Chapter Forty-One: The Trace of the Evil God

Within the grand hall, upon receiving Yin Seventeen’s transmission, Gamian hesitated only briefly before accepting the proposal. The man in fine clothes was no match for him and, desperate to preserve his life, would surely flee to a place of utmost safety.

And what place could be safer than their own lair, the gathering ground of the cultists of the Evil God? Whether to divert disaster or seek refuge, nowhere offered greater protection than the stronghold itself.

With that thought, Gamian raised his left hand, and a crow landed deftly upon it. Stroking its feathers, he smiled sinisterly and whispered, “Go, my little darling. Follow him quietly—don’t lose sight of him!”

As soon as the words left his lips, the crow fluttered off his hand and flew away.

In the underground passage, the man in fine clothes ran for his life. This tunnel led to an underground city, where the temple of the Crocodile God he served was located. Within the temple, formidable Crocodile God warriors stood guard; once he reached that sanctuary, he would be safe.

However, he failed to notice the crow silently trailing him, relaying every step of his route back to Gamian above.

It was not long before he navigated the labyrinthine tunnels and reached the end of the passage. Beyond lay a vast subterranean cavern—a space excavated by countless devotees, empowered by the great Sobek, god of the crocodile. At its center, a massive pyramid rose hundreds of meters into the air.

Even before entering the underground city, he could see the grand edifice of the pyramid from a distance.

As he was about to step out of the tunnel, a man clad in leather armor blocked his path.

“Why aren’t you indulging in worldly riches above? What brings you here?” the newcomer asked coldly.

“There’s… there’s a Saint from Greece after me. I had no choice but to seek the protection of the great Lord Sobek!” stammered the man in fine clothes, not daring to conceal anything. After all, before him stood a Crocodile God warrior—one whose status and strength far surpassed his own.

“Another Saint has come?” The guard narrowed his eyes at the news. Three months prior, two Saints had already infiltrated the temple, incurring Lord Sobek’s wrath. This time, no mistake could be allowed.

“How many are there? What is their strength?” the guard pressed.

“Just one, but he’s a Silver Saint!” the man replied earnestly.

“A Silver Saint, is it? No wonder you’re so frightened!” The guard’s realization was immediate. The man in fine clothes and his handful of subordinates, though possessing a small cosmos, only had the strength of Bronze Saints—utterly powerless against a Silver Saint.

“Then… may I go inside?” The man in fine clothes pointed timidly toward the distant pyramid. The temple of Lord Sobek lay beneath it.

“Go inside?” The guard’s expression turned openly mocking. “You’ve led the enemy right to our door and still expect Lord Sobek’s protection?”

With those words, he darted past the man, vanishing into the tunnel behind him.

Sensing trouble, Gamian immediately tried to signal his crow apostle to withdraw, but a calloused hand had already seized it.

He’d been discovered.

The guard returned to the tunnel entrance, gripping a black crow. The dim light had at first made him mistake it for a bat, but when the man in fine clothes mentioned a Saint’s arrival, suspicion crept in. Upon closer inspection, he detected the flow of cosmos from the creature’s body—not a natural denizen of the underground, but a being used to track the man through special means.

“Why would there be a bird underground?” The man in fine clothes was dumbfounded upon seeing the crow in the guard’s grasp. Even he sensed something was wrong.

“That’s because you, you fool, brought it here!” the guard said coldly. “I think it’s best you atone for your blunder with your life.”

With that, he clenched his fist and punched toward the man in fine clothes.

“No—!”

The man shrieked and tried to dodge, but the blow struck him square in the chest. The guard’s power was overwhelming; he stood no chance at resistance.

A dull thud sounded as ribs shattered, and the man was sent flying, collapsing motionless in the tunnel, his eyes slowly losing their light.

Turning back, the guard glanced at the crow in his hand and sneered, “I’ll be waiting here for you! If you have the courage, come down!”

With that, he squeezed his fingers, crushing the crow into pulp. He was certain whoever controlled the crow heard his provocation.

“A Saint has come again—I must report this to Lord Sobek at once.”

With a sigh, he flung away the remains and strode toward the distant pyramid.

Meanwhile, above ground, Gamian received the challenge through his crow apostle. He did not pursue recklessly; instead, he used his telepathy to send a message to Yin Seventeen and Ruolan, “According to my crow’s investigation, there is a temple of the Evil God deep below us. That must be the source of all disturbances along the Nile.”

“We know there is at least one Silver-class warrior. The rest remain unknown.”

The guard’s composure upon hearing his adversary was a Silver Saint, combined with his open challenge, clearly indicated a similar level of strength.

“That being the case, the disappearance of Cetus and Lupus must be related to them as well?” Yin Seventeen analyzed seriously.

“Almost certainly!” Gamian agreed. Only those who could wield the power of cosmos posed a true threat to Saints. With Cetus and Lupus missing here, and the presence of an Evil God and its warriors, it was no mere coincidence.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go down and wipe them out!” Ruolan clenched her fist, her fighting spirit ablaze. As Athena’s Saints, it was their duty to purge the earth of evil gods.

“No!” Yin Seventeen refused at once. “We don’t know the enemy’s full strength—we cannot reveal all our forces at once!”

He then asked Gamian through telepathy, “How does your strength compare to Cetus Moses?”

“I think… maybe… perhaps I’m just a little stronger?” Gamian replied, somewhat uncertain.

Hearing the lack of conviction, Yin Seventeen reminded him, “If even Moses and his companion disappeared here, it means the enemy is at least as strong as he is. If you exaggerate your abilities and mislead our support, you’ll have only yourself to blame if you die!”

Shuddering at the thought, Gamian quickly corrected himself, “I’m somewhat weaker than Moses—among Silver Saints, I’m near the bottom tier. You two must be ready to back me up at any moment!”

“Understood,” Yin Seventeen replied, then continued, “Stick to our original plan. You go in first to draw their attention, and I’ll wait for the perfect moment to strike! As for Ruolan, you’ll handle the Bronze-class Evil God warriors.”

With those words, he turned to the girl at his side.

“Got it!” Ruolan nodded resolutely.