章節 36: 66- Disrobed
The sun beat down on the Xiao Pavilion, casting a golden hue over the courtyard where the elders of the Xiao clan were gathered. The air was thick with tension as they discussed the fate of the town and the threat of the Young Master of the Golden Alabaster Organization. Juanxiu, Liu Peng, and the store manager Xiuying had recounted the horrors they had witnessed and the formation they had discovered on the outskirts of the town.
Elder Li and the clan leader listened intently to their words, their faces grim and serious. Pan Geming, the member of the Black Lotus organization, had also corroborated their findings. The Xiao elders knew that they had to act, but the question was when and how.
"Are we really sure we want to take on the Golden Alabaster Organization?" asked one of the elders, his brow furrowed. "They are a powerful group, and we are an inferior clan compared to them. We could be putting our people in danger."
"But what choice do we have?" countered another elder. "We cannot simply sit back and watch as they terrorize our town. We must take action, and soon. If we don't act, do you think Gong Jinhai will leave our clan in tact?"
Before this meeting, Juanxiu's party and the patriarch has already had a conversation. Xiao Yinjie has already instructed two guards to investigate the so called formation at the outskirt of the town. The hall was filled with worried murmurs and shuffling feet as everyone waited for the two guards to return with information on the enemy's movements. Juanxiu, standing next to Elder Li, could feel the tension in the air.
One of the elders, a man with a white beard, spoke up. "We cannot sit and wait any longer. If we do not act now, the Golden Alabaster will surely strike again and more innocent people will be hurt."
Another elder, a woman with a stern expression, countered, "But we do not have enough information. We do not know how many of them there are, or what kind of weapons they possess. We cannot risk the lives of our people."
Juanxiu stepped forward. "With all due respect, Elder, the longer we wait, the more time Gong Jinhai has to prepare his next attack. And we cannot forget the disappearances that have been happening in this town. We must act now to stop them."
Elder Li nodded in agreement. "Juanxiu is right. We cannot let the Golden Alabaster continue to terrorize our people. We must strike now while we still have the element of surprise."
The patriarch, Xiao Yingjie, spoke up. "We will wait for the two guards to return with information, and then we will decide. But we must act quickly. Time is not on our side."
The hall fell silent again as they all waited for news from the guards. The air was heavy with anticipation and fear, and Juanxiu could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
The atmosphere in the Xiao Pavillion was tense, as the elders continue to debate their next course of action. Pan Geming had already excused himself as he still need to relay the result of his investigation to his escorting group. Suddenly, the door burst open, and the wounded guard stumbled in, his face contorted with pain.
The elders gathered around him, asking what happened. "We were ambushed," he said, his voice strained. "The other guard didn't make it." There was a collective gasp from the group, and their expressions turned grim.
Xiao Yingjie stepped forward. "This changes things," he said. "We have no other choice but to move."
Juanxiu nodded in agreement. "We have to act fast," he said. "Gong Jinhai will be more aggressive now that he knows we're onto him."
The Xiao Patriarch, Xiao Yingjie, looked at Juanxiu with respect, despite his young age of just 11 years old, and his rank at the 6th stage of the Soldier rank. He thought to himself that Elder Lai Xiaoli had managed to find a truly exceptional disciple.
Juanxiu then began to brief them on what they might expect that night. He explained that the number of hypnotized cult members would swell, considering the number of houses that they failed to reach in time. It would be difficult for them to move, and Gong Jinhai might use these people as a shield to protect himself.
They should also expect that the hypnotized people will be attacking them, but they should do their best to avoid inflicting mortal wound since they are also a victim in this event.
"Moreover," Juanxiu added, "Jinhai has a hypnotizing chant that could affect us. Hearing this chant will put un under the spell of Gong Jinhai." Unlike during his time in Cardinal city, where Juanxiu had answers to most of their predicaments, He has nothing here, except for the fact that he wasn't affected by hypnosis.
Liu Peng nodded in agreement, "Juanxiu is right. We must act fast and strike while we have the element of surprise."
Xiao Yingjie looked at his team, and with a determined voice, said, "Alright, let's do it. We'll strike tonight and stop Gong Jinhai's evil plan once and for all."
Juanxiu spoke up, breaking the heavy silence. His eyes scanning the worried faces of the Xiao clan elders and his companions. "Tonight, we will stop the evil plan of Gong Jinhai. Protect yourself, no one is allowed to die"
The group exchanged nervous glances, knowing that the stakes were high. They were in a precarious position, surrounded by hypnotized villagers, with Gong Jinhai and his cult at the helm of the chaos. But they had to move, before the situation escalated further.
