Chapter 295
He was just waiting to see who would arrive next, ready to mock them thoroughly—he was different from the others, with no significant interests at stake.
Moreover, he knew almost all the third-tier extraordinary beings in Ansu, so now it was just a matter of who would show up.
Lucy didn’t echo Opode’s words. Holding her glass of red wine, she quietly gazed toward the entrance, sensing the atmosphere outside.
The banquet hall gradually fell into silence, with nearly everyone’s attention fixed on the door, waiting for the arrival of the mysterious extraordinary being. The atmosphere in the hall began to feel oppressive.
With so many high-tier extraordinary beings focused on that direction, whoever arrived would inevitably feel the weight of the pressure.
Tap, tap—
Footsteps echoed from the entrance, causing even the gas lamps in the hall to flicker slightly. Some extraordinary beings had already sensed something unusual.
A child?
Ashford’s expression showed a hint of confusion; among the third-tier individuals he knew, none had this kind of stature.
Beside him, Xiu sensed even more.
An ordinary person? What’s going on?
At that moment, Xiu’s brow furrowed slightly beneath her mask.
She even began to doubt whether the "Archbishop of the Holy Ascendancy" truly existed in this manor.
As the footsteps drew closer, Lucy’s wine glass slipped from her hand, hitting the carpet with a dull thud, spilling wine everywhere.
Hmm? Why now of all times…
Lucy bent down, her view blocked by the table laden with red wine. Just then—
Opode, seemingly having seen something, exaggeratedly stepped back, colliding with the nearby wine table and creating a loud crash.
Everyone, including Lucy, turned their gaze to Opode, who wore a twisted expression, his eyes betraying an almost uncontrollable fear. Such a loss of composure was a first for the proud Opode.
What’s going on?
Ashford frowned at Opode, sensing that his mental state was extremely unstable.
But following Opode’s gaze to the entrance, the beautiful red-haired girl standing there seemed so ordinary… Wasn’t she just a regular girl?
Whose child is this? Did she come to the wrong place?
Not just Opode, but Xiu was also feeling unsettled. She raised a hand to adjust her mask, struggling to suppress the fear that surged within her—seeing that girl alone was enough to terrify her.
What troubled her most was that a spiritual alarm was ringing in her mind, urging her to leave quickly.
Yet, looking at the other extraordinary beings in the hall, including Professor Ashford, their expressions were completely normal, as if they were unaffected.
The girl at the entrance merely cast a casual glance over the crowd and slowly spoke, “Nice to meet you all, I’m Xia’er…”
She paused for a moment, then a phrase that sent a shiver down Lucy’s spine echoed in her ears.
“Where is Miss Xilufa?”
Suddenly being called out made Lucy, who had been hiding behind the tablecloth, feel an inexplicable tremor in her heart.
Why did she mention my name? How does she know me? It’s as if she was prepared to meet me.
Her instincts screamed at her not to rise, not to look up…
Something bad was about to happen.
Lucy kept her head down, continuing to watch Opode’s reaction.
“Uh… may I ask, are you the one Miss Russell mentioned…?”
Professor Ashford, sensing something was off, quickly inquired.
“Yes, the Archbishop of the Holy Ascendancy is in my possession. I invited everyone here today for this reason.”
The red-haired girl was polite, meeting Ashford’s gaze directly, smiling as she said, “I’ve heard about you from Adele, Professor. I hope to discuss the Reconstruction School with you sometime.”
“Oh… haha, so you’re a friend of Adele’s. You don’t need to call me ‘Professor,’ just Ashford is fine,” he replied with a smile, nodding. “Are you also interested in the ‘Reconstruction School’?”
Ashford felt a wave of confusion; his peripheral vision caught sight of Opode, who was now sweating profusely.
The girl seemed completely unfazed… What was going on with Opode?
“Lord Opode? Are you feeling unwell?”
Ashford asked with concern; after all, Opode was wealthy, and treating him could be quite profitable.
“Hah… hah…”
At that moment, the sweating Opode finally tore his gaze away from the girl, quickly scanning the room and realizing that many eyes were now on him, the one acting strangely.
What’s happening… What’s with this spiritual alarm?
She was just an ordinary girl, so why did he feel such a strong urge to flee, a fear that seemed to only affect him?
Am I really afraid of a girl?
He had already knocked over the wine table behind him, and this scene was likely to be seen by Aivina…
A wave of humiliation surged within Opode; he knew he had to do something to restore the image he had just lost.
“Ha… a boring trick… let me tear off your disguise!”
Furious and embarrassed, molten iron began to form in his left hand. He raised it sharply, and a flaming two-handed sword shot out toward the girl.
The sword wasn’t fast; an ordinary extraordinary being could easily dodge it, and Opode hadn’t aimed for a vital spot—he just wanted to expose the girl who was pretending to be something she wasn’t.
She must be an experienced extraordinary being, having known Opode’s friend, but for some reason, she was putting on this act, making him look foolish in front of everyone.
Swoosh—
“Hiss—”
“Oh!”
“Oh my god…”
A sound of a blade tearing through flesh echoed in the banquet hall, followed by gasps of shock.
In their view, Opode’s blade pierced the girl’s chest, spraying blood, the red iron sword embedded in her, a smell of burnt flesh wafting through the hall.
“Lord Opode, what are you doing? She’s just a child!”
Ashford nearly jumped up at the sight, rushing forward as if to help the girl.
Lucy, who had been hiding behind the table, could no longer contain her curiosity upon hearing the commotion. She propped herself up on the edge of the table and slowly peeked toward the direction of Opode’s flying sword.
At that moment, Opode, having released the blade, looked helplessly at the girl swaying in the distance, a sense of doubt creeping into his mind.
Did I really misjudge her?
Is she really just an ordinary person?
But the fear he felt when looking at her was so real… Eyes can deceive, but the spiritual alarm does not.
Just then, the bloodied girl slowly lifted her head, looking at Lucy, who had finally peeked out, a smile creeping onto her lips.
Finally, she’s out.
Click, click, click—
The sound of gears turning rang in almost everyone’s ears.
Not good!!!
The moment Lucy peeked out, the spiritual alarm in her mind exploded.
Before her, at the entrance of the banquet hall, the girl’s figure instantly transformed into a mass of silver pixels, a massive clock made of countless gears, minute and hour hands, and flesh appeared behind her, spinning rapidly.
The crimson pupils expanded almost instantly in front of Lucy, nearly filling her entire field of vision, an unprecedented terror surged in her heart.
This was a primal fear from the depths of humanity, a strong dread of the unknown, a chilling sensation as if being watched by a superior predator made Lucy instinctively lower her head and crouch down, her body trembling uncontrollably.
“Ah!!!”
Not far to Lucy’s left, Xiu let out a scream, her mask falling to the ground, revealing a horrific insect-like face and a gaping maw. Her pale, worm-like features twisted grotesquely, and her skin seemed to bulge and distort.
Two pairs of gossamer white insect wings burst from her back, unfurling behind her.
Ashford turned toward the sound, frozen in place.
A potion gone awry? At this moment? How could this happen?
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