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She was very self-aware and had already prepared herself to be a supporting member of the team. What if, after her promotion, the General Affairs Department asked her to separate herself from Sister Haida's group? She was far from being able to stand on her own like Supervisor Yin Yuxi.
As things stand, Vivian is very satisfied with the comfort of her work environment.
"Well, I only did what I could, and I probably didn't make any special contribution..."
"Don't underestimate yourself; I know the weight of these intelligence reports."
Cluster Feather clearly did not agree with her statement.
But just as he was about to say something, a callbird resembling a hawk-owl, named "Gulid," suddenly flew in from the window, landed on his shoulder, and whispered a few words.
"Coo-coo".
"Such a thing actually happened? How impatient!"
Tuyu licked his lips, a hint of surprise on his face. Only after fully understanding the unexpected situation described by the callbird did he slowly turn his gaze back to Vivian.
"There is bad news."
"The Star Abyss Society has already made its move, targeting the Six-Eyed Raven Cult. Originally, the two sides only had some minor, harmless friction, but due to the major case at the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower, the conflict has become irreconcilable. Martial law has now been declared in the outskirts of Mordway, and a large number of Listeners have been mobilized."
"The covert war has begun. This battle is currently unnamed, but the victor will name it later."
Vivian was taken aback by Cuyu's casual description, and her breathing became rapid and difficult to control.
After she had barely regained her composure, she finally asked about the other person's plans. After all, the person before her was the chief agent of the Secret Service, possessing supreme command over the intelligence agency in such emergencies.
"Mr. Cluster Feather, please give the instructions."
"Ah."
Cluster Feather nodded and then gave his instructions.
"Given that you currently lack the ability to effectively confront them head-on, I hope you can retreat into the secret realm to avoid losses in this incident. Moreover, this is an invasion targeting the Six-Eyed Raven Order, and strictly speaking, it has nothing to do with the Secret Court."
"But I was working there part-time and getting paid, so I had to take on some responsibility."
Having said that, without waiting for Vivian's response, his figure, enveloped in shadow, instantly transformed into a raven the color of black satin. Then, with a flap of its wings, it flew out from the windowsill without the slightest hesitation.
Vivian soon heard noisy footsteps coming from downstairs at the tavern, along with the low barking of hunting dogs.
The scattered yet subtly steady clatter of leather boots likely indicated a line of law enforcement officers. According to the Star Abyss Society's regulations, it should be a Listener of the Tide leading dozens of armed Star Seekers… however, they haven't gone upstairs yet, probably intending to surround the shop and block all exits beforehand.
Is it targeting the tufted feathers or a routine search? It's currently unknown.
Quickly analyzing the current situation, Vivian commanded Mu Ning to knock on the gray curtain leading to the misty street at the door of the private room.
Then, the man and the crow entered as quickly as possible, giving the newcomer no chance to notice them.
For Sister Heda, each operation required careful consideration of the enemy's numbers and the situation before deciding whether to engage, launch a surprise attack, or disengage. Vivian, however, didn't need to worry about so much; she could simply choose to retreat without any psychological burden…
--two
Modway, the first habitat.
The old auction courtyard is now a collapsed ruin, with severed limbs and remains buried beneath the fragments of the walls. The air is thick with the stench of blood and gore, and the sharp clang of weapons echoes through the air.
At this moment, the Raven Feather High Priest White Neck, carrying Gray Mark on his back, moved swiftly under the cover of the deep forest and shadows on the outskirts of the city.
"Damn it, Graystain! Can't you be any thinner? If you were a bird, you'd be too fat to fly!"
"Heh, these are muscles I've built up from years of exploring ruins. What do you mean 'fat'? Heh, I'm going to sue you for defamation..."
Grayscar still had the energy to argue, but he would cough after every few words, then have to swallow the blood that welled up in his mouth. Undoubtedly, this was a sign of internal organ damage.
Upon closer inspection, one could see a gruesome wound on his abdomen that almost completely pierced through his body, only prevented from protruding by bandages. Furthermore, some strange spiritual energy was wrapped around it, interfering with the wound's natural healing process.
No, it should be said that it "catalyzed" the wound's self-healing.
Gray Scar could feel his flesh and blood in his abdomen gradually becoming out of control, so he chose to cut off the spiritual supply to stop the abnormal flesh and blood mutation.
"Hey, if you really can't take it, just drop me off. It's kind of embarrassing to have you carrying me like this. But remember to kill me before you leave, and it would be best to destroy my body too. I don't want to be used as a source of spiritual energy."
"Nonsense!"
The white-necked man ignored it.
The Listeners' attack was swift and without warning. Although the Six-Eyed Raven Cult was not unprepared, they still suffered losses. Moreover, in addition to the secret rituals under the Abyss Well system, the methods they used also included a type of living corpse whose background was unknown.
Although they have lost the qualities of the living, they possess physical strength approaching that of the high priest, as well as certain characteristics of mythical creatures. The wounds inflicted by their claws and bites spread a distorted, flesh-and-blood contamination, making them almost like evil offspring.