They were carefully devising their plan, but they can't think of any. They were at a loss for the next step to take to remain safe from the spell of Jinhai.
Suddenly, Siyi spoke up. "I managed to remain sober even after hearing the chant by wounding my palm," she said, her voice shaky. "But it seems that wasn't enough."
Liu Peng, one of the elders, nodded thoughtfully. "We should add something that could spike the pain of the wound to remain conscious," he suggested.
Juanxiu's mind raced, trying to think of a solution. "There's a type of lime fruit that contains a high acid compound," he said, his eyes brightening with a sudden realization. "That should do the trick."
Xiao Yingjie, the leader of the Xiao clan, finally spoke up. "Our main goal is to destroy the necklace he's wearing before he could even start with his chant," he said, his voice steely with determination. "But if we fail, we should create a self-inflicted wound and pour the juice of the lime fruit to fight against the hypnotism."
...
The night was filled with tension and fear, as people barricaded themselves in their homes, hoping to escape the grasp of the cult. The streets were crowded with people, but there was a different atmosphere tonight, one that was darker, more sinister. The air was thick with the smell of incense, and the sound of chanting was everywhere. It was clear that Gong Jinhai had brought out his entire army, and they were ready for whatever resistance they might face.
"Turn away from your sins,"
"Join us brothers and sisters,
"The day of judgment will soon arrive and we will be saved by the lord,"
The crowd continuously shouted while their eyes are blank and their face devoid of any emotion.
Juanxiu, Liu Peng, and Siyi made their way through the throngs of people, trying to blend in and stay inconspicuous.
Chang Bao was left behind, safe in their inn, as they knew that tonight could turn into a violent battle.
Despite their preparations, the trio felt a knot of tension in their stomachs as they made their way to the outskirts of the town, where the cult would make their stand. They were ready for whatever was to come, but that didn't make the fear any less real.
As they approached the outskirts of the town, the tension mounted. The cult members seemed to move with more purpose, their voices growing louder as they chanted in unison. And then, Gong Jinhai appeared once again, standing at the front of the group.
He began to speak, his voice carrying over the crowd. "Brothers and sisters," he called out, his tone commanding. "We have gathered once again to summon the lord and cleanse this land of its sins. Together, we can make a better future for ourselves and our children."
As Gong Jinhai continued his dialogue, the tension in the air grew thick, as if it could be cut with a knife. The chanting of the cult members started to increase in volume and intensity, and it almost seemed as if the very ground beneath them was vibrating with the sound.
But then, suddenly, one of the cult members removed their robe, revealing the unmistakable red clothing of the Xiao clan. Another followed suit, and then another, until all of the cult members had removed their robes, and it became clear that they were all members of the Xiao clan. Xiao Yinjie had secretly sent members of their clan to blend in with the crowd and surround Gong Jinhai. They had been waiting for this moment, and now they had him cornered.
A look of shock and disbelief washed over Gong Jinhai's face, and he stumbled backwards, realizing that he had been surrounded. The Xiao clan had been planning this all along, and now they had him right where they wanted him. Earlier today, after the meeting of the Xiao concluded, Yinjie commanded his people to lock the houses of the people afflicted with the spells from the outside to prevent them from leaving the house.
Xiao Yinjie emerged from the shadows; a look of determination etched on his face. "It's over, Gong Jinhai," he said, his voice cold and steely. "Your plan has failed."
In an attempt to escape the encirclement of the Xiao clan, Gong Jinhai began to narrate his hypnotic spell.
"Kaltor Naxx Zorv Zaleth Korith Vaelor Naleth Xith Zaleth Vaelor Naxx Zorv Kaltor."
However, as he watched the Xiao clan members cut their palms and pour the juice of a citrus fruit over their wounds, he realized that his chant was not taking effect. He frantically tried to cast his spell once again, but to no avail.
Xiao Yinjie stepped forward, his voice stern and commanding. "You have no power over us, Gong Jinhai. Your hypnotic chants will not work here.
Juanxiu and Liu Peng exchanged a look of relief as they saw that Gong Jinhai's attempt to hypnotize the Xiao clan members had failed. "It looks like our plan worked," Juanxiu said, a small smile spreading across his face.
Liu Peng nodded in agreement. "We were lucky to have thought of using the lime fruit. It seems to have been effective to breaking his spell."
As they watched Gong Jinhai struggle to break free from the encirclement of the Xiao clan members, they knew that their mission was almost complete. It was only a matter of time before they could finally bring an end to the hypnotist's reign of terror.
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