CHAPTER 151: CHAPTER 151: PREPARATION FOR ACTION_1

"A Barbarian woman? And a warrior too!" Dismas asked, appearing very curious. "Where is she?"

"HA!" Lance grinned. "She’s got a temper, so don’t go provoking her for no reason."

"I’ve got no interest in Barbarians. I just find it odd, why would the Lord buy a Barbarian?" Dismas naturally understood that the Lord was cautioning him.

The Imperial People have always held a discriminatory view towards the Barbarian Tribes, and Dismas was no exception.

"I need more people to fight against evil, and that one has decent strength. With some training, she’ll make a fine warrior."

As Lance’s understanding of this world deepened, his thoughts on warfare also matured.

Why couldn’t Barton’s army of three thousand defeat a bunch of refugees turned monsters? Was it due to inferior equipment? Not really. The fact that members of the Church could hold them off with melee weapons showed that the monsters only looked fearsome. If they had adapted on the fly, they could have, at worst, managed a Pyrrhic victory. Instead, they were nearly annihilated.

Why?

First, they lacked information and attacked rashly without understanding the creatures. More directly, the Noble Knights and their commanders fled the battlefield, resulting in a loss of command. The true reason for their defeat, however, was psychological. They were shattered when facing the monsters; caving under pressure, they didn’t dare confront them. With half of their forces fleeing at the start, how could they possibly fight?

Therefore, Lance understood that willpower was paramount in combating those monsters. He needed individuals ready to sacrifice their lives without hesitation. Only those with a resolve to face death could stand against the monsters. They had to be either like those brainwashed into the Church’s armed forces or individuals with self-destructive tendencies seeking redemption, like Dismas and Reynard. And clearly, that Barbarian Woman was one of them. She longed to wash away her disgrace with death, be it the death of her enemies or her own. Such a person was exactly what he needed.

But the prerequisite was obedience to his commands; otherwise, she would be useless.

Dismas didn’t understand these intricacies. Even if he listened, it would go in one ear and out the other. After all, he just needed to complete the tasks Lord Lance assigned him with all his might.

"Alright, go and rest for now. We set off promptly tomorrow morning." As Lance said this, he also offered Reynard some advice: "It’s normal for kids that age to be rebellious. You and I both went through it. Just spend more time with him, and things will be fine."

Reynard also felt awkward but acknowledged the advice. He owed his wife and child too much and wasn’t sure how to face them.

But before they could leave, Fergus barged in alone. It barked twice at Lance and tugged at his clothes, its urgent actions causing Lance’s brows to furrow.

William and Gefis were always together, even sleeping side by side. Now that only the dog had returned, it could only mean that something had happened.

Not only Lance, but Reynard and Dismas also guessed what might have happened.

"My Lord, what’s happened?" Reynard asked.

"William previously discovered traces of Heretics in the city. Something has probably gone wrong," Lance said, having no intention of hiding it, as both Dismas and Reynard were privy to the information.

But there was no time for a slow response now. He immediately stood up and looked at the two men.

"How are you feeling?"

"I want to slit their throats," Dismas said, his expression grim as he placed his hand on his sword hilt. "It’s time to let those Heretics feel what it’s like to lose blood!"

Ever since learning of the cruel methods of the Heretics, he had harbored a strong desire to slaughter them.

"Those blasphemers must be punished!" Reynard declared, standing up, his demeanor grave.

Both the Church’s teachings and what he had witnessed on their journey had filled him with intense revulsion towards the evil cult. He had missed his chance last time, but this time, he was determined to make those unclean beings face purification!

Because these Heretics were the Lord’s enemies, they were his enemies too.

Lance’s gaze swept over them. He could see they were all resolute and prepared for battle.

Fearless and resolute—this was the embodiment of determination.

"Let’s go." Lance immediately patted Fergus’s head.

"WOOF!" Fergus seemed to understand. It dashed off immediately, pausing after a few steps to look back and see if they were following.

Led by the dog, Lance quickly found William and the carriage, which was parked in a secluded area.

Lance had thought William was being pursued by Heretics, but now it seemed the situation wasn’t that simple.

"What’s going on?"

"While investigating, I discovered this." William opened the carriage, revealing a girl deep in slumber inside, and, of course, the coachman.

Upon seeing this, Lance’s brow furrowed, and he quickly began asking questions. After they exchanged information, Lance fell into contemplation.

Seeing the Lord’s frowning silence, William realized the trouble he had caused.

"My Lord, I..."

"You did nothing wrong," Lance said, raising his hand reassuringly. "Even I couldn’t stand idly by in such a situation. We must strike decisively! Disrupt any sacrificial activities."

He was telling the truth; if he had encountered such an incident, he wouldn’t have just done nothing and watched an innocent be sacrificed. After all, the Ascension Sect’s sacrificial target was the Ancestor, and no one knew the impact this ritual had on him. He had been consistently pulling out the Ancestor’s oxygen tube. What if the old man, fully restored, woke up and came to settle accounts with him?

"Exactly, bro! You’re really capable to have found this," Dismas chimed in from the side.

William was somewhat surprised to see Dismas and Reynard. After a brief conversation, he learned they had rushed all the way back and, despite their fatigue, had hurried over without resting as soon as they heard about the situation. This concern from his comrades filled him with a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Lance, however, didn’t appear so relaxed; his mind was constantly replaying the current scenario.

Originally, he had wanted to first understand the Heretics’ situation before deciding on the next step. But now that William had abducted the sacrificial offering, it had undoubtedly struck at their core and would surely alarm them. A city isn’t like the countryside or small towns, which can be easily abandoned; here, each believer is far more valuable. Under the Church’s intense pressure, if a problem arose, they would undoubtedly go into hiding, making them even harder to identify later.

"This is a great opportunity!" Lance decided after some thought. "The ceremony is likely for initiating new members. A large number of Heretics are sure to gather then. We’ll take those bastards out."

There was no other choice. They were already alerted, so the only option now was to press the attack. Either do nothing or go all out. He had to metaphorically burst the Ancestor’s oxygen tank. No matter what, he couldn’t let those Heretics develop undisturbed.

"Wake him up. I need more information," Lance ordered.

His decision to act didn’t mean charging straight in. Instead, he needed to gather more information beforehand; this would help him formulate tactics.

Dismas rudely dragged the coachman out and delivered a couple of punches, causing the man to curl up like a cooked shrimp.