Chapter 123 The Real Purpose

So this was the real purpose of the demon hunters.

They weren't here to hunt the "Crimson Moon Countess," whom no one dared to provoke, nor were they here to prevent Vivian's resurrection. Their real purpose was to prevent the insane disaster that Vivian's resurrection would bring. Hao Ren didn't know how closely the demon hunters of Corpus were paying attention to Vivian, but now it seemed they were paying even more attention than he had previously understood or guessed. Even Vivian's disappearance for a certain period would trigger a set of early warning mechanisms in Corpus. Hasu and the hunting group he led were clearly part of this early warning mechanism.

There was one thing that Hao Ren couldn't understand: Demon hunters had always been indifferent to other races. Aside from being absorbed in their endless hunting, they didn't care about the lives of humans, let alone risk their lives to protect humans. Their limited "alliance of offense and defense" with humans was entirely based on hunting. Once they lost the sole objective of "hunting," they would not pay attention to any suffering in human society.

So why did Hasu lead a group of warriors here to protect a human city?

During his previous investigation, Hao Ren had roughly determined that there were no other alien creatures active in this area for a long time, except for Vivian's sleeping place. All there was were a human city and a few towns. For demon hunters, the biggest consequence of Vivian's berserk awakening would be the suffering of the humans in this area. And Vivian herself was not a target for the demon hunters. So what was Hasu doing here with his men?

It certainly wasn't for Mrs. Marie and her group of witches. A mere group of witches wouldn't warrant this level of attention. One or two experienced hunters could take care of them all. Besides, Hasu himself had just said that he came specifically for Vivian.

Hao Ren thought for a moment, organizing his words to casually say something as inconspicuously as possible: "To stop the Crimson Moon Countess's madness—even if it's just delaying it—requires a great price. To be honest, I think it's a bit of a losing proposition. There's nothing of value here besides humans."

"Of course, it's not for those humans," a demon hunter said. "You've been hunting for too long, and you probably don't know what that Countess did after one of her awakenings three thousand years ago. She suddenly appeared in a wilderness in Northern Europe and, after rampaging around, didn't vent enough. So she actually charged straight towards Corpus. If a battle group hadn't happened to return from the Northern European battlefield and encountered her, Corpus would have faced its most serious attack on its own soil. Since then, we've learned from experience. After Vivian Ansessta goes insane, someone must attract her attention to exhaust her excess energy and stamina, or she will definitely charge towards Corpus."

Vivian's evil spirit had this tendency? They would charge towards Corpus?

Hao Ren's expression didn't change, but his mind was in turmoil. He had dealt with the evil spirits so many times, but he had never heard of such an attribute!

Even Hasu, who participated in the operation six hundred years ago, had never told anyone about this aspect afterward.

Of course, Hao Ren couldn't blame Hasu for concealing information. Hasu was, after all, an "outsider." His understanding of the evil spirits and the Dream Realm was extremely limited. He didn't even know that there was such a thing as an "evil spirit" until the twenty-first century. And the last time he dealt with Vivian's evil spirit was this time—a difference of six entire centuries from when he met Hao Ren and his party. He had no idea how important the clues hidden in the operation six hundred years ago were to Hao Ren.

All sorts of limitations made it impossible for him to connect this crucial clue with what Hao Ren and his party were busy with.

But everything was fine, because Hao Ren had come. He had personally entered these histories that would have been buried forever. Those details that even the people involved had unconsciously ignored now had the opportunity to be rediscovered one by one.

At this moment, he realized anew that his trip back in time had another meaning: He not only had to find Vivian, but he also had to find Vivian's lost memories and all the secrets related to Vivian.

After suppressing his initial surprise, Hao Ren began to think about another question: Why would Vivian's evil spirit charge towards Corpus?

Was it because Vivian subconsciously remembered that she had once been the fourteenth saint of the demon hunters? Or was it that she subconsciously wanted to find her former friend, the first saint who was accidentally reincarnated as a dog after being killed by her moonlight?

Hao Ren quickly discarded these two possibilities, because it was only the evil spirits that charged towards Corpus. After confirming some details with Hasu and a few other demon hunters, he was even more certain of this point: Those "Vivians" who charged towards Corpus invariably appeared after the real Vivian awakened, and would actively "leave" after a fierce battle. The demon hunters thought that the Countess had suddenly regained her sanity, but Hao Ren guessed that it was Raven 12345 from the past who had intervened and taken them away.

