Super Soldier in the City

"Yes, you said you didn’t know where he went! So, can you claim that this has nothing to do with you?" Mus said slowly.

Babua’s eyes were evasive. He paused for a few seconds before saying, "Otherwise? Mus, Andrew, you find Owen now, and I’ll confront him face to face, wouldn’t that make everything clear!"

"Is that really the case? Do we really have to find Owen to determine your guilt?" Mus said.

Babua looked at Mus’s expression and suddenly felt uncertain. He replied, "Isn’t that the case? I can swear, this absolutely has nothing to do with me. Really, Andisto, Holy Maiden, you have to believe me!"

"What’s the use of swearing then? Why do we need laws? Babua, if you confess voluntarily, the outcome might be better. If you continue to argue..."

"Confess to what? Confess to murdering the Holy Maiden? Mus, killing someone doesn’t require such drastic measures, you’re trying to get me killed!" Babua suddenly said with a pained expression.

Mus shook his head and said, "Truth and justice are never defeated. If you ask me what I represent, I represent the truth. You murdered the Holy Maiden, and no matter the reason, I will stand against you, Babua. Here is a piece of information sent from your phone. We haven’t found Owen yet, but this message clearly shows you told him to hide! And it was sent yesterday morning, just half an hour before he left."

The evidence caused an uproar in the room. Many hadn’t truly believed Babua capable of such a deed. If an elder plotted to kill the Holy Maiden, it would be an earth-shattering event within the Holy War Organization. Once proven true, there would be no chance for the elder to continue living, but now...

Babua stood up abruptly, shouting with a twisted face, "You’re lying, it’s you, you fabricated this evidence. I swear I didn’t intend to kill the Holy Maiden!"

"Let’s not speak of distant matters; since the Holy Maiden returned yesterday, you’ve been targeting her at every turn. Although her heart demon failed, no one said she had to give up her position as Holy Maiden. You were the one forcing her to yield the title. You were aggressive back then, and now you’re backing down? With evidence right before you, you have nothing to rebut, and yet you put on this act?"

Babua immediately exclaimed, "You’re framing me! I’ve never had any thoughts of killing the Holy Maiden, nor do I have a reason to!"

Andisto spoke up to quell the argument between the two sides, though his words were noticeably cold. He said, "Babua, calm down. Mus, Andrew, you must find Owen as quickly as possible!"

Saying this, Andisto’s tone grew heavier and he said sternly, "We must see him alive, and find his corpse if he’s dead!"

Mus and Andrew recognized the seriousness of the situation. They could suspect Babua, but without direct evidence proving it was him, Babua wouldn’t be greatly affected. After all, the Holy Maiden had already stepped down.

The Holy Maiden loosened her clenched fists. She hadn’t said anything all along, not because she didn’t want to, but because things hadn’t been fully investigated. Although Babua was highly suspicious, the Holy Maiden noticed that when he defended himself just now, his anger didn’t seem feigned...

The entire Holy War Organization was mobilized, wielding tremendous power. There was an upheaval even across the United States and surrounding countries and regions. As the primary suspect, Babua was genuinely imprisoned in his residence, cut off from all external contact.

"Holy Maiden... I’ll still address you this way!" Andisto kept the Holy Maiden back after others had dispersed, leaving just the two of them in the vast hall. Despite being 106 years old, like Murong Yuanqing and others, time hadn’t left many marks on Andisto’s face, making him appear around fifty or sixty. If not for his white beard, he resembled Gandalf from "Lord of the Rings."

The Holy Maiden nodded slightly and said, "Elder, feel free to speak."

"Hmm, are your injuries better?" Andisto asked.

The Holy Maiden answered, "They are, but still need some time for quiet recovery!"

"That’s good. As the Great Elder, I must apologize to you. Had I known things would turn out this way, I would have accompanied you."

"No, Elder, this has nothing to do with you. With your status, if you’d known, you would have certainly quashed it early on!" The Holy Maiden replied with a smile.

Andisto felt as if the Holy Maiden’s eyes could see right through him. He couldn’t help but look away, saying, "I will thoroughly investigate this matter. Whether it’s Babua or someone else, the organization will not spare the person who dared to harm the Holy Maiden—it’s a grave crime, unforgivable."

"Thank you!" the Holy Maiden said.

Andisto gave a dry laugh before continuing, "Actually...the reason I kept you here is to discuss something, what could be seen as a personal request of mine!"

"Please, go ahead, Elder Andisto." The Holy Maiden nodded gently.

