The sky outside the car window was dark, and within the sealed space, magic insulated the sound, making the air particularly stifling.

"So, what else can I do?"

Ilene lowered her eyes and mumbled.

The price of betraying the Destruction Archbishop was something she would rather die than endure.

"If I'm not mistaken, your happy life was probably destroyed by Ivanovas when you were a child, and you started climbing step by step in piles of dead people to reach this position, right?"

From the past experiences of the Destruction Branch's direct soldiers that Lan Qi had learned earlier, as well as the way the Destruction Archbishop Ivanovas cultivated high priests, he could be sure that the vast majority of high priests willing to be loyal to Ivanovas were deeply dominated by fear.

This was obviously the wrong team management method.

"Yes…"

Ilene nodded, her eyes full of despair, but the almost broken smile was like anticipating a relief.

She was not afraid of death, but she was afraid of Ivanovas.

Just thinking of that figure made her afraid to have any thoughts of disobeying his orders.

"My life is over."

Ilene's voice was pleading, as if hoping the other person wouldn't say any more.

Just hearing words that tended to incite her betrayal of the Destruction Archbishop was an unforgivable sin.

However.

Lan Qi nodded.

"Then have you ever considered killing yourself in another way and starting a new life?"

He asked.

"…"

Hyperion glanced at Lan Qi. She couldn't comment on what would happen after this classic opening.

She didn't want to hear what the two were going to talk about anymore.

"I can't get rid of it… the miserable fate of those who tried to escape from the Destruction Branch before…"

Ilene's eyes were bloodshot as she clutched her head, sinking into deeper memories of fear due to the Great Love Poet's occasional seductive moans.

"But didn't Phoenix escape successfully? His sister is now a student of High Priest Loren, with a bright future, and after he gets out of prison, he will start a new life in Iklet?"

Lan Qi asked.

Hearing these words, Ilene hesitated for a moment.

She did know that a direct soldier named Phoenix had successfully escaped.

But that was with the help of a master, who even rescued Phoenix's sister.

And how could such an opportunity actively find her?

"…I don't have that opportunity. It's too late to defect to the High Priest, and I don't dare."

The light that had just appeared in Ilene's eyes quickly dimmed, and she shook her head desperately again.

For souls like them, deeply mired in sin, Ivanovas could actually give them a place to stay. High Priest Loren was too dazzling, like a flame, making them afraid to approach.

"Then, if there's a woman who is stronger, more powerful, and more domineering than the Destruction Archbishop Ivanovas, also a Cardinal, and willing to protect her subordinates with all her strength, cherish them, and treat them well, would you be willing to defect to her?"

Lan Qi's words were full of sincerity, as if describing a very admirable senior.

Ilene raised her head and stared blankly at Lan Qi.

She felt like she was hearing a dream.

How could there be such a Cardinal?

No, it seemed like there really was one.

"Could it be…!"

Ilene probably guessed which Archbishop the other party was talking about.

Recently, news about the Rebirth Church in the Northern Continent was all about that great victor!

"Don't worry, as long as you have the last glimmer of hope in your heart, I will help you. Live on. Our Destruction Branch's High Priests need to form a happy mutual aid community to help those compatriots who have suffered the same hardships to escape Ivanovas's control. At the same time, it's also to prevent the tragedy from happening again. We constantly pray to the Goddess of Destiny, and one day, Ivanovas will be punished by the Goddess of Destiny."

Lan Qi made a "shush" gesture.

He only took out a corner of the Great Sky Branch's High Priest certificate and showed it to Ilene, moving it slowly, as if using his hand to guide her eyes.

When Ilene looked forward again, only those emerald green eyes were facing her, as if they were everything in her vision, able to penetrate her mind.

"…"

Talia looked at Lan Qi blankly as he chatted.

The female priest was like she was hypnotized. A chaotic color in her eyes seemed to be ignited, and her mental state was visibly becoming more and more wrong.

Talia was puzzled. When did this kid have this talent?

When Talia touched Lan Qi this morning, she sensed that Lan Qi's magic power and mental level had not improved much in half a year. His training as a magic craftsman was probably three days of fishing and two days of sunbathing.

Talia guessed that Lan Qi had been having fun in the Northern Continent for the past six months, just eating, waiting to die, and not doing anything serious.

This made her feel a little lost in her heart.

She knew that the idea that Lan Qi could bring her gifts again was itself very shameful.

But Talia had once suspected that Lan Qi was her wishing machine—as long as she thought about something in her heart, Lan Qi would give her everything she wanted every once in a while.

First, it was abundant money, then the identity and stable life in the Kingdom of Hutton, then the ancient magic world technology, and then he brought Hyperion to her house.

Now that half a year had passed, Talia subconsciously expected Lan Qi to bring her some souvenirs from the Protos Empire, just in case there was some information about Antanas.

Now it seemed that everything was just her overthinking. Even human children know that there is no such thing as a chosen one in the world.

The previous things were just coincidences.

Inside the car parked motionless on the side of the road, several tens of minutes passed like this.

The look in Ilene's eyes, reflected on the car window, had now turned into complete dependence.

Originally, she was only dominated by the fear in her heart and the memories of the past, but now they had all been transformed into another emotion.

Lan Qi looked like he was done for the day and looked at Talia and Hyperion.

"You two go home first, Tata, I'm counting on you."

He looked at the two seriously.

Talia nodded.

Lan Qi meant for her to protect Hyperion and Lan Qi's family.

This chatterbox was right. Those villains from the Rebirth Church were already approaching Hyperion non-stop.

"Don't worry."

Talia responded.

She had a hunch that tonight would be quite dangerous.

Under the excessively calm surface, undercurrents were already surging.

She didn't know what kind of enemies would emerge, but she would do her best to protect the Wilford family.

Soon, Lan Qi looked at Ilene again.

"Please tell us the coordinates of the other Destruction High Priests. I want to rescue them."

Lan Qi was full of responsibility and enthusiasm, like a principal who couldn't stop working when work came. He picked up his coat and opened the car door.

Tata took Hyperion home, while he took the cat boss to help Sigrid recruit some talent.

Although he didn't know what huge conspiracy the Rebirth Church and the vampires were planning tonight, it must be right to steal the other side's house first. When the other side's plan was put into operation, there would definitely be problems somewhere.

"Okay!"

Ilene nodded and followed Lan Qi out of the car.

"…"

Hyperion watched the two leave. Lan Qi was still talking to Ilene while walking, instructing her on how to be a progressive youth. Hyperion didn't know what to say.

The Destruction Archbishop was certainly terrible.

But you're not bad either.

(End of this chapter)