Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 508 - Worship Strength, Worship Muscle

The operation in Shire County had ended, and the direct bloodline Blood Race near the Alphama Mountains had been nearly eradicated. Only a few weaker Blood Race members had escaped by sheer luck, but they could no longer rise to any significant level of strength.

Meanwhile, the high-ranking Blood Race in the Ao Yin Ruins were forced to continue their slumber, suppressing the decay within their bodies. The high-ranking Blood Race capable of normal movement had long since departed Shire County and were traveling across the nation.

Therefore, Shire County, which was once the most formidable and influential stronghold of the Blood Race, now appeared strangely hollow. Its dominion over the underworld had been completely undermined.

Regarding this outcome, the Mercury Hunters’ elders, Wind Blade and Serpent Arrow, could hardly contain their grins. They seemed so jubilant that their faces nearly twisted into silly grins, just short of drooling with laughter.

That day, it was safe to say that a great vengeance had been exacted. The colossal mountain that had hung over the blue-eyed clan had at last come crashing down.

How could they not be wildly overjoyed?

Since Cassius and the others had finished their battle around dusk, the Alphama Mountains were shrouded in darkness by the time the Treatment Ward members and Mercury Hunters descended the mountain.

They built a bright bonfire, warmed their food, and ate their fill. It was then that the Mercury Hunters suddenly began singing an ancient folk chant, indecipherable to others. Judging by the tears in their eyes, they seemed to be celebrating the overthrow of the Blood Race’s rule. In response, the doctors of the Treatment Ward merely observed quietly, neither taking part in the so-called celebration nor sharing in the festive atmosphere.

They had not exterminated the direct bloodline Blood Race in the Alphama Mountains out of justice, nor out of pity for the Mercury Hunters or common humans. They were simply carrying out the orders given by the Director of the Treatment Ward, and the Blood Race had just happened to be the final target.

Hence, the Treatment Ward doctors would neither join the Mercury Hunters’ festivities nor accept their gratitude or veneration. They had known their role from the very beginning. They were a sword, a decapitating blade designed to bear violence, and a killing machine devoid of emotion.

And the one who wielded that blade was none other than Cassius!

On June 29, the Treatment Ward doctors packed up and departed Shire County. During this time, the Treatment Ward branch in Shire County, also known at the county level as the Treatment House, saw its original dozen or so doctors all bestowed with Golem Seeds and Golem totems by Cassius, thus completing their recruitment and transformation.

They would remain in Shire County, serving as Cassius’s eyes on the ground. Regardless of whether it was the Hunters’ Association, the Gate Organization, dark creatures, or the northern Covert Martial Arts community, once any of those forces made a move or something unusual happened, those doctors would head to Florence to report the details.

This essentially gave Cassius a miniature intelligence network of his own.

Time flew by, and on July 15, they arrived at East Sea City in East Sea County in the southeastern region of the Hongli Empired. Later, during the era of the Hongli Federation, this city would receive considerable support and development, becoming the federation’s foremost economic center.

Of course, it was currently already doing quite well, given its proximity to a seaport that fostered strong economic growth. It only lacked the booming maritime trade of the future, so it was unable to draw in the kind of extensive capital or population that would come later.

Nevertheless, East Sea City still ranked among the top five economically within the Hongli Empire, and so commanded substantial influence.

East Sea City was much simpler compared to Florence, where the imperial family, the Dark Hunter Organization, and the Hongli Council coexisted. It was essentially under the control of the Hongli Council, where the new aristocracy held considerable influence. Craft trades, the service industry, and commerce were all flourishing.

Local residents dressed in a more open and avant-garde style, and the architecture echoed that progressive attitude. Some might call it fashionable, more akin to a modern flair. It was rare to see upper-class individuals roaming around in aristocratic attire.

At a discreet institution, a group of Treatment House doctors stood, trembling and distressed, encircled by several large, black-clad men. The doctors of the Treatment House were scared into silence because of the fierce aura emanating from these black-clothed giants.

After a long moment, a scrawny young man finally mustered the courage to speak, "Don’t try to fool us. There’s no way you’re doctors from the Treatment Ward. If you want to take over the Treatment House, at least make up a better excuse..."

At these words, the other doctors from the Treatment House unconsciously nodded in agreement. Indeed, these black-clad newcomers were all towering and extraordinarily muscular.

