128: Detention

I adjusted my illusion to a posture ready to open the door, communicated with the Dragon King through consciousness, and had it manifest in mid-air, circling in a specific flight path.

Immediately after, Randall roared, and his entire body crashed into the enemy heavy armored warrior like a catapult projectile.

"Clang…"

Sparks from the clash of two steel swords illuminated the doorway, and this time, the Holy Knight's stumbling steel boots plowed three charred marks into the flagstones.

At the same time, I controlled the Wizard's Cottage's door to open a crack half a palm wide.

The illusion cooperated by making the motion of opening the door, and several Magic Beans, prepared beforehand, shot out from the illusion's sleeves, propelled by the invisible architectural force field.

Accompanied by a rumbling explosion, they retreated behind the door, shielding everyone with their shields.

The decoy squad led by the illusion deliberately flung their cloaks towards the staircase, their leather boots creating a chaotic echo on the steps.

When the black-armored warrior's greatsword pierced the door crack like a venomous snake, the Holy Knight was bracing the oak door with his shoulder plate.

After a brief standoff, Randall's strength gave out, and the wooden door was pushed open wide enough for one person.

He had no choice but to turn and follow his teammates' footsteps, running up the stairs.

"His strength potion has worn off, chase them!" the female assassin shouted from behind.

She and the black-armored priest, followed the armored warrior, barging in.

The black-armored priest seemed to hesitate for a moment, but seeing that the female assassin and the warrior had already caught up to the stairs leading to the second floor, and the Dawn Priest was approaching from behind, she had no choice but to close the door behind her and follow her teammates' pace.

When my illusion led everyone to hide in a room on the "second floor," the three enemies had all caught up.

The black-armored priest was the most cautious; she maintained a certain distance from the two ahead of her, standing at the second-floor stairwell.

At this moment, I sat on the real staircase, looking at the three individuals "in mid-air" ahead, and instantly constructed multiple force field walls, enclosing the three in three separate, confined spaces.

At the same time, I changed the transparency of the force field walls, plunging the three into complete darkness.

Even if some of them possessed dark vision, they couldn't see through the force field, only perceiving utter blackness.

The armored warrior's longsword couldn't even be swung, trapped within the narrow walls, unable to break free from the force field's restraint no matter what he did.

The female assassin continuously stabbed with her dagger, yet couldn't even leave a scratch.

The black-armored female priest's attacks, whether striking with her flail or casting divine spells, had no effect whatsoever.

Even though these individuals had higher professional levels than Randall, they couldn't instantly generate destructive power exceeding 14.4 tons.

To my knowledge, the maximum strength of an ordinary person on the Blue Planet is only a few hundred kilograms.

Even if this world possessed extraordinary strength, assuming Randall's human limit was around 0.36 tons, with an instantaneous impact force of 0.23 tons, it would still be more than 60 times less than the force field's instantaneous destruction limit of 14.4 tons.

Even accounting for his actual strength value of 21, with an instantaneous impact force of 0.29 tons, the difference is still nearly 50 times.

According to my calculations, the damage these individuals inflicted on the force field was less than mosquito bites on a human; they could not possibly break free from the force field's restraint.

I used energy to construct another staircase leading to the room where my people were on the "second floor."

When my illusion faded into nothingness, I, myself, walked out from the "wall."

"Lord!" Randall, seeing my true form appear, knelt on one knee in a standard knight's salute, the sound of his kneepad striking the "flagstone" echoing in the "room."

Everyone followed him in saluting me.

I nodded and said, "All three have been captured. Follow me downstairs to welcome Priest Plum.

As I willed it, the wall behind me parted like melting wax, revealing a spiral staircase leading to the hall.

I heard that Priest Plum had arrived at the Wizard's Cottage's entrance with his people.

I controlled the main door to open inward automatically, revealing Priest Plum standing at the entrance with a low-ranking priest and two apprentice priests.

My Inferno Fist Guard followed behind them.

"Thank you, Priest Plum and everyone, for arriving in time to help," I said, stepping forward to greet them with my group.

"Lord Ryan, where are those assassins?" Plum asked nervously.

"They've all been captured and are already imprisoned," I said.

"That… so fast!" Plum was very surprised.

"Please, everyone, help my subordinates heal their injuries as soon as possible," I said, pointing to the heavily wounded Wesley and Koudor; Grom's minor injuries had already healed under Randall's treatment. "Also, Edeline is dead. Priest Plum, can you cast the spell of Raise Dead?"

"I cannot, but the Kedas City Lord can, though the cost is significant," the Dawn Priest replied.

"No matter the cost, I will pay," I said. As I spoke, I could feel a slight stirring among the adventure team members.

Angel's lute strings emitted a meaningless groan, Koudor's armguard vibrated slightly, and Grom's battle-axe scratched trembling marks on the ground.

Plum nodded, sending an apprentice priest to invite Kedas. He and the other two priests began to cast healing divine spells on Wesley and Koudor.

The air during the healing was filled with a mixture of herbs and holy water, Priest Plum's palms glowed with the soft golden light of dawn, and the apprentice priests' chanted healing prayers condensed into feather-like light spots in the air.

Several blood holes on Wesley's back healed rapidly, and Koudor's fractured ribs made faint sounds of bone growth under the sacred touch.

While they were healing, I sent the guards at the door back to their respective posts. Those who needed rest, rested. Since the bandits hadn't started attacking the city yet, I figured nothing major would happen today.

With guards patrolling outside, if anything happened, the well-rested troops could rise to meet the enemy immediately.

Everyone was too exhausted today.

I sent the Sword Saint to convey my orders to Old Hather, to arrange beds and other furniture to be brought in. The first adventure team would recuperate here tonight, and I also opened the first-floor restrooms and showers for them.

For Priest Plum and the others, I asked them to check on the Inferno Fist Guards' injuries, then return to the Cabin to rest. We would discuss the defense of the South City tomorrow morning.

Once everything was arranged, Randall accompanied me to the front of the "second-floor" prison.

I had already moved the three prisoners, along with the force field walls enclosing them, into three different force field rooms, which could also be called "prisons."

During the relocation, the three felt no vibration whatsoever, and their curses couldn't be heard at all.

The prisoners were like insects sealed in giant amber.

The black-armored female priest's flail striking the force field wall only stirred a few imperceptible, silent ripples.

The Holy Knight and I arrived outside the armored warrior's cell and adjusted the force field door behind us to be soundproof.

"Randall, are you good at interrogation?" I asked the Holy Knight, "I need to know who their mastermind is, their purpose in coming for me—whether it's kidnapping or assassination. And where is the bandits' lair? What are their current movements, and could they already be on their way to attack Gorebest?"

"Yes." After I adjusted the force field restraining the armored warrior to allow sound in and out, Randall began his interrogation, "In the name of the Law…"

The Holy Knight had used up his "Zone of Truth" for the day; he was now primarily using psychological pressure to compel the captives to confess.

I'm afraid it wouldn't have much effect for a while.

I left Randall there to interrogate slowly and returned to the first floor.

At this time, Edeline's body had already been carried into the hall by her teammates.

I manipulated the force field, and some chairs appeared around us.

I sat in the center, and told the others to sit and rest, waiting for the Kedas City Lord to arrive.

Half an hour later, the Kedas City Lord entered the Wizard's Cottage's hall, clarified the situation, and informed me that the Raise Dead spell would cost 2000 gold coins.

I nodded, indicating that it was no problem.

Kedas began to cast the spell, resurrecting Edeline.