Night fell.
In the Beast Cult camp, in the torture chamber.
In the silent night, the crack of the whip was particularly piercing.
Pansen had been drugged, his whole body limp and exhausted.
Hands tied behind his back, he hung from the ceiling.
His bare upper body was covered in bloody whip marks.
The bat-man sorcerer Andrew was wielding the whip, torturing Pansen.
Yet the tough man endured the torture without a single murmur!
He neither surrendered nor revealed the hiding place of the South Island sorcerer group.
In truth, Pansen's loyalty to the South Island Federation was not yet to the point of sacrificing his life for his country.
He refused to confess because he wanted to protect his daughter.
His daughter was Pansen's last hope.
He didn't want his daughter to risk her life to rescue him.
He only hoped she would escape back to the camp and live safely until the end of the war.
However, the opposite happened...
The ground suddenly trembled slightly.
A black figure emerged from the earth!
The jet-black leather bodysuit made it easy to move through the ground, highlighting the girl's tall and graceful figure.
Especially her round, slender legs, which, when clasped together, formed a seamless gap.
Andrew turned to face Tanya, who had sneaked underground into the barracks.
His lustful gaze lingered unrestrainedly over her.
A smile played on his lips, a hint of control.
"Miss Tanya, I haven't seen you for two days. I've missed you terribly."
"I knew you, such a filial daughter, would come back!"
"I'm so sorry you slipped away last time."
"I promise it won't happen again today."
"I've invited a friend to entertain you."
"Come out, Junior Brother Peck, and meet your distinguished guest."
Creaky—
The door opened, and a bespectacled man walked in.
He wore the uniform of a Beast Cult warlock, embroidered with the emblem of the God of Plague.
He looked like a refined, middle-aged gentleman.
"Miss Tanya, you should be honored by our consideration for you."
"To persuade Junior Brother Peck to come forward, I promised to give him a precious Super Magic Awakening Potions upon completion!"
Andrew feigned a pained expression.
Peck adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "Brother Andrew, I will prove to you that I am worthy of the reward you promised me."
He turned to face Tanya, tipped his hat, and bowed politely.
"Good evening, my dear lady. I heard you've awakened the bloodline of the giant-horned minotaur and are adept at burrowing underground?"
"So what?" Tanya's muscles tensed, her voice dry.
She knew she'd fallen for a trick!
But the other party's exact plan remained unknown.
"Coincidentally, I've awakened the bloodline of the subterranean ratman, and I'm also adept at burrowing underground."
Peck didn't seem to mind revealing his special ability.
"Miss Tanya, with all due respect, if you don't want to suffer, you'd better not try to burrow beneath my feet."
"You seem unconvinced? I might as well be frank. With your size, diving deep into the earth doesn't hinder combat."
"I'm different. Diving deep into the earth doesn't hinder combat."
"You look confused, confused?"
Peck sneered coldly, his tone tinged with sarcasm.
"What a shame, such a pretty face, but such a dull mind."
Tanya bit her lip, barely suppressing her anger.
Knowing he was trying to provoke her, how could she lose her composure?
In fact, it wasn't hard for Tanya to guess where Peck's confidence lay.
Escape into the earth's depths, like diving in the deep ocean, was indeed inconvenient for using martial arts.
If Peck had escaped underground as a human, he would have been subject to the same limitations.
However, Peck is a beastmancer, capable of transforming into a giant rat!
While burrowing underground, he can still bite with his sharp fangs.
Like a shark in the ocean!
If Peck mastered the third-level spell "Rat Form," it would be even more formidable!
Their body could disintegrate into a swarm of rats, which would collectively burrow deep into the earth, swarming and devouring their prey like a pack of bloodthirsty piranhas!
In this situation, even if Tanya's cultivation was superior to Peck's, she wouldn't be able to defeat this formidable foe deep within the earth.
"Tanya... hurry!"
Panson anxiously urged his daughter, using his last bit of strength to attempt suicide by biting his tongue.
However, Andrew's hand reached out and grasped his jaw.
Crack!
Panson's jaw dislocated, and despair filled his eyes.
Peck glanced at Pansen with disdain, his gaze returning to Tanya's.
"Miss, let me be frank. You only have two options."
