Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 394: Urgent Search
Xi Wei squinted suspiciously as he scanned the statues again, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Just as Bishop Onians had said, these statues were merely the fruits of his leisure.
Even the system’s built-in information-viewing ability yielded no special insights from the statues.
【Inferior Virtue Angel Statue I】
【Inferior Virtue Angel Statue II】
【Inferior Virtue Angel Statue III】
The three angel statues differed only in their numbering. In terms of carving skill, there was indeed gradual progress, with the third statue’s face already appearing softer. In addition, with the help of the electric light from Bai Yao’s head, Xi Wei discovered some other easily overlooked details around the statues.
“Did you only sculpt these three statues?”
Xi Wei stood up, his gaze intensely fixed on Bishop Onians, whose hands were held by soldiers.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Bishop Onians lowered his head, his gaze evasive.
“Only those three statues. I couldn’t find more stone. Dragonflame City is surrounded by forests, and these three complete rocks were salvaged from the ruins of Dragonflame City, abandoned scrap stone that no one used.”
“You’re lying!” Xi Wei let out a cold laugh, pointing at the ground near the three angel statues and saying sternly,
“Although they are largely covered by dust, there are clearly traces here of where other statues were once placed. And there were exactly three of them. Ruling out secondary transport, there should be three more statues. Where did those three statues go!?”
“This…” Bishop Onians turned pale with shock. He never imagined that Xi Wei would observe so meticulously even in the dim environment of the basement.
The old priest also moved closer to Xi Wei. He followed the direction of Xi Wei’s finger and indeed saw three shallow imprints. The dust there was thinner than in the surrounding area; one wouldn’t notice it without careful inspection. It was evident that something had been placed there for a period of time, and when compared to the bases of the nearby statues, everything became clear.
“Your Majesty, I did not tell the truth. Besides those three statues, there were indeed three more,” Bishop Onians’ expression grew increasingly bitter as he realized he could no longer conceal it. He licked his dry lips and explained timidly,
“Those three statues used the stone material for building the Shrine. This counts as misappropriating public resources, so after I finished carving them, I moved the three statues home when no one was around. Those three statues were carved quite well and could be used as decorations at home.”
“Hoo!” Xi Wei exclaimed in surprise.
“Then Bishop’s home must be very large? To need three statues as decorations, I’m very curious. I wonder if I’ll have the chance to visit your home?”
Sweat beaded on Bishop Onians’ forehead, unsure if it was from pain or fear. His plump body trembled slightly, his hands clenched, and he still dared not meet Xi Wei’s gaze.
After a moment of hesitation, he stammered, “Y-Your Majesty, there’s nothing worth seeing at my home. You visiting would dirty your eyes… I, I admit I molested Shanna. I confess!”
Bishop Onians suddenly confessed, and the followers and priests around him let out a burst of jeers. But Xi Wei had no intention of letting Bishop Onians off. However, mere indecency was not a crime punishable by death. This fat man was definitely still hiding something.
“You don’t have to rush to confess,” he leaned down, gazing into Bishop Onians’ evasive eyes. “Whatever crime you’ve committed, I will dig it all out, piece by piece. Of course, the thing I want to do most right now is visit the Bishop’s home.”
The King’s procession set off again. Their next destination was Bishop Onians’ home. It was already the afternoon. The late autumn sunlight was not as gentle as it appeared. After walking in the sun for a while, many people began to sweat.
Bishop Onians’ home was located in the northwest corner of Dragonflame City, three streets away from the Shrine of the Goddess of Abundance. It was a detached villa; the bricks and tiles looked quite new, standing out in contrast to the surrounding mud houses. Considering Bishop Onians was once an Earth Mage, Xi Wei surmised that this building was self-constructed by Bishop Onians.
On a nearby tower, a group of Dragonflame City guards were chatting and laughing. They noticed the crowd surrounding the Bishop’s house but did not interfere. City Lord Yogg-Saron was among the procession, his face stern, so these soldiers dared not meddle.
With a thunderous bang, the exquisitely carved oak door of the Bishop’s house was kicked open by Xi Wei. Wooden fragments scattered beneath Xi Wei’s Knight Boots, and a woman’s scream came from the courtyard. Yogg-Saron drew the Long Sword from his waist and quickly chopped through the remaining oak planks on the threshold.
Xi Wei kicked aside the debris and walked in, Bai Yao gripping his clothes, following closely beside him. The Bailiff and Yogg-Saron followed close behind. The fireplace in the house was no longer lit, but the embers still emitted a feeble heat. The Bedroom was pitch black. Xi Wei lifted the covers, and a naked female attendant shrieked and cowered into a ball. She trembled all over, lowered her head, and softly pleaded, “Lord, please don’t kill me, I don’t want to die…” She tried her best to cover her suggestive parts with her hands, but alas, she only had two hands, and covering the top left the bottom exposed, never enough.
“Leave here,” Xi Wei let out a cold snort. “I’ll give you three minutes to get dressed.” He turned and walked out of the room with his subordinates.
After a rustling sound, the female attendant, dressed and trembling, appeared before everyone. Yogg-Saron ordered soldiers to take the girl outside. The oak debris caused the girl to stumble, and sharp wooden splinters tore her tender skin, leaving spots of blood. Yet, the soldiers’ movements remained rough. Ignoring the girl’s screams, they dragged her out and pushed her into the courtyard.
“Bishop Onians’ private life seems quite eventful,” Xi Wei glanced at the plump Bishop, who had his head lowered. This girl was clearly waiting for Bishop Onians to come home, perhaps to lift the sheets and give him a surprise.
“I just wonder how your private life is, Priest?” Xi Wei turned his head and looked at the old priest with a half-smile.
“Your Majesty! Look at my aged body!” The old priest’s eyes widened, a hidden anger flashing within them. If the person before him were not the Emperor of the entire Wintery Empire, he swore he would have used that heavy Gospel to strike the man’s head. “I have dedicated my life to the Goddess. Carnal desires are not what I pursue.” The old priest pointed a finger to the sky and guaranteed, “You can search my rooms as you please. If you can find even a single hair of a woman, I am willing to hang myself at the entrance of the Shrine.”
