Chapter 313 : Chapter 313

Chapter 313. Blood and Wine

“What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍does Your Highness need us to do?” Grahaed asked in a deep voice.

Dorg ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not answer immediately. He turned his head, and his gaze drifted lightly to Nevira beside him.

Nevira ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍understood. She turned and took out a tray covered with black cloth from a carved wooden cabinet nearby.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍instant the black cloth was lifted, an ancient dark-silver Holy Grail appeared before everyone’s eyes.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍walls of the Holy Grail were carved with dense, incomparably intricate 【Blood Pact】 runes.

Merely ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looking at them made one feel dizzy.

Inside the cup was more than half a cup of blood-red wine. Beside it lay a sharp silver knife.

“An ancient blood oath alliance,” Dorg said softly, as though he were chanting an ancient ballad.

“Using each of our bloodlines as the medium, we construct an alliance of mutual offense and defense. Once we drink this wine, we will be unable to harm one another.”

“Any betrayer will suffer a fatal curse that tears the soul apart.”

He raised his head, and a strange light flashed through his sickly eyes.

“However.” Dorg smiled faintly. His pale face carried an honesty that made one feel as though he were bathed in a spring breeze.

“Tonight’s operation is of tremendous importance. It cannot tolerate the slightest suspicion.”

He leaned back against his chair, his posture relaxed.

“To put everyone completely at ease, and to prove that I am holding nothing back, please have the high-tier mages you brought examine this Holy Grail and the wine inside it first.”

The moment he said this, the air in the reception hall loosened slightly.

The nobles, who had still been somewhat startled and uncertain, glanced at one another. Their tense nerves immediately relaxed.

Old Grand Duke Grahaed nodded inwardly. His withered fingers rubbed the head of his cane.

He found Dorg’s thoughtfulness and thoroughness extremely satisfying.

This was the bearing of someone who could accomplish great things.

He turned his head and signaled behind him.

Several guest mages belonging to the great families immediately stepped forward. Their expressions were solemn as they surrounded the Holy Grail.

For a time, mana surged within the reception hall.

A moment later, the leading mage bowed respectfully to the nobles and reported: “My lords, the runes on the Holy Grail are indeed pure 【Blood Pact】 runes. There are no curses or traps whatsoever. The wine in the cup is also the finest aged wine, without the slightest trace of poison or magical potion. The silver knife is equally clean.”

After hearing the absolute guarantee from the mages, the brief dead silence in the reception hall was instantly replaced by volcanic ecstasy.

It was settled.

In the nobles’ eyes, this was precisely a sign that Dorg lacked an extreme sense of security.

A sickly prince wanted to launch an armed coup that gambled with the fate of the nation. The only thing he could do was use this ancient and extreme ritual to bind everyone’s interests together tightly.

Not only did this prove his absolute reliance on them, it also guaranteed that after the matter succeeded, everyone would not stab one another in the back.

“Since Your Highness is so open and honorable, what would we dare not do?”

Grahaed strode forward without the slightest hesitation. He grabbed the silver knife and cut his thumb hard.

A drop of dark-red, viscous blood welled from the wound and dripped into the Holy Grail.

BUZZ—

The instant the blood dispersed through the wine, the 【Blood Pact】 runes on the cup’s walls seemed to come alive. They all lit up with a faint red glow, flickering once like a breath.

“For the glory of the Grahaed Family, and for Your Highness!” the old grand duke swore loudly, his voice resounding.

With the mages’ endorsement and the old grand duke taking the lead, the other great nobles had no more misgivings. They rushed forward one after another.

They cut their fingers and dripped their blood. Every face was filled with sick excitement and fanaticism, as though what they were dripping was not blood, but the boundless wealth that would be cashed in tomorrow.

Next came the core confidants, high-tier guest mages, and even the deathsworn warriors hidden in the shadows like ghosts, whom the various great families had brought out in full force.