"First, you can try to burrow beneath my surface and see if you can escape my burrowing rats."
"If you fail, you will die miserably. If you manage to escape, your father will be the one to suffer miserably."
"If you don't want to commit suicide and bring your father to his death, you can only choose the second option and join our Beast Cult."
"You have two options before you: life or death. Do I need to teach you which to choose?"
Tanya gritted her teeth and said nothing.
She didn't want to choose either of the two options Peck pointed out.
She just wanted to kill Peck and Andrew and rescue her father!
But... was it possible?
The idea of Andrew and Peck teaming up was enough to give her a headache.
Furthermore, these two despicable men were threatening her father's life. Could she be so heartless as to disregard his fate?
Despair grew within Tanya.
Andrew watched, his smile growing even more obscene.
"Don't worry, Junior Brother Peck. This night is long. Why don't we take our time in training this beautiful young lady?"
"For example... have her strip naked first so we can feast our eyes on her."
"To save her father's life, our filial daughter wouldn't refuse even such a small favor."
Andrew's obscene words completely infuriated Tanya.
Unable to bear it any longer, she resolved to fight tooth and nail!
Even if she died here, she would take these two beasts with her!
At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'll help you."
Huh?!
Tanya's heart trembled! Is this... Junior Brother Allen's voice?!
The sudden surprise, so unreal, only aroused her suspicion.
"Trying to use telepathy to impersonate Junior Brother Allen?" Tanya sneered inwardly: "Despicable cultist! Don't try! I won't be fooled!"
The mysterious telepathic connection paused for a moment.
Then, another sentence entered her mind.
"Senior Sister, I want to kiss your feet."
Tanya's doubts were instantly dispelled!
This shameless character was definitely Allen himself!
Telepathy, a thousand words in an instant.
Tanya didn't hesitate at all. Following Allen's command, she immediately retreated underground!
The slender figure swiftly disappeared.
"Your stupidity is just as I expected!"
Peck sneered and calmly removed his glasses. His body disintegrated like a crumbling building, disintegrating into a swarm of large, ochre-colored rats.
The rats squealed and scurried underground in pursuit of Tanya.
Personal belongings, such as clothes and glasses, were left on the surface.
"Hmph! I thought I could have some fun with that pretty girl, but in the end, she left her dad behind and escaped alone. What a bummer!"
Andrew looked disappointed.
With nothing else to do, he picked up the whip again and approached Pansen.
"Pansen, Pansen, it seems your daughter isn't very filial after all!"
With that, he lashed out with a fierce lash!
Swish!
A "finger wave" pierced the window, the sound of breaking wind mingling with the whistling of the whip.
The rope holding Pansen was severed by the energy, and his weakened body fell from mid-air, just avoiding the sweeping whip.
Before he even touched the ground, Pantheon vanished into thin air.
A tall, handsome young man in black appeared in his place.
"What a clever 'teleportation'! Brilliant!"
Andrew casually dropped the whip and sneered at Allen.
"Hey! Isn't this the owner of the Panthes Martial Arts School on Silvermoon Island?"
"To be honest, we've been waiting for you for a long time."
"Who told you I was coming?" Allen frowned slightly.
"Hehe..."
Andrew smiled without saying anything, then snapped his fingers.
Snap!
With a crisp sound, the door to the second floor opened.
A long-haired girl in a white shirt and black skirt slowly walked down the stairs.
A silver spider mask obscured her face.
A slender waist, easily grasped in one hand, and a ruby-encrusted silver dagger hung from the outside of her belt.
Hiss…
Seeing the girl in the spider mask, Alan couldn't help but take a deep breath!
He couldn't hide the horror in his eyes.
Oh no!
The creditor's here!
Old debts haven't been paid yet, and I'm afraid I'll have to incur new ones!
Seeing his expression, Andrew grinned from ear to ear.
"On our own, Peck and I aren't sure we can save you and Tanya."
"We've specially invited Miss Spana to kill you."
"From the moment you arrived here, your death was doomed... eh?!"
The arrogant laughter still echoed in the air.
Andrew's expression suddenly froze!
He lowered his head, staring blankly at the silver dagger emerging from his chest.