"Then I’ll say it!" Andisto revealed a kind smile and slowly said, "You’ve stepped down as the Holy Maiden, what do you plan to do now?"

The Holy Maiden smirked inwardly. She had always known Andisto didn’t keep her back merely to console her, but rather had another agenda. So as soon as Andisto began speaking, she already knew his intentions. On the surface, she said calmly, "I’ve sustained serious injuries this time, so I plan to rest for some time then go to Huaxia, find a place, and spend the rest of my life there."

"Injuries do indeed need time for healing. Don’t rush!" Andisto furrowed his brows slightly before continuing, "But why go to Huaxia?" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Elder, you know that the heart demon of a Holy Maiden first requires falling in love with someone to invoke it. Once invoked, the heart demon mandates killing that person to overcome it; failure to do so means you’ve failed, and your heart forever belongs to that person. Now that I’ve failed, even though the Golden Eagle is dead, there’s no room left in my heart for anyone else. There’s no possibility of advancing further in cultivation, so why not settle in Huaxia and live out my life there?" the Holy Maiden answered, her eyes showing signs of sorrow.

But the elder Andisto furrowed his brows even deeper and said, "I find this inappropriate. Holy Maiden, you are an American, and Huaxia... is ultimately a rival to our country, perhaps even an adversary. Your personal safety cannot be guaranteed there!"

"No, I’m not concerned about safety now. If I die, it might actually be a relief. Elder, you can’t imagine the feeling—losing the person you love most, who died saving you, while you continue to live in this world alone. I have only one wish now: to find the person who conspired against me and Golden Eagle and to make him pay with his life!" The Holy Maiden’s last words came with genuine murderous intent, which made Andisto tremble inside.

He knew how resolved the Holy Maiden was, yet as the Great Elder, the most authoritative member of the Elder’s Council in the Holy War Organization, he persistently said, "I reckon I won’t agree to you going to Huaxia, even as a former Holy Maiden, not to mention Golden Eagle is already dead!"

"In other words, even if he were alive, Elder, you would still oppose my going?" the Holy Maiden asked.

Andisto’s expression unchanged, he replied, "Yes, it’s the rule that even a former Holy Maiden shouldn’t randomly visit a man’s home!"

"Elder, my cultivation can only remain stagnant in this life, unable to progress. Staying in the organization is of no use. Why not let me go?"

Despite the blazing fury rising in her heart, the Holy Maiden kept an outwardly calm demeanor, constantly reminding herself that now wasn’t the time to erupt.

Andisto chuckled faintly and said, "One can cherish memories from anywhere; there’s no need to venture to another’s country. Furthermore, if Golden Eagle died at the hands of our people, Huaxia will certainly not rest peacefully. If you encounter danger, then... the Holy War Organization might declare war on Huaxia, causing a major stir."

The Holy Maiden shook her head and said, "Elder, on other matters, I might heed your advice, but regarding this, there’s no room for discussion. My mind is made up!"

"Heh, recover thoroughly first, then we can revisit this matter. Besides, though you are the former Holy Maiden, a new one has yet to be appointed. Leaving now would mean abandoning your responsibility!" Andisto finally revealed his true motive, as well as the reason for keeping her back today.

The Holy Maiden’s brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Andisto and asked, "Elder, are you suggesting...that I help you nurture the next Holy Maiden?"

"Indeed, that is the request. I hope you can consider it from the broader perspective and agree to my request. You know the Holy Church cannot be without a Holy Maiden; with the Holy Maiden, our Holy Church remains whole, and countless believers have confidence in us; thus, I hope you can assist me in nurturing the next Holy Maiden, which in truth will also be advantageous for you. The new Holy Maiden will be fond of you, and I will be grateful to you!"

It’s Andisto who was expressing gratitude to the Holy Maiden, not the Holy War Organization, which brings a significant difference. Gaining Andisto’s personal goodwill could be beneficial to some extent. However, if the Holy Maiden truly aided Andisto in nurturing the new Holy Maiden, she would undoubtedly offend other elders. Considering Andisto’s advanced age, how many years could he live?

The other elders are considerably younger than Andisto. Offending others for him seemed unwise. The Holy Maiden swiftly made her judgment—furthermore, she no longer wished to remain within the organization, especially since Li Yifei was alive. Once her heart demon vanished, all her thoughts were focused on Li Yifei; there was no reason to curry favor with any elder.

As for earning the new Holy Maiden’s affection, the Holy Maiden was indifferent. Even if genuine, such a sentiment was of little use and ultimately turned them into someone else’s puppet, like a marionette.