Chapter Thirty-One: Striking with Full Force!
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Not a hundred percent loyal...
The Special Talent Summoning Card isn’t counted as a system summon?
Colin’s thoughts surged. Taking advantage of Shana’s pause to eat, he pulled out the task item.
“Twisted Soul”: a mass of blue gas like a flame, in which distorted human faces could be discerned if one looked closely.
Item remaining time: 2 days 23 hours 54 minutes.
Note: If inspiration is below two, effective listening cannot be achieved. If inspiration exceeds five, you are guaranteed to receive the quest.
[Hint: You believe your inspiration exceeds five…]
Bang—
Colin crushed the fiery mass in his hand. An illusory flame swept over him, plunging his mind into a haze.
“Froststone... haven’t we already handed it over? Twenty tons…”
“Why…”
“It’s been changed! Now it’s a hundred tons a year! The Pope’s orders are not to be desecrated…”
“This… this is simply impossible…”
“Shut up! Wretched beasts! In the end, you simply haven’t worked hard enough…”
“…Father, help, help…”
“In the well, go to the well…”
“Throw them down… bang—”
Scattered voices lingered by his ears. Colin felt his brain pulse with pain. Amidst the confusion, he witnessed a chaotic scene.
A squad of church knights clad in pointed silver helmets slaughtered the villagers.
A man led several children into the well to escape…
Then a church member dropped a stone down, and that was the end…
When Colin returned to himself, he immediately unfurled the scroll. A new quest appeared.
[Quest Triggered: Vengeance.]
[Quest Requirement: Kill the ‘Aberration-Suffering People-Suffering Knight’ wandering the Silver Moon Bay Beach.]
[Quest Time: Unlimited (This quest may be claimed by others.)]
[Quest Description: Because the Empire’s National Church of Suffering suddenly increased the tribute required from the villagers, they could not fulfill the task and were executed on the spot, dying with resentment. To quell their grievances, avenge the villagers!]
[Quest Reward: Black Bread*99, Recovery Card*3, Mist Points*100.]
“Black bread, black bread again…”
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Colin was speechless. “No title—only mist points and recovery cards are decent…”
But soon, his attention shifted. He squinted, recalling the words he’d just heard.
After a brief contemplation, his breath quickened, his body trembling. He spoke, “Froststone… search the house, see if there’s any stone that’s pale white…”
Before long, one of his men emerged from a half-collapsed thatched hut holding a palm-sized white stone.
Colin took a deep breath upon seeing it… saltpeter!
He suddenly understood why the hint claimed that what he desired could be found here…
After all, who could resist the lure of fireworks and firecrackers?
To these suffering people, the thing was known as froststone, used for making ice.
Colin was sure this substance hadn’t become a weapon in this world’s civilization; otherwise, the landscape would be very different.
At their level, perhaps they discovered how to burn it for fireworks, but fireworks could never stand against the extraordinary ruling class.
Therefore, this resource had never developed further.
He then casually collected his daily bread and blood, stowed them away, and gazed into the distance.
“If nothing unexpected happens, the ore isn’t far from here…”
Colin deduced from the hint that the “thing you desire” was less than half an hour’s journey away.
As for the triggered quest, he had no intention of completing it just yet. Based on his estimation, hardly anyone could accomplish such a quest at this stage, so he wasn’t worried about someone stealing it.
He took a deep breath, swiftly calming himself. This discovery was far more interesting than any ordinary weapon that the system could provide.
“My lord, you seem rather excited. Did you find something good?” Shana inquired curiously, handing the stone bowl back to Colin. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d eaten so well.
“A very good discovery—you’ll see it soon.”
A faint smile appeared on Colin’s lips.
Saltpeter was too important.
Sulfur and charcoal had been seen on the trading market, and if desired, he could obtain a fair quantity. But saltpeter was unavailable.
Even when Colin deliberately listed some meat, he never saw anyone offer saltpeter in exchange.
Moreover, it wasn’t just a few pieces—it was a whole mine!
Once he found the raw material, he could immediately synthesize it at the bench, skipping drying, grinding, and all other processing steps.
He would instantly wield immense power.
From what Colin had learned so far, most monsters were not equipped to withstand cannons or explosives, including that lord-level aberration.
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In other words, unless physical means failed, he could blast as many monsters as came his way.
This step would allow Colin to swiftly build a foundation in the Gray Mist World, paving the way to greater strength.
“How are the injuries?” Colin was eager to lay eyes on the stone mine.
Number Two quickly responded, “Thanks to the Holy Light Priest’s help, all injuries have been treated.”
“Move forward.”
“Yes!”
Now, with his heart ablaze, Colin quickened his pace. Though they encountered several aberration attacks along the way, each was easily dealt with.
Most monsters fell to Shana’s blows…
Halfway there, Shana volunteered to walk at the front and shield everyone from the monsters.
Considering Shana’s personal attributes—which seemed a little different from the usual image of a priest—Colin agreed and advised the others to pay extra attention to her protection.
Soon, he realized they’d been overcautious.
Colin and the others watched as she cast “Blessing of Courage” and “Light Shield,” boosting her strength to 4.1. Her fists glowed, and with each punch, she felled an aberration; three strikes dispatched an elite monster.
Unconsciously, Shana stood alone at the front, while the others lowered their axes and simply followed behind her…
This scene brought to Colin’s mind a familiar meme.
The false healer, who frantically casts healing spells amid her teammates’ agonized cries, tears streaming as she shouts, “Don’t die, don’t die!”
The true healer, who preempts danger, shelters a group of whimpering teammates behind her, and before the monsters can harm anyone, dispatches them with a single punch, eliminating any threat.
Broken skulls, shattered limbs, snapped legs—her fists sent monsters flying seven or eight meters, each blow landing with visceral force, a violent beauty perfectly embodying the art of saving lives.
“My lord, did I disappoint you?”
Shana, about 1.6 meters tall, turned around, her Bible at her waist, hands glowing white, steam rising as aberration blood evaporated.
Her delicate profile and pristine, gold-rimmed garb were spattered with blood from the monsters she’d pulverized, giving her saintly appearance an indescribably profane allure.
Yet as she turned, everyone except Colin instinctively stepped back half a pace.
No one dared to be disappointed, no one dared…
Colin muttered inwardly, but kept a smile on his face. “Your strength is surprising.”
More precisely, terrifying.