Chapter 361: Veiled threat.

Goch stared at her. He rubbed his chin, weighing his options carefully. He didn’t fully trust her, but he knew her pride was too big to let her allies fall easily. If he said no, she just might destroy him publicly before the blackmailer even did.

It was best to calm her down for now. As for the blackmailer, they would negotiate again. He was sure this individual was making a money play.

Finally, Goch nodded heavily. "Alright. Fine. You win. I’ll make a few calls and convince the others. We’ll all be at the tournament tomorrow."

Trinity clapped her hands together like a happy child. "Wonderful!" ℯ

Goch raised her hand. His voice was colder when he spoke. "Do not mistake my support for blind loyalty, divine maiden. If I lend you my strength and the pillars of my power crumble beneath me, I will make you pay. Not with money, nor blood alone, but with ruin so complete that your name will be whispered only as a curse. I will salt the earth beneath your divine throne."

Trinity’s gaze did not falter. Her lips curved into a cold smile, regal and unyielding. "Then rest easy, Iron regent. I will silence your blackmailer and shield your nation. Your power will not fall while I breathe. Trust me, and your legacy will rise higher than that of your father."

The air between then thickened, heavy with promises and threats, each word a dagger cloaked in glitter.

Trinity stepped forward, gave Goch’s sweaty hand a quick shake, and spun around. "See you tomorrow, Iron Regent."

She turned and marched out of his house with high, proud steps. But the moment her jet gained stability in the air, her confidence completely vanished.

She reached for the link band which had been given to her as an offering and dialed a number.

A face appeared on the holographic screen. It was Anuvis, the feared leader of the Indigo Guild.

"Find the person blackmailing the world leaders," Trinity ordered instantly, her voice dropping to an icy whisper. "Do it now. Tear the world apart if you have to."

Anuvis blinked in confusion. He was currently standing in the dusty, barren lands of Alcania.

"Uh_ divine maiden?" Anuvis hesitated, his tone slightly panicked. "What about the mission you gave me earlier? The one in Alcania?"

"If the spread of that ridiculous Somnivore gospel has stopped down there, then the Indigo Guild has no reason to waste time dwelling in those trashy low born lands!" Trinity snapped. "Drop it!"

Anuvis winced through the smoke. "Err...Divine Maiden, it’s not that simple. Something really weird is happening here."

"What are you talking about?"

"The low-borns_ they’re disappearing," Anuvis reported, his voice dropping low. "Entire villages are empty. It started after the purge carried out by the Sanctum soldiers. And there’s a new rumor spreading like wildfire out here."

Trinity frowned hard. "What rumor?"

"They’re saying_" Anuvis gulped. "They’re saying a True Divine Maiden has appeared in the Wild Lands. She has seeds and cheap food and salt and fruits. I am afraid people are migrating. Apparently these gullible low borns are quick to believe anything."

"WHAT?!" Trinity screamed loudly in rage. "Those dirty rats are running to the Wild Lands?!"

She gritted her teeth so hard they nearly cracked. Zyra Scorpion_ it must be that wretched witch Zyra again!

"Forget the low borns." Trinity roared like a wounded lion, her face turning red with rage. "They are useless insects anyway! Don’t worry about the wild lands, I am already solving the problem there! Your only job right now is to catch the blackmailer! Do you hear me? If you do not have results by today, I will end the Indigo guild."

"Y-Yes, divine maiden!" Anuvis squeaked, quickly cutting the connection. He knew what this meant, he either found the blackmailer or he and his men were dead. He decided that he would create a culprit if he couldn’t find the real one.

Back in the jet, Trinity let out an ear-splitting, screeching scream that startled those who served her.

"ZYRA! YOU MISERABLE BITCH! I WILL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!" She punched the soft leather seat next to her, breathing heavily like a wild animal.

Nobody dared to approach her. They knew when not to seek a quick death.

After some more screaming, Trinity took three deep, ragged breaths, trying to stop her hands from shaking. She inhaled deeply and called Julia.

"Julia!" Trinity snapped the moment the mirror lit up.

Julia’s face appeared, looking completely exhausted and covered in grey dust. "Divine maiden! We are resting at the moment before conquering more territories for you."

"Resting! Did you say you are resting!?" Trinity barked. "I have not rested so what makes you think that you can?"

Julia rose to her feet quickly, "My apologies, divine maiden, we will move to the next territory immediately."

"You better, hurry up and finish cleansing the new Sanctum territory!" Trinity demanded harshly. "You should have claimed half of it by today."

Julia wiped sweat from her forehead and let out a hopeless sigh. "My divine lady, we are severely short-staffed. To cleanse a territory of this size and flush out criminals and blasphemous people, I need way more soldiers! The Wild lands are massive and they split into two."

Trinity sneered, her eyes flashing with cold authority.

"Fine," Trinity said coldly. "I am sending the United Army to join you immediately. Do not fail me, Julia! I want that fake bitch here as soon as possible."

Without waiting for Julia to reply, Trinity killed the connection. She wondered when all the people that worked for her would stop letting her down. Useless, all of them, she thought.

********

Zyra and her team were armored up and ready to go. Excitement rang in the air; the team was big_ unnecessarily big in that Zyra could not help but feel like she was taking a pack of oversized kids on a deadly field trip. They were all looking at her, waiting for the pep talk that she usually gave before they left for any mission outside.

Zyra cleared her throat, put her hands on her hips, and shouted, "Alright, listen up, people! You may feel like expert assassins in that fancy armor, but the wild lands are full of surprises_ and not the fun birthday party kind. Do not just touch anything carelessly, keep your hands to yourselves, and be your brother’s or sister’s keeper.

Anyone that is not ready to follow my instructions should just stay back here, because the consequences of disobedience will be severe... just ask the dragon snakes that have just been released from beast jail. Do not make me start a human jail."

Her eyes shifted sharply from the humans to the row of beasts standing at the back. The dragon snakes lowered their heads, looking suspiciously offended, while the humans broke out in chuckles.

"I’m serious!" Zyra added, pointing a finger at them. "No being stupidly curious today."

She turned and nodded at Hunter. Hunter waved his heavy, armored hand and barked, "Alright, people, let’s go! Try not to be eaten out there."

Tessi stepped forward, her fingers flying over her wrist console. "Inputting coordinates_ opening spatial path now. Please keep your arms and legs inside the teleportation field at all times to avoid landing somewhere else."

A shimmering tear opened in the air, and the team filed through like ducklings in a single line, following their mother in a lake.