opened her mouth, wanting to say something but couldn’t, and watched them walk away in annoyance.

A Bronze Dragon slowly floated by behind, staring at her with a strange expression.

Faradi took a deep breath, composed herself, and asked the Bronze Dragon, “Are you married?”

The Bronze Dragon quickly covered its ears and sped up to catch up with Anthony and the girl, leaving Faradi stomping her feet in anger.

Catching up to Anthony, Negris whispered, “Kvada, you haven’t even won her over yet and you’re already having her work for you?”

Anthony glanced at the frail girl following him and replied softly, “Making the best use of her. Those sorted by the deity of marriage must be the most fervent fanatics.”

Negris was awestruck, acknowledging it was impressive to have subordinates working for you, but truly masterful to have enemies and bystanders do so.

Returning to the encampment, Ange had already slipped away to Planting Trees. He was the one who judged those sinners, as only a Master God like Ange could easily alter the Original Sin Shackles.

Anthony gave the frail girl a set of close-fitting armor, a holy robe, a pendant, a Magic Wand, a scroll, and a bag of Demon Crystals, instructing, “Remember three phrases: my Lord is omnipotent, the Light illuminates all worlds, Lord, help me. If you’re in danger, open the scroll, and you can be teleported back. If you can’t open the scroll, then shout ‘Lord, help me’, understand?”

The frail girl nodded vigorously.

“Go forth, and may the Light be with you.” Anthony nodded at her.

The frail girl walked away with resolute steps. Negris couldn’t watch any longer, “Aren’t you being too childish? Just like that, sending her off? The task you’ve given her, that of a preacher, is very dangerous.”

Anthony said, “With the Lord’s protection, what danger could there be? It’s the ones she sets her sights on who should be worried about danger.”

“Ah? Her? This little one?” Negris said in astonishment.

…

The next evening, a patrol vehicle with a huge cannon slowly approached over Ange’s Airship. The cannon aimed at the airship, began to gather energy, and the muzzle emitted a white light.

However, before it could fire, a puff of smoke suddenly rose in the cramped cockpit, which could only fit two people. As the smoke cleared, a third person squeezed in.