Chapter 135: The Traitor

No one could fathom Zhou Tian’s true intentions, and as a result, ninety-nine percent of the people in the capital felt a sense of profound regret over the escape of the three great dragons. After all, dragon-slaying was the stuff of dreams; when truly confronted with such behemoths, few dared to actually test the taste of slaughter. Now that they had been on the verge of witnessing such a monumental feat—with some even having the potential to participate—Zhou Tian had unexpectedly let the three dragons go. Far from understanding his logic, many were still grumbling about why he hadn't pursued them to finish the job.

Zhou Tian couldn't care less about the opinions of his residents. They only saw the immediate excitement; if they knew the catastrophe that such an act would have invited, they would likely be the ones stopping him from ever attempting to kill those dragons. Thus, he ignored his subordinates' gripes. After watching the dragons depart, he immediately issued orders for every person of significance in the capital to gather at the cathedral for an assembly.

Retaliation from the dragon race was to be expected, but after today's events and with the Church of Light as his shield, Zhou Tian believed that unless the dragons were willing to suffer a devastating blow to their own strength, they would not dare to strike as openly as they had today.

What truly worried Zhou Tian was the subterranean force lurking in the shadows. The greatest dangers often come from within. The capital had not been established for long, and apart from his core team, the higher-ups were all recent additions. With newcomers occupying the majority of positions, the government was stable and the city felt vibrant, yet because their origins were unknown, Zhou Tian could not be certain how many spies from the Dungeon were among his ranks.

Beyond the fear of the Dungeon declaring war after discovering his past actions, Zhou Tian had to guard against his own people. This constant state of suspicion made him wary of the Dungeon. He could fight the dragon race if he had to, or abandon his current foundation if he couldn't win, but the methods of the Dungeon were too insidious. Without vigilance, they could be at his throat before he even knew they were there.

In particular, because Zhou Tian rarely managed day-to-day affairs and those he trusted were either unable to stay by his side or lacked the necessary capability, he had to delegate power to the capital’s officials. In such a situation, if he could not prevent the Dungeon’s infiltration, it was entirely possible that his city could be swallowed up without a sound.

Though the Dungeon’s tactics were underhanded, one had to admit their capabilities were防不胜防 (impossible to guard against). Even if he put his trust in them, those he trusted could easily fall victim to the mental control or demonic arts of the Dungeon’s agents. It seemed as though the Dungeon held all the cards, and Zhou Tian was destined to suffer. However, he had already devised a solution.

While their abilities were formidable and commanded his utmost caution, it did not mean he was helpless. In fact, even a powerful professional could eventually find a way to detect such influences, and by utilizing items from his System Store, Zhou Tian could certainly achieve the same preventative effect.

There was no such thing as an unsolvable ability. If the Dungeon’s demons or their thralls truly possessed such game-breaking power, they would already dominate the world and have no need to act so cautiously, terrified of the Church discovering their movements. Thus, Zhou Tian surmised that while their powers involved divine-level energy, a higher-tier ability would definitely be able to detect or negate them.

He did not know how other factions achieved this, but he suspected it involved the power of demigods. With the capital’s current strength, he could not summon a demigod to assist him, and he reckoned the Dungeon knew this, which was why they dared to infiltrate his city repeatedly. They could never have imagined that Zhou Tian possessed the "bug" that was the System. What a demigod could do, Zhou Tian could replicate through other means. By gathering everyone in the capital, he was preparing to neutralize the threat. Once these measures were in place, it would not be so easy for the Dungeon to play their dirty games.

Before long, everyone of status in the capital had been invited by his guards to the cathedral hall. Though summoned for a meeting, Zhou Tian remained silent, head bowed, until every expected person had arrived. Only then did he react.

Looking up, he scanned the crowd and spoke: "A great deal has happened in our capital today. I trust you have all heard the news. The dragon invasion, the appearance of assassins—our city has truly faced many hardships. I will not dwell on the reasons for these troubles; you may consider them my own doing. I have called you here for one purpose, and once it is fulfilled, you may return to your duties."

"Lord of the City, what is it?" asked some of the newer arrivals, curious about his mysterious tone. Those familiar with Zhou Tian, like Vivian, remained composed.

Zhou Tian did not hide his intent. He scanned the room and said, "You haven't forgotten the assassins, have you? To be honest, I do not trust you all. Since you are recent recruits, I cannot be certain if you are like those assassins—plants from other factions. I have gathered you here for one reason: to put my mind at ease and to clear any of you of suspicion."

Some faces changed color at his blunt admission of distrust. However, they understood his caution and, despite their irritation, no one dared to raise an objection. Zhou Tian knew they wouldn't; to protest now would be to confirm their status as a spy.

Satisfied, Zhou Tian nodded and pulled an item from his robe. He had just purchased it with spirit energy; it was not a high-end artifact, but it was perfectly suited for the occasion.

"Buddha Sarira, cost: 500 spirit energy. (Effect: Wearing it prevents the onset of negative status effects and provides a certain suppression against demonic energy.)"

Zhou Tian had long suspected that the Dungeon’s agents employed demonic means. If his theory held, the presence of the Sarira would leave them nowhere to hide.

His intuition proved correct. As soon as he revealed the Buddha Sarira, the atmosphere in the hall shifted. Under the radiance of the Buddha-light, black vapor began to rise from the bodies of over a dozen people.

The visible gas was proof enough of their guilt. Under the influence of the Sarira, the clash of energies within them caused them great agony; they wailed and writhed on the floor of the cathedral.

Zhou Tian watched them with a blank expression and immediately ordered his soldiers to seize everyone from whom the black mist had emerged. Freed from the constraints of their demonic influence, they did not commit suicide upon capture but offered only a brief struggle before being taken into custody.

Zhou Tian knew most of these were likely spies sent by the Dungeon. While there might be others he missed, this result was more than satisfactory. He would deal with the rest in time; for now, with the city still in flux, he would not risk testing everyone with his items without concrete evidence.