The Shadowed Robe

As the traveling coach came to a halt, the gentle snowfall abruptly returned to its former ferocity, dancing like flurries in the biting wind.

The coach was filled with commoners, who at first feared they had encountered formidable bandits. Yet, after a brief moment of chaos, they all settled down, hundreds of eyes turning uniformly towards Deboning!

Hah! What was there to fear? They had a Titled Battle God in their coach!

What was a Titled Battle God for, if not to safeguard humanity and the peace of the Three Continents!?

Deboning swept his hand decisively, and a veil of dark mist enveloped the coach. “Stay within the coach, all of you! None shall stir!” He followed Du Chen out, with Aliza trailing close behind, cradling Beibei.

Donna sneered in a low voice, “Sisters, it appears Francis’s enemies have arrived. Keep a close watch; if possible, we’ll seize Francis. Even if we cannot, we must commit every clue related to this person to memory!”

“Elder Sister, rest assured! Hmph, Francis wishes to contend with us? He’s already facing his own imminent doom!”

“Haha, truly, our Goddess watches over us! Francis, the wretch!”

Outside, the frigid wind howled. Du Chen and the approaching figure stood less than twenty paces apart, each clearly discerning the other.

Something wasn’t right! Du Chen’s brow furrowed. According to the Shadow Godfather, the one who rescued Constantine was of average height, with thin lips and a pointed chin. Yet, this figure was only slightly shorter than Deboning, a rare towering figure among humans! And while his lips weren't particularly thick, they certainly couldn't be described as thin!

Furthermore, the military cap worn by Constantine’s rescuer was black, and his robe red. This figure was the exact opposite: his flat-topped military helmet was red, and his robe black. However, the style and ornamentation were identical!

What could this imply!?

Du Chen’s heart sank, bit by bit.

Constantine’s rescuer was not a lone individual, but a member of an organization! All members of this organization shared the same attire!

Indeed, this was highly probable!

The figure continued his stride, heading directly towards the coach!

Du Chen proclaimed loudly, “Pray tell, why do you obstruct this coach!? With your esteemed capabilities, surely a fortune beyond measure is yours for the taking; you are clearly not one to waylay for mere lucre. And with only a hundred-plus commoners aboard, it hardly seems worth your effort to conjure a snow wall, does it!?”

“I am here to kill,” he declared, continuing his deliberate advance.

“To kill?” Du Chen’s arm shot out, blocking Deboning, preventing him from charging rashly. “Whom do you intend to slay? You wouldn’t mean to slaughter every single one of these hundred-plus commoners, would you!? With your capabilities, it hardly seems like you would commit an act that would bring such ignominy upon a Battle God!”

Du Chen tried to bait him with words, hoping to extract more information before hostilities commenced!

But the figure’s speech was remarkably concise, his voice deep. “I do not kill commoners; I only kill four individuals!” As he spoke, he turned his head slightly. Du Chen felt two predatory gazes, emanating from behind The Flat-Top's Helm, sweep over him, then over the three others by his side!

Excluding Andy and Dud, who were within the Precious Lotus Scripture, and the thirteen rescued young girls, it so happened that their party currently numbered precisely four individuals!

Could Constantine have awakened and summoned his allies to exact revenge!?

“Kill four people? Are they your enemies?” Du Chen retreated a step, positioning himself behind Deboning, a lotus blossom secretly clutched in his hand! “One should always state their reasons before killing! Otherwise, to perish without understanding why, would that not be a grave injustice!”

“Indeed, I am here for vengeance!”

Within the coach, the commoners sighed in relief. “He only kills four people… Mr. Brook and his companions happen to be four individuals. It seems Mr. Brook’s enemies have arrived. Regardless, we are safe; let us simply remain quietly within the coach!”

Donna scoffed, “So they are Francis’s enemies, after all! Prepare yourselves; it would be ideal if they cripple each other!”

“Elder Sister, perhaps… we should retreat while Francis is engaged…”

A sharp crack echoed!

Before she could finish, Donna delivered a resounding slap across her face. “Foolish wretch! How can my Goddess have a servant so eager to flee in the face of battle!? Remember, assess the situation first…” As she spoke, they moved to the front of the coach, peering through the lingering dark mist to gauge the situation, ever ready to kick someone when they're down!

“Vengeance… vengeance!” The figure’s chilling voice, devoid of any human warmth, echoed in the mountain hollow. At this moment, he stood less than ten paces away from Du Chen!

Snowflakes scattered as the figure lunged forward, low to the ground, his entire body like a coiling dragon, pouncing towards Du Chen!

Du Chen narrowed his eyes, holding his Water Veil Shield and a lotus blossom, one in each hand. Of course, he had no intention of directly clashing with the assailant; that task belonged to Deboning. Du Chen’s priority was to tuck Beibei safely within the Precious Lotus Scripture and then assist Deboning!

Just as he was about to make his move, Deboning suddenly clasped Du Chen’s wrist and gave him a strange smile. “Young Master, do not move!”

As if to affirm Deboning’s confidence, the figure lunged, his speed unyielding. He swept past Du Chen, heading directly towards the long-distance coach. “You, the tall, gaunt cleric, do you intend to obstruct my vengeance!?”

Deboning replied coolly, “I possess the capability! But I will not obstruct your vengeance! Please do not harm the commoners!” With that, he dispelled the dark mist from the coach!

“Much obliged!” By the time the figure uttered these two words, he had already come face to face with four figures…

Those four were none other than the Aqua Cloud Divine Envoys, lurking at the front of the coach, ready to seize the opportunity to strike when others were down!

