Chapter 237: Is Everyone a Traitor?

"Seems like you all understand quite well," Sterl couldn't help but remark.

Had he been the one to suggest not destroying the demons' setup, it would have been suspicious. But with his subordinates proposing it, agreeing seemed much more natural.

"You've done well," he told his players.

Immediately, the legendary players breathed a sigh of relief, feeling they had pleased their leader.

On the way back, they no longer had to worry about being set up to fail. It wasn't easy, after all!

...

Feeling rather pleased, Sterl adopted a more enthusiastic tone and shared drinks with the present nobles and the king.

Soon, despite his years of training to hide his true strength and maintain a calm demeanor, his expression couldn't help but twitch slightly.

Sterl had learned two things.

First, Bionic Tear had searched the city but initially found nothing. However, it realized that several areas in the city were completely impenetrable to the Star Insight. This equipment had a strong perception ability; with enough mental power, it could see through even gods.

The undetectable areas in the city were definitely suspicious.

So, Bionic Tear used Shadow Stealth to slip into one of these special areas, specifically the cellar of a small tavern on the southwestern side of the capital.

As soon as it entered, it witnessed a hellish scene composed of blood and corpses. A group of people wearing blood-red priestly robes were categorizing the civilians by gender and age, then slaughtering and dismembering them for blood.

In its Shadow Stealth disguise, Bionic Tear went unnoticed.

At the banquet, sensing the transmitted images, Sterl felt slightly nauseous.

He realized that the missing citizens were being used as materials to create the sub-arrays of the Blood Sacrifice Swallowing God Array. The raw materials for such god-level arrays were often bizarre and specific. For example, the Blood Sacrifice Swallowing God Array required extreme pain and the hearts of babies born on specific dates.

Of course, it also required some god-level materials.

At that moment, Bionic Tear was witnessing the Blood Cult's cold and efficient process of creating these materials.

Their method of extracting pain involved keeping the citizens alive with various potions and then flaying them alive. Additionally, various torture devices were operating at high speed nearby.

The basement was filled with screams and wails of agony.

Meanwhile, Bionic Tear discovered that there were no fewer than sixteen undetectable areas in the city. This meant that countless missing citizens were enduring hellish torment in sixteen different locations, where even the luxury of a swift death was denied to them.

"These people are beyond saving," Sterl judged through Bionic Tear's perspective.

Using his knowledge of arrays, he confirmed that the sub-arrays of the Blood Sacrifice Swallowing God Array had already been set up. The Blood Cult no longer needed to capture more people for torture.

Sterl breathed a sigh of relief. Although he often believed in disregarding all morals for his own benefit, the scene before him was too extreme.

He suspected that if he watched the Blood Cult continue their atrocities, he might not sleep well for many years to come.

"These citizens are already dead. The only thing I can do now is avenge them," Sterl muttered to himself. "I will seize all the painstaking arrangements made by the Blood Cult."

He felt a surge of anger. Any person of sound mind would naturally be revolted by such inhumane acts.

Moreover, there was another matter that deeply unsettled Sterl. After embracing and shaking hands with many nobles, he discovered a strong presence of blood force within them. This included the queen and her two princes!

He could only wave them off helplessly. "With the current issues in the royal city unresolved, how can I think of enjoying myself?"

...

After the female attendant and the dancers had all left, Sterl, outside the city, grew more and more irritated.

He had his avatar slam the table in frustration.

"If I can't enjoy myself, neither should you!"

He immediately went around kicking open the doors of the other legendary players.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Some were fortunate and had not accepted the services of the Principality of Florence. Others were in the midst of flirting and could only stare in shock as Sterl kicked open their doors.

Some unlucky ones, just about to get intimate, were startled by the loud noise.

Even a legendary player's heart would skip a beat at such a moment.

Annoyed, they looked towards the door, ready to curse whoever had interrupted them.

But upon seeing who it was, they instantly backed down.

Who else could it be but their fearsome squad leader?

"How can you think of playing around at a time like this? Start investigating immediately!" Sterl commanded, looking deeply pained.

...

Reluctantly, the legendary players were forced into action.

One by one, they pulled up their pants and started investigating the royal city.

Sterl also directed his avatar to join the search party.

He knew that finding the Blood Cult's base wouldn't be easy for the players, as the information was completely shielded there.

However, the legendary members of the Hall of Valor were all geniuses.

Sooner or later, the Blood Cult would be exposed.

Sterl's task was to manage the players' search efficiency, ensuring that when the array was activated, he could either complete the Blood Sacrifice Swallowing God Array or, if he found he couldn't turn the god-level array to his advantage, quickly lead the players to destroy several sub-arrays, leaving the Archduke of Blood with nothing.

As he was pondering this, his avatar's vision suddenly went black.

"Hmm?"

Sterl frowned slightly. Behind him, a four-armed demon, its skin black and marked with lava-like patterns, was eyeing him menacingly.

When he turned around, he saw several dog-like demons covered in flames blocking his escape route.

Among the players, he was the first to be targeted.

Because the energy intensity of his avatar was extremely low.

"Looks like they've picked the weakest target," Sterl quipped with a smile.