The Righteous Player(s)

Chapter 257: The Father’s Mission

Indeed, the skeleton was sucked into the [Frost Wheel]!

The Skeleton Guardian’s body didn’t immediately shatter from the first collision. Instead, the bones became pale and extremely brittle, and a thick layer of frost covered its body.

If the target was a living creature, the frigid cold air inside the [Frost Wheel] could instantly kill him even if there was only a little bit of elemental power.

But the situation was otherwise for this skeleton as it survived the first impact…

After the [Frost Wheel] broke apart and traveled a distance, it recovered its shape a little and locked the skeleton within it!

As the hollowed-out [Frost Wheel] continued to break apart due to the high-speed movement, the Skeleton Guardian’s limbs also shattered along with it. The broken bones were thrown out from the wheel’s gaps.

It seemed this was the best way to utilize the Frost Wheel!

The seemingly gorgeous, useless, and fragile attack was actually extremely torturous.

Any enemy that could survive the first impact wouldn’t be able to move due to the frigid cold air. They would be wrapped in ice and sealed in the hollowed-out wheels. At this time, the hollowed-out wheels were like thin, sharp, constantly regenerating knives.

In the end, the [Frost Wheel] didn’t stop.

It rolled forward in an arc, taking a path that could crush many Skeleton Guardians at once!

Seven out of the eleven remaining Skeleton Guardians were engulfed by the Frost Wheel that passed by quickly. The Skeleton Crow in the air was also sucked into the wheel.

It finally reached its limits and wholly broke apart when the wheel struck the eighth Skeleton Guardian. By then, it could no longer regenerate anymore.

At this time, many broken bones exploded outwards like rain as the Frost Wheel shattered.

[Abolished Bronze Rank summoned creature “the Skeleton Crow” in battle. You have acquired 120 Shared Experience points.]

[Abolished Bronze Rank summoned creature “the Skeleton Guardian” in battle. You have acquired 34 Shared Experience points.]

[Abolished Bronze Rank summoned creature “the Skeleton Guardian” in battle. You have acquired 30 Shared Experience points.]

…

Eight prompts appeared in a split second.

Annan’s vision was overwhelmed with many experience gains.

That eighth Skeleton Guardian had lost all its strength when the Frost Wheel hit it. A vertical line of frost marks was left on it as it lay on the ground.

Delicious Wind Goose, who was closest to the skeleton, rushed over at the first moment.

He rushed over, activating [All-out Blow] to put an end to this enemy.

After having the wheel rampaging in the arena, Annan had cleared off many enemies in the warehouse.

Only then did the players realize how powerful their faction leader was.

To them, the Skeleton Guardians were undoubtedly “elite monsters”, except for Jiu Er, who had adequate damage output. At best, the rest could only contain the enemies like Lin Yiyi and Delicious Wind Goose, unable to inflict lethal damage.

But to Annan, the Skeleton Guardians were nothing but mobs that could be wiped out with a single spell.

At this time, the Light Chasing Beast was utterly frozen.

When the flames on its body were extinguished, it seemed to have lost its life. The snow-white and smooth substances on its body were condensed into pastes.

It had utterly lost its previous appearance and appeared like a frozen lump of oil paste.

The flames that had splashed onto the rock wall had long since been extinguished. Layers of white paste congealed and softened on the wall. Some had fallen on the ground and became non condensable waste.

As for that Bane, Annan couldn’t do anything with it. Since it couldn’t attack his group anyway, he just pretended it wasn’t there.

So far, all the enemies in the warehouse were eliminated except for the few Skeleton Guardians.

But the old ritualist didn’t conduct any summon nor curse ritual again.

His trousers and the clothes on his shoulders were covered with a layer of hoarfrost. At this level of low temperature, his feet should have been frozen. But the ritualist called the “Father” didn’t even utter a word.

He didn’t attack Annan even once but just raised his hands in surrender and looked at Annan calmly without any resistance or provocations.

“Are you going to kill him, Your Highness?” Kafni whispered, “I can do it for you.”

She lifted her skirt slightly as if to perform a curtsy, but Annan could sense that some shadowy tentacles were slowly invading out of it.

“Wait, not yet.” Annan shook his head.

He’s just a ritualist… not a Transcended. We can kill him whenever we want. There’s no need to be in a hurry.

He bears no curse on his body. He is safe since his forces don’t have any hidden ability for a comeback.

“I think you’re under arrest.” Annan said politely, “But you don’t seem to be panicking.”

“My sin is too heavy. There’s no use in panic… You might as well kill me.”

