Chapter 277 July 29th - August 1st, 2032 | Witch Hunt

After the Meridian Beach incident claimed eight Lainwright soldiers' lives, Evalyn temporarily slowed down training. She needed to maintain minimal morale to keep her trainees moving.

Luckily, the meat from the sea creatures revitalized their energy and healed their bodies in areas Minor Healing couldn't.

Rumors of the Immortal God spread through the camp like wildfire, speaking of a cultivator that saved their people and killed the fish for them. Whenever asked about it, Evalyn simply walked away. She wouldn't humor rumors that Kaze Lexicon was a god—even if she spread them.

Having a mystery deity on the horizon was something to talk and argue about that didn't involve death, danger, or suffering.

Two days passed by in a flash, giving everyone time to heal. On the third day, she gathered everyone in the shipping area, standing on a shipping container.

"It won't be easy, but you must do it." Evalyn muttered bitterly, remembering Kaze's words.

—

"Before you do this, you must address your problems head-on. If you raise morale and address a powder keg, it'll poison all your gains.

So I recommend you address your problems and use this as a way to build them up."

—

The Ice General took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself.

"The day we began our scavenger training, 273 people died." Evalyn announced, shocking everyone with her blunt acknowledgment of her training's consequences, "273 people died—before a single person returned with supplies.

That means that 273 fully-equipped soldiers with earth-grade cultivation techniques and weeks of hardcore military training couldn't survive a day of scavenging—a regular activity in the apocalypse.

What would have happened if the other 3,959 of you didn't have those techniques or training?"

Upon hearing her words, a wave of conflicted emotions crashed into the soldiers' hearts.

"You would've died." The Ice General declared coldly, "There were a lot of soldiers stationed in Merdian City—you know because you see them screaming at you daily. If you didn't have these techniques, you'd be among them."

A wave of powerful negative force gripped their chests and squeezed.

"There is only one month until the food rations run out." Evalyn reminded them bluntly, "Without us here, you'd kill each other for food and resources like the rest of humankind.

If you survived, you would come to this city with a fraction of your speed and strength, searching for food without Guided Arrows, Slash Attacks, or Minor Healing.

Does anyone think that they could've survived without our help?"

Dead silence met her words. After the horrors they had witnessed, everyone blamed her subconsciously. Now she was forcing them to face reality.

"Silence?" She mused derisively, "Then let's move onto scavenging. Who thinks you could've avoided scavenging after running out of supplies?"

The blonde swept her gaze over the shamed soldiers with a strange smile.

"Silence again? That's strange because I would've sworn that at least a hundred of you said I sent you scavenging to murder you." Evalyn smiled chillingly, "Or perhaps something similar?"

Many seized in fear after getting called out for their words. The area turned dead silent.

"Oh, silly me; no one will answer that question." The Ice General chuckled, "They're afraid of instant obliteration, obviously. How do I get input… I got it!

As a one-time offer, if anyone thinks they would be better on their own or feels like the soldiers should protest their treatment here, they are free to leave.

Not only that, I will give them three days worth of Soul Qi meat and let them keep their equipment, weapons, and ammo. You have five minutes to discuss it."

Confusion spread through the crowd like wildfire. No one could believe what they were hearing. Many spoke about it openly, weighing the pros and cons.

"Oh!" Evalyn yelped, throwing up her finger, "I forgot the conditions of this offer. Those leaving must exit Meridian county to the east. If we find them within it three days from now, we'll kill them on sight."

Waves of anxiety crashed through the groups. Everyone speaking stopped immediately, taking sharp breaths with pounding hearts.

"Immortal Skye does not [need] you." She smiled ominously, "That will never change.

Therefore, we will never allow you in if you deny our protection. That includes situations where Emperor Lexicon decides to expand east and overtakes a future settlement.

You will become nameless wastelanders to us. And, as you know, we treat all wastelanders as hostiles."

Dread and anxiety crashed over the group, feeling gravity crashing into them.

"Are there any takers?" Evalyn asked cutely, blinking with a sickly sweet smile. After an oppressive pause, her eyes widened. "Oh, that's right! I forgot that I interrupted your deliberation; you have another five minutes.

Don't forget this is a one-time offer. After today, you will get treated as deserters if you leave."

A second round of deliberations ensued. However, it was tense and awkward, with many dissidents shutting down and ignoring the ring leaders. Many of the ring leaders started causing scenes.

"WAIT!" Evalyn cried abruptly, making their hearts pulse with dread, "I forgot! If you [don't leave] and sow discord or organize for better treatment outside of official channels—you'll hang."

Her words felt like crushing gravity, boring down on the soldiers' bones. Some felt weak at the knees, unable to stand straight.

"Immortal Skye has given everyone a chance at life." She smiled brightly, "We've given you miraculous techniques and trained you. Now we present the option to leave with supplies.

