Lilia checked the pistol tucked under her armpit, tightened her overcoat, then smiled, and stepped gracefully through the main entrance of the Independence Memorial Hall.
Her figure was already tall and slender, and in the student council, she was second only to Miss Annie Romanova in height; when she displayed such a faint smile tinged with a hint of ruthlessness, she immediately exuded a cold, aloof elegance, making one mistake her for a supermodel on an outing.
If it weren't for the dozen or so burly men in overcoats following behind her, looking menacing and clearly up to no good, the memorial hall staff would have thought she was a celebrity invited by the curator for an event.
It wasn't until everyone had entered the main hall that a staff member finally came to their senses and ran over.
“You, you all…”
One of the trench-coated men pulled out his ID and blocked their way, whispering, “Authorization from the municipal government! The hall is closed today!”
The staff member looked at the other party's police ID, a bit bewildered.
He looked at Lilia, who was smiling, and then at another silver-haired, cold and arrogant lady following behind Lilia, thinking that neither of these two looked like police officers.
Lilia tapped the earphone hidden by her long hair, and immediately, situation reports from various departments came through.
“Demolitions team in position!”
“Sniper team ready!”
“Assault team in place!”
“Instruments reacting normally!”
“Target still in the room.”
Lilia nodded, exchanged a look with the lady next to her, and walked directly towards the curator's office.
Before opening the door, she gave everyone a look, and they all drew their guns, except for the lady, who remained unresponsive.
“I wouldn't want you to be caught off guard,” Lilia whispered.
The lady glared at her, gave a silent huff, and extended her hands from beneath her overcoat, revealing that she was reverse-gripping two police-issue heavy batons, which had been madly modified with pulse impactors and gun barrels.
Only then did Lilia confidently pull open the door.
Mr. Berulf, the curator, who had been serving here ever since this Independence Memorial Hall was built, and who held a certain reputation in the cultural circles of New Seville, and even the entire Far Shore Star Region, was sitting upright behind his desk, looking up with a surprised expression that quickly turned into clear displeasure.
To an outsider, he was just an old scholar whose work had been interrupted.
“Miss Afonso, it's been a while.
Is your father still well?” He reined in his displeasure, replaced it with a warm and refined smile, and nodded at Lilia.
As the eldest daughter of a prominent family in New Seville—no, a local celebrity—Lilia naturally knew Berulf, the cultural figure.
“Ms. Jimenez…” The old man then gave a slight nod to the other lady.
“May I ask the purpose of your visit today? This is a sanctuary for remembering our independence heroes, and under no circumstances should one come here armed!” He displayed a reserved and distant smile, yet the smile clearly conveyed aloofness and arrogance, portraying the stance of an old scholar who would not bow to power.
Lilia said directly, “Your crime has been committed.
You are now charged with theft and illegal drug use.
Please come back with us to assist with the investigation.”
Old man Berulf was momentarily dumbfounded.
For decades, he had imagined this scene countless times, but he never expected the charges to be like this.
Who are they trying to fool!
Would catching a thief and a drug dealer require such a large-scale operation?
“Please come back with us to assist with the investigation.”
“I've never heard of a militia having law enforcement power.” Just as old man Berulf was about to say this, he suddenly recognized that several of the people who followed them into the room were police officers.
“This is slander, Miss Afonso.
I am also a respectable person of status.
Framing me with such charges will only make you look undignified.”
“Yes, precisely because a person of your status would be involved in such crimes.
For everyone's dignity, it is necessary to clarify the matter!”
“I will call Commander Boca.
I will also call your father.
I hope you understand what you are doing.” The old man's smile faded, and he began to issue threats.
A revered cultural figure like old man Berulf would, of course, know several influential figures in political and business circles.
So far, all his reactions were quite consistent with his persona.
“Don't get agitated.
Since it's about theft and drug safety, we can only invite you for a maximum of twelve hours.” Lilia mused for a moment, as if just thinking of it, then quickly added, “Also, the victim told me that he lost an antique ring.
