In just a few short minutes, William took control of the scene.
He knocked the black-robed n unconscious, then stripped them of their holy artifacts.
Subsequently, William walked up to the Warden.
"Th-this... Brother," Callum squeezed out a smile.
"Breaking soone out of the Place of Suffering is a grave felony. If Your Excellency is implicated in this and loses your position in the Church, the loss would far outweigh the gain."
"Currently, no one here has seen your face. If you change your mind now, there is still ti."
The other party could use high-level Holy Arts and had a connection to Jolan. Such a person must hold a high position.
Therefore, Callum offered these words of advice, betting that the other party would have misgivings because of it.
"Oh?" William raised an eyebrow. "You actually aren't worried that I might kill you all?"
Callum shook his head: "Although the Place of Suffering doesn't have powerful Holy Clergy mbers stationed as guards, there is a magic array set up by the Pope here, constantly monitoring the internal situation."
"The mont it detects a weakening of life force, the anomaly here will be imdiately noticed by the Church. Reinforcents will arrive before you can even leave."
"I believe you are well aware of this."
William fell into thought.
When that vampire died earlier, there were no anomalies. Was the man before him lying, or was the vampire not within the monitoring scope...
"Good thing I don't have the habit of killing people casually," William rejoiced inwardly.
Regardless of which scenario it was, it seed he couldn't act recklessly.
Therefore, he didn't respond, instead reaching out to feel for the keys at Callum's waist.
The cell doors also had magic arrays on them; forcibly breaking them might trigger other unforeseen changes.
"Even if you let Jolan out, he can't leave," Callum hurriedly said.
"Oh? And the reason?"
"The prisoners here are all poisoned..." Callum imdiately recounted the matter of the special diet.
"If you don't believe , you can go check the location I point out!"
Hearing this exchange, a chorus of retching echoed through the corridor.
"Go check? Hmph," William snorted, taking out a jar of dust.
"If you're trying to use that vampire to get rid of , save your breath."
"What!" Callum widened his eyes. He didn't expect the other party to have already dealt with Dracula.
Back then, the vampire had withstood the combined attacks of three Cardinals. How could he die so easily?
"Did he find the white oak?"
Callum's eyes flickered, realizing the person before him was even more troubleso than he imagined.
But he couldn't just let the other party walk away, otherwise, he would undoubtedly be the one to bear the ultimate responsibility.
"Since that's the case," he suddenly lowered his volu, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Then I ask Your Excellency to release all the sinners here, and then beat half to death. This way, I will at least have an explanation for the higher-ups."
He wasn't just giving up out of despair.
He had said earlier that there were no powerful Holy Clergy mbers stationed in the Place of Suffering. This statent was half-true.
Currently, the defenses here were indeed weak because those powerhouses had been temporarily reassigned not long ago.
Callum had used his connections to inquire and heard that those people went to investigate an Old God sacrificial ruin, and the Church seemingly planned to hold so important ritual there.
Given this, if all the prisoners in the Place of Suffering were released, he could use "a powerful enemy" as an excuse.
Even if punishnt was inevitable, he wouldn't bear the primary responsibility.
William raised an eyebrow: "You're quite good at reading the situation."
Callum sighed: "The position of Warden seems prestigious, but it is nothing more than running errands for the Church."
"Your Excellency Jolan, should we release these prisoners?" William rubbed his chin, tilting his head to the side.
"If you want to use them to disrupt the Church's line of sight," Jolan understood imdiately, "I respect your choice."
Although the prisoners couldn't hear the conversation between William and Callum, now that there was a chance to escape, they naturally weren't willing to miss it.
"Hey! As long as you let out, I'll go make trouble for the Church!"
"Your Excellency Jolan's suggestion makes a lot of sense!"
"..."
Listening to the clamor in the corridor, Callum felt a bit more confident.
But a mont later, he heard an unexpected answer.
"I refuse."
"Why..." Callum looked utterly confused.
William paced in front of the cells: "Sucking up to those in power, acting arrogantly before and groveling later... the character of you all is truly abysmal."
"If I really let you out, many innocent civilians would inevitably be hard."
He smiled faintly.
"Since you were all caught and brought here, you should just calmly accept your failure."
These words were undoubtedly like sharp thorns, instantly causing many people to hurl curses.
"As for you," William ignored those voices and looked down at Callum.
"As the supervisor of the Place of Suffering, instead of earnestly fulfilling your duties, you beca a lobbyist for others."
"It is exactly because guys like you exist that the civilians who believe in the Church are repeatedly hard. I think Your Excellency had better honestly accept your punishnt."
After saying this, William imdiately released Jolan alone, and the two prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Callum finally panicked.
"Wait! There are many minor magic arrays on the path leading outside. I can tell you about all of them!"
