The Villain Saint is my secondary account

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Iphie tried hard to recall, "The feeling there was a little different from the little dark room before. I can clearly recall what happened in the little dark room and the physical sensations at that time, it felt more real... But at that sacrificial site, it felt more like I was trapped in a strange dream..."

Ye Xiao knew that Yi Fei was trying to explain her memories more clearly, but this description only made it harder for him to understand.

Sometimes conscious, sometimes unconscious, sometimes real, sometimes unreal... Anyone would be completely confused.

"Finally... I think I passed out again. When I woke up, I was here, and I saw you all."

Iphie's face fell. "I've told you everything I can."

"So, do you feel it's real or an illusion right now?"

"Hmm...it's true...right?"

Iphi touched the mottled stone wall next to her with her palm.

Ye Xiao nodded. "Then let me ask you another question. Do you remember where the gold coins in your room came from?"

"gold……"

Iphie was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered, her expression panicking, "That...that wasn't stolen by me! I don't know where those gold coins came from! I woke up early yesterday morning, and they were already in my room!"

"gold?"

Dekali, who was standing to the side, also asked in confusion.

"It's okay, if you don't know, then forget it."

Ye Xiao observed Yi Fei's expression and felt that she didn't seem like the type to lie under these circumstances.

"lb!"

Just then, the cell door was knocked on by the Shepherd followers stationed outside with iron bars, the crisp, sharp metallic clanging sound piercing everyone's ears.

"Keep quiet, you hounds, get out here right now!"

After saying that, the rusty cell door was opened, and a group of guards filed in and dragged Ye Xiao and the others out of the cell.

Ye Xiao staggered, his vision blurring as he caught sight of the other Tribunal Knights being led out of the other cells as well.

"Are they packing their things and getting ready to leave?" Ye Xiao thought to herself.

The Shepherds of Darkness, their followers, were urged forward along a narrow yet solemn stone path.

At the end of the passage, a breathtaking sight suddenly appeared—a secret dock hidden in a cave beneath the lake.

Hidden here is a dock, beneath a deep grotto, beside a surging underground river.

A magnificent sailboat stands majestically on the edge of the undercurrent, its masts towering high. Its massive hull is connected to the shore by heavy ropes, at the other end of which lies a harbor illuminated by blazing torches, the light swaying gracefully in the damp air.

Ye Xiao had been wondering how the Dark Shepherd would take so many people away, but now he finally understood.

He marveled at the idea, noting that the cluster of seaside caves in the northern part of the Mansa Islands led to a complex underground network, making it a clever way to hide a ship in the labyrinthine underground rivers.

Before long, Ye Xiao and the others, including Yi Fei, were escorted by the Dark Shepherd believers into the spacious, damp, and stuffy lower deck of the ship.

Chapter Ninety Lost in a Dream

The environment below the cabin is not pleasant.

To put it simply, Ye Xiao probably thought he was going to be sent to pick cotton.

The number of prisoners held in the Dark Shepherd's cell was not small. In addition to Ye Xiao and a group of Inquisition knights, there seemed to be some burly pirates and exiled fugitives, among others.

A group of people were crammed into the damp, cold, and stuffy cabin at the bottom of the ship, shoulder to shoulder, and the Templar Knights were also scattered among the chaotic group of prisoners.

However, Ye Xiao had been to even worse places in his previous life, so this little problem was nothing to him.

Greta, who was hiding inside his collar, rolled over a few times in dissatisfaction—the little one was a clean freak, and this messy environment was unbearable for her.

As the prisoners were led inside, the followers of the Shepherd of Darkness began to methodically move various books, sacrificial implements, and even the food, water, and wine they needed into the cabin.

Ye Xiao's gaze caught several boxes of glittering gold and silver jewelry being sent to the top floor. He could vaguely hear the whispers of the believers, who revealed that these were the private wealth of the black-robed priestess girl.

The leader of this heretical group is clearly enjoying unexpectedly rich profits.

All sorts of complicated wooden cabinets flooded in like a tide, further compressing the cramped space of Ye Xiao and the others. By the next morning, the entire stronghold was almost completely emptied.

Subsequently, the followers of the cult arrived one after another and boarded the deck. They were not limited to the few people Ye Xiao had first seen. As Ella's aerial familiar hovered over the island, it discovered that residents from villages and even towns all around the island were heading this way.

Among these people were ordinary villagers, adventurers, and people from other countries outside of Loren... Men, women, young and old, all sorts of people, were summoned by the black-robed girl to the lakeside of the desolate mountain village, and then led to the giant sailing ship hidden in the cave.

The Shepherds' faith on this earthen island seems to be deeper and more widespread than imagined.

Once all the believers had boarded the ship, the girl in black robes stood at the bow and gave a command. Like a ghost in the night, the remaining believers quickly severed the restraints between the ship and the dock. At the same time, the commander on the deck blew the horn for departure, the sound of which penetrated the cave and echoed endlessly.

Although the Dark Shepherd's wooden sailboat could not compare to Loren's steel steamship, it was also powered by mineral fuel, its whistle booming and shaking the cave as the massive ship slowly sailed into the deep underground river, leaving a trail of ripples.

Navigating the intricate underground waterways, despite the complete darkness, the pilgrims who lead the way are able to find the path precisely and guide the boat out of the cave.

About half an hour later, as the brilliant sunlight from outside the island suddenly pierced through the narrow window at the bottom of the cabin, casting a stripe-shaped spot of light on Ye Xiao's face, he knew that they had truly left the Mansa Islands.

