Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

"But there are so many demons..." Xu Ruoguang instinctively voiced his doubt.

Clearly, Franca's plan was not just a fleeting thought. For the action that would follow, she already had a rough outline in mind, "That's why we need a corrupted guide with the same origin as the demons to 'lead the way' for us."

As she spoke, Franca shook her head, her gaze once again sweeping over those corrupted corpses on the ground, only to sigh and say, "It's come to this, no use talking about that now."

A discreet voice suddenly interjected from the side, gently asking, "So, you need someone to lead the way, do you?"

Franca looked straight at the speaker, the fact was she had noticed their presence long before.

This was their first official meeting since the person had been rescued last time.

That... "Eternal" elector who had caused the Tide of Rats.

Of course, she had never really intended to execute the person on the spot, and now she was even less keen to pursue the matter.

Arbitration Place had no style of action, the style... lay in each individual arbiter.

But Franca still found it strange that the person dared to speak up at such a time, "You..."

"As long as someone leads the way, you can save everyone... is that right?"

Having received kindness from this world, the person wished to repay the world with the same kindness.

The rodent-person lifted their head, their somewhat childish face shimmering under the dim light, "Is it?"

"Yes..." Franca faced those fervent eyes, seeming somewhat unaccustomed, "But this is just an immature idea of mine."

The rodent-person didn't care, a glimmer of hope was enough to unleash their full effort, "So... what do I need to do to lead the way for you?"

"You..." Franca found herself at a loss for words.

"I share their origin, I can sense their presence..." Once the rodent-person resolved to do something, their tone became firm and succinct, all their words served to achieve their goal, "Tell me what to do, I can do it!"

"..." Franca parted her lips, then after a long pause, fixed her gaze on the rodent-person's eyes, and whispered softly, "Burn."

Burn one's will, burn one's soul, burn everything that is oneself.

A soul burning fiercely is like a bright flame in the pitch-black Sea of Distortion, capable of easily piercing through the endless darkness.

Especially when such burning is accompanied by a kind of firm belief, based on the fundamental utility of Spiritual Energy, the Spiritual Energy users on the human side can clearly feel that intense call.

And use it as a beacon to guide them.

"... Burn yourself completely when you're in that demon's domain," Franca continued.

But the price... is utter annihilation.

Like a candle, after intense burning, what's left is only ashes.

Saved souls may find peace and rest, but complete combustion leaves only absolute emptiness.

"..." The rodent-person pursed their lips tightly, and after a pause, gave a nod, "I understand."

After another pause, they asked, "When do we act?"

"It's still just an idea for now..."

"..." The rodent-person was silent for a moment, then added, "When it's time to act, remember to call me. I'll be here."

They turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.

Watching the direction in which the figure vanished, Franca's eyes flickered slightly.

Was it that the mysterious manager of Black Street saw the fervor and kindness in the bones of that demon elector that led to the rescue, or was it the act of rescue that engendered this sense of duty?

There was no way to know.

But it seemed that these characters with pure ideals were all coming together, which was a good thing.

Including the present one... the captain of the Black Street Enforcement Team.

Xu Ruoguang gripped the hilt of his longsword tightly, only then realizing the foresight of his superior.

Even a heretic could be a useful heretic to humankind.

```

Perhaps, when it comes to purging heresy, it does not need to be taken to such an extreme.

After all, even the lord himself believes in and uses these heretical powers.

It's only on the occasional fleeting thought that a certain obstinacy or prejudice, arising from an indescribable place deep within the heart, always raises a question—

... Can heresy truly be trusted?

Kicking the decayed corpse at his feet, Xu Ruoguang ordered softly, "Clean up the scene, don't let those ordinary people see."
Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Preventing those ordinary people from seeing what they were dealing with could breed doubts in their minds, but if they were to see these corrupt things... Those already suffering from the corruption of whispers from high-dimensional spaces would undoubtedly tread further down the path of decay.

Withholding the truth is also a form of protection.

[Power Information Change: Guard Squad—Xu Ruoguang: Heresy -99%.]

"…"

The lad is working quite hard.

Receiving the message, Bai E pressed his lips together and shook his head with a light chuckle.

As the territory developed step by step, these players were also stepping onto a larger stage.

When the small confines of Black Street could no longer satisfy their needs, nor the players' desire for exploration, it might be time to unlock a larger map for them.

The small town ruins discovered earlier could undeniably serve as a larger development platform, and the machines they lacked seemed like they could be manually crafted or stolen from the intelligences?

If they couldn't beat the forces with his help, and he couldn't beat them either... Then let be.

He would lead the way in opening up new maps for them and, by allocating tasks, guide their exploration and development in this world—a choice that seemed rather good.

Particularly in the rain, the tranquility fostered reflection, and Bai E contemplated his future plans as the vehicle sped along the muddy road, made more treacherous by the downpour.

The headlights of three off-road vehicles tore through the night's mist, speeding towards their base.

…

It took almost a whole day and wasn't until dusk that the three off-road vehicles finally returned to the base.

Bai E drove the latter half of the journey, calculating that they had entered the city's area of intense radiation where no further incidents were likely to arise. He intentionally sped up to shake off the two companion vehicles behind him. After all, it was not good to let the others in the barracks know that he had returned with a hot potato in tow.

He drove directly to the vicinity of Black Forest, flung out three black burlap sacks without barely slowing down, and continued racing back to the camp.

The standard debriefing procedure played out smoothly, with the other two teams that had been slacking the whole way fully cooperating. They didn't have any thoughts of their own, and whatever Bai E said was final. Together they happily received the hefty reward for this mission.

Due to encountering the most formidable first-generation intelligence and an entire intelligence fortress, the military honors for this mission were exceptionally generous. Everyone's face bloomed with joy, foreseeing a bright future ahead.

Without pausing, Bai E immediately left the camp after completing the necessary post-return procedures.

Though the three individuals dumped in Black Forest claimed they would follow his orders to the letter, with so much time having passed, who could guarantee they would obediently wait in place?

He needed to sort out their arrangements sooner rather than later… primarily to verify their true loyalty, as Bai E never felt completely at ease.

At the same time, it wasn't early anymore, with the day nearly over.

He hadn't yet sent out the tasks for today, and while he didn't know if the players were obsessed with daily tasks, he certainly felt a bit like he would die if he didn't send out tasks.

Moreover, the plans he had designed before returning could set the players in motion, and conveniently it was evening—the busiest time for the Underground Colosseum.

After sending out tasks, he could head straight to his destination without wasting a moment.

Contemplating these thoughts, Bai E sprinted towards the edge of Black Forest.

…

"Why isn't he here yet..." Nova sat bored on a wooden stump in the tree shade, propping her chin with both hands, her gaze lost in the distance.

The stump was fresh, recently cut.

But not today.

Two subordinates squatted next to Nova, glancing toward a dark direction in the jungle, "Captain, do you feel like someone is spying on us?"

```