"I also know many secrets! Recently, the Church has been preparing for a major event!"
"..."
The voice behind them grew fainter and fainter as William and Jolan returned to the space where the prisoners usually took their recreation.
"You don't plan to listen? That guy probably wasn't lying," Jolan turned his head and said.
"The things the Church can do right now are nothing more than a select few. I've already heard about them at the D.C. council," William said calmly.
"Let's cure your poison first, and then leave as soon as possible."
He took out the jar of vampire gri.
Knowing William had arrangents, Jolan didn't ask further and took the jar.
Then, under William's admiring gaze, Jolan grabbed a handful and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Compared to surviving, this small price is nothing at all," he guessed William's thoughts and explained with a smile.
"Ahem... let's go then, before the Church discovers the anomaly here," William turned his head away and said.
He then grabbed Jolan and executed the [Holy Step], arriving at the small room on the rock wall.
Jolan hadn't expected there to be such a secret passage and marveled at William's ability to find it.
Subsequently, the two quickly left through the tunnel.
A few hours later.
A squad of white-robed Holy Clergy mbers stood in the corridor.
"You are saying... soone silently broke into the Place of Suffering and then rescued Jolan?"
"Y-yes, Your Excellency the Attendant," Callum was sweating profusely.
"And you just watched as the other party took him away?"
Hearing this, Callum imdiately knelt on the ground: "Your Excellency, that person was incredibly powerful and subdued us in an instant. He is highly likely from the Church's upper echelon!"
"That's not what we saw, Lord Callum," a voice suddenly rang out from a cell.
"Didn't you also beg the other party for rcy, intending to trade Church secrets for a chance to live?"
Subsequently, several other people chid in to agree.
"My Lord, you might as well co inside early and keep us company."
"This is slander!" Callum's expression changed instantly.
He looked at the cells where the voices ca from. Those people were normally his most obedient dogs. He never expected them to... "I trust the Lord Attendant will not be deceived by such lies!" he lowered his head once more.
"Whether I am being deceived, I will naturally investigate thoroughly," the leading white-robed man said calmly.
"However, a prisoner escaping under your watch... that, at least, must be a fact."
Hearing this, Callum's arm began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Take him away."
A few days later, news regarding the escape of a prisoner from the Place of Suffering spread like wildfire.
Various factions spoke out one after another, arguing that the Church's lax supervision posed a threat to the stability of the world.
At the sa ti, they demanded that the Church imdiately publish the information of all prisoners in the Place of Suffering so that regions could implent targeted defensive asures.
The Church, naturally, would not agree to such a demand.
Cardinal Parolin publicly denied the rumors of a prisoner's escape, stating that this was a deliberate sar campaign aiming to affect the Church's deploynt against evil existences.
But privately, a wanted notice for Jolan was quickly dispatched to dioceses everywhere.
Simultaneously, a secondary investigation targeting Jolan quietly comnced. From the Holy Clans at the top to local churches at the bottom, all Holy Clergy mbers who had ever crossed paths with him were interrogated.
However, no matter how the Church investigated, they found no trace of Jolan, which even incurred the dissatisfaction of several important Church figures.
After all, according to the Warden's confession, there weren't many candidates who fit the profile of the person who broke into the Place of Suffering that day, so this pursuit was destined to bear little fruit.
The Church had lost both a permanent "fertilizer" and a powerful Holy Clergy mber. They could only vent their fury on the sole person responsible.
Coupled with the fact that they had to prepare for the upcoming sacrificial ritual, everyone's attention soon shifted elsewhere.
It was another incident a few months later that caused a massive uproar.
All exorcism factions, including the Church, the Lord Knights, and the Sorcerer Association, claid to have been attacked by unidentified individuals.
Furthermore, following the attacks, vital items belonging to each faction vanished simultaneously.
The ancient crucifix and the Blood of the Son of God from the catacombs.
The holy sword imbued with a sliver of Pioneer chivalric spirit.
The sacrificial remains stored in the valley caves.
These items shared one common characteristic: they contained powerful forces capable of resisting evil existences.
Seeing the Demon God's legion growing restless, all parties realized this matter was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Vatican, Cardinal Council.
Parolin sat in the main seat, flanked by two other Cardinals who were on rotation with him.
Opposite them sat Brislin, Sandri, and another Holy Clergy mber whose face was hidden beneath a hood.
They hailed from the Saul, Isaac, Augustine, and Zadok families, respectively.
Excluding the David clan, who did not enter the council, these were practically the most core mbers of the entire Holy Clans.
"I trust everyone has heard about the loss of the holy artifacts," Parolin said, seeing that everyone had arrived.
"In just a few short months, over seven legendary holy artifacts have mysteriously vanished."