His eyes were filled with disbelief! How could this happen?!
Spanna was clearly one of us, so why did she stab him in the back?!
Andrew's mouth dropped open, his Adam's apple throbbing violently.
He was filled with confusion and anger, but he couldn't utter a single syllable.
The "silencing spell" attached to the dagger prevented him from reciting a spell or even calling for help.
The stab in his back was insidious and vicious, nearly fatal.
In a pool of blood, Andrew's dying body suddenly exploded!
Each piece of flesh transformed into a vampire bat.
Each bat was only the size of a palm.
Hundreds of bats were his clones!
Andrew, transformed into a swarm of bats, scattered in all directions!
As long as even one bat escaped, he would survive!
"Ungwé!"
Alas, Spanner knew her own people too well.
With a gentle wave of her slender hand, a second-level "Spider Web" spell descended from the sky.
The swarm of bats, before they could disperse, was instantly snared!
Almost instantly, a pool of moonlight shone from Allen's palm, illuminating the interrogation chamber.
Swish!
The swarm of bats trapped in the spider web were swept away by the "Moon Shadow Bullet," instantly annihilating them!
Andrew's body transformed back into human form.
Covered by the spider web, he lay face up in a pool of blood.
His eyes bulged, his eyes wide open.
At that moment, the ground suddenly trembled.
Tanya burst out of the ground!
Following closely behind her, the swarm of rats transformed by Peck also chased out.
Tanya immediately ran to Allen's side, keeping a wary eye on Spanna.
She had received Allen's telepathic message, learning that Andrew was dead and that Spanna was one of their own.
Tanya couldn't help but believe what Junior Brother Allen said.
But she couldn't comprehend this bizarre turn of events, and she instinctively felt wary of Spanna.
As for Peck, he had no idea what was happening.
Upon returning, he saw Andrew lying in a pool of blood.
He was stunned!
By the time he recovered and tried to escape, it was too late.
A spider web descended from the sky.
At the same time, Tanya raised her hand and blasted out a silver cone-shaped wave of air!
Level 3 Martial Technique—Shock Wave!
Swish!
A flash of silver light ripped the rats trapped in the web into a bloody mess!
Finally, only four mole rats remained, desperately trying to break free from the web and scattering.
Alan calmly raised his hand, and poisonous gas gushed out!
Puff!
Before the four remaining rats could escape underground, they were enveloped by a cloud of poisonous green smoke, turning them into cold stone.
Spanner walked over to Andrew's body.
She drew her jeweled dagger and dispelled the silencing barrier.
As if the soundproofing had been removed, the barking of dogs and the chirping of insects outside the window could still be heard.
Tanya stared at Spanner, who was wiping the dagger with a handkerchief, and finally couldn't help but speak.
"Ms. Spanna, thank you so much for your help!"
"But I can't understand why you would assassinate Andrew and betray your own faction."
"Frankly, I'm afraid I can't repay this favor."
"Beautiful, you don't need to repay this favor. I was just protecting myself," Spanna said softly.
"Self-protection?" Tanya looked confused.
Spanna sheathed her dagger and removed her mask.
Her pretty face was filled with sorrow, a pitiful expression.
"If I don't kill Andrew, your junior brother will murder me and write off his debt to me."
"You're overthinking it. It's not that bad!" Allen said angrily.
He could see that Spanna was just acting.
But he couldn't guarantee that the simple-minded Senior Sister Tanya wouldn't be fooled by this drama queen.
"Really?"
Spanna's expression shifted to one of flattery.
"So, I still hold a certain place in your heart?"
"Of course." After all, she was a rare, high-quality client.
"Junior brother, are you...close to this Ms. Spanna?" Tanya whispered.
Spanna was flirting with Allen right in front of her. How could she not see?
This seductress must be having an affair with Junior Brother Allen!
Spanna's answer confirmed her concerns.
"Beautiful lady, I lust after your body, and you lust after my money. Our friendship is pure and innocent!"
Tanya couldn't help but frown.
Back in the Warlock Academy, she'd often seen flirtatious female sorcerers wandering in and out of Allen's courtyard.
Tanya had also heard that, in addition to running the winery, her junior brother also ran a side business.
