Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 244: Chapter 243: Before the Opening

For the Fire Mist Warriors, the attack on the Masquerade Ball was extremely sudden and swift.

Although to outsiders it may seem that the external lodging equates to the Fire Mist Warriors’ “United Group,” in reality, it is not the case, as Fang Zheng had investigated previously. Even if the external lodging is likened to the “Righteous Faction” in an Immortal Hero novel, with its Seven Gates and Eight Factions, the “Demon Sect” headed by the “Masquerade Ball” is not just one Sect. Besides the Masquerade Ball, the Followers of the Crimson Realm have also established other organizational powers. It’s just that the Masquerade Ball has the most members and the greatest influence within the Followers of the Crimson Realm.

If Jianghu is used as a metaphor, then the external lodging and Masquerade Ball are basically equivalent to Shaolin and Sun Moon Sect, each holding sway over the two sides of morality. But this does not mean the Kunlun Sect or the Ethereal Palace cease to exist.

The same is true for the external lodging. Fang Zheng had learned from Hill that actually, each branch of the external lodging corresponds to a “Sect” with different ideas, different directions, and different methods. For example, branches of the external lodging that are primarily composed of humans, such as Hill’s, are more inclined to reform the external lodging to increase efficiency. However, those branches led by Fire Mist Warriors prefer to act according to the old rules passed down from ancient times, which is to still give Fire Mist Warriors enough autonomy to let them fight based on their own judgment.

And now, those branches led by Fire Mist Warriors had almost overnight suffered from the fierce attack of the Followers of the Crimson Realm!

“Not only Shanghai, but even Tokyo, North America, and Western Europe’s external lodging is also caught in tough battles?”

Looking at the information before her, Sister Sophie’s face turned ashen. The current situation was totally chaotic; almost all the ambushed external lodgings were desperately calling for support, and a few branches were already broken through by the Followers of the Crimson Realm.

“Dinglingling——!”

“Dinglingling——!!”

The urgent ring of the telephone resounded in the hall, and the staff members of the external lodging hurriedly answered call after call. There was even a Fire Mist Warrior using Free Method to contact the external lodgings under attack far away.

Everyone’s face showed anxiety and panic, which was understandable, knowing that just a while ago, they were living peacefully and discussing the recent situation. But in the next moment, with the urgent ringing of the telephones, their peaceful life was completely shattered, and what replaced it was the beginning of chaos and battle.

“Commander Sophie!!”

Suddenly, someone, panting heavily, pushed through the door and burst into the office, his face pale and covered in sweat.

“Just received news, the core of the Band of Dorel has been attacked by unidentified Followers of the Crimson Realm. ‘Dorel, the Sorrowful Piper’ has fallen in battle! The core has been utterly annihilated!”

“What?!”

Hearing this, Sophie could no longer remain seated. She stood up violently, took large strides towards the person, reached out to take the letter from his hands, quickly tore it open, and then rapidly glanced at the content. After reading the whole letter, the nun closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

“Another old friend has left us…”

“Report!”

But before Sophie could even calm her feelings, another person rushed in frantically and, sensing the tense atmosphere in the office, shut his mouth. Seeing the expression of her subordinate, Sophie shook her head.

“Don’t mind it, tell me, what happened now?”

“Yes…Master.”

Hearing Sophie’s command, the person hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.

“We’ve just received a report that the Montebidi Route encountered an attack by the Followers of the Crimson Realm, ‘Pietro, the Infinite Listener’, was killed, and the route was completely destroyed!”

“What? How could this be!”

Despite being mentally prepared, Sophie’s face changed drastically upon hearing this news. The Band of Dorel and Montebidi Route were important core departments of the external lodging; ‘Dorel, the Sorrowful Piper’ was a gentle and conservative figure responsible for resolving differences and conflicts between humans and Fire Mist Warriors. In contrast, ‘Pietro, the Infinite Listener’, in charge of the Montebidi Route, oversaw the most vital transport hub for Fire Mist Warriors in the whole of Europe. The loss of both was a severe blow to the external lodging!

If the entire external lodging were likened to a person, it would be as if one of his legs and one of his arms were chopped off! In a short time, the functionality of the external lodging was almost completely paralyzed, wasn’t it?!

“Send someone to investigate immediately, what exactly happened! Why did this happen!”

As the commander, Sophie was no fool; the Followers of the Crimson Realm had suddenly launched global attacks on the external lodging, targeting its vital points—it was clearly a premeditated action.

But what Sophie couldn’t understand was that, according to the intelligence, the timing of their attack was very clever, and the action targeted. These Followers of the Crimson Realm first feigned attacks on other external lodgings, luring their core forces to dispatch a large number of Fire Mist Warriors to reinforce and resist, then seized the opportunity when their core positions were most vulnerable, and struck in one fell swoop. This represented not only the meticulous organization of these Followers of the Crimson Realm but also their intimate knowledge of the external lodging’s situation.