As soon as they stepped out of the cave, the black-robed girl on the deck activated the special magic circle drawn beneath her feet, which seemed to emit invisible fluctuations that resonated with the earth magic circles that had been prepared in advance throughout the underground cave.

The empty stronghold hidden within was instantly torn apart as if by an earthquake; the mountain collapsed, and seawater rushed in, completely burying the cave and the traces left by the cult.

The girl looked back as the exit of the island cave they had passed through collapsed, a complex expression flashing in her deep green eyes.

Following God's will, they will travel to a more distant land, and this homeland where she has lived for so many years will cease to exist.

The commotion even carried from underground to the surface, drawing crows soaring over the islands to watch as the sailing ship rounded the official Loren vessels' route from the north of the Mansa Islands and gradually moved away from the mainland.

Ella, observing the direction the ship had sailed in through her raven familiar, deduced that it was roughly heading towards the Magala Sea, but she didn't yet know which route it would take or which country it would be heading to.

Ye Xiao stayed on the Dark Shepherd's ship for the time being, so Ella used the spatial portal to go to the Mansa Islands and entrusted an anonymous letter to Xiao Wei and Duo Jian of the Municipal Council to inform them about Iphi.

After all, the knights of the Inquisition on the island have been arrested, so the two players are no longer in danger. However, their partner, Effie, probably won't be back for a while.

Afterwards, Ella went to the Sanctuary Dungeon.

The real Orphnoch was still lying weakly in the chair, and Ye Xiao still had to use the Ring of All Things, so Ella had to continue the interrogation herself.

Unable to use Agnes's image to create a transformation, Ella thought for a moment and simply used the Moon Goddess Illusion to create a similar scenario, and then replaced her image with Agnes's in the illusion.

This method is considered a backup plan, because the authority "Renata's Web" is essentially just transmitting divine power into the target's brain through a mental link, which is equivalent to a direct mental shock. Under such circumstances, it is still difficult for Ayla to control how to modify it into a more refined operation of illusion.

She feared that if Orphic realized she was using Agnes's image and was exposed, he might become wary, making it less effective to use her image a second time.

But with no other options at the moment, Ella had no choice but to try anything as a last resort.

Fortunately, after spending the last two days with Agnes, Ella has come to understand more about the woman's behavior.

She approached Orfino, lifted his chin, and her captivating, alluring eyes met his empty, numb ones. Then, an illusion unfolded in Orfino's vision.

"Immerse yourself in the eternal illusion!"

Unconsciously, this line suddenly popped into Ella's mind.

……

Orfino, still nervously muttering to himself in a daze, suddenly found himself in a dimly lit bedroom.

The bedroom was initially dim, but gradually, some oil lamps lit up the surroundings, and the warm yellow light made him feel a little more at ease.

No longer needing to focus on resisting his inner turmoil, his weak and numb mind slowly began to clear up in this environment.

Where is...where?

As his consciousness gradually cleared, Orfindo began to feel confused again.

He was just in a dark cell a moment ago, how did he suddenly end up here?

Dream?

Fantasy?

Amidst the chaos, Orfino gradually began to feel a sense of familiarity with the decor of the luxurious bedroom before him.

A velvet bed, windows with tightly drawn curtains, candlesticks flickering with a faint flame… Orphnoch’s parched heart began to pound.

Until a strangely familiar and light-hearted voice reached my ears.

"coming?"

Orfino shuddered and looked toward the source of the sound.

The firelight, as if guided by his gaze, dispelled the shadows in his field of vision, illuminating a blonde girl sitting on the edge of the bed.

The girl's gaze was cold and arrogant as she toyed with a slender whip in her hand.

Orfino swallowed hard, and whispered incredulously, "A... Lady Agnes!?"

Chapter Ninety-One: Fanaticism

"Orfindor..."

A light and melodious voice echoed in the room. Ella tried her best to imitate Agnes's tone, but there were still some minor flaws in her imitation of the voice, and she accidentally revealed her own voice.

Ella squeezed her throat. Even though it was an imitation in a dream world, it was still not easy to create illusions beyond visual signals.

Orfino paused, realizing that the person before him spoke in a tone somewhat different from what he was used to, and his gaze suddenly turned wary. "You..."

"What do you mean, 'you'?!"

Ella immediately roared and lashed out with the whip in her hand without saying a word.

"Snapped!"

The slender, soft whip left a gruesome bloody welt on Orfindo's neck, followed by Ella's furious shout, "Did I tell you to speak?!"

Although it was just an illusion, the pain that Orfino felt was real.

The pain jolted him awake, and the slight doubt that had arisen in Orfindo's reason vanished instantly.

He quickly bowed his head and knelt down, showing great respect.

"I'm sorry... Lady Agnes..."

Wow, the effect is that good?

Ella's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Her original intention was to try anything after her cover was blown, but she didn't expect Orfino to actually fall for it.

"I have a few questions for you..."

Ella continued, but as soon as she finished speaking, she noticed a fleeting look of confusion and doubt in Orfindo's eyes.

"No...you're not Lady Agnes!..."

Where did I go wrong again?

Seeing that Orfindo was trying to fight the illusion again, Ella quickly drew her whip and lashed it out once more.

"Snapped!"

"If I'm not, then who are you?! You want to rebel, don't you?!"

Orfino gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. "No...no, Lady Agnes, that's not what I meant!...No, no, you're not Lady Agnes, so..."

"Snapped!"

"Shut up! You're just a piece of trash who only knows how to mess everything up!!"

"No! No, that's not right, I..."

"Snapped!"