Chapter 102: Cleansing Operation
A grotesque eyeball veined with blood vessels, it seemed to possess some form of vitality. Colin observed it closely.
【You discover that it is always smiling.】
“What a bizarre hint.”
Colin’s expression was peculiar. He wasn’t sure if the eyeball was too sinister, causing the hint to be vague, or if it was truly a useless item, or perhaps the useful information was given, but he just couldn’t grasp it.
The key point was:
“Always smiling?”
Who could determine its use from that?
Colin took the eyeball out. It felt limp, like a squeezed orange. Suddenly, he shivered, his gaze locking with the eyeball’s pupil. In that moment, Colin lost himself briefly but quickly snapped out of it, moving his eyes away from the eyeball.
He just felt it was entirely ominous. But throwing it away seemed wasteful.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Colin put the eyeball back into his inventory without further examination.“There’s another eyeball in the other mission; it looks like a pair. Maybe they’ll change if I get both.”
Colin didn’t dwell on it, collecting his thoughts and leading the group back to the opera hall.
By now, the hall was utterly silent. The floor was coated in blood, mixed with the choking smells of smoke and gore. Every step felt sticky, pressing into the fragments of flesh and bone beneath their feet. Blood bubbles were squeezed out of the sides of their shoes with every movement.
“Next, rescue the people, then clear out the remaining monsters.”
Colin scanned the surrounding stone archways, quickly identifying one. That was the location of the dungeon.
Just then, one of the survivors asked softly, “Can we leave for a bit?”
“For what?”
Colin turned in surprise to see the three men and one woman looking mournfully at a corner of the hall. Under a heap of pale flesh lay a hand, equally pale but not distorted, still pointing in a certain direction. Perhaps by luck, it had survived the artillery fire.
“Go ahead.”
Without waiting for a reply, Colin nodded. The four survivors hurried over, using all their strength to move the massive chunk of flesh, only to find… it was just a single arm. Suppressed emotions finally erupted into subdued weeping.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t say that. Brother Wang’s wish was to die, taking these monsters with him.”
The survivor spoke with mixed emotions. “His wish has been fulfilled, all thanks to you.”
Colin said nothing more, stepping back with his men and waiting a few minutes for their emotions to calm and for them to stop searching for more remains before resuming their actions.
Inside the dungeon, six people were imprisoned. As Colin approached the eerily silent area, he was immediately met with the sounds of screaming, banging, and rattling chains coming from several rooms.
“Don’t come near me, stay away!”
“Please, don’t touch me, please don’t touch me.”
“Why can’t I die, someone kill me!”
When Colin and his team arrived, the dungeon was filled with frantic sounds. Their footsteps seemed to have provoked the inmates. Some rooms echoed with dull thuds of heads hitting walls, some with the clinking of chains and sobbing, while others were deathly silent, making it unclear if the occupants were alive or dead.
【You realize they have all fallen into irreversible, permanent madness.】
As the hint appeared, the survivors, still teary-eyed, inappropriately praised the sun while explaining:
“This is why we didn’t take them when we escaped. The torture was too much; they’ve all gone mad… We were lucky the torture didn’t reach us; otherwise, we wouldn’t be much better off.”
One spoke softly.
Colin didn’t respond, instead moving past each cell, his face expressionless as he peered inside.
Eventually, his gaze landed on a large room filled with various spiked torture devices and stained with blood. Beyond the light of his lantern, amidst the stench of blood and debauchery, several mutilated female figures hung suspended, swaying slightly. Some were survivors, others were their servants, and there were also long-dead female corpses and even some animals.
“Let’s get these people out first.”
Colin turned his gaze to the living, their clothes soaked in blood, their mental states extremely poor. Some were even banging their heads against the walls, trying to end their misery. At his command, Sanna immediately acted, violently dismantling the cell doors with her bare hands.
Each person was then force-fed at least three bottles of “enhancement potion.” Finally, they quieted down, prostrating themselves on the ground, gazing at Colin with devout fervor, constantly muttering prayers.
To them, Colin seemed bathed in a holy light, offering them peace and fulfillment. But to Colin, the six disheveled, injured survivors kneeling at his feet were a reminder of the dire circumstances. Just days ago, these people were normal, just like him. If not for their unfortunate experiences, they might have become friends or enemies. Who could say how the future would unfold?
But at least initially, everyone had chatted and laughed on the regional channel. Now, within just two days, they had become like this. Even with the large doses of potions bringing a fanatical “serenity” to their faces, to Colin, it was merely a transition from one form of madness to another slightly more acceptable one. Essentially, there was little difference between the two.
“If I have the chance in the future… I will help you regain what it means to be human.”
He muttered to himself before standing and having his men pull the survivors to their feet. Difficult to reverse didn’t mean impossible. As long as they survived the terror countdown, there would be a chance.
He then surveyed the area, speaking without emotion:
“All threats must be completely eradicated.”
After removing the tattered female corpses hanging like ragdolls, the cleansing operation began. The hiding fallen noble spawn were dragged out from the corners, their legs broken, and they were thrown onto the stage of the opera hall. Under Colin’s supervision, they were executed by cannon fire.
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