It must have been swapped after you drugged him, and he hopes I will definitely retrieve it.”
Perhaps the content of these words was too impactful; old man Berulf took several seconds to comprehend the scene, and his elegant, scholarly demeanor froze directly on his face.
He stammered, but couldn't say anything, looking at first glance like an old man struggling to breathe.
This silence lasted for several seconds, and the air pressure in the room seemed to gradually decrease, then condensed into a terrifying chill that made people tremble.
…This is a trap!
I must inform the Sect Master!
This was old man Berulf's first reaction.
However, the machine that could directly communicate with Lumina was a military-grade encrypted communication device; no matter how careless he was, or how much he played with hidden dangers, he couldn't possibly keep it here.
Must evacuate immediately!
But from where?
The window behind him?
No, if it were me, I would have set up a firing net in the room opposite.
Then, there's only one way… a frontal breakthrough!
As soon as he thought of this, the elderly Berulf felt no surge of passion, but only extreme torment.
This was not his active choice, but a forced one, so how could he feel passionate?
However, he had no choice!
“Moo!” He uttered a power of speech that humans could not possibly call forth, and a dazzling halo, like lightning, flashed within the room.
However, before this light could fully condense into a lethal destructive energy, the wall beside him let out a massive roar.
A long-range anti-material weapon sniper shot, fired from a kilometer away, pierced through the memorial hall's wall, directly hitting Berulf's upper body.
If he were an ordinary person, his torso and head would have been blasted into a mass of bloody fragments.
However, Berulf, who had already revealed his identity as a spiritual energy user, was like someone who had been punched in the jaw, falling backward behind the edge of the desk.
Everyone could even see the astonishment and distortion on his facial features, born of pain and surprise, in that instant.
Considering that his prestige had completely plummeted, Mr. Berulf might have preferred to have his upper body blown to smithereens by a cannon.
Before he could even get up, the lady lunged forward, swinging her giant telescopic baton.
Two alloy telescopic batons were directly swung, as if two demolition impact hammers were thrown.
As a result, Berulf's office floor was indeed demolished, and he himself, along with the cracking stone slabs, crashed directly into the lower level, unable to get up for a long time.
However, it must be said that he was truly a spiritual energy user; he was still alive.
Lilia's subordinates swarmed to the edge of the hole and fired a volley at Berulf below.
The vast Independence Memorial Hall was instantly enveloped by screams, cries, and sounds of people fleeing.
“Sect Master…” Berulf painfully struggled to lift his head, as if trying to locate Lumina Star.
At this moment, no matter what was about to happen in New Seville, the people on the neighboring Lumina Star (in cosmic terms) were completely unaware.
And the group of people currently inside the Void Ring of the Sero Great Forest were naturally even more oblivious.
In the deepest underground level of Sero Ancient City, on a large altar resembling a plaza, a very classical spirit-offering ceremony was halfway through.
One could only see gloomy halos, like fluorescent paintbrushes, outlining intricate patterns on the ground, forming a magnificent and enormous magic array.
Runes that defied normal description continuously revolved within the magic array, transforming into various different shapes and emblems.
Four objects, clearly ancient, floated in the central circle of the giant magic array, as if enveloped by invisible ripples, bobbing up and down in the halo.
They were a short sword, a seal, a precious pearl, and a ring.
From an aesthetic perspective alone, these objects must have originated from the Empire, full of rustic yet exquisite courtly style.
The human priests of the Wanling Sect, and the Lumina people dressed in classical attire, surrounded the magic array, loudly chanting eerie words of power with obscure pronunciations.
“Zha Zha Si! Zha Zha Si! Nasdaq Zha Zha Si! Zha Zha Si! Zha Zha Si! Zha Si Te Na Zha Zha Si!”
It was one thing for humans, but it was truly difficult for the Lumina people's vocal cords to utter such incantations.