If Grayscar hadn't pulled Whiteneck away from the encirclement in time, thus injuring him, their roles would be reversed now. No, it's probably uncertain whether Whiteneck would even be alive now.
Therefore, she could not convince herself to give up carrying her comrade on her back, no matter what.
Damn it, what do you mean by "leave me behind"? Gray, have you been waiting for a chance to say something so carefree for ages? What's with this "romance of the dying" nonsense, and then something that makes me remember you for centuries?
Do you think I'll let you have your way?
-
-
soup!
Chapter 176 The Kiss of the Crow
White Neck was a woman, and of a rather petite stature. However, she was, after all, a Raven Feather High Priest, possessing the physical strength befitting her rank. Even with the gray marks etched on her back throughout the evacuation, she showed little sign of fatigue.
However, this will ultimately affect the speed of movement and hinder the casting of certain secret techniques.
However, all she needs to do right now is escape, so there's no need to worry too much.
The Six-Eyed Raven Order's organizational structure is inherently flexible and loose. When raiders are suddenly attacked, they are most likely to scatter in all directions, just like a flock of birds that have been startled.
This made it easier for them to blend into the crowd and hide themselves, but it also made it difficult for them to organize an effective large-scale counterattack. They were unable to resist the group invasion launched by the Listening Tide people for a while.
"Given the current situation, Ashtraces can no longer disguise themselves. If we go directly into the city, we will be very conspicuous even if we blend into the crowd. The only feasible solution is to try to meet up with the High Priest of the Lost Eyes and seek the protection of the 'Oak Shadow Nest'."
White-necked quickly formulated his next plan, occasionally asking whether the gray mark on his back was dead.
When rescuing the severely wounded, the worst-case scenario is that he suddenly falls silent, or says he's tired and wants to sleep. But Ashmark has, after all, reached the rank of High Priest, and even in a state where his intestines are about to spill out, he can maintain that state for a very long time…
Bai Jing bit her lip tightly, feeling a little anxious for no reason.
作为负责第一2栖地的鸦羽主9祭，自己必4然成为0星渊学会的4重点3目标5之一6。既然自4己知晓前往橡影巢是唯一可行的生路，他们又怎可能不知道？
Just then, she suddenly felt a damp, moist sensation on her face, like a sea breeze, warm and slightly salty.
Almost instinctively, Bai Jing lightly stepped forward, her body falling to the open space to the side. The spot where she had been standing was suddenly swept up and covered by a vortex of water, uprooting a whole patch of grass and thorns and engulfing it in the flood.
The second-tier mid-level secret technique of the Star Abyss Academy: [Tide Summoning].
"boom!"
Beneath the dark, shadowy oak forest, gun muzzles flashed with intertwined sparks. A rough, frantic panting sound was hidden amidst the chaotic gunfire, and in almost an instant, it was upon White Neck.
"Damn it, it's that damn thing again!"
Bai Jing's gaze darkened. While trying to create distance, she quickly chanted a prayer. Her shadow on the ground was transformed into several feather-like blades by the activation of the [Shadow Control] technique, which pierced straight into the body of the pursuer.
"Ho..."
Although its mobility was somewhat impaired, this was not enough to cause any substantial damage to the living corpse made from the remains of Hyel.
The clouds drifted by in the wind, revealing a pale, cold crescent moon. The moonlight was deep and pale, as always.
Bathed in moonlight, the true faces of the living corpses of Heir could be vaguely discerned. Most of them still retained their appearances from life, some handsome, some beautiful, and some plain. But now, their faces had lost their humanity, leaving only a ferocious, beast-like grotesqueness, and the lingering hatred and resentment from their previous lives.
Each joint of the Heil undead was embedded with steel components for controlling movement, wedge-like nails piercing into its spine segment by segment. Its eyes had been gouged out, and the wounds that caused its death remained on its body.
Suspected to be "four..."
Mio quickly counted the number of people who had arrived, and a little cold sweat seeped out from her cheeks and neck.
After a period of contact, Lin had roughly figured out the average strength and intelligence level of these living corpses. She could easily win in a one-on-one situation, and it would be more difficult to defeat two people, but she could still annihilate them by expending more spiritual energy.
Qi's current situation is that there are four living corpses... and a squad of armed Listeners are hot on their heels. Adding to this, he is also carrying a comrade who is seriously injured.
It's still at least ten minutes away from Oak Shadow Nest, so we have to find a way to buy some time.
Ash Scar won't die anytime soon, but it looks like it can only last another hour at most. Oh, speaking of which, these living corpses are somewhat contaminated, so we must avoid leaving any marks from direct contact.
Yi: "White-necked lady of the first habitat, I advise you to give up your futile resistance... so that your body can be preserved more intact."
"These 'weapons' have been starving for so long that their appetite has overwhelmed everything else, and they desperately crave fresh flesh and blood to nourish their throats. If you don't heed my advice, don't hate me when you're torn to pieces later."
Just then, a deep male voice rang out.