Immortal Skye isn't a democracy and it's not your country. If you don't like it, you can leave. If you stay, I expect you to accept our rules as law."

The soldiers gulped nervously, realizing that she no longer held tolerance in her tone.

"Carry on." Evalyn chirped cheerily, "I'll give you fifteen minutes because I'm bad at this."

Talking resumed in full swing, as many people who felt incapable of keeping their mouths shut tried convincing people to leave with them. However, few accepted their words.

Most realized the organizers feared for their lives but didn't want to leave alone. So the soldiers distanced themselves from the leaders, triggering more tension and conflicts.

"ONE MORE THING!" Evalyn cried cutely, abruptly ending arguments, "If you tried to organize a mutiny, escape, or suggested counter-striking Immortal Skye, taking hostages, or obtaining leverage in any way—you must leave.

If you tried organizing against Immortal Skye and you don't leave, I'll execute you tomorrow."

A static pulse of horror crashed through the organizers' veins.

"If you lie to protect someone, you will also have to leave, so I don't regret doing that." She smiled sinisterly, "Your arguments and testimony mean nothing anyway.

My people have been with you these last few days, and I have countless informants infiltrating the dissident groups for weeks. If you threatened Immortal Skye—I know it. So if you don't leave, expect your execution by tomorrow night.

Thank you for letting me clarify. Please continue; you still have another ten minutes."

The panicked organizer's fight-or-flight responses triggered, and they melted down.

"Caleb, you did, too!" A panicked brunette said, "You need to leave with me! We have no choice; we need to leave!"

"I didn't do shit, Jessa." The man replied, "You tried playing politics—none of us followed you."

"Even if it were tentative, we agreed to the plan!" Jessa cried, "I understand that it's my fault that we're in this position, but we're in this together. Don't get executed, Caleb!"

"You manipulative bitch!" Caleb yelled back, "We're here right now because we didn't go along with your fucking plan! Yelling lies to force us to leave with you is fucking disgusting!"

"AHEM!" Evalyn squeaked cutely, "So long as you didn't take action, non-organizers are excused from considering alternate plans. After all, stressed people are vulnerable to bad suggestions.

The only exception is agreeing to plans to attack Immortal Skye or taking hostages. You may continue."

A powder keg erupted after her confirmation. Groups that reluctantly formed with grave expressions suddenly erupted in vigorous debate.

The Ice General watched the breakdown with a sinister smile. She saw the organizers she knew and those she didn't. Moreover, she heard about their plots and who was involved.

It was a satisfying development, as she was bluffing. She didn't have a wide informant network infiltrating the dissident groups.

Since she didn't, she spread terror and paranoia by letting people scavenge without her aid and letting them meet the Immortals. It stressed them out and made them speak openly.

Once they were terrified of the outside world, she announced people would get exiled. After the announcement stressed them to the breaking point, she announced that protecting the guilty would result in exile—triggering a witch hunt.

-

"You were the one that said we should kill her! I was afraid for my life, like the rest of the team!"

"That's right. You're the strongest in the group, so we were just following what you were saying!"

"This is bullshit. Just because we didn't decide to do it doesn't change the facts. We all agreed that we would take her out so we could get away."

"Wait, tried to kill one of General Skye's people?"

"No, we… um… it was just a discussion and… wait, Beth!"

"Get away from me!"

-

"That was a joke! I was just angry; I wasn't serious!"

"But back the fuck off, Damian. Joke or not, you suggested that we poison the general. While we didn't take it seriously, we're not getting kicked out because of your shit!"

"That's rich, coming from someone saying we should teach Captain Mills a lesson to send a message."

"I didn't say that shit! Don't make up lies to bring me down with you!"

-

"I was just pissed off and ranting! Do you seriously think that I would've set this place on fire while everyone was asleep?"

"It doesn't matter what you would've done. Right now, you're getting kicked out, and we don't want to be part of it!"

"You really want to play this game, Alba? Why don't I tell everyone about—"

"Shut the fuck up, Linda. Otherwise, I'll destroy you."

"Yeah, it sucks when people air shit in the open. But the difference between my ranting and your actions is just that—mine were words and yours are facts."

-

As the soldiers listened to the conversations, they shuddered in fear and moved away.

CLAP!

"I have a question for the innocents in the group—" Evalyn smiled sinisterly, "Who has seen an Immortal in the city?"

All the conversations abruptly stopped, and the area fell silent. It was a trick question.

The Ice General ensured that everyone's teams ran into an Immortal elite at least once to demonstrate their power. So they were aware.

"Everyone?" She mused, "That makes things easy. Who wants to be around these savages when we assimilate with thousand of them? They'll be looking to blame you for their families losses' and these idiots will give it to them."

It only took a moment before the confessors realized that Evalyn shrewdly set them up to confess publicly and turn the public against them. The Ice General set up their execution and was now garnering public support for their burning.