Universe Infinite Canteen

Just as Ma Lu was considering how to get his hands on the rare ingredients that had just surfaced,

another sudden change occurred on the Chessboard Map.

It was the location of Li Wei, the Deputy Commander of the Holy Knights. Unlike the other knights, Li Wei had not taken part in the search and had barely moved from his spot.

Even when cries of agony and sounds of battle came from the forest not long ago, he acted as if he had heard nothing.

The suit of black armor just stood there, like a boulder.

About half a minute later, a woman around thirty years old with a plump figure and holding a golden staff opened her eyes.

"I've found her."

Only then did Li Wei speak again, asking, "Are you sure?"

"Without a doubt. I've fought against her before, we've sparred. I'm very familiar with her magic power," said the woman holding the golden staff.

"Good," nodded Li Wei.

The woman holding the golden staff then reminded him, "You said that as long as I led you to the Shrike, you would spare me and my daughter..."

Her words were cut off halfway when Li Wei turned his head.

She could only see the cold, expressionless helmet, unable to discern what the man behind it was thinking.

Fortunately, Li Wei's voice soon rang out again, carrying a hint of playfulness, "You were to lead me to the Shrike, or was it that you've led the Shrike to me?"

Upon hearing this, tremors went through the heart of the woman clutching the golden staff, and she knelt on one knee, "Master of Order above, nothing can escape Your eyes. The Shrike set up this trap to target You.

"Little did she know that You had already seen through her ruse, and turned this operation around to locate her whereabouts, taking the opportunity to cleanse the Order of Knights once more, washing away those knights whom You considered to have insufficiently firm beliefs, eliminating future threats."

Li Wei shook his head, "You got one thing wrong. The faith of those I brought with me was unwavering. Otherwise, the Shrike would have sensed the danger before I made my move. It's just a pity their faith was a tad too unwavering."

"Huh?" The middle-aged witch on the ground showed a hint of bewilderment.

Li Wei explained patiently, "I am only the Deputy Commander of the Sacred Order of Knights. Even though I have been handling all the affairs of the Sacred Order of Knights for years, there is still a Commander above me.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"He is the true leader of the Sacred Order of Knights. Unfortunately, he is quite old and has all the problems that come with old age: poor energy levels, slow reactions, and most importantly, a small amount of courage.

"Faced with trouble, he always wishes to avoid confronting it head-on, always trying to minimize issues. It's due to his indulgence that the Shrike came to be, allowing those Fallen Witches to grow into what they are today, indirectly leading to the recent incident in the Goladot Mountains.

"I need to right the errors he has made. Merely capturing the Shrike is not sufficient; I must also prevent the emergence of new Shrikes in the future. Therefore, I must replace him, take his place, and become the new leader of the Sacred Order of Knights."

At first, the woman with the golden staff was somewhat confused, but as she listened to him, she finally understood what Li Wei intended to do.

"The knights you've summoned this time are all supporters of that elder?"

"Exactly," Li Wei nodded, readily acknowledging it.

And the heart of the woman with the golden staff sank.

Such secrets involving power struggles at the upper echelons of the Sacred Order of Knights should not be shared with others.

Unless... he no longer planned to leave any survivors.

The Deputy Commander of the Holy Knights took a moment to appreciate the fear that showed on the face of the middle-aged witch before speaking again.

"Your strength may be average, but your skills are quite rare. In the future, I might have a use for you, so don't leave. Stay by my side. I will bring your daughter here too," he said.

The woman clutching the golden magic staff knew all too well what Li Wei was plotting. However, what made her feel helpless was that she also knew she had no right to refuse him. Thus, she could only bow deeply and say,

"I am willing to become your witch, to follow you, serve you and never betray you. I will be the blade in your hand, Sir Knight."

"Very good," Li Wei said, deciding the fate of the person beside him in just a few words. He then commanded, "Take me to the Shrike."

However, before they set off, someone had already come looking for them.

Thirteen witches emerged from the forest, their ages ranging from teenagers to women in their forties, and dressed in clothes that were mostly dirty. Their mismatched equipment looked somewhat comical.

Yet, if one knew the origins of that equipment, it's unlikely anyone would find it funny.

They were like a pack of wolves with red eyes hungering for new prey!

Yet, Li Wei, surrounded by them, seemed not the least bit panicked, despite the fact that the knights he brought with him were mostly dead or injured, leaving only a handful.

This seemed to have no effect on Li Wei's confidence.

The thirteen fallen witches didn't waste words and didn't even need to communicate with each other. As if by telepathy, they simultaneously launched an attack on the Deputy Commander of the Holy Knights.

But as soon as the clash began, one of them lost her head, and another by her side had a bullet blast a black hole through her chest.

The harvest had only just begun!

The fallen witches fell one after another as if targeted by an unseen vengeful spirit.

Someone barely caught a glimpse of a fleeting shadow amongst the darkness. However, the shadow moved too swiftly.

Before they could even launch an attack, the figure had already slipped into another shadow.

Besides, there was a marksman hidden in the dark, taking cold shots.

She didn't fire often, but each bullet took a life.

Efficient and stable.

Moreover, a mage among Li Wei's entourage was far from idle, twisting space with his sorcery.

The fallen witches had attempted to use their numerical advantage to force Li Wei away, but all their efforts were in vain; they couldn't close the distance between them.

Their attacks, whether at long range or close quarters, were wildly inaccurate.

Soon, only two of the thirteen fallen witches still had the ability to fight.

Yet even knowing death was inevitable, they showed no sign of retreat, their eyes full of fighting spirit.

An older witch even willingly entered a Lost State, her body visibly swelling like a balloon. But before the 'balloon' could burst,

Curved Blade had already slit her throat ahead of time, and then a wall of earth that rose from the ground blocked her body in the middle.

The ensuing explosion caused the earth to shake, blowing away half of the hastily summoned wall of earth. Fortunately, the remaining shockwave didn't pose a threat to anyone else.

Li Wei could feel the plants around him growing restless.

He glanced at the time, realizing he had to find the Shrike within half an hour. Thankfully, such an expanse of time was more than enough for him.