The tumor was one of the executors of this clandestine war, a Tide Listener named "Woltenen" from the Star Abyss Society. Oh, that's the guy who was previously responsible for guarding the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower and letting Fran in...
"Tsk, they've already caught up?"
The white-necked priest narrowed his eyes with a slightly solemn expression. Even though most disciples of the esoteric sect were resilient when faced with dire circumstances and would always struggle to the very last moment, the current situation still made this raven-feathered priest feel a sense of powerlessness that he could not help but feel.
The enemy's encirclement was complete, and they possessed an overwhelming numerical advantage. The hope of shaking them off was now slim. Although Bai Jing wouldn't admit it, carrying a wounded soldier prevented him from fully concentrating on the battle.
If the situation truly becomes hopeless, he still has a few secret detonators produced by White Cup. No matter what, he'll take this foolish-looking Tide Listener to hell with him.
"It seems you are unwilling to surrender, but that's fine, because we don't intend to accept prisoners... Now, you should die."
Walter let out a long, satisfying breath, his expression filled with eager anticipation and fervor.
Ever since he was punished for the theft of the Mordway Sleeping Sand Clock Tower, he has been constantly thinking about revenge against those damned thieves from the Six-Eyed Ravens. The Society also values this and has entrusted him with a squadron of living corpses.
Now, I'll settle both old and new scores; I'm going to strip you all bare and use you as blankets...
Voltien stroked the red coral ring in his hand, finally issuing the order to annihilate the Heil undead and the armed Starcaller beside him. But suddenly, he felt something strange... he couldn't feel the red coral and metal on his index finger.
Just as Bai Jing was preparing for a desperate fight, he saw that the other party had not made a move for a while and was a little puzzled. He did not understand why this guy had made a tough statement but had not made a move.
But driven by the predator's instinct to seize life, she reacted swiftly, taking advantage of the enemy's momentary lapse in attention to disappear back into the forest. She then casually placed an eye-shaped shadow on a tree trunk to monitor the enemy's movements.
Although this secret technique also manifests as a shadow, it is a second-tier lower-level secret technique independent of [Shadow Manipulation], named [Eye of the Core]. It can control vision like a summoning bird, but its drawback is its limited duration.
Voltien, having discovered the mysterious disappearance of the artifact, was now powerless to stop the other party from escaping. In his shock and anger, he looked around, wondering where it had been thrown away.
"Damn it, where's 'Blood Tears Red Coral'? When did it disappear?"
Almost at the same moment he whispered, a woman in a flowing robe stepped into the moonlight, revealing her slender figure. A bird perched on each of her shoulders, a eagle owl and a shrike.
"I think you might have lost something? Oh, that's so careless."
Tuyu took the red coral ring from the shrike's beak and waved it in front of Voltien as a display.
"who are you?"
Upon seeing the visitor holding his belongings, Voltien's first reaction was not anger, but fear.
According to our intelligence, the Remains Eye and other high-ranking Ravenfeather Priests should all be stationed in the Oak Shadow Nest at this moment. How could there be any omissions? Moreover, judging from the methods used and the sense of oppression, she has definitely surpassed the shackles of the fourth tier.
"Although you are not qualified to ask questions, given our connection, it is not unreasonable to let you know. Consider it a special privilege for the dying."
“I think you must have heard of the name ‘Vivian’.”
Almost from the moment he heard the first syllable of Vivian's name uttered by the person in front of him, Walter's eyes began to twitch uncontrollably.
While imprisoned, tortured, and having his mind touched by the psychoanalysts from the academy, he cursed this name countless times. But when he actually met the other person, he found himself enveloped by a profound chill, to the point that his limbs were somewhat unresponsive.
S was able to steal the entire Ridge Prison without warning, suggesting he might be an Apostle.
On his own, he had no chance of survival against her.
U: "Let's go!"
S. Voltien immediately turned to leave without hesitation, but the shrike on Tufted Feathers flapped its wings and closed in on his back in the blink of an eye. Although small in size as a passerine, the shrike moved with the agility and sharpness of a raptor.
Its silhouette swept past Voltien, then immediately turned back and returned to the shoulder of the feathered tuft.
"Tanches, you've brought back this filthy stuff again. The blood has stained my robes."
As you can see, the shrike is carrying a still-beating heart in its mouth. The heart itself is even larger than the shrike; no one knows how it managed to carry it back.
Although the tuft of feathers seemed to be complaining, there was not much reprimand in its words.
She even produced a metal relic shaped like a branch, allowing the shrike to pierce its heart through the thorns and tear off the flesh more easily.
"In that case, Grayscar and Whiteneck should be out of immediate danger. As for their injuries, Will will take care of them once we get back to Oakshade Nest... although he himself is probably in a bit of trouble right now."
"However, I've done enough to fulfill my obligations. As for whether to take action next, let's wait and see."
After pondering for a moment, Cuyu turned and disappeared into the shadows of the woods.
-
The clinic on Yiwu Street, Fran's bedroom.
"Phew... As expected, even I sometimes oversleep when there's no alarm clock. It seems that my dependence on sleep has increased slightly since I recruited Luara."