Chapter Fifty-Six: Mission

In the end, Zhou Tian decided to heed Vivian’s advice. Just as she had said, even though Aphra had lost her mount and Anna had been stripped of her battle aura, both had once been among the continent’s top powerhouses. Even a broken ship has a few pounds of nails left; no matter how dire their current circumstances, their illustrious pasts meant no one dared to look down on them now.

Aphra would focus on defense, Anna on offense. Under Vivian’s half-coercive persuasion, whatever the reason, these two former elites ultimately accepted Zhou Tian’s invitation and joined his small party.

“Alright, our team now has a priest, a nun, a warrior, and a summoner. All we need is one or two offensive mages to complete the group,” Zhou Tian concluded as he surveyed his newly recruited companions. He was about to ask Vivian or someone else to recommend a suitable mage when the Pope’s actions gave him no time to rest.

Just as Zhou Tian was considering how to phrase his request for help, a sharp knock at the door shattered his thoughts.

Bang, bang, bang—a series of urgent knocks. Mike immediately trotted over and opened the door. Because Mike was standing in the way, Zhou Tian couldn’t see who their visitor was. He only saw Mike exchange a few words with the person, send them off, close the door, and return with a letter in hand.

“Who was it?”

“A messenger from His Holiness the Pope.” With that, Mike respectfully handed the letter to Zhou Tian. “This is a mission assigned by His Holiness. According to the messenger, the Pope wants us to set out as soon as possible and complete the task with all due speed.”

“Is he serious? Our team isn’t even fully assembled and he’s already sending us on a mission? Isn’t that a bit too hasty?” Zhou Tian grumbled incessantly, but nonetheless obediently took out the letter and read its contents carefully.

After finishing the letter, Zhou Tian’s expression turned serious. He clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention and announced, “Prepare to depart at once! A group of demons has been discovered in Yellowstone City to the east of the Holy City. The Pope has ordered us to investigate. If demons truly are active in that city, we are to eradicate them completely.”

“Move quickly—who knows what those demons are planning? If we delay, there’s no telling what chaos they might cause.” As Zhou Tian said this, he suddenly noticed that everyone—including the middle-aged Mike—was already standing in place, brimming with energy, just waiting for his order to set out.

“What’s this about?” Zhou Tian was puzzled. This was a mission, not a parade; didn’t they need to prepare anything?

Aphra shot Zhou Tian a disdainful look, lifted her chin, and answered with a haughty air, “Who do you think we are? We’ve carried out hundreds, if not thousands, of missions. Whose spatial ring isn’t stocked with all the necessities? We’ve long since made our preparations. It’s you, the newbie and team leader, who should hurry up and pack whatever you need!” With that, Aphra flaunted her experience, clearly delighted to put Zhou Tian in his place.

Zhou Tian had already learned from Vivian how to deal with Aphra—by simply ignoring her. Without acknowledging her, he issued the order, “Since everyone’s ready, let’s move out!”

Thanks to the teleportation array, there was no need to bring extra supplies; as for combat gear, Zhou Tian could exchange his spiritual energy for whatever was required. Knowing his team was well-prepared and ready for battle at a moment’s notice, he wasted no time in giving the command to depart.

Though Zhou Tian was the leader, his unfamiliarity with the Holy City meant Vivian still led the way. She expertly guided them to a teleportation array, negotiated with the mage stationed there, and with his assistance, the group was soon transported to Yellowstone City.

“Aphra, Anna, go gather information about the demons in the city. Priest Mike, use your Holy Light magic to sense whether any demons are present. As for you, Captain Zhou Tian, come with me to see the city lord—we may be able to learn something useful from him.” Perhaps out of habit or simply because she knew Zhou Tian was unreliable as a leader, Vivian began issuing orders as soon as they materialized from the teleportation array. With their tasks assigned, the group split up immediately.

Zhou Tian felt no sense of leadership; Vivian had completely taken charge, and he didn’t mind in the least. He simply curled up on Vivian’s shoulder and followed her toward the city lord’s residence.

“I’ll bet anything this city lord is a monumental crook,” Zhou Tian muttered as they approached their destination. He’d already surveyed Yellowstone City on the way in. Though it was a mid-sized city, it was clearly underdeveloped. Yet, in this modest city stood a city lord’s mansion as grand as an imperial palace. No wonder Zhou Tian immediately declared the city lord a corrupt official.

“Whether the lord here is corrupt is none of our concern,” Vivian replied tersely. “The Church’s duty is to spread the faith, not to punish corrupt officials—that’s the Empire’s responsibility. Don’t meddle in affairs beyond our mission. Our task is to wipe out the demons. Until that’s done, keep your attention focused!” Yet Zhou Tian, always sensitive, noticed how tightly Vivian’s right hand clenched as she spoke. It was clear she was not as indifferent to the city lord’s corruption as she pretended. Reflecting on her words, Zhou Tian began to understand what she meant.

Given the Church’s influence on the continent, even if it wasn’t openly stated, nearly everyone recognized that any Church’s power was not inferior to that of a nation. Especially the Church of Light—while no one had ever tested its might, most believed it rivaled the great empires themselves.

With such power, though Zhou Tian’s party were not imperial officials, their status commanded respect. In the small city where Vivian had recruited Zhou Tian, the local lord had gone out of his way to curry favor with her. Here in Yellowstone City, the lord might not need to ingratiate himself with Zhou Tian’s group, but as envoys of the Church, he would still have to show them due respect.