Chapter 5 The Calm Before the Storm

The main hall of Lichtenstein Castle's foundation level was briefly engulfed in silence.

Elegant stone corridors, luxurious fireplaces, and paintings hanging on the walls were all immersed in the hazy morning light.

The young master's frankness, coupled with the information he revealed, suggested his identity wasn't much of an issue.

As for the twin bodyguards behind him, they didn't seem to want to say anything so early.

Frey nodded, remembering these three as "the young master and his two thugs," and then looked at the three women standing diagonally in the distance.

"We are from the Kruitia Empire."

The girl at the head, with a noble air, nodded in greeting. Her movements exuded elegance and humility, her brown hair as smooth and supple as silk.

But she didn't seem to intend to say much more, even when facing Frey's stern eyes, she didn't flinch.

The magical power emanating from her was strong and stable, she was probably a traditional mage, flanked by a tall, heroic female knight with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, and a petite, timid, white-robed cleric with tearful blue eyes.

A very standard warrior-mage-priest setup.

Since their words ended there, Frey didn't waste any more time on them, mentally tagging them as "Empire National Women's Team," and looked directly at the last three people.

"We are from the Northern Continent, members of the clergy under the command of the Holy Maiden of the Church of the Goddess of Destiny."

The cleric, wearing an immaculate robe with exquisite gold thread patterns embroidered around the edges, stepped forward and sincerely saluted, his eyes gentle, full of love and tenderness.

Behind him stood an executioner in heavy armor and a red cloak, and a holy knight in shining silver armor.

Their faces were resolute and fearless, their eyes firm and bright, as if burning with the flames of justice.

"Do you three know Loren?"

Frey asked casually.

His words carried the feeling of being on equal footing with Loren, surprising the three, who wondered what Frey's position was at the Ickritus Academy.

"Of course, even in the Northern Continent, we are familiar with the deeds of High Priest Loren."

The cleric replied, and instructed his companions to cast various divine spells.

Based on the cleric-type divine spells, it was almost certain that their clerical identities were genuine.

However, the possibility that the Resurrection Church also had moles lurking within the Church of the Goddess of Destiny could not be ruled out.

These three can be called "the Holy Maiden's henchmen."

At this point, Frey basically understood the origins of everyone present, although he was sure that two of the nine people were lying about their identities.

The specific identities and professions, apart from those willing to disclose them to everyone, the rest would have to be passed to him separately in writing later.

"Do you two have anything to say?"

Frey stepped back and came to Lanqi and Hyperia.

Hyperia didn't want to reveal her identity easily, she just signaled Lanqi and Frey to turn around with her eyes, and then she used her finger to lightly outline words in the air behind her back, indicating to them that she was an "actress."

"...Understood."

After Frey and Lanqi learned her identity, they were even more convinced that there might be other challengers with similar identities, who wouldn't be able to directly help the detective much, and exposing them would be suspicious and dangerous.

So Frey's difficulty in deduction had increased a lot.

Even if he questioned everyone's identity next, the betrayers could easily fabricate flawless identities.

As long as the betrayers possessed enough wisdom, it would be almost impossible to deduce who the betrayers were from their identities, which was also the mechanism of the Shadow World.

After Hyperia finished communicating with them, Lanqi looked towards the hall again.

He stepped forward very naturally, raised his palm to face the crowd.

"Hello everyone, let me say a few simple words here."

"My identity is a lawyer. I am familiar with the laws of this Huning Empire. Now the Huning Empire has fully embraced the worship of the Vampire Progenitor. Any behavior that goes against the Vampire's rule will be punished with extreme penalties. Similarly, humans who want to enter or leave any city need to undergo strict identity registration."

"Regarding the information from the Geographer, I have a point to add. The Huning Empire's defense barrier is now under the control of the vampires and has an air defense effect. Non-vampires cannot use any flying magic or props. I believe we can corroborate this later."

Lanqi's words were like a stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples, and causing everyone in the hall to fall into deep thought and analysis.

Another person blew his own cover, even more openly.

Moreover, the young man's emerald green eyes were bright and sincere, and his voice seemed to carry a calm power that could turn people's doubts and anxieties into nothing.

It was difficult to suspect that someone with such a pure and gentle temperament was a bad person.

Or perhaps.

If this kind of person was really an evildoer, it would be an unimaginable horror movie.

Speaking of this, Lanqi sighed helplessly:

"If I'm not mistaken, there is very bad news now. The only bridge leading to the city-state must have been destroyed. We have been blocked on this cliff by the edge of the defense barrier and the terrain."

"So, the Shadow World requires us to correctly deduce the betrayers and catch them. If we accidentally kill a non-betrayer, we won't be able to escape when the vampire count arrives?"

Frey smiled and asked Lanqi playfully.

After these words fell, the expressions of the others became a bit uglier.

Various expressions appeared on their faces, some were astonished, some were thoughtful, and some were dignified, their eyes were constantly changing, like a changing picture.

In this closed space, everyone seemed to have become more sensitive, and they could almost feel the atmosphere of tension and unease intensifying little by little.

The words "blocked terrain" and "vampire count" alone could make all the challengers present turn pale.

Even in the real world, they knew that vampires were terrifying creatures that could not be resisted by beings of the same level.

The vampires' inherent abilities and immortality meant that human powerhouses who fought against them were simply sacrificing rare high-level combat power for nothing.

Even if, in theory, vampires would be greatly weakened when the sun rose during the day, there was no possibility of surviving a whole night in the hands of a vampire.

Even without considering racial suppression, the fifth-tier challengers present were not at the same level of strength as the vampire count at all. Anyone would have their heads chopped off by the vampire count in one encounter, and could only be reduced to toys for the vampire count to torture and kill for pleasure.

"Of course, we can't escape."

Lanqi answered Frey with a peaceful expression, his state of mind like a calm lake.

Even in the face of danger like vampires, he was still calm.

Hyperia glanced at Lanqi, feeling a little more at ease.

As long as Lanqi was always in this state, she wouldn't be afraid.

More updates tomorrow!

(End of this chapter)