Chapter 159 The Honey Pot

Evalyn could tell those who weren't guilty by how conflicted and scared they were to look at her and others. Conversely, the guilty were glancing at them.

"I'll pass out the paper and pens now." She announced, placing the ballot box on a campsite table, "Sign your names on top before beginning.

There are three things, and only three things, I want to know.

First, I want to know who was part of the self-defense force.

Second, I want to know their role and how active they were.

Lastly, I want to know if anyone threatened or bribed members to keep them silent or lie. Anyone who lies will receive immediate expulsion."

A violent pulse of dread washed over everyone as she handed out the paper. Some members shook controllably, trying to control the tremors but failing.

Those who bribed or intimidated others laced their side glances with murderous intent.

As for the people who accepted bribes [willingly], they stared blankly at their paper in a haze. They realized they might get expelled for their simple transgression. One mistake; game over.

"Naturally, I'm expelling the guilty on the spot, and they cannot harm you." Evalyn added dryly, "So don't get expelled out of fear; I'm here to protect you."

The guilty were nervous, but they were also oddly calm and immediately set to work filling out their answers carefully.

Evalyn observed all of them for an hour, carefully studying their expressions. After they finished, she stood up from the table and handed someone the ballot box. "Put your papers in the box."

They hesitantly complied, and the last member handed it back to the blonde, who opened the lock and pulled them out under a sea of fearful gazes.

"How strange; it seems that everyone's name is listed." Evalyn mused with an ominous grin, reading through the papers, "Are you all involved?"

Each innocent person's eyes widened, turning to the guilty who stonewalled them. Then they shook their head and pleaded their innocence but were unprepared.

"Hoh?" Evalyn hummed, "Seventeen people claim everyone planned to take bribes but backed out because I threatened bribe-takers with expulsion.

It also names people who [demanded] bribes to save the lives of the guilty. It's very specific and seems quite reasonable."

Every innocent person trembled in fear; they couldn't believe how cruel their situation was. They pleaded their case, but the blonde had stopped listening.

Instead, she riffled through the papers until she found the one she wanted to read. The paper didn't disappoint; it left her with a sinister grin that cut deep into everyone's bones.

—

Haiden Rompers

-

Unified strategies and scenarios:

1. You threaten no one before the ballot

…

2. You offer immediate expulsion and protection

…

3. You threaten bribe-takers with expulsion

Claim the innocent accepted bribes but retracted their promises out of fear. To discredit those decrying bribery, add the names of people demanding bribes.

Doing so will obscure the truth, saving everyone.

…

Those Involved ranked by willingness and participation in threatening, harming, and/or bribing others in the cover-up

1. Evan Mills

Defense Force Role: Fighter. Heavily encouraged self-defense and our plight as abandoned people.

Cover-Up Role: Led intimidation tactics for the women and information gathering for blackmail.

2. Nathaniel Janson

Defense Force Role: …

…

13. Bella Miton

Defense Force Role: None

Cover-Up Role: Unthreatened Bribe-Taker. Actively encouraged others to take the bribes and threatened anyone who didn't accept but tried snitching.

…

21. Marcus Livingston (Guilty of stupidity)

Defense Force Role: Defender - dumb as a box of rocks, genuinely meant well.

Cover-up Role: Adamant that we turn ourselves in and plead for mercy. Beaten with the other two.

—

"We can't punish anyone if the liars implicate the innocent." Evalyn frowned, making everyone sigh with relief, "Wait... maybe…."

Everyone's relief turned to sheer fear as the blonde shifted through the papers again while chuckling ominously.

"How expected." The blonde grinned, "Everyone Veronica claimed was part of the self-defense force is using the conflicting bribe story.

That means... the three people uninvolved people using the story got bribed consensually."

When the guilty saw her cold eyes and decisive smile, they realized that she wasn't considering she was wrong. She had judged them guilty.

"Wait! That's not true!"

"We're getting set up!"

"Only a few people were involved; the others conspired against us!"

"Tell me, everyone." Evalyn interjected, "Do you know what a honey pot is?"

Everyone calmed down and looked at each other in confusion, all unsure of what she meant.

"A honey pot is a trap law enforcement sets up to attract law breakers." The blonde explained.

"They'll set up kiddie porn or drug dealing sites on the dark web. Then they allow predators and drug dealers to continue while collecting evidence against them.

Things look good, so word spreads, attracting more flies until it's time to shut down the operation and arrest everyone. It's super effective; take now, for example."

"Wait, are you saying that you set us up!?"