She had some complaints about this, but she had simply turned a blind eye, not wanting to interfere.
Now that Spanna had exposed this to her face, she felt deeply embarrassed.
"Oh, so that's how it is..." Tanya forced herself to be polite. "Sorry, I have to go take care of my father. I'll excuse myself for now."
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She couldn't help but pinch Allen's arm.
"Junior brother! Take your time chatting with Spanna. Call me if you need anything."
"Okay, Senior Sister..." Allen rubbed her arm with a wry smile, then turned to Spanna and asked, "I just got back yesterday, and Andrew got the news. Who tipped him off?"
"Of course it was the mole lurking within our South Island College!"
Spanna's face was filled with indignation.
"We"...?" Allen suppressed the urge to complain and asked, "Besides you, has the Beast Cult planted any other traitors in the academy?"
Spanna chuckled, pacing with her hands behind her back.
"There are plenty of traitors, but I'm probably the only one who's not doing his job."
"It's hard to believe you remember being a traitor," Allen smiled. "The one who leaked my whereabouts was incredibly dedicated. I want to talk to him.
"Haha! Forget about it!" Spanna rolled her eyes at him. "A spy wouldn't be so foolish as to use his own arcane mark for communication. Andrew and I don't know this person's true identity."
As she spoke, she picked up Andrew and Peck's storage bags and dumped them on the table.
In addition to the magic stones, there was also an injection.
Spanna took the injection box and examined it, then turned to Alan, "The 'Extended Super Magic' awakening potion. It doubles the range of spells and magical martial arts. Not bad, but I already know it. Do you know it?"
Alan shook his head.
"You get the awakening potion, and I'll keep all the magic stones. Is that okay?"
"Of course." Alan took the injection box she handed him. "Our collaboration is always a pleasure."
"We do," Spanna said, smiling ambiguously. "Especially in bed." "
Alan glanced toward the door, not responding to Spanna's words.
Spanna rolled her watery eyes, and, intentionally or unintentionally, walked toward the door, commenting on the woman outside.
"Your senior sister has a slender figure, pretty looks, and a pure temperament. I can't help but be moved by her. No wonder you can't stop thinking about her!"
"By the way, your senior sister seems to be a virgin. I'm afraid she can't satisfy you in that way. Do you want me to help you train her?"
"Please, my dearest aunt!" Alan couldn't hold it in any longer. "Stay away from my senior sister!"
Spanna laughed heartily. "Are you afraid I'll teach her bad habits?"
"A little bit..."
"Am I that bad?"
"Not really, just a little flirty."
"Don't you like it?" "
"You're enough for the flirtatious side. My senior sister is responsible for purity. You know, diversity is the source of happiness."
"Bah! You're dreaming!"
Spanna rolled her eyes at him.
"For you, I've been forced to become a traitor again. How do I settle this?"
"Name your price," Allen said stubbornly.
"You still owe me nine times of sleeping with you. That'll make it twenty. Besides that, you have to do me a favor."
"What is it?" Allen asked warily.
"It's a household matter." Spanna smiled mysteriously. "I can't reveal it now. I'll tell you when the time is right." "
Sleeping with her, Allen could barely accept it.
The latter condition, like an unlimited check, was too dangerous. He didn't want to be manipulated by Spanna.
Alan pondered for a moment and shook his head gently.
"I can't accept such an open-ended promise. Can I use this potion to pay off my debt?"
Spanna took the potion, examined it, and returned it with a smile.
"A first-level anti-aging potion is quite good, but it's a pity it doesn't work for me."
"I took it two years ago, on my eighteenth birthday."
Alan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Which master created the anti-aging potion in your Beast Cult?"
"The one I took was made by my mother." Spanna thought for a moment, then added, "Beiting seems to work as well."
"Is your mother a potion master?" "Alan became interested. "I'm very interested in alchemy and have some experience in it. If it's convenient, could I discuss it with her?"
"To be honest, it's not very convenient."
Spanna sighed softly.
"My mother is very busy and doesn't have time for children."
"Besides, you've already joined the Silver Moon Monastery. If you dare to appear in front of my mother, aren't you afraid that she'll crush you with a single finger?"
Alan smiled but said nothing.
