Chapter 65: Execution Day

Tan Qiu arranged for the execution to take place in the town square.

In the square, there was a specialized execution platform set up. 

This place had put to death other criminals previously.

But this was the first time it had met someone like the two headed ogre Lan Lu.

To execute him, Tan Qiu had specially ordered that the execution platform be reinforced temporarily.

Execution day.

The execution platform was surrounded by the masses.

The windows and balconies on the surrounding houses were also jam-packed with people.

As the main official on stage, Tan Qiu sat in the seat of honor, with the church priest right by his side.

The Clam Cloth Merchant Alliance magician, the Night Devil Hunting Group Commander, and the bounty hunter Ba Hu were also present. 

As representatives of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, Commander Long Fu and Deputy Commander Shi Qi also took their seats. “Guang Ke, Lord Guang Ke?” “He isn’t participating, he appointed this honor to our feudal lord.” “A true pity, he is the one my son adores the most!” 

The vast majority of the masses were very disappointed when Guang Ke didn’t appear.

However, everyone quickly focused on the arrival of Lan Lu.

Personally escorted by the city guard commander and his squad, the Two Headed Pirate Group Commander, Lan Lu, staggered into everyone’s view.

The ogre magician no longer had any of his prior svelte.

His hands were clasped with enormous steel shackles and his feet dragged an iron ball half the size of a man.

He was wounded all over, and one could make out the marks of cruel punishment and torture.

His largest injury was around his neck – it was as big as a grindstone and had only lightly scarred. 

One of his heads was missing.

When he fought Guang Ke, the latter had removed that head.

The two headed ogre no longer lived up to the name, for he only had one head now. “Kill it!” “It’s really him, he killed my aunt on Thousand Bird Island. Boohoo…...” “Put him to death, put that wretched pirate to death!”

The incessantly indignant crowd threw vegetables, stones, and other unclean things at him.

Tripleblade, Lan Zao, and the others were not important enough to sit on the main stage, thus they were dispersed throughout the crowd. “Heavens, is he really an ogre boss? He is so much stronger than an ordinary ogre! Bai Ya exclaimed.

The big guy silently leaned against a wall.

He had Tripleblade, Mu Ban, and others by him.

Zi Di and Cang Xu took refuge in a faraway tower, and used it to survey the scene from a distance. “Ogres…I haven’t had the chance to truly study that race.” Cang Xu sighed, his gaze exposing his thirst for research.

Zi Di sighed too, “Ogres normally only have one head, and have low intelligence. As an ogre’s life level increases, it is certain chance that they will grow a second head. The second head has very high intelligence, thus the ogre is usually able to gain the ability to cast magic.”

When Guang Ke removed his most crucial body part, his second head, Lan Lu instantly lost his ability to cast magic, causing his battle strength to slump, it’s no wonder that ogre was able to be taken prisoner.”

After saying that, Zi Di looked at Cang Xu, “Without the second head, Lan Lu is nearly the same as an ordinary ogre, it isn’t worth studying him.”

Nevertheless, Cang Xu smiled and shook his head, “No, his value is still high, especially to you and I.”

“Are you talking about…his soul?” Zi Di instantly got his intention.

“Correct.” Cang Xu nodded, his eyes flashing faintly, “Although Lan Lu lost his second head, that part of his soul still exists. Fighters have few methods that can destroy souls, Guang Ke shouldn’t be an exception.”

“If we can obtain Lan Lu’s soul, it would be very good.”

“An ogre capable of growing a second head will have a dense spirit. If we can successfully manipulate that soul, then it won’t be a simple silver level ghost. Its spirituality will allow it to act independently, and will be the commander of our ghost army!”

After hearing Cang Xu’s explanation, Zi Di was moved.

During this time, when they were resting and reorganizing on Snake Rat Island, they had been frequently hunting in the underground.

Zi Di and Cang Xu had stocked up on ghosts, mainly comprised of tide snake and smelt rats.

Unlike prior ghost summoning, their ghosts had both quality and quantity, consisting of bronze levels, iron levels, and even one or two silver levels.

Through the Ghostly Possession spell, they had temporarily housed these ghosts in their bodies.

One could say their individual battle strength had reached an unprecedented peak.

“When a ghost has a powerful spirituality, I will use less spirit when I control it.” If Lan Lu’s soul is successfully converted, its battle strength is bound to surpass a silver level tide snake’s. “Regretfully, we cannot do that.”

Zi Di sighed when she thought that.

Their necromancer identities could not be exposed wantonly, if they were, their situation would be even worse than that of pirates.

Most crucially, Guang Ke was resting in Tan Qiu’s castle.

As for collecting Lan Lu’s soul after the execution, that was also out of the question.

Leaving aside that as time goes on, the soul will dissipate or be received by the gods, there was a Sheng Ming Church priest here who would use a divine spell to purify the scene after the execution.

Lan Lu’s soul could not be taken by Zi Di and Cang Xu.

The city guard commander who was escorting Lan Lu onto the execution platform suddenly lifted his foot and kicked Lan Lu’s bent leg.

