An elusive silence hung in the air of the conference room on the top floor of the School of Sages' main building.
In the center of the room, the omnidirectional magical screen was still projecting the bizarre scene of the midday religious rite. The display flickered intermittently, reflecting the deep golden hues of the sanctuary, while the instructors seated around the circular conference tables still dared not voice an opinion.
Muted light cut through the air at various angles, casting fleeting shadows across Loren's face.
"Loren, let it go, let it go."
Vice Dean Ron, sitting beside Loren, patted him repeatedly on the back.
Those three clerics hadn't had it easy either; having run into Lanqi, it would be a blessing if they made it home in one piece.
Seeing the vice dean speak up, several instructors tried to defuse the awkward atmosphere in the room.
"Dean, it's completely normal to be led astray when mixed up with Lanqi. Besides, if those three clerics manage to clear this Shadow World, that in itself is a tremendous achievement. Let's just say their merits balance out their faults..."
Teacher Teresa, the gentlest among them, began putting in a good word again.
Lanqi was always very attentive in her classes, which deeply touched her, though it had also begun to frighten her a little...
Watching this Shadow World, Teresa had become all the more certain of one thing—the indispensability of Hyperion in their School of Sages.
If Hyperion hadn't usually kept Lanqi tethered to her side, drawing away his attention and restricting his scope for interaction, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Any other freshmen in the same class would probably have had their minds corrupted after just a few friendly conversations with Lanqi!
As a half-demon, Hyperion got along harmoniously with Lanqi while miraculously preserving her own sense of self, capable of withstanding his mental pollution without limit.
In a sense, Hyperion had saved the entire class.
"..."
Loren clutched his forehead, at a loss for words.
What truly terrified him was this:
It was only the first day and those three clerics were already being led astray, yet they still had five more days to spend with Lanqi.
When the five-day Shadow World ended, if the Saintess saw that her three upright clerics had completely fallen into wicked ways and turned into unrecognizable beings...
Loren dared not imagine how furious that rigid, meticulous Saintess would be...
***
Lichtenstein Castle, ground-floor sanctuary.
As the ritual drew to a close, the fervent chanting within the sanctuary gradually cooled, settling at last into a profound stillness.
Clouds seemed to drift over the castle, dimming the vaulted stained-glass windows and leaving behind only a faintly flickering twilight glow.
A look of satisfaction and keen vindication appeared on every face, as if having weathered an emotional tempest, they had finally found solace.
A glance at the sanctuary's grand clock showed there was still some time before sunset.
Though the blood master would not awaken just yet, staying gathered for another two to three hours to keep the traitors pinned down remained the safest course. Once the sun drew near the horizon, they would scatter and hide.
"Mr. Lawyer, what should we do next?"
Seeing that the prayer ritual had concluded, the lead priest from the Northern Continent's Church of the Goddess of Fate asked Lanqi.
Though all three clerics realized that Lanqi's way of praising the Goddess was profoundly improper, they could not help but marvel at his intellect.
Only a justice that could win was true justice.
At this moment in the sanctuary, Lanqi had become the acknowledged presiding figure following Frey.
Everyone's eyes naturally converged on him.
"I would like to conduct an 'Anti-Cult Ideological Education Lecture.' We must resolutely implement our determination to strike down cultists."
Lanqi simply strolled over to the sanctuary's long table with unhurried ease, took a seat at the center of one side, and looked toward the crowd.
"As I lecture shortly, I'll randomly call on people to answer questions. Some might be trick questions. If you aren't focused enough, you might slip up or give something away."
Once seated, the banquet table seemed transformed into a headmaster's personal desk. Sitting upright, he spoke with an air of earnest responsibility:
"However, I believe that if everyone's resolve against the cult is positive enough, and having just taken the oath has left you relaxed and cheerful, you'll easily answer my questions. Conversely, if you're tense and frazzled, it might prove quite a mental challenge, wouldn't you say?"
With that, Lanqi looked around at the crowd, seemingly soliciting their opinions.
Hyperion, who had habitually followed him and stood behind him, felt as though she had been transported right back to Purgatory Corridor Academy.
"..."
Silence hung over the group for a moment.
"Agreed."
"Supported."
Everyone enthusiastically answered the call.
Though they had already realized Lanqi was inherently a menace, the challengers were more than happy to play along. He was purely playing mind games with the enemy.
***
In the center of the sanctuary.
Lanqi sat alone before the long table.
His voice was steady and resolute, each word cutting clearly into everyone's heart.
"Resurrection Church cultists typically exhibit the following characteristics: forcibly indoctrinating ideology to delude minds; rejecting mainstream societal values and norms; manipulating and exploiting members; restricting regular interaction between members and the outside world; and conducting illegal or immoral acts under the guise of religion."
With righteous severity, he delivered his anti-cult lecture:
"The harms wrought by the Resurrection Church are comprehensive. Not only does it inflict psychological and material damage upon individuals, but it can also have far-reaching impacts on family relationships and society at large, leading to loss of personal property, mental health issues, and difficulties reintegrating into society. On a societal level, it can cause social instability, disrupt communal harmony, and even trigger severe public crises..."
The surrounding challengers listened with rapt attention, their gazes locked onto Lanqi.
Lanqi continued lecturing almost without pause.
Suddenly, he halted his speech, raised a hand to point at the handsome male guard standing behind the merchant scion, and asked:
"Based on what I previously mentioned, which of the following is the name of the Bishop of Annihilation?
"A: Askesan. B: Apocalypse. C: MacArthur. D: Lanqi Wilfort."
"This is a trick question, because you didn't mention the Bishop of Annihilation just now,"
the male guard behind the merchant scion answered with crystal-clear logic.
"Very good. Correct."
Lanqi nodded in approval.
This exchange caused more than a few eyes to twitch.
With the way Lanqi asked questions, unless one maintained absolute focus, they truly might not be able to answer!
You couldn't let your mind wander for even a second during his lecture!
Sensing everyone's tension, Lanqi quickly raised a hand, gesturing for them to relax.
"Please, there's no need to worry. As long as you harbor no resistance and listen earnestly to my anti-cult lecture, you will certainly be able to answer my questions,"
Lanqi spoke with absolute confidence, radiating the exact aura of a headmaster addressing students from the rostrum.
The challengers nodded slowly.
By this point, they finally understood the true purpose of Lanqi's lecture:
The cultists, whose composure was already on the verge of collapsing, not only had to keep up their acting for hours on end, but they also had to cast aside their resentment, open their hearts, and actively listen to, digest, and absorb Lanqi's brainwashing anti-cult study points.
It was difficult to describe what kind of novel torture this was.
The challengers could no longer even fathom the traitors' state of mind.
Having been tormented by Lanqi from morning until now...
Those two probably wouldn't rest tonight until they had torn Lanqi to shreds!
Chapter 132