The fighting on the entire commercial street finally ceased.
All over a dozen stone puppet patrol squads had been annihilated!
Although more than two hundred stone puppets were killed this time, the number of deaths was even greater. The Dark Association suffered the loss of five Yellow-tier members, and most of them sustained serious injuries.
Even among the Black-tier deacons, Xuan Shi was severely wounded, reportedly stabbed through the abdomen by a stone puppet captain. Fortunately, no internal organs were hit.
The Caesar