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"Could it be... that the people who vanished before all disappeared like this?"

"Then what about my fiancée…?"

Witnessing this scene, Nicholas William was utterly horrified. If those previously missing people had met the same fate, didn\'t that mean his fiancée—and even her entire family—were already dead?

"Roar!"

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After burning the two soldiers to death, the human-bodied, ram-headed monster let out a low growl. It began to move, stepping forward and charging toward Dean Bruce.

The pale green flames in its eyes surged more fiercely with every step, and each hoof left behind a scorching trail of fire on the ground.

With just a glance, Dean Bruce sensed something was amiss.

In the Battle General\'s residence, there hadn\'t been any traces like these!

In other words, this human-bodied, ram-headed monster hadn\'t appeared previously. Its presence now was a major anomaly!

However, the priority was to eliminate this creature first.

Since it could leave marks on the ground, that meant it was a physical entity. Without hesitation, Dean Bruce manipulated the earth beneath the monster, softening it until it twisted like vines, binding its legs and trapping it in place.

"Roar!"

The monster bellowed in fury as its legs were suddenly immobilized by the shifting soil. It howled to the sky, and the green flames on its body flared up even more, causing the soil to begin melting and loosening.

Seeing this, Dean Bruce decided not to rely solely on The Compassion of Heaven and Earth spell. He stepped forward and invoked the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain spell, causing lightning to course around his clenched fist.

In the next instant, before the human-bodied, ram-headed monster could break free from the earth\'s grasp, Dean Bruce transformed into a bolt of lightning, striking its head with explosive force.

The moment the lightning exploded, the terrifying power obliterated the monster\'s head completely.

Buzz—

Immediately afterward, the creature\'s body began to shimmer with a pale green light, as if set ablaze, and swiftly disintegrated.

Only a few scattered ashes remained on the ground.

Seeing this, Dean Bruce couldn\'t help but show a hint of surprise—those ashes looked just like the remnants left behind after burning paper!

"Is it… is it really over?"

On the other side, Nicholas William and Miranda Joy were both stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

Just moments ago, the human-bodied, ram-headed monster had exerted immense pressure, burning two soldiers to death in an instant, making it seem overwhelmingly powerful. Yet, unexpectedly, it was shattered to dust by a single punch from Dean Bruce, dissipating into the air.

The soldiers who hadn\'t yet left the courtyard were equally dumbfounded. They couldn\'t believe that such a young Dean Bruce possessed such formidable strength!

"Could it be that this human-bodied, ram-headed monster is the culprit behind it all?" Miranda Joy said in a low voice. "Thank you, Elder, for your assistance. I hope you\'ll be willing to come back to the palace with me to further investigate this matter. Perhaps, with your help, we might find the root cause soon."

"How did such a bizarre creature even come into being?"

She sighed. "If this matter can be resolved, Pur-cloud Imperial Capital will certainly reward you generously, Elder."

"…"

Hearing this, Dean Bruce did not refuse. He, too, wanted to visit the palace to examine the livestock that had been moved there previously.

He had a nagging feeling that something was off about those animals!

Moreover, this investigation of the Treasurer\'s residence—no, including the trip to the Battle General\'s residence earlier—had gone far too smoothly!

The way things had developed felt almost as if someone had meticulously orchestrated it all.

Dean Bruce took one last, careful look at the spot where the human-bodied, ram-headed monster had died. Other than a small pile of ashes, there was nothing left behind. Satisfied that there were no additional clues, he finally nodded in agreement.

Miranda Joy\'s face lit up with joy. She quickly ordered the soldiers to herd the surviving livestock away.

Dean Bruce followed behind her, while Nicholas William looked utterly dejected. His earlier calmness had stemmed purely from his faith in Dean Bruce\'s abilities. But now, after witnessing the terrifying scene of those two soldiers being burned alive by the ram-headed monster, how could he remain composed?

If the entire Quirell family was truly wiped out, then all their previous efforts would have been in vain!

As they stepped out of the courtyard, Treasurer Dinode DeLange\'s hopeful gaze immediately locked onto Dean Bruce.

Although the battle had been brief, the magical fluctuations were not insignificant. Even those outside the courtyard had sensed them, which inevitably stirred up a sense of anticipation.

Dinode DeLange\'s face twitched with anxiety as he cautiously asked, "Your Highness, the commotion just now… Does it mean you\'ve discovered something?"

Miranda Joy glanced at Dean Bruce. Seeing him nod, she replied gravely, "A human-bodied, ram-headed monster suddenly appeared in the courtyard. It was extremely powerful and burned two of our soldiers to death in an instant. Fortunately, the elder was here to defeat it. Otherwise, we might have all been in grave danger."