"Why, you don't believe she's capable of it?" Spanna saw his thoughts and said calmly, "My mother's name is Caroline. You should have heard of her."
Caroline of the Beast Cult's Insect Cult...?
Alan recalled the name; it sounded quite familiar.
"Wait a minute!"
A sudden flash of inspiration brought someone to mind.
"Spanna!" Could your mother be... 'Spider Queen' Caroline, the current Pope of the Beast Cult?!"
Spanna nodded calmly.
"I was hoping to treat you like a normal person, but I'm done pretending. I'm laying it all out: the Pope is actually my mother."
"Goodness! It's the Princess! No wonder you dared to kill Andrew!"
Spanna noticed a hint of fear in the look Allen cast at her.
A subtle barrier had grown between them.
This was a change she hadn't wanted to see.
With a slight shift in her eyes, Spanna decisively discarded her princess-like demeanor and put on a playful, cute smile.
"It's not as exaggerated as you think."
"Given my status, I can occasionally be a little willful, but I can't go too far."
"After all, Mother has more than one daughter. "
"If I am too willful and become arrogant due to my favor, my end will be miserable. "
Alan forced a smile, his heart heavy.
If Spanna were merely a mid-level member of the Beast Worship Cult, his relationship with her wouldn't be a problem.
However... she was a legitimate princess!
The Beast Worship Cult and the Silver Moon Monastery were at loggerheads!
As the youngest elder of the Silver Moon Monastery, was it appropriate for Alan to maintain an ambiguous relationship with the Beast Worship Cult princess?
It wasn't up to him to decide whether it was appropriate or not.
The first thing Alan needed to do upon returning to the monastery was to write a report, fully detailing his relationship with Spanna.
The report would first be submitted to Master Shiva for review, and the heads of the Bear and Pig Houses would also have the right to participate in the review.
Only with the unanimous approval of the three heads could he clear himself of suspicion of collaborating with the enemy.
Suppressing his worries, Alan then asked Spanna, "Does your mother have a more advanced anti-aging formula?" "There's a second-level formula, but it's too difficult to refine," Spanna frowned.
"Is it the ingredients or the process?" Allen asked.
"Both! I can barely gather the ingredients, but the process is hopeless." Spanna shrugged and spread her hands. "My mother has failed no fewer than ten times, wasting a ton of precious ingredients. She's given up."
Alan pondered for a moment and made a bold decision.
After all, he'd already slept with the Beast Cult princess, and since he had more debts than he needed, he might as well contact the princess's mother. Perhaps he could even get some extra benefits.
"Spanna, I want to make a deal with your mother."
"What deal?" Spanna raised an eyebrow.
"She'll give me the formula and ingredients for the second-level anti-aging potion, and I'll help her refine it."
"Do you have what it takes?" "
Spanna looked surprised at first, then muttered to herself.
"Yes, you can refine a first-grade anti-aging potion, so you're a top-notch alchemist in your own right."
"You can discuss your alchemy skills with my mother. Perhaps we'll spark some new ideas."
"I can pass on the message for you. As for whether the deal goes through, it depends on my mother's opinion. Just wait for my notification."
"Also, don't worry about the conditions I offered. If you find it difficult, it's okay to refuse."
Spanna, unusually understanding.
"It's almost dawn. I need to hurry back to my base." "
She drew her dagger and slashed her arm.
Blood instantly stained her white sleeves.
Andrew and Peck had died at the hands of assassins. Wouldn't it be suspicious if she, Spanna, were unharmed?
Even Her Royal Highness couldn't truly do whatever she pleased with impunity.
At least she had to put on a show, or else it would be hard to explain to the leaders of the Bat and Rat factions.
Before leaving, Spanna gave Alan a special warning.
"This war is merely a game played by the wealthy and powerful."
"Common people, even humble sorcerers, are pawns on the chessboard."
"After this game of chess, the leaders of both sides will still be noble lords, gentlemen, and ladies, shaking hands and making peace with dignity."
"Don't take the enemy and our camp too seriously. Who knows if we'll be friends or foes in the future." "
Alan nodded gently, speechless.
Spanner's words were cruel, even a little shameless.
Unfortunately, she was speaking the truth, and it was particularly heartbreaking.