The gloomy underground, the complex magic array, the eerie incantations, and the spellcasters standing amidst the interplay of light and shadow—the feeling of a cult ritual truly assailed one.
This kind of artistic style was truly beyond words.
In such an era of “flourishing technology,” almost everyone Present had experience with interstellar travel, yet they seemed to feel nothing was amiss.
The Sect Master of the Wanling Sect, Flores Wanda, who also felt nothing was amiss, was not standing in the center of the magic array, but on a platform on the periphery, intently focusing on the operation of the magic array.
His capable assistants, his “allies,” also dared not breathe.
They had occupied Sero Ancient City, and they had held out for so long, all for this day.
“Two more hours,” someone whispered.
This was a young assistant A.
Sect Master Wanda nodded slightly.
He appeared calm, but his right hand kept caressing a small mirror he held.
“Don't worry, everything is going smoothly,” he said to Lord Yan.
The latter finally managed to tear his gaze away from the mirror and also nodded.
One of the Lumina people presiding over the magic array let out a painful groan, collapsed on the spot, twitched twice, and then lay still.
His movement seemed to trigger a chain reaction; two Wanling Sect members standing beside him, and another Lumina youth, also seemed to have their souls stripped away by an invisible force, silently turning into corpses.
The magic array seemed to sway, and its light faded considerably.
Sect Master Wanda glanced at his elderly assistant B, who had already walked to the periphery of the magic array and made a gesture.
Immediately after, four more strong human and Lumina individuals walked into the magic array, filling the empty spots.
Facing this eerie ritual that was very likely to claim their lives, they did not hesitate at all; instead, each of their faces was filled with the fanaticism of martyrs.
However, a slight commotion appeared on the platform.
Although the various Lumina Rebels leaders were mentally prepared and understood that it wouldn't be their turn, as “important figures,” to sacrifice themselves, they still felt a chill down their spines.
“This is a necessary condition for the sky god's descent!
You can certainly achieve this step.”
Ke'ermo looked at the other party, a cold sneer flashing in his heart.
If you're so pious, why don't you go yourself?
He then looked at the fanatical Lumina youths standing on the periphery of the magic array, ready to rush in and fill positions at any time, feeling deeply pained.
They are all robust, vigorous, full of vitality, and young people with infinite possibilities, capable of becoming the most excellent warriors, or even like me, studying and becoming scholars, businessmen, Engineers, technicians… yet they are dying for such a foolish cause?
How utterly foolish!
Babalu, you still don't understand!
As long as that thing exists, the Lumina people can never go into battle unburdened, and they will never have a future.
Ke'ermo clenched his fists tightly, then immediately released them, saying, “I'll be leaving for a moment.”
This wasn't what was agreed upon!
Lord Yan was slightly startled.
“You should see this momentous scene through to the end.” He hid his hopeful gaze in the shadows.
Ke'ermo explained, “…In another half an hour, the magic array will reach its peak operation, but various large-scale mysterious phenomena have already occurred.
No matter how incompetent the Earth forces are, they will surely request mystical support by now.
Perhaps someone will discover a clue and launch a strong assault.
I must go and check the preparations.”
His words were reasonable and logical; even if everyone had more opinions, they really couldn't say anything.
“I will be back within two hours.” Ke'ermo smiled, “I wouldn't miss the scene of the grand descent.”
Although Lord Yan was unwilling, he could only nod and watch him leave.
Ultimately, he was not the absolute leader of the Lumina Rebels, nor even the leader of a loose alliance; at most, he could only act as an elder among a group of juniors.
Facing Ke'ermo, who was much younger than himself but no less powerful, he truly had no position to issue commands.
“Our future, everything we have, is all riding on today's ceremony!” Lord Yan added.
“Don't worry, Lord Yan, me too!” Ke'ermo's gaze also swept over the mirror in Sect Master Wanda's hand, then he turned and left.
Yesterday, the baby ultimately didn't need surgery, just some IV fluids.
However, what's with giving a baby under three years old Cephalosporin directly, and for a whole week?