Caught off guard, Lan Lu kneeled down.

The city guard commander used that opportunity to push his head down.

Lan Lu, realizing that his time of death was just around the corner, struggled with all of his might.

But he didn’t have a shred of strength to struggle, and even his mournful roar was tired and feeble.

He was seriously injured and had been tortured and punished by Tan Qiu’s subordinates. To prepare for this execution, he had also been drugged, sapping both his bodily strength and battle qi.

“A futile struggle.” Tan Qiu sneered as he stood up from his seat. With a grave face, he shouted, “Lan Lu!” “You assaulted my waters, looted my tax collector ships, and slaughtered innocent islanders. Your crimes are unforgiveable.”

“Now, in the name of the great Emperor, the unifier of the Sheng Ming Continent, and the supreme God, Heavenly Emperor Sheng Ming, I, Feudal Lord of Snake Rat Island, Tan Qiu of the Tan Tu Clan, hereto sentence you to death!”

“Execute him!”

“Tan Qiu’s speech was direct and efficient, and after he was finished, the entire audience cheered. “Put him to death!” “His punishment fits his crimes, this is how all pirate should end.” Long live Tan Qiu, long live the feudal lord!”

Tan Qiu, still solemn, slowly sat down.

But his heart bitterly laughed.

He wanted to give a lengthy speech to increase his renown, however, the leading role did not belong to him today, rather it belonged to the priest.

The execution only whetted the appetite, while the proclamation of the established alliance that would crusade against Rou Zang’s pirate group was the main course.

Impossible, for the priest was the greatest investor into this.

The one to carry out the sentence was the city guard commander.

As the people cheered, he took out his sword.

This silver level magic weapon had the magical sapphire light armor spell attached to it, and was also very sharp.

Lan Lu was a silver level, and an ogre’s body far outstripped a human one, thus ordinary headsmen axes would find it difficult to behead him. Therefore, the appropriate executioner was t he city guard commander.

Without any hesitation, the city guard commander aimed at Lan Lu’s neck and swung his sharp sword down. “Oh dear!” Mo Kong had been surveilling everything, and when he saw this, he had no choice but to act.

A moment later, a long prepared spell accurately struck the city guard commander.

A red light flashed.

A split second later, the scene before the commander changed drastically.

Lan Lu and the execution platform disappeared, replaced by a gigantic dragon head that opened its bloody mouth wide towards him.

The commander was alarmed, and promptly took a large step back, taking out his shield to protect himself as best as possible.

Mo Kong’s magic was effective, and to the others, it seemed the city guard commander suddenly stopped his blade, jumped back, then braced with his shield, like a tortoise withdrawing his head, it was both abrupt and comical. 

Tan Qiu immediately stood up.

The others sitting also got up, all of them on guard. “Magic!” “Not only is there a fear spell, but there is also an illusion spell…composite magic!”

“Enemies!”

“Track down the caster! They have meticulously restrained their aura.”

The priest and the others rapidly communicated.

Bang bang bang…

Another change occurred.

Many explosions occurred throughout the town simultaneously, warehouses and houses were set aflame, causing thick smoke to billow out.

Space violently fluctuated, and imps chittered and shouted as they suddenly appeared everywhere in town. They attacked in all directions and wantonly destroyed everything.

Many imps threw themselves into the square, quickly killing many commoners.

The crow sank into chaos. “A devil attack?”

“Someone used summoning magic?” “Don’t panic, stay calm everyone!” Tan Qiu shouted, “What are you waiting for, city guard attack!”

But a moment later, the feudal lord hesitated, he didn’t get the customary response.

He stared out again, and noticed that the city guard commander was still trapped in the illusion, he was bracing his shield and huddling his body as if he was withstanding a strong attack. “Lord priest, lend me your help!” Tan Qiu looked at the priest.

The priest had been praying, and when it finished at that moment, he immediately used a divine spell.

The divine spell’s radiance illuminated the city guard commander’s body, dispelling the magic on him.

The city guard commander shook his head, he had completely sobered up. “Ah, what?!” He realized the truth, and was red with shame and anger.

“You wretch!” The city guard commander lifted his sword again, and to vent his feelings, he cut down at Lan Lu.

But Lan Lu’s eyes were red, and his muscles bulged, he had actually struggled free of his chains.

He raised his head and roared and lost all reason as he brandished his fists and smashed everything around him.

The city guard commander summoned his battle qi and raised his shield as he was knocked away by Lan Lu’s fist. “He has buffing magic on him!”

“Who cast the spell?”

“Find the caster!”

Snake Rat Island’s higher ups were incessantly enraged.

Generally, a magician will leak their aura when casting, however, Mo Kong’s three actions had been superbly restrained.

Aura only leaked the moment the magic was cast. This made it difficult for others to discover Mo Kong’s true position.

Lan Lu had received buffing magic, and his physical strength had greatly increased, his previous powerlessness swept away.

The ogre race had very strong bodies that greatly surpassed humans of the same level. He pulverized the execution platform and stormed into the crowd.