The “Father” just smiled. He said respectfully and humbly, “Of course, if you think I’m worthy, you can keep me alive. I can provide you with a contract that can restrain people’s souls. If you have a ready-made ritual like this, I can also sign any contract unconditionally.”

Accepting a contract at any condition— Annan couldn’t help but frown.

Basically, he intended to give up everything to stay alive.

He didn’t intend to bargain with Annan, and he didn’t ask for more. From this point of view, this old man was wise… He only left two choices for Annan.

Either kill him outright or leave him alive—and he was willing to give everything.

“You seem to have a lot of life experience.” The corners of Annan’s mouth rose slightly, “Tell me… since you have sacrificed them all, what are you trying to do?”

“That is to ensure that my loyalty to you is of value.”

The old man said humbly and respectfully, “To tell you the truth, milord. My apprentices are too ambitious and don’t know their limits. If they serve you along with me and obey you, sooner or later, they will betray you.”

“But you have just betrayed them,” said Annan slowly.

Having summoned the Skeleton Guardian, this showed that those people didn’t realize that they had been betrayed until the end.

The Light Chasing Beast’s summoning conditions were even harsher. After disregarding those bits and pieces, the rarest material needed was “the whole body fat of a good person who had killed at least ten people”.

But the Light Chasing Beast just seemed too weak.

This old man must have seen or known about Annan and the players, including their previous fight with his summons before. That was why he summoned Bane to fight Kafni’s lanterns, the Child’s [Geo Strike], and the traps. Then, he summoned the undead Skeleton Guardian to fight Jiu Er, who had lifesteal capabilities. Their shield-holding characteristics would hinder the players. Last but not least, the Skeleton Crow forced Citalopram out of the warehouse.

All these summoned creatures had played their role in countering the enemies.

But what about the Light Chasing Beast?

Its only value in existence was to make Kafni’s shadow grow more extensive, which allowed her to summon more shadowy tentacles.

But after Annan heard Kafni’s words, he understood.

The Light Chasing Beast wasn’t an “enemy”, but his “gift” to Kafni.

These summons of him were to display his capability to Annan. On the other hand, it also prevented him from being assassinated before Annan talked.

Annan was curious.

When did this old ritualist start preparing to surrender?

“If you can’t trust me, you can kill me.”

Facing Annan’s question, the old man just bowed humbly and replied, “The people from the Rotten Man Church didn’t tell me the ‘Don Juan Geraint’ they asked me to deal with was a leader who could command Noah’s family.”

“Anything else you want to say?” Annan said calmly, “Your reason hasn’t been convincing yet.”

“Another reason is that the Skeleton Crow’s eyes allow me to see your face. You are not from the Geraint family, so my previous arrangement is voided. I have prepared enough Black Fire here to blast me and you to oblivion. They’re right inside the second row of boxes in the door. I have eight boxes of it. Also, there’s a ring of rubble tied around each Black Fire barrel. If I want to harm you, I can just let these Skeleton Guardians hold the torches and…”

The old man said humbly, “Of course, if you really can’t trust me, you can kill me.”

“It’s still not enough.” Annan narrowed his eyes slightly, “You still have something hiding from me.”

In fact, Annan couldn’t see what else the old man would try to hide.

He felt that what the old man said was indeed the truth, but its logic confused Annan a little.

It was just Annan’s habit of tricking the enemy. If his trick didn’t dig any more clues, he might accept this rare talent under him. Of course, he still had to be vigilant and impose restraints.

After all, he who betrayed all his apprentices without hesitation could betray the master.

However, after hearing Annan’s words, the “Father” suddenly raised his head and looked at Annan, seemingly pondering on something.

This surprised Annan a little.

Did I… did my trickeries get me more info?

But then, the “Father’s” change of tone stunned Annan.

“Looks like you really want to know.”

The “Father” sighed. His humble expression had gradually become calm and a little indifferent, “Since you have put it out so blatantly, then I shall spit it out. Well… for the sake of Her Royal Highness Kafni having already addressed Your Highness directly to you, and for the sake of you seemingly want to spare my life…

“I was sent to Noah by ‘the Daughter of the Storm’. I was in Noah a long time ago. I took the commission from the Rotten Man Church to observe the ‘Time Stopper Eye’s’ matter of resurrection and ascendancy into a deity. This is the first mission given to me by the Daughter of the Storm. Now that the mission has been completed and I have sent the letter, my life has completed its worth. But my students don’t know this matter.

“Do you understand what I mean when I say it like this, Your Highness?”

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Credits to MindMatrix for editing this chapter and improving the readability.