Their hulking arms, knotted with muscle, were nearly as thick as the doctors’ waists, and the veins beneath their skin bulged like earthworms, making the observers’ eyelids twitch. Lines of menacing, dark tattoos were carved below necks nearly as thick as their heads, lending them an utterly ferocious appearance.

They looked nothing like Treatment Ward doctors, but rather more like the violent criminals that Treatment Ward doctors struggled so hard to lock away in the Savage Beast Den!

In fact, they resembled third-level brutes! Even the first and second level inmates were not as intimidating as these men.

"Why would we bother lying to you? Haven’t we already shown you our proof?"

A man who towered at two meters in height stood before the scrawny youth, his face full of hard lines and with bloodshot eyes. When he spoke, his vocal cords seemed to resonate from his chest, booming like a massive bell, causing the scrawny youth’s ears to ring.

"Yes... yes, you showed us, but it could still be a forgery..." The thin youth said bravely, his distrust clear.

"Hmm?" The hulking man looked ready to explode, but then he recalled the rules Cassius had set.

So, breathing out heavily through his nostrils, he explained, "If you’re suspicious of us simply because of our size and bearing, there’s no need to be. The new Director of the Treatment Ward has stated that to be a doctor, one must be strong and muscular, with tough fists.

"One must be more violent than the Hunters’ Association and other groups devoted to brutality! After all, the criminals we go after often come from inside the Hunters’ Association. If the doctor isn’t stronger than the patient, how can you ensure they’ll willingly submit to surgery? In terms of doctor-patient relations, we must firmly maintain control at all times...Powerful control..."

The man’s upper torso bulged against his black clothing as he went on, "Our Director has already gained approval from the Dark Hunter Organization and the Chief Mechanist to reorganize and reform all Treatment Houses throughout the Hongli Empire.

All Treatment House doctors must undergo training once again. Only upon completion can they resume their posts and fulfill their duties..."

"Tra... training?" The skinny youth swallowed hard, glancing at the hulking, fiery physiques of the black-clad men. "Trained to be like you? N-no... I don’t think so. I feel okay with how I look..."

"Hahaha, with that scrawny little frame, you wouldn’t make me budge even if I stood still for you to hit," the big man sneered. "I advise you to put in your best effort when the time comes, so you can fully accept the Director’s gift. If you slack off or try to weasel out, you’ll be made an example of! You probably don’t know about the Ghetto Four—they give out terrifying punishments that keep me awake at night! Falling into their hands would be worse than death. So you’d better try hard, get taller and bulkier! In our ranks, if you aren’t strong enough, others will start looking at you in a certain way..."

The burly man cast the thin youth a meaningful glance. No one knew precisely what he meant. Regardless, the new generation of the Treatment Ward revered strength and valued muscle. Anyone who went against that principle would face dire consequences!

Half an hour later, the Treatment Ward branch in East Sea County, also known as the Treatment House, was taken over. That particular branch was situated in a secluded church within East Sea City. More precisely, it was an enclosed area behind the church, specifically sectioned off to hide the Treatment House.

It was fairly large, and equipped with a broad range of facilities. Hence, it easily accommodated the nearly one hundred Treatment Ward doctors whom Cassius had brought.

The takeover went remarkably smoothly, though the original Treatment Ward doctors at that facility seemed quite spooked. They kept murmuring about muscles, getting stronger, and the Ghetto Four, apparently in some bewildered trance.

It appeared the team that went ahead handled the situation at the Treatment House a bit roughly, occasionally resorting to intimidation.

After all, this squad that Cassius had retrieved from the Savage Beast Den indeed gave off a rather villainous aura. Their fierce appearances made it impossible for them to pretend to be good guys. They had no choice but to continue along the dark path. If they could not inspire respect, they would enforce fear!

So far, those methods had proven fairly effective.

In the rear courtyard of the church, Cassius was studying the Qi Engraving Technique. He read every word carefully, as though gleaning fresh insights. Overall, this ancient Secret Technique used the subtle application of Qi. It did not focus on direct combat; in a sense, it was about forging hardened steel into coiled silk.

Moreover, the practitioner had to infuse his comprehension and Will of the Fist into malleable Qi, shaping it with personal insight. It was a process of honing and refining. It demanded formidable Will and precise control from a Covert Martial Arts Practitioner. In that regard, Cassius held a clear advantage.