They were like a silent and resolute black river, wordlessly walking to the long table one after another.

Hiss, hiss, hiss...

The faint sounds of blades slicing through flesh echoed densely through the reception hall.

The Holy Grail seemed like a bottomless vortex, greedily devouring the life essence of these hundreds of people.

The originally clear wine had now completely turned into an extremely viscous cup of dark-red blood plasma that exuded a strange, sweet, metallic scent.

After the last noble stepped back, Nevira respectfully brought the Holy Grail before Dorg.

Dorg picked up the silver knife stained with the blood of hundreds of people.

He looked at the dark-red blade. The mingled blood on it had already begun to grow sticky, giving off a rank odor mixed with rust and desire.

He fell silent for two seconds. His gaze was deep, as though he were admiring an unparalleled work of art.

Then Dorg raised his hand. The blade lightly sliced open his index finger.

A drop of bright-red blood welled from the wound and hung at his fingertip.

It looked full and fresh, no different from the nobles’ blood just now, whether murky or dark.

The blood fell.

“Drip.”

The soft sound was clearly audible in the deathly still reception hall.

Dorg lifted that heavy cup of blood wine, which had gathered all the greed and ambition of the kingdom’s old forces.

He slowly stood up, and a strange flush suddenly appeared on his sickly pale face.

He looked down at these most powerful great nobles of Astrelia, as well as the hundreds of fanatical deathsworn warriors and confidants behind them.

“For the glory of Astrelia.” Dorg raised the cup, the corner of his mouth curving into an almost perfect smile.

“For Astrelia’s future.”

His voice instantly ignited the fanaticism of the entire reception hall.

Dorg raised his hand slightly and signaled to Nevira behind him.

Nevira understood his meaning. She stepped forward and took that heavy, dark-silver Holy Grail.

Her expression was cold and stern. She slowly walked along the long table, pouring the sticky, dark-red wine mixed with everyone’s blood into the silver goblets before each noble in turn.

Splash. Splash.

The crimson wine swayed at the bottom of the cups. It exuded a pungent and heavy stench of blood, constantly stimulating every person’s nerves.

After the last baron’s cup was also filled with blood wine, Nevira retreated back into the shadows.

Dorg lifted the cup of wine before him, pure as a ruby, and slowly rose from the main seat.

“Everyone.” His excited voice echoed through the reception hall.

“Drink this cup together. May Astrelia endure for ten thousand years!”

“We swear loyalty unto death to His Majesty the King!”

The nobles could no longer suppress the ecstasy in their hearts. They even shouted that long-dreamed-of honorific in advance.

Without any hesitation, they raised their cups one after another and tilted their heads back.

With infinite longing for the future, they drank down the sweet, bloody wine in one gulp.

Dorg also took a large sip, then slowly sat back in his chair. He looked at them, and for the first time, a smile from the bottom of his heart appeared on his face.

Three seconds.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

“Urgh...”

A baron who had just set down his cup suddenly let out a strange muffled groan.

The fanaticism on his face froze instantly, as though an invisible hand had seized his throat. His hands clamped around his own neck, and his eyes bulged outward in terror.

“What is wrong with you?” The count beside him turned with a frown, a trace of displeasure at being disturbed in his tone.

Before he finished speaking, the count also bent over violently. The goblet in his hand fell onto the carpet with a clang.

He let out a shrill scream that did not sound human and collapsed to the floor, frantically clawing at his cheeks and throat.

His sharp nails sank deep into his flesh, tearing open bloody gashes so deep that bone could be seen.

Even more terrifying was that on his exposed skin, dense black veins were rapidly emerging and spreading like a spiderweb at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“Save... save me...” The count opened his mouth, and a mouthful of foul black blood suddenly sprayed out, splattering onto the expensive wool carpet. It let out a sizzling corrosive sound and rose in wisps of white smoke.

“Poison! The wine is poisoned!”

Panic instantly detonated the entire reception hall like a plague!