Since they were evil spirits without any rationality, their charging towards Corpus could only be due to some simpler, more direct reason: There was something there that was attracting them.

Hao Ren instantly thought of the Godslayer Sword: Throughout history, the Godslayer Sword had been preserved in Corpus, and Vivian's evil spirit undoubtedly had a deep connection with that fierce weapon that was once filled with negative energy.

The power of the Creation Goddess and the opposing dark force were inextricably intertwined, intertwined on the Godslayer Sword, and intertwined on Vivian, ultimately connecting them in such a miraculous way.

Hao Ren also thought of that confused little weakling. Although very weak and small, she was also a genuine evil spirit. However, she didn't have the tendency to go to the North Pole. The reason was simple: the Godslayer Sword had already been purified when the little weakling was "born"... And the little weakling's lack of tendency to go to the North Pole indirectly confirmed Hao Ren's entire conjecture.

"Are you daydreaming?" Hasu's words suddenly came from the side, finally startling Hao Ren from his thoughts. The latter quickly straightened his expression and calmly said in the old hunter's suspicious gaze: "I was just thinking about Corpus. It's been too long since I've been back. Aside from being absorbed in hunting, I'm indifferent to everything else. I didn't even know that Corpus had almost been attacked once."

"Hunters who fight monsters in the darkness for thousands of years are equally worthy of respect," said the demon hunter Lockheed. This compliment immediately made Hao Ren feel even more embarrassed...

"Speaking of which, have you not tried to destroy Vivian while she's sleeping? This can solve the problem once and for all." Hao Ren carefully chose his words and asked a question that he had long been concerned about - he felt strange when he asked the question.

"Are you kidding?" Hasu looked at Hao Ren incredulously. "Dealing with a sleeping Countess is more difficult and even a hundred times more dangerous than dealing with an awake one. Even if she's in a frenzy, it's only temporary, and she's harmless as long as she regains her sanity. And even if a fight breaks out, she won't necessarily summon the Crimson Moon. But the sleeping her... Not to mention that the legion of soulless guardians she creates in her sleep is enough to kill most intruders, attacking her in her sleep will automatically create the Crimson Moon!"

Hao Ren instantly cursed inwardly - so Vivian, you're so fierce when you sleep?!

Seeing the suspicious expression on Hasu's face deepening, Hao Ren knew that he had asked enough inappropriate questions, so he quickly glossed over it and changed the subject: "I've only heard about these things, but I didn't expect them to be so terrible. I was just taking it for granted... Let's talk about tomorrow's operation."

Fortunately, Hasu was only surprised by Hao Ren's fanciful ideas and didn't question the latter's identity itself, so the topic was quickly shifted, and the demon hunters began to discuss the plan to pursue the witches.

Soon, the discussion came to an end, and the demon hunter squad leaders left the long table one by one to explain the battle plan to their subordinates. Hasu also stood up and stretched his muscles, apparently preparing to rest. Hao Ren looked at the old hunter from six hundred years ago and made a quick decision in his heart.

The evil spirit was sleeping in the ancient castle. Hesperiana and Lily and her party had to be warned immediately, and the subsequent awakening plan had to be modified.

He couldn't continue to waste time here - and the information that the demon hunters could provide should be about this much.

Hao Ren made a bold decision.

"Elder," he stopped Hasu, who was about to leave. "Actually, I have a discovery."

Hasu raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Please come with me," Hao Ren looked around, his eyes finally falling on a place on the north side of the cemetery. "Those witches performed a strange ritual in that place. I hope you can come and take a look in person."

"A ritual that even an experienced hunter doesn't recognize?" Hasu smiled, but didn't have any doubts, because it was normal for younger hunters to ask questions of an elder like him.

Hao Ren took Hasu to the edge of the cemetery, where he could avoid the sight of the night watchmen.

Hasu didn't seem to notice this at all. He just looked curiously at the opened graves in front of him: "The strange ritual you mentioned, are you referring to these opened graves?"

Hao Ren silently recited the name of Raven 12345 in his heart, then quietly moved behind Hasu and unobtrusively took out something from his portable space: "I have a good thing to show you."

Hasu turned his head inexplicably: "Huh?"

A metal brick cast from warship alloy, almost twice the size of an ordinary brick, rapidly magnified in his sight...

"Bang!!!"