“Damn it, his target is us! Third Sister!” Donna hastily darted away, but as she moved, she let out an involuntary cry of despair. Without the assailant showing any perceptible movement, her Third Sister plummeted headfirst from the coach, crashing heavily to the ground, scattering snow, with a single crimson mark marring her brow…

The figure, swift as lightning, dispatched Third Sister, claiming the front position of the coach. He looked up slightly at the other three Divine Envoys scattering in retreat, then suddenly flexed his fingers. Only then did Donna truly comprehend how he had killed them!

With a flick of his right index finger, invisible shackles seemed to bind Second Brother and Fourth Bro simultaneously. Following that, the figure flicked his left hand again, and with two dull thuds, two more bodies dropped, each bearing the same crimson mark upon their brow…

Donna’s heart was gripped by terror, her very soul trembling. In that moment of life and death, she no longer spared a glance for the corpses of her three sisters, turning to flee. “You…” Yet, unbeknownst to her, the figure had already appeared directly behind her!

With a seemingly gentle claw, impossibly swift, he seized Donna’s throat and slowly twisted… with precise control. Donna’s body went limp, but she was not dead, merely held captive in his grasp!

The figure slung Donna over his shoulder and landed heavily back on the snowy ground. Just then, Deboning finished a brief remark to Du Chen, “Young Master, the target of his aura-lock was not us, but the Aqua Cloud Divine Envoys…”

“Someone’s dead!” The commoners in the coach, who had rarely witnessed such a bloody spectacle, were thrown into disarray and panic, even if the three Divine Envoys had met a spectacularly gruesome end, with crimson splattered on white snow…

The figure landed, uttering not a single word, and carried Donna back the way he had come. As he passed Deboning, the Titled Battle God gave a cold smile. “Metal-elemental, Iron Quake, and Soundwave Lock! I have observed your Secret Technique of assassination. Do you not intend to offer some acknowledgement!?”

The figure paused his steps for a moment. “If you wish to pursue me, then come!” He continued his advance.

What a truly peculiar individual! After slaying a Divine Envoy representing Margaret, most would fear being traced through their Secret Technique and would surely silence all witnesses! Yet this person seemed utterly fearless!

He had already taken seven or eight steps away when Du Chen, with his back to the figure, called out loudly, “Are you not afraid of Margaret’s pursuit!?”

“No need for her to pursue me; I shall seek her out at Water's Embrace Lake first!” The figure paused, then added, “Furthermore, you are also Margaret’s enemy; would you betray me!?”

A sharp glint flashed in Du Chen’s eyes as he spun around abruptly. “You seem to know me rather well, privy to many of my affairs! Who are you?”

“Francis!” The figure instantly called out Du Chen’s alias. “Sometimes, knowing too much can prove detrimental to your health!” With that, he quickened his pace, and his form rapidly faded into the shadows!

“Was Constantine rescued by you!?” Du Chen urgently demanded.

But the figure’s speed was unparalleled; he vanished in the blink of an eye without offering Du Chen any answer. Du Chen hastily added, projecting his words far with his battle qi, “Since we share a common foe, I trust Margaret will not perceive me, a potential ally, as an enemy!”

His voice echoed in waves; whether the figure heard him remained unknown.

His form traversed mountains and valleys, the biting, sharp wind scraped against his face. After an unknown period, Donna, who was slung over his shoulder, slowly regained consciousness and shrieked, “Who are you!? How dare you slay my Goddess’s most loyal Divine Servant? My Goddess will never forgive you!”

The figure did not answer, but instead questioned, “Is it not the rule of your Water’s Embrace Lake that if Divine Envoys fail to return their lives after a month’s overdue, Margaret will dispatch a second batch of Divine Envoys? And these Envoys, after traveling through the Lifeline for two months, will arrive on the Three Continents, correct?”

Donna grew even more terrified. “Who exactly are you!? Why do you know the rules of my Goddess!?”

“Nothing much. Thank you for telling me that this rule has not yet changed!” His airborne form suddenly descended, landing in a Mountain Hollow, where another figure stood, identically dressed to himself!

However, this person was slightly shorter, yet also broader!

“You—what exactly do you intend to do!?” Donna shrieked.

The black-robed figure carrying her tossed Donna onto the snowy ground, then addressed the other black-robed figure, who also wore The Flat-Top's Helm, “It’s all confirmed. In three months, the second batch of Aqua Cloud Divine Envoys will emerge from Water’s Embrace Lake’s Lifeline!”

The other cackled strangely. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go to Water’s Embrace Lake’s Lifeline! We’ll kill every single one who emerges until Margaret herself is forced to descend to the mortal realm…”

“You, you… who exactly are you!?” Donna plunged into despair. These people’s target was none other than the chief among the nine Marshals of the Fallen Gods… the Goddess of Flowing Water, Margaret!

At this moment, Du Chen still did not know that Margaret’s Divine Envoys would no longer arrive, or at least, not for a long time! But he frowned in thought for a moment and could still deduce that a formidable organization had set its sights on Margaret. Thus, the Goddess of Flowing Water, when facing such powerful adversaries, might temporarily overlook him!

What a pity, what a profound pity that Beibei’s ‘playtime’ with Donna and the subsequent plan for Donna to deceive Margaret had been disrupted by a black-robed figure wearing a red Flat-Top's Helm.

Still frowning, Du Chen suddenly realized that a coach full of commoners awaited his appeasement!

“What in the world is going on!? Margaret? Isn’t she the chief among the nine Divine Sovereigns!?” Having narrowly escaped danger, the commoners were now in utter disarray!