The idea was good, and the mine reacted quickly.
But now, it’s all useless.
Willis nodded at Nidnia, who mischievously blinked.
The soldiers who had come to capture them didn’t even notice the traces of magic before they were corroded by Nidnia’s Dark Corrosion.
“L-Lord! Y-You guys…”
At that moment, Willis spoke at just the right time.
She pointed in terror at the backs of the soldiers’ necks.
Hearing her, the soldiers immediately felt a terrible premonition.
They reached back and touched, feeling a wet, rotten sensation on their necks.
Then they brought their hands before their eyes to see.
***
“Ahhhhh!!!”
“Maggots! I’m rotting! I’m decaying! Help!”
“Ahhh! She’s a demon! Plague! Run!”
In an instant, the soldiers no longer dared to care about Nidnia, screaming and rushing out.
They had thought it was just a simple errand to fetch someone.
Who could have guessed that after just entering, they’d be infected?
And so seriously!?
The soldiers felt a cold numbness at the back of their necks—completely senseless.
For a moment, the thought of [I’m going to die] wildly sprouted in their minds.
Their screams grew louder, drawing more soldiers over.
“Lord! Lord! Are you still going to arrest me or not?”
Nidnia chased after them but was forced back by soldiers outside wielding long spears.
Fear was written on every soldier’s face.
“Hurry! Seal the entrance! Seal the entrance! We absolutely cannot let the evil escape!”
A drill instructor ran over, followed by the ashen-faced Barnett.
“Lord, what do we do? Those two women are still inside?”
“What do we do? Let them die! Hurry, block the entrance! We can’t let the Plague spread!”
Barnett appeared far more experienced.
He not only ordered the entrance to Mine Number Four blocked with stones and planks but also executed the infected soldiers and overseers on the spot.
As the sun set, Barnett stood on the square, face iron-gray, watching the soldiers’ bodies being burned.
“What in the world happened!?”
Yesterday everything was fine—how did this suddenly happen today?
“Lord, was it poison?”
A junior drill instructor asked from behind.
“Poison? Are you saying the miners did it? Who?”
Barnett’s head was pounding.
Though he was used to throwing his weight around and never considered the miners human—
If a Plague really broke out, he’d be the first to bear responsibility…
And if the miners died, who would earn him money?
“Who knows? Maybe it was that captain of the Fourth Mine team—Nidnia!”
A soldier spat fiercely.
“Isn’t she rotting all over? She hasn’t died after all this time—maybe she’s the one spreading the poison.”
“If so, then send people in to kill everyone inside. That might solve it…”
“Not good, Lord. The brothers just went in to grab people, and in the blink of an eye, they were infected…”
The soldier shuddered, terrified that Barnett would order him in next.
“If the Plague is this powerful, just block it off! Sending more inside would be suicide!”
Barnett saw reason and ordered the mine entrance further sealed.
“Let them die inside… Let’s hope it doesn’t happen again…”
As the sun sank, a soldier came running back outside the mine.
“L-Lord!”
The soldier shouted.
Barnett saw the panic and fear on his face and scowled.
“What is it?”
Barnett recognized him—a mine soldier responsible for traveling to Ushi City periodically to purchase supplies and goods.
***
He’d gone out this morning.
Who would have thought he’d only return now?
“Lord, bad news! The Vice City Lord… Vice City Lord Mike Millen’s crimes have been exposed! Last night, he tried to rebel and has already been executed!”
“His body is now hanging at the city gate!”
“What!?”
Barnett nearly jumped.
He seized the soldier by the collar, demanding fiercely:
“Then what about us!?”
“T-This humble one doesn’t know…”
The soldier stammered, afraid Barnett would kill him on a whim.
“What in the world happened?”
“I-I only heard about it…”
The soldier told everything he knew.
Barnett was stunned for a long moment before coming back to his senses.
Suddenly, he recalled the Royal Princess’s Envoy who had come to inspect the mine today.
“Could she have come to investigate this?”
His thick brows furrowed.
He hesitated, his face clouded with uncertainty.
Escape?
Or stay put?
If Mike Millen had confessed his bribery list before dying, Barnett would certainly be on it—
And the amount was huge!
By Imperial Law, this was a grave crime that would drag down his wife and children!
But if Mike Millen hadn’t leaked the information and they were only suspicious, wouldn’t fleeing confirm the crime?
“Damn it! Damn it! How did it come to this!? That old scoundrel—if he wanted to do something, why rebel!?”
“And lost? Let the Lord hang his corpse on the city wall? Useless! Damn it—all a bunch of worthless fools!”
Barnett cursed furiously.
But as he calmed down, his confidants and officers looked to him.
“Boss, give the word. If Willis investigates, none of us are clean!”
“Yeah, maybe we should just run! Head east—once we cross the Amis Strait, the Empire can’t touch us!”
They’d all taken heavy bribes.
Now, there was no way they’d give up their gains, but even if they surrendered, Willis would surely behead them without mercy!
Still, they clung to a sliver of hope—maybe Willis didn’t know, or knew but had no proof?
“No! No way! If we run, we become criminals for real!”
“But Lord, if we don’t run, do we just wait for death?”
A junior drill instructor asked anxiously.
Barnett sucked in air, panicked, and ordered his men.
“Go! Send brothers toward Ushi City. If anything happens there, we escape immediately!”
In this Heishan Mine, they’d lived comfortably.
Not only venting their anger daily but raking in plenty of dirty money.
But with Mike Millen’s rebellion, they could be labeled traitors or corrupt officials at any moment!
It was no longer safe!
But until then, they’d stay as long as possible!
“Pack your things and keep your eyes open—be ready to run at any moment!”
“Earn what you can while you can! Maybe Willis has no evidence and won’t move against us!”
At that moment, his chief steward Gerry suddenly spoke up.
“Lord, I think this plan is too uncertain!”
Everyone looked at him.
“Gerry, what do you mean?”
The sharp-faced, monkey-eyed Gerry revealed a cunning, calculating expression.
“Lord, think about it—knowing Willis’s temperament, as long as there’s even a little evidence or eighty percent suspicion, she’ll lead a purge against us!”
“She’s ruthless and bloodthirsty! Would she really need solid proof!? Suspicion alone is enough!”
“And the envoy who came to investigate during the day proves it—she suspects we’ve also embezzled massive sums from the treasury!”
“Sending people to eliminate us is just a matter of time—she just hasn’t had the chance yet.”
“How long will that last? Days? Or maybe just until tomorrow!?”
At those words, the group’s faces turned ashen.
“Then—then what do you mean…?”
Barnett asked, shaken.
“If we’re likely to be labeled as traitors or corrupt officials and sentenced to death, dragging our families down…”
“Why not make up our minds now and give Willis a…”
Gerry made a throat-slashing gesture, and everyone sucked in a cold breath.
“If we’re doomed either way, why not fight for it and take our wealth far away?”