We evil gods must hide.

Chapter 55 The Real Cultists

Gao De, as expected of someone from a prominent family, acts with swift and decisive action.

By noon, all of Lynch's requests had been fulfilled.

The forty or fifty low-ranking adventurers they had captured were all dressed in black robes, clutching the emblem of the Abyss Church in their hands. Their faces were covered with black cloth, revealing only their eyes. They stood in the middle of the warehouse, each with a different expression, holding the weapons and rations issued by the guild.

Some were filled with fear and anxiety, some were numb and resigned to their fate, and some had ideas hidden in their eyes, waiting for an opportunity.

Gao De, dressed in light armor with a longsword at his waist, stood at the head of the group. His face was icy, and his gaze swept over everyone as he spoke sternly: "Let me make this clear from the start: once we enter the Misty Forest, everyone must obey orders!"

"You'll scout ahead when I tell you to, and you'll stop when I tell you to. Anyone who disobeys or tries to run away knows the consequences!"

"As long as you cooperate and complete this mission, your crimes will be forgiven. This is the guild's right and promise."

The adventurers in the party had different expressions, but no one dared to speak.

They were all adventurers who lived on the edge of a knife, so naturally they could see the situation clearly.

Resisting the adventurers' guilds that are spread across the continent is pointless; only by obeying can they have a glimmer of hope.

Gao De nodded in satisfaction, then turned around and quickly walked to the carriage at the back of the group. He bowed respectfully to the carriage and said, "Uncle Horton, everything is ready and we can depart at any time."

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Lin Qi slowly stepped down.

He still wore his mask, maintaining his aloof demeanor.

Dressed in a simple black robe, his divine aura was somewhat restrained, yet it still commanded respect. He glanced indifferently at the procession in the square and nodded slightly: "Let's go."

"yes!"

Gao De immediately shouted the order: "Everyone, at your feet! Move out! Destination: Misty Forest!"

The procession set off in a grand procession, heading towards the misty forest on the west side of the town. Only after they were out of sight of the town's guards did they take out the badges of the Abyss Cult and put them on their chests.

The imposing aura immediately emerged.

A group of cultists walking in the mist, all masked and in black robes, silent and stern, would scare any normal person out of their wits if they were to encounter them by chance.

Lin Qi sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, his mind racing as he considered his next move.

He could get Ella out of the team whenever he wanted.

But that would inevitably attract attention.

But now is not the time. The best time to rescue people is when we enter the depths of the Misty Forest, into the Blue Dragon's lair, when all the forces are entangled together.

The carriage moved slowly forward, and half an hour later, the group entered the Misty Forest.

As soon as we entered the forest, the light dimmed instantly.

The towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, their dense foliage completely obscuring the sky. Only scattered patches of light pierced through the gaps in the leaves, casting distorted shadows on the ground.

Thick white fog enveloped the entire forest, reducing visibility to less than ten meters.

The surroundings were eerily quiet, without even the chirping of insects or birds, only the slow footsteps of the group and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

The air was filled with a faint smell of blood and decay, along with a subtle sense of oppression.

The deeper you go into the forest, the heavier it becomes, like a huge boulder pressing on everyone's hearts, making it hard to breathe.

"Everyone, pay attention! Pair up and scout ahead! Stand guard on both flanks!"

Gao De gave the order in a loud voice, his tone tinged with tension.

Although he was a first-tier professional, he still felt fear when facing an adult blue dragon, even one that was severely injured.

This is no ordinary forest monster.

Moreover, the Misty Forest is home to more than just blue dragons.

The guild elites he brought immediately dispersed, with two people each leading several prisoners to the front of the group to scout ahead, while the rest formed a circle, protecting the carriage in the middle, and carefully made their way into the depths of the forest.

Surprisingly, the group encountered very few monsters.

Lin Qi sat in the carriage without saying a word.

The group walked for a whole day until the sun set and night completely enveloped the forest, before finally stopping to set up camp in a spacious valley.

The group traveled in silence for a day, the atmosphere was terribly oppressive.

A campfire was lit in the valley, the flickering flames reflecting everyone's faces. No one spoke, no one laughed, only the crackling of burning firewood could be heard.

Gao De entered Lin Qi's tent and respectfully reported on the day's events: "Uncle, we traveled thirty li today. If we continue for another thirty li, we will reach the vicinity of the Blue Dragon's lair."

Lin Qi sat by the campfire, a twig in his hand, gently poking at the flames, his tone calm: "Have you figured out the exact location of the Blue Dragon's lair?"

"Uncle, we've figured it out."

Gao De quickly replied, "The Blue Dragon built a fortress in a valley on the edge of the core area of ​​the Misty Forest using dragon breath and magic. The entire fortress is a huge maze, filled with traps and its enslaved monsters, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"The scouts sent out by the family only reached the outer perimeter of the fortress before being forced back by the blue dragon's might; they couldn't get in at all."

"Hmph, mere dragon's might."

Lin Qi snorted coldly, a hint of disdain deliberately flashing in his eyes.

This made Gao De even more respectful, feeling that this Uncle Horton was simply unfathomable.

"Adult blue dragon."

Lin Qi thought to himself.

Just as he had expected, this blue dragon, though severely injured and being chased all the way, was not a pushover.

They even have the spare capacity to use magic to build a labyrinthine fortress.

That's an incredibly powerful amount of magic.

No wonder they say a fully grown dragon can rival a legendary human powerhouse.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the tent. A guild elite scrambled in, his face pale and his voice trembling: "My lord, Lord Gaode! Something terrible has happened! Outside... outside, a group of cultists has been spotted, just outside the valley!"

"There are at least a hundred of them, and they've surrounded us!"

Gao De's expression changed drastically in an instant. He stood up abruptly, his hand on the longsword at his waist: "What! Cultists? How did we encounter them so quickly? How many are there, and what is the strength of their leader?!"

"What are you all doing? Where are your scouts?!"

Gao De's eyes were bloodshot.

"At least a hundred people! They were all black-robed cultists, and the leader was a priest with a bone staff. I couldn't tell how strong he was."

"Our sentries were killed the moment they spotted them..."

The subordinate replied in a trembling voice.

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Gao De's forehead. He knew that the sentries here were rank-up thieves.

It was instantly killed.

This is no longer an ordinary cult ritual.

He glanced at Lin Qi instinctively, a hint of unease in his eyes: "Uncle, what should we do...? We only have less than fifty people left, and the enemy has a powerful priest..."

Lin Qi slowly put down the branch in his hand, stood up, and remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic.

"What's the panic? They're just a bunch of cultists."

"Perfect, saves us the trouble of looking for them."

He took a step and walked out of the tent.