After all, the headquarters of “The Band of Dorel” and “Montebidi Route” destroyed by the Followers of the Crimson Realm, though sparsely manned, were still headquarters. Not only were their locations hidden, but they were also equipped with a lot of Free Method defenses. Even if the Followers of the Crimson Realm took the opportunity for a surprise attack, it shouldn’t have been so easy to succeed.

The problem was, how could they bring down two of the external lodging’s core powers in such a short time?

How on earth did they manage to do that?

“So I said, we aren’t the bad guys, sometimes, friends are also necessary for us.”

Sitting on the throne, Fang Zheng revealed a smug smile as he looked at the good news being reported before him. Berupeoru respectfully bowed in response to his words.

“Just as you said, Alliance Hierarch.”

Indeed, the intelligence work at the Masquerade Ball was well done, but it wasn’t so impeccable as to strip the foreign lodgings down to their undergarments. Naturally, Fang Zheng wouldn’t be so inflexible; in this world, enemies and friends were always determined by interests and values. In fact, before reaching out to Shana, Fang Zheng had already contacted Hill and explained part of the Ritual Snake’s plan to him. As expected, upon learning that there was a means to make all the Followers of the Crimson Realm and Fire Mist Warriors leave Earth, and that no Follower of the Crimson Realm would come to Earth thereafter, Hill immediately changed his mind, abandoned his former alliances, and joined Fang Zheng’s side.

As a Letter of Credence, Hill provided Fang Zheng with maps and intelligence on the foreign lodging’s Fire Mist Warrior strongholds. It was precisely with this intelligence that the Masquerade Ball was able to swiftly take down several crucial locations of the foreign lodgings.

“With this, the transportation and intelligence routes in parts of Europe will be completely disrupted, and we have already taken down most areas in the Americas and Asia.”

Berupeoru could hardly contain her excitement, her slightly upturned lips betraying a sense of pride.

“Xiu Denan has sent word that the foreign lodging branch in Shanghai has completely fallen, and minor resistances elsewhere will soon be suppressed.”

“The General has done well.”

Hearing Berupeoru’s report, Fang Zheng nodded. He didn’t care about the casualties among the Followers of the Crimson Realm and the Fire Mist Warriors, but Shana definitely wouldn’t be as relaxed about it. That was why Fang Zheng had chosen to imprison Shana beforehand. After all, the Shana locked up inside didn’t know anything and thought it was just a sleep… Hmm, no problem there.

“It’s about time to start withdrawing the troops.”

“Now?”

Berupeoru seemed surprised by Fang Zheng’s order.

“Overexertion will only backfire. Now that the planned objectives have been met, that is enough. If we continue, we’ll only overplay our hand and drive them to put aside their prejudices to unite against us, which would only become a headache.”

While saying this, Fang Zheng waved his hand.

“Let those humans and Fire Mist Warriors bicker among themselves. It’s the perfect opportunity for us to start the Second Phase of the Imperial Command. Also, release a hint to the wind. At this point, other Followers of the Crimson Realm should at least know what they are fighting for – of course, without making it too clear. Let them figure it out on their own.”

“Yes.”

Hearing this, Berupeoru didn’t say anything more. Although she was a strategist and advisor at the Masquerade Ball, Fang Zheng’s plans were very straightforward and direct, and as he had said, they were already achieving the desired effect. So, continuing the fight would just be an unnecessary drain on their resources. Thus, Berupeoru respectfully bowed to Fang Zheng and then turned to leave the hall.

“Truly worthy of Elder Brother.”

After Berupeoru left, Tilia came over with a sweet smile.

“Be it humans or Fire Mist Warriors, they’re all being played in the palm of Elder Brother’s hand. It’s only a pity that most Followers of the Crimson Realm are too foolish to understand the role you played in this campaign.”

“It seems the dissent at the lower levels is significant?”

Upon hearing Tilia’s veiled complaint, Fang Zheng raised his eyebrows, and Tilia nodded.

“Yes, those Followers of the Crimson Realm are all complaining behind your back, it’s quite irksome…”

“It’s understandable, after all, they have their own little tempers.”

Fang Zheng wasn’t particularly concerned with Tilia’s roundabout tattling. Currently, in the Masquerade Ball, aside from the Three Pillars and the few remaining higher-ups, all the other Followers of the Crimson Realm had joined only after the establishment of the “Masquerade Ball.” By that time, the Ritual Snake had long been sentenced to life imprisonment in the cracks. So for these later members of the organization, the Three Pillars were much more convincing than a Ritual Snake they had no connection with. It could even be said that over these three thousand years, most Followers of the Crimson Realm within the Masquerade Ball had come to regard the Three Pillars as their true superiors.

And now… A new leader had been parachuted in to take charge, and their former superiors were behaving deferentially to this newcomer… Well, no wonder these Followers of the Crimson Realm harbored grievances.

But this was good.

At this thought, Fang Zheng smiled faintly.

It was about time they witnessed his might.