Chapter Sixty-Six: The Little Girl’s Remains

“Hm... Number Nine, did something happen?”
Colin turned his gaze to the person standing beside Number Two, who, if memory served, should be Number Nine—the “Lampbearer” of Squad Nine.
These days, only squad leaders retained the privilege of being “named.”
After dealing with the aberrant creature, three armored vehicles had been dispatched to search for the mine nearby. Now it seemed the search had yielded results.
Yet, judging by the look on Number Nine’s face, something unexpected must have occurred.
“My lord, the mine is about three kilometers from here. About a hundred meters inside, there was a collapse; the tunnel is completely blocked.”
“We didn’t see any of the survivors inside, but as we passed through other areas of the forest, we came across five groups of bodies, all slain, along with the corresponding survivors...”
The “Lampbearer” bowed his head slightly as he reported, not daring to meet Colin’s eyes, even though Colin had always treated them kindly and never been harsh.
But as a servant saved from death by Colin, who was loyal from the depths of his heart, he would never mistake his lord’s kindness for weakness.
“Blocked, then...”
Colin mused for a moment, then asked, “Those dead—were they crushed? Is it possible to tell how many entered the cave? Were their lanterns intact?”
Number Nine pondered briefly, then replied with humble precision,
“Yes, my lord, they were all crushed to death. Three of the bodies appear to have been searched already, with nothing left on them. The belongings of the other two are on my vehicle...
“The bodies were in terrible shape, and I estimate they died a few hours ago. We also saw marks from a lord-level aberrant’s weapon on them, so I believe that’s correct.
“As for inside the cave, the survivor named Li Hang said there were about ten people in total...”
So, it was that group from this morning, most likely killed by a lord-level aberration... Colin pressed on, “Were there any signs of conflict inside the mine?”
“No, my lord.”
So, at least during their gathering, there was no strife among them. Still, it seemed that group had gone silent—who knew what they’d encountered, or perhaps they’d been annihilated from the start... Colin nodded silently to himself:
“Once I’ve finished tallying the supplies and checked this area, I’ll head over to take a look...”
“No problem, always at your service, my lord.”
“...You know, you really don’t have to call me ‘my lord’ every time. It might make communication easier and... a bit more relaxed?”
“As you wish, my lord...”
“...”
Forget it... Colin tugged at the corner of his mouth, watching the other man’s tense, trembling posture, and wisely chose to abandon any further correction.

Every servant had their own unique personality, but without exception, all of them were unwaveringly loyal to Colin.
Soon, the returns from this small act of aid were announced.
Dull, tainted blood: 534,987 milliliters...
Ordinary tainted blood: 70,679 milliliters...
Mist points: 2,466...
Newly added servants in the territory: 634...
Steel plates: 1,136...
...
A massive haul. Colin couldn’t help but marvel at how rewarding it was to do good deeds and be a decent person...
Of course, this income wasn’t directly his—he’d just spent his time helping everyone, trading at a generous 1:5 rate, never forgetting his original intentions...
All these resources had just been exchanged by the dozen or so survivors under his command, who were moved by Colin’s nobility and had unanimously donated their supplies to him for management.
Without a doubt, Colin had now led his people to a period of blood-supply abundance, no longer needing to worry about it in the short term.
Most of what Colin had traded for was materials, not food. As for bread, he had over ten thousand loaves—enough to bludgeon a person to death, so he had no need to take from others.
After a quick mental inventory, Colin turned to the survivors present:
“If we buy some glass, we can build another two armored vehicles. Is anyone willing to donate their territory?”
At his words, their eyes sparkled, and several immediately scrambled to volunteer, eager to contribute to the group.
Everyone knew that, even if they handed over their territories, they’d lose their rights to them.
But Colin could never drive so many vehicles himself, so the management of each would usually be entrusted to the corresponding survivor—a “free ride,” so to speak!
Of course, usually the vehicles would be under the control of his servants, but whenever they stopped, there was always a chance to get behind the wheel and indulge a little.
These vehicles were beasts! Driving them was a thrill.
Not long after, having handed the materials to two enthusiastic volunteers and arranged for a vehicle to take them, Colin stepped off the armored car and looked toward the Gothic spire of the church.
Bathed in the crimson glow of six massive headlights, it was fully revealed:
Pale gray walls, indistinct patterns of brambles, and lime scattered across the ground—all speaking to its ancient past.
At the moment, the church doors remained ajar, just wide enough for a single person to slip through. Traces of hurried footsteps from the previous day’s escape could still be seen on the ground.

The heap of rotting flesh and blood before the doors had been cleared away earlier by Number One’s orders.
Still, the pungent stench of decomposing protein lingered over the soil, soaked with the juices of decayed meat, so foul it made one nauseous and uneasy.
After all, it was the stench of death. Even if one could withstand it physically, it was difficult to bear psychologically.
“Cover the area with some dirt, then open the door fully.”
“Yes, sir.”
With the efforts of several people, the soil was quickly spread, and the stench lessened considerably.
Then, the church doors were pushed wide open, and the crimson beams from the armored vehicles instantly illuminated the church’s interior.
[You attempt to discern the anomaly within the church, to uncover why it can ward off lord-level aberrants, but in its very existence, you sense nothing unusual.]
[You vaguely perceive that perhaps what holds them at bay is the aura emanating from the underground passage.]
After a moment’s thought, Colin lifted a lantern filled with rare tainted blood and, flanked by several squads, entered the church, boots falling on the thickly dusted carpet as they made their way swiftly toward the rear.
The doors, which once closed automatically, remained open this time.
After all, the “little girl” responsible for all of that was now dead.
From the entrance to the back of the church was about fifty meters, flanked by countless upturned and scattered pews.
Colin moved quickly—he knew there was no longer any danger here. Yet, just as he arrived, he suddenly noticed a set of remains beneath the twisted statue—bones scattered across the ground, with a strikingly white dress still clinging to them.
In that instant, Colin’s breath caught, his scalp prickled, pupils contracting, and a spasm of pain flickered through the muscles of his left arm.
But he quickly regained his composure.
“Is there any danger?” Shana stepped forward, positioning herself protectively at Colin’s side, her body radiating a holy white light, already prepared to fight.
Yet, scanning the space with her blue eyes, she seemed unable to spot any foe.
“No, it’s an enemy I met yesterday, but I’ve already dealt with her.”
As he spoke, Colin fell into contemplation.