"Correct." Evalyn replied with a sinister smile, "I sent in an operative to see if any of you were foolish enough to break the rules despite your favorable situation. Please join me, Haiden."

Haiden stood up with a merciless expression, not looking at anyone as she stood up from a table and walked to the blonde.

"Wait! You set us up!?"

"It was you!? This is unbelievable!"

"General! We wouldn't have done this if it wasn't for her!"

"The test wasn't to determine who would join a self-defense force." Evalyn interjected coldly, "I'm after those willing to engage in intimidation and witness suppression tactics.

If someone does it in a test, they'll do it in an actual situation. It was a matter of time."

Everyone looked at one another, trying to confirm her statement.

"Immortal Skye encourages leadership even with mistakes." She continued, "So we won't punish the eleven who organized for benign reasons and didn't attempt a cover-up.

However, if you did, you're getting expelled from Immortal Skye. If I call your name, step forward."

Before she could begin, one of the men stood up aggressively.

"You bitch!" Evan, a burly young adult with a bushy beard, roared, swiping his hand.

A ripple of warping Qi shot out at Haiden, who prepared to move. However, an ice wall instantly shot up a foot away from him. It was so strong that the Qi bounced back and—

"AGahhhHHHHhhHhhhHHh!"

—the man's stomach split open, sending his intestines everywhere.

Evalyn cringed after seeing that it ricocheted, which was unexpected. She immediately ran to him, picked up his intestines, put them back into his body, and used her healing technique. It was a truly gruesome display.

Did she care about the man's life? Of course not. She couldn't give anyone the perception that the punishment for breaking the rules was a trialless execution. It'd create a panic!

It was a race against the clock to get him to Kaze for complete healing. So after the man's body healed, she picked him up in her bloody arms and circled the area.

"Listen up!" Evalyn yelled viciously, "You just watched what an unstable, law-breaking individual will do under stress. That attack could've killed any of you if I didn't stop it!"

The members cringed, held their breath, or sobbed.

"That's the purpose of our honey pot operation." She roared ferociously, "We didn't attack those who helped.

We've saved you from the people like Evan Mills, who would kill or assault you under stress. I'm listing out the other nine now.

Once I call your name, move! There's no time to waste because we need to save this idiot's life!"

She immediately listed out the other nine guilty people's names, and they reluctantly got up to follow.

"Haiden Rompers is your official temporary leader." Evalyn announced, circling everyone's shocked faces.

"You should never listen to anyone telling you to go against the laws of an official leader. So don't blame her for your predicament; you only have yourselves to blame.

However, she's my person and your temporary official leader. So unless you want to join these ten, I suggest you listen to her!"

The faction members nodded hesitantly, turning to the auburn-haired devil that looked at everyone with darkened eyes.

"We'll talk about your actions later." Evalyn turned to Haiden with a strange expression, "For now, you're leading everyone—the right way."

Haiden nodded silently, not meeting the woman's gaze. After the blonde left, she turned to everyone coldly. "Your only job was to set up tents and live here. It's simple right?"

Her new subordinates stared at her with fearful eyes. Ten people got expelled and sent to their deaths to demonstrate the consequences of rebellion because of her actions.

They knew the emotionless woman wouldn't hesitate to condemn more, so they nodded hesitantly.

"Yeah, it is pretty fucking simple, isn't it?" Haiden laughed bitterly, recalling the two orders [she disregarded], "Therefore, I don't need to do anything for you to follow the rules, right?"

Everyone nodded silently, cringing.

"So I'm going to sit at this table and do nothing; I suggest you do something similar." She smiled, "That's the leadership you should've followed since the beginning."

After sitting in Evalyn's spot, Haiden cackled ominously with a crazed expression, amused by her situation.

While the members present saw her as a demon, she was [still] in the position they avoided. One only needed to glance at her patchy haircut, unevenly cut by a [Guided Arrow], to find proof.

That was the irony. After verifying Evalyn wasn't executing her, she learned that she also got trapped in the honey pot. She was caught once again.

That's why she had no sympathy for the people around her. She was kidnapped, condemned in a sting operation, attacked Veronica as Evan did her, and now she sent people to the same fate. That was her life. However—

"They got expelled, but I survived." Haiden laugh-hiccupped with trembling eyes, sending shivers down everyone's spines, "I'll survive this, I know I will. I'll survive, then… and then…."

The auburn-haired woman at the table cracked, devolving into a chorus of ominous cackling that sent shivers crawling down everyone's spines.