Vlad, Jormungandr, and Freya carefully approached the town. According to the geography of Azarin Country, its name was Ortun Town, but it was very different from a normal town. The most distinctive feature was the massive white wall built around it.
As Vlad focused on it and used the power of the A.I. Chip to scan it, he realized it was not a simple wall but an artifact, a magical construct, extremely durable with an alarm that would trigger in case of any interaction. It was a very good tool to keep armies at bay, but it would be of little use against the trio.
"We will be fine as long as we don’t touch it," Vlad shared with Freya, using the A.I. Chip to ensure no one was watching and there were no sentries on the other side. After that, he carefully jumped across the wall with Jormungandr on his shoulder, landing quietly on the other side.
The next second, Freya landed next to Vlad, and the duo nodded to each other before calmly walking through the alleys behind the houses, hidden from view and away from the rest of the people. While Ortun Town was large and seemingly packed with thousands of men, women, and children, observing from a distance before any form of interaction was better.
For people with bodies as powerful as Vlad and Freya, their senses could detect the sound of a mosquito’s wings hundreds of meters away. With a little focus, they could easily hear the conversations of everyone around them. Of course, Vlad was not just relying on his senses; the scanning powers of the A.I. Chip worked even better, registering all the verbal and non-verbal communication around him while also analyzing the strength of the people.
The duo and the small yellow cat walked through the alleys among the houses, away from sight, for several hours before nodding to each other and appearing on the main roads. Several thousand people live in Ortun Town, many refugees who used to live in more remote areas but migrated here to be safer, so no one should think too much about two unknown faces walking across the street.
Vlad couldn’t help but narrow his eyes as he glanced at the people around him. Their behavior was no different from how people used to behave in the past, living their day-to-day lives without much worry.
It was certainly different from the situation at the Silent Wind Military Base, where everyone was always on a task, in constant motion. This leisurely life might seem good for some, but Vlad couldn’t help but frown as he saw the low number of Warriors and Mages. Even if the cultivation techniques the Plane Will provided were subpar, they should still have risen in level, something everyone should want in such dangerous times, yet they all seem content with their weakness.
Although it was odd, Vlad didn’t give it too much attention and carried on. His goal was the central plaza, as he had heard from the conversations he spied on that it was a very important place in Ortun Town.
Vlad, Jormungandr, and Freya reached the central plaza in a few minutes, and their eyes widened as they saw a shocking scene. Disgust and loathing arose in their hearts, but they made sure to hide it, showing nothing on their faces.
There was a massive tree in the middle of the plaza, with almost one hundred people around it, watching with smiles, some fathers even raising their children so they could have a better look. One would think there was some sort of attraction, and in some twisted way, there was.
Dozens of ropes were tied to the tree branches, and a person hung from each one. There were men, women, elders, and even people so young they should have barely started school. The expressions on their faces made it clear they did not pass away quickly, and pinned to their chests was a wooden board with the words "Tainted Blood."
’Those should be citizens of the Azarin Empire whose fathers or grandfathers were foreigners,’ Vlad couldn’t help but sigh as he saw such a horrible scene, and the smiles on the faces of those watching it made the scene even more depressing.
The voice of Goddess Lucia did not seem to reach this far, but it was clear that the influence of the Church of Glory had spread beyond the capital of the Azarin Empire.
Suddenly, a sharp light appeared in Vlad’s eyes as he looked down at the tree, focusing on the ten Warriors in black armor guarding it. One of them focused on their group, and Vlad’s first thought was that the person might have figured out their identity.
’No, that is not it. He is not focusing on us, only on...’ Vlad turned his gaze and saw that the true target of the man’s focus was Freya. The reason was not hard to figure out, seeing the lust in the soldier’s eyes.
Although Freya had taken a potion to change her appearance, it was a Rank 1 Alchemy Potion, so it only hid her tattoos and slightly altered her looks, but she was still extremely beautiful.
Vlad’s eyes narrowed, and he simply walked away with the young woman, heading back into the alleys away from everybody’s sight. Upon seeing that, the soldier smiled and glanced at one of his comrades before they marched out of the formation around the tree and followed the duo with the small yellow cat.
It didn’t take long for the two soldiers to reach the alley where the young couple had entered, twisted smiles arising on their faces. Yet, confusion soon set in as they saw the young man and woman standing there as if they were waiting for them.
The soldiers felt something was wrong, but their lust was stronger than their fear, and they walked forward, evil grins beginning to appear on their faces. "There is something odd about you two. We must bring you in for questioning."