His Qi had already advanced to the extreme combat artist realm, where his progress hovered around ninety-five percent. Employing Qi Engraving Technique at such a level would yield twice the result for half the effort.

Cassius had tried it repeatedly over the past half-month and had apparently mastered it. Once the specially prepared parchment arrived, he could begin inscribing the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance.

The first Covert Martial Arts style would naturally begin with the Illusory Moon Fist that Cassius taught to Odo. The second and third were what Cassius was now devising. They were basic fist techniques using force, intended as a reward for Fog Man and Nine Serpents. They each incorporated either a spiral property or a shock property. He was also preparing one that contained an explosive element.

Additionally, Cassius had dispatched someone to Florence to summon Hermit, stationed at the Treatment Ward’s headquarters, to East Sea County as well.

He believed the timing was ideal, given that the Eastern Covert Martial Arts community in the Hongli Empire planned to hold an international exchange tournament. Not only would the tournament draw experts from the Eastern Covert Martial Arts community, but it would also attract masters from other regions, such as the steam duo.

Moreover, the master from the United States of Yana who traveled north would likely bring along young Covert Martial Arts elites from that powerful nation. It promised to be a natural proving ground for everyone.

The four Covert Martial Arts styles Cassius had created could be tested and practiced at that international exchange tournament. He would identify flaws through the battles of his four subordinates, and then refine the frameworks of these four Southern Dipper fist arts in a brief span of time.

That way, he would not need to amend the writings using Qi Engraving Technique afterward. Otherwise, if he discovered deficiencies or flaws in earlier sections while inscribing, it would all be rendered useless.

Even if he forced himself to finish, the result would be a flawed style. He would not only waste the specially prepared parchment but also have to start over from scratch. Additionally, Cassius’s morale would suffer from such a failed inscription.

Once or twice might be manageable, but repeat failures would expose vulnerabilities. Hence, he decided to summon Hermit as well. Once all four of the Treatment Ward’s commanders were gathered in East Sea County, they would learn one of Cassius’s newly created Southern Dipper fist arts.

Then, taking advantage of the international exchange tournament, they could observe each style’s performance in real combat. Cassius intended to instruct those four commanders not to resort to their original abilities unless absolutely necessary, so that they could display the fullest potential of the newly learned style.

For instance, Hermit’s giant ape form or Nine Serpents’ multi-headed demonic serpent transformation were off limits. They would only fight in humanoid form, wielding the might of Covert Martial Arts.

Naturally, their powerful bodies would remain intact, giving them a distinct edge. Cassius would also employ a method akin to pouring Qi into them, enabling the other three to master these fist arts in a short period.

Given how little time there was, they had no choice but to take that shortcut. It might limit their long-term potential, yet the Fog Man and the others were quite happy with it. They saw it as receiving the same benefits and rewards that Ordo had enjoyed.

They accepted willingly and gladly.

In the church’s rear courtyard, Cassius was quietly contemplating his next steps.

First, he planned to use East Sea City as a temporary base. He wanted to gather intelligence on the Totem Temple in the empire’s southern regions and pinpoint the large branches of the Eclipse Society nearby.

When the time was right, he would strike without hesitation.

Second, he would attend the international exchange tournament of the Eastern Covert Martial Arts world to test his newly created four Southern Dipper fist arts, laying the groundwork for eventually using the Qi Engraving Technique.

Additionally, Cassius felt quite intrigued by that extreme combat artist from the United States of Yana. He was now quite curious about just how strong he was, having advanced his force, body, and Qi all to the extreme combat artist realm.

Besides that, the Gate Organization was another focal point of Cassius’s concerns. There was bound to be some clue about them at such a grand event like this tournament.

He would keep a watchful eye on things, ready to act at any moment.

Thirdly, he would await Ghost-Man and Iron Knight and use the fake-death pill to win over those top-tier knight-level Hellsing. Thus, he would secretly gain a leading hand in the team organized by Black Rain Manor.

When the Black Rain Manor’s group heads for the Eternal Archipelago, Cassius would likewise set out.

After all, delving into such a perilous location without disposable pawns would risk too much. He wanted a perfect expedition where he could control every aspect.

Cassius was absolutely determined to acquire the Southern Dipper Waterbird Fist.

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