The Exiled Lord: My Maid is a Battle Goddess-Chapter 62: The Hidden Conspiracy

"But before the scouts could return, a large number of corrupted corpses had already appeared at the logging camp, catching Nightfall Domain completely off guard. Then the corruption followed the river and spread into Starnight City—the entire city was infected almost instantly."

"Nightfall Domain had no defenses at all and fell into corruption overnight. I tried to gather the troops and fortify the main estate, but you already know what happened after that. A Corrupted Dragon appeared out of nowhere and killed me. When I woke up again, I had already become a Divine Chosen."

Phield recalled the bizarre runic array at the logging camp and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The rumors say the former Empress communed with demonic power and sacrificed everyone in Nightfall Domain to wipe out the orcs and their auxiliary armies."

"That, I don’t know," Rosalia said, shaking her head. "None of that matters to me anymore. We’re here. That cave is where I hid my property. From now on, that money belongs to both of us."

Led by Rosalia, the two of them located a concealed mountain cave.

Fragments of corpses were scattered around the entrance—fresh ones.

"Something’s wrong. Phield, watch yourself. Living beings have been here recently," Rosalia frowned as she summoned the Greatsword of Gluttony. "There are people active inside the cave right now. Hopefully just a few stupid thieves—then I’ll get to enjoy the taste of human blood."

"You’re sure they’re humans, not goblins?" Phield drew his iron-reinforced shield from his back and unsheathed the Silver Iris Longsword, taking a defensive stance.

"Yes. I’m certain. That uniquely sweet scent of human blood..." Rosalia paused, then frowned slightly. "But something’s strange about it. Someone gave birth inside the gray mist? That’s unbelievable."

When she mentioned pregnancy, she froze for a brief moment and stole a glance at Phield before licking the corner of her lips. "Still, my perception isn’t as sharp as Ashina’s. Be careful."

They encountered no resistance and entered the cave smoothly.

"A mist-dispelling lamp?"

Phield immediately noticed a small, glowing mist-dispelling lamp emitting a gentle light, completely clearing the fog inside the cave.

"So it really is..."

Then he saw something shocking.

Women lay collapsed on the ground, their abdomens grotesquely swollen by monsters—an unbearable sight.

Is this some kind of adult game world?!

Phield was stunned. He crouched instinctively, about to help them, but stopped himself at once. The Northern Province was too abnormal to touch anything carelessly. Staying alert, he said, "Goblin handiwork? No—goblins wouldn’t have mist-dispelling lamps."

"No." Rosalia smiled, her gaze flicking briefly toward a massive boulder deeper inside the cave before she spoke casually. "These women are beyond saving. Their brains have already been destroyed—they’re just vessels now. The children inside them could be born at any moment."

Phield saw Rosalia wink at him with her right eye and immediately understood. He pretended to remain calm, slowly moving toward a corner instead. His right hand tightened around his sword, his left gripping the shield, nerves taut. "How pitiful. I wonder who did this."

"Then you’ll have to ask the owner of this place."

Before the words even settled, a black shadow dropped from above, tearing through the air and slamming toward Phield.

"Die!"

"So you dare ambush me."

Prepared, Phield leaned back slightly and raised his shield.

Before any impact could register, a massive, ferocious greatsword bound by chains—radiating overwhelming killing intent—sliced through the air and struck the attacker mid-fall, cutting them cleanly in half.

Like a watermelon bursting open, blood splattered everywhere. Several strands of pure life energy were instantly devoured by the Greatsword of Gluttony.

"You dared ambush my lord?" Rosalia snorted coldly, then smiled with delight. "The taste of a battle qi knight—delicious."

Since the fight had already begun, Rosalia dropped all pretense. She grinned at the boulder and swung her greatsword straight through it.

"Come out. Kneel before my lord."

Two figures darted out simultaneously—both women.

"Damn it, we’ve been discovered. As expected of a Divine Chosen."

"There’s no escape. Then we’ll drag them down with us."

The two exchanged a glance.

Phield crossed his arms over his chest and demanded authoritatively, "Who are you, and what are you doing here? Tell me honestly, and I might consider sparing you. I’m not a bad person—Baron Phield, known as the Lion of the Northern Province."

That was, of course, complete nonsense. From the moment they laid eyes on a Divine Chosen, their fate was sealed—either they joined Nightfall Domain, or they went to meet God.

The Northern Province was far from simple. Phield could smell a conspiracy.

"Heh, spare us?" The red-haired woman laughed wildly. "You’d better be careful. Even Divine Chosen run out of divine power eventually. You’ll have to pay with your lives."

Pay with their lives?

If you truly had that kind of strength, you wouldn’t need an ambush.

Still, Phield remained cautious. "Be careful, Rosalia. If things get dangerous, retreat."

"No problem," Rosalia replied with a smile. "Everything is under control."

"Uuugh—"

The two women tore apart the scrolls in their hands.

The bound women screamed in agony, and in the next instant—splurt, splurt—deformed creatures with spider-like limbs burst free, blood spraying everywhere in a grotesque spectacle. The spiders immediately crawled upward, clinging to the cave ceiling in twisted poses.

Like a fervent believer, the red-haired woman shouted in a shrill voice, "Taste the wrath of the Grudge Widow Spiders!"

Rosalia’s lips curved into a sweet smile. "I’ll savor them carefully. My stomach just happens to be empty."

"Skree—"

Thirteen shrieking spiders unleashed piercing screams simultaneously. In an instant, Phield’s minimap exploded with red skull icons, nearly flooding the entire display.

More overwhelming than the previous corpse-monkey tide, countless corrupted spiders surged into the cave.

Corrupted spiders—a common corrupted creature, roughly the size of hunting dogs, adept at pouncing and tearing prey apart. One or two posed little threat; even slaves could crush them. But a tide of them was another matter entirely.

The sound of relentless skittering filled the air, crawling straight into the ears and making one’s scalp prickle.

"Hahahaha! Hear that beautiful sound?" The two women laughed madly. "Countless spiders will drown this place. You’ll be buried here with us!"

Their crazed laughter sent a chill through Phield, making him instinctively step back, afraid insanity might be contagious.

Then, to his shock, they stripped themselves bare and stood exposed.

"We offer our flesh and blood to welcome the descent of the god! May glory shine upon us!"