"Even the tracking chanisms placed on the holy artifacts have yielded no results, indicating that the thief has an intimate understanding of the Church. I bear an undeniable responsibility for this matter..."
"Your Excellency Parolin," Sandri scrutinized the people in the council.
"As far as I know, similar situations have occurred in the other factions. Looking at it this way, the thief might not necessarily be from the Church. Therefore, until we have substantive evidence, it is best not to point fingers internally."
Brislin nodded: "I agree with Your Excellency Sandri's perspective."
Apart from the Cardinal from the Zadok family, the others also chid in their agreent.
"Sigh..." Parolin sighed helplessly. "I thank you all for your trust. I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly."
After he said this, no one responded.
Parolin did not show any discomfort. Instead, he smiled faintly: "I invited everyone here today for another matter."
He clapped his hands.
Soon, a Holy Clergy mber walked in, placing several files sequentially in front of the Cardinals.
"I wish to advance the schedule of the sacrificial ritual. Here is the report on the modifications to the location."
Hearing this, the Cardinals present finally reacted.
"The reason?" Sandri frowned as he looked at Parolin.
"The Church has only been increasing the frequency of Spiritual Awakenings for a few months. The number of recruited Holy Clergy mbers who have obtained Brands is far from sufficient, not to ntion they have only just begun their theological cultivation."
"Such frail power cannot support the descent of a divine existence."
Parolin smiled faintly: "Hehe, I imagine the others present share the sa perplexity."
"True, waiting for the new Holy Clergy mbers to grow is certainly the safe approach. But I believe ti might be running out."
"As can be seen from the recent thefts across all factions, soone is clearly targeting exorcism forces. It might be related to evil existences, or perhaps local governnts."
His tone suddenly turned grave.
"But the important point is, that guy has a way to shield himself from being tracked. Given this, who can guarantee that the next target won't be the Holy Land, the Vatican, or you and I sitting here?"
As soon as his voice fell, the expressions of the Cardinals shifted slightly.
"Right now, the Demon God's legion is right before our eyes. If we... the Church, lose our initiative at this critical juncture, then the preparations of the past millennium will all go down the drain."
"The people below have us to hold the sky up for them. The other exorcism factions can also run and hide deep in the mountains, waiting for the next opportunity to save the world. But... what about us?"
Parolin sighed.
"The Church's influence is too vast, and the Holy Clans have existed for too long."
"Once the surrounding jackals and wolves discover that the tiger they feared has long since lost its claws, what will happen then... I believe everyone here understands."
The expressions of the Cardinals varied.
After a mont, Sandri was the first to speak: "Just say it directly, Your Excellency Parolin. What do you need?"
"It's not what I need, but what we need," Parolin corrected.
"Right now, those newly promoted Holy Clergy mbers are indeed unfit to be entrusted with heavy responsibilities. But as long as they can grow in a short period of ti—even if their foundation is unstable—it will be enough to support us in completing our mission."
"You want to use pouring cultivation on them?" Brislin narrowed his eyes.
"Setting aside the fact that they are inherently too weak and the effects of pouring will be greatly diminished, Holy Clergy mbers who rely on external power to grow strong have absolutely no future."
"As long as the divine existence descends, even if neither you nor I exist, the Church will still stand tall in this world," Parolin stated.
A flash of hesitation crossed Brislin's eyes.
"Even if we follow your thod, and every Holy Clan contributes a portion of their pouring resources..." Sandri said, "To supply so many Holy Clergy mbers, it simply wouldn't be enough."
Parolin smiled: "That is exactly what I wanted to say. It is ti to close the Place of Suffering."
Hearing this, the crowd finally revealed expressions of sheer astonishnt.
As the Church's most infamous location, it incarcerated prisoners from churches all over the world. The prison from which Jolan escaped not long ago was rely one part of it.
Among them were lunatics who committed heinous cris, as well as Holy Clergy mbers who held key positions but were imprisoned for committing severe errors.
The Church had many Holy Clergy mbers whose destinies were completely altered by these individuals, so they were very familiar with them.
And the so-called "closing the Place of Suffering" ant extracting all the Source Power stored there to fulfill the needs of the Holy Clergy mbers to elevate their strength.
This was originally prepared for the Holy Clans, intending to act as a safeguard so that if the world underwent a cataclysmic change one day, the Holy Clans would also have a chance to survive.
Now, distributing all these powers to ordinary Holy Clergy mbers would inevitably et fierce opposition from the Holy Clans.
At the sa ti, since the Place of Suffering was going to be closed, the people inside naturally had no need to continue living. They would beco part of the Source Power, contributing their final bit of strength to the Church.
"To kill so many people all at once, and distribute the things the Lord left for the Holy Clans to those below... are you trying to cause the complete collapse of the Church!" Brislin's face looked dreadful.
"This is absolutely unacceptable!"
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