Chapter 302: Specter of the Seven Deadly Sins

"Using a member of the silver blood clan to test Lord Pride's attitude... Wu Hui's death was hardly unjust."

They both saw right through the Undead King's petty schemes. They knew Pride would almost certainly refuse, but there was always a chance. What if?

What if Pride actually agreed? The Blood Moon Empire would profit immensely.

And so, they had dispatched an insignificant member of the silver blood clan to test the waters.

"Lord Pride, since you are a guest of the Revolutionary Army, please allow me to fulfill my duties as a host. Consider it a small token of gratitude for saving my life," Specter said politely. Naturally, Specter wanted to forge closer ties with a powerhouse like Pride.

Su Mu shook his head. "I came today to give you a chance to repay that favor."

Specter's expression turned serious. "I'm listening."

"In three days, the Seven Deadly Sins will attack the Blood Moon Empire."

"What?" Specter nearly thought it was a hallucination. The commander's calm facade completely fractured.

"Lord Pride, surely you must be joking?"

"I never joke."

Specter fell silent, a storm of shock raging within. It was obvious Pride's favor wouldn't be easy to repay, but this was beyond all expectations. Attacking the Blood Moon Empire?

Not even the other six great empires would dare utter such words.

"What do you need from me, Lord Pride?"

"Naturally, to follow the Seven Deadly Sins and attack the Blood Moon Empire."

A bitter look crossed Specter's face. "Lord Pride, it's not that I'm unwilling. But as the commander of the Revolutionary Army, I must put my people first. Participating in this would bring utter destruction upon the army. The Seven Deadly Sins might not fear the Blood Moon Empire, but the Revolutionary Army does.

"This isn't like killing an envoy. This... this is declaring all-out war."

"I am not consulting you; I am informing you. You can choose not to go, but you will bear the consequences." The indifferent words echoed from beneath the Silver-White Mask, carrying a tone that brooked no refusal.

Sensing the threat in Pride's voice, Specter looked even more conflicted. It was obvious that a refusal would lead to Pride dooming the Revolutionary Army anyway.

What was the right choice?

Throw in with the Seven Deadly Sins and commit to the bitter end?

Or sever ties with the Seven Deadly Sins and make yet another terrifying enemy?

Amidst this hesitation, Su Mu's voice rang out again.

"I will give you two choices. One: participate in this operation under the Revolutionary Army's name. Two: I allow you to borrow the name of the Seven Deadly Sins and participate from the shadows. But know this—the choice you make will dictate how I treat you and the Revolutionary Army from now on."

Specter's expression shifted uncertainly, followed by a long silence before finally answering with a trace of guilt. "Lord Pride, you saved my life, but this has nothing to do with the Revolutionary Army. I will participate in this mission... under the name of the Seven Deadly Sins."

This reaction was exactly what Su Mu had anticipated. Specter's decision was absolutely the right call for the Revolutionary Army. Against a behemoth like the Blood Moon Empire, the best approach was to masquerade as the Seven Deadly Sins, letting the Sins draw all the enemy's fire without dragging the Revolutionary Army into the crossfire.

...

...

Three days later.

The Blood Moon Empire.

Lin Canyang walked down a cold, oppressive street. Beneath his sunglasses, his eyes constantly scanned the passing pedestrians. He was looking for his teammates.

The letter had instructed him to come to the Blood Moon Empire to regroup with the other members, but it hadn't specified who they were or how they would meet. He could only search for them himself.

The passing pedestrians were all dressed in black or gray, bundled from head to toe with barely an inch of skin exposed. This monochromatic palette defined the entire city—a bleak landscape composed entirely of black, white, and gray.

It was daytime, yet a thick layer of haze constantly shrouded the sky. Only faint rays of sunlight managed to pierce the gloom, scattering dimly across the city's corners.

The people living here resembled soulless puppets. Every face was numb, every pair of eyes devoid of light, as they went about their tasks with mechanical repetition.

Members of the Blood Clan were scarce in the city during the day. Since they despised the sunlight, the night was their domain, leaving the daytime to humanity.

Of course, there were exceptions.

Roar!

An inhuman roar suddenly tore through the street. A pedestrian's body began to convulse violently. It looked as if countless tumors were wriggling beneath his skin, tearing his clothes apart to reveal a pale, deformed physique.

His eyes were bloodshot and completely devoid of reason. Only a bloodthirsty craving remained.

He lunged into the crowd like a madman. Screams erupted as people fled in every direction.

A terrified mother scooped up her child and tried to run. But she was far too frail, and a set of bite marks scarred her neck like a permanent brand.

Her body lacked the strength to flee while carrying a five-year-old. Caught in the crushing stampede, she fell helplessly to the ground. Even then, her arms clamped tightly around her child, shielding him from harm.

"Mom, I'm scared!" Sensing the danger, the frightened child began to wail loudly in his mother's embrace.

Sometimes, the cries of prey held a fatal attraction for a hunter.

Thud!

The deformed member of the Blood Clan landed on all fours right beside the mother and child. Putrid saliva dripped from his jaws as he locked his predatory gaze onto them.

Watching this unfold, Lin Canyang clenched his fists, a glint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

He didn't consider himself a good person, but he still possessed basic human empathy. Seeing his own kind about to be butchered by another race triggered an instinctual revulsion.

Yet, he didn't intervene. For a human to attack a member of the Blood Clan in the Blood Moon Empire was a capital offense!

In the three days he had been here, he had already witnessed numerous instances of rampaging Blood Clan members attacking humans.

These frenzied attackers were the dregs of Blood Clan society. Destitute and unable to buy blood, prolonged starvation completely stripped them of their reason, driving them to attack humans openly in the streets.

The Blood Moon Empire's Blood Clan enforcers typically executed these rogue elements on sight. It wasn't out of any sympathy for humanity, but out of self-preservation. If every member of the Blood Clan hunted humans indiscriminately, the human race would inevitably go extinct—and the Blood Clan would quickly follow.

However, by the time the enforcers arrived, even if they killed the crazed beast, there would already be two more corpses on the ground—one large, one small.

Just as the frenzied member of the Blood Clan lunged at the mother—

Clang!

The crisp ring of a sword echoed through the air.

Under Lin Canyang's astonished gaze, a gleaming longsword plunged from the sky, accurately piercing straight through the crazed beast's skull.

Tap, tap, tap...

Light footsteps approached. A figure—not very tall, quite short in fact—skipped over and casually yanked the longsword out of its head.