"What?"

Dinode DeLange gasped in shock. "Your Highness, are you saying that my wife and children… were all burned to death by this creature?"

"I…"

Before Miranda Joy could respond, Dinode DeLange\'s body trembled violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground.

He was already in his sixties or seventies. Even in a world of magic, those without considerable power rarely lived beyond a hundred. His body had long since grown frail.

The thought that his wife and children were dead, and that his family line would be extinguished, was too much for him to bear.

The fact that he hadn\'t immediately died from sheer heartbreak and rage was a testament to the strength of his willpower!

Dean Bruce shook his head. He could tell that Dinode DeLange\'s reaction was genuine, not an act. This only deepened the suspicions swirling in his mind.

However, this investigation wasn\'t entirely without results.

The livestock held a significant amount of suspicion!

All the people had vanished without a trace, yet the animals remained alive—how could that be?

Another strange point was the two soldiers who were burned to death. Although their bodies disappeared completely, the air still carried a strong, pungent smell of burning—so strong, in fact, that even as they reached the courtyard gate, Dean Bruce could still smell it.

But before the incident, there hadn\'t been even the slightest hint of that scent in the entire courtyard!

Even at the Battle General\'s residence, there had been no signs of burning or any trace of such a smell.

Miranda Joy quickly instructed the soldiers to carry off the unconscious Dinode DeLange. She then turned back and approached Dean Bruce, speaking respectfully, "Elder, please follow me."

With the situation at the Treasurer\'s residence temporarily resolved, Dean Bruce mounted his warhorse and called out to the still-distraught Nicholas William, following Miranda Joy as they made their way toward the royal palace.

On the way, Dean Bruce kept his eyes fixed on Miranda Joy.

The longer he watched her, the more conflicted he felt.

Yet, everything Miranda Joy did seemed perfectly normal.

When they finally arrived at the palace, figures began to emerge—soldiers clad in full armor patrolled the grounds, their vigilance covering every inch of the royal palace.

Even with Miranda Joy leading the way, it took quite a while to navigate through the palace defenses before they reached the stairs leading to the palace itself.

Rather than entering the grandest hall directly, Miranda Joy led Dean Bruce to the end of the stairs, then turned and guided him toward the back.

They continued through row after row of courtyards, each one heavily guarded by soldiers.

Seeing this, Dean Bruce couldn\'t help but show a look of surprise. The layout and design were reminiscent of an Eastern architectural style, stirring further doubt and curiosity within him.

Before long, Dean Bruce and Nicholas William were led into a particular room.

With Miranda Joy present, the soldiers guarding the entrance did not stop them.

As soon as he stepped inside, Dean Bruce immediately sensed a faint darkness and coldness in the air. He glanced around and saw that the room was lined with shelves filled with books.

At the very back of the room, there was only a single table and a bed.

In front of the bed, a small brazier emitted weak flames that flickered intermittently, as if on the verge of going out at any moment.

Seeing this, Dean Bruce\'s curiosity deepened.

There was a fire burning in the room, so why did it feel so cold?

Through the dim light, Dean Bruce could make out a figure lying on the bed. If not for the faint rise and fall of the person\'s chest and the sound of breathing, he might have thought the individual was already dead.

"Father!"

Miranda Joy quickly stepped forward and spoke respectfully, "Our Empire of Lane Cloud is saved!"

"Hmm?"

A hurried and low voice responded as the figure slowly opened his eyes, struggling to sit up.

Seeing this, Miranda Joy rushed forward to support him. With a wave of her hand, the flames in the brazier flared up, casting more light around the room.

Illuminated by the firelight, Dean Bruce finally got a clear look at the figure.

The man was rather plump, his complexion deathly pale, devoid of any hint of blood. His eyes were filled with fatigue, as if even the act of sitting up took a tremendous amount of effort.

But what puzzled Dean Bruce even more was that the man\'s lips were a dark shade of purple!

Typically, when someone is mentally exhausted or physically drained, they would appear pale and weak, but there would be no color change in their lips.

Purple lips, on the other hand, were more indicative of poisoning!

As Dean Bruce examined the man, he noticed that the man was also scrutinizing him.

Miranda Joy\'s voice was filled with excitement as she introduced, "Father, this is an elder from the Magic Guild Headquarters. He is immensely powerful. With him here, we will surely be able to overcome this crisis!"

The man\'s lips moved slightly, and he spoke in a fragmented, faltering voice, "So… it\'s… an elder… from the Magic Guild. I… my health… isn\'t good… and I\'m unable… to offer proper hospitality… Please forgive me…"

"Tonight… I\'ll… be sure… to host a… proper banquet… to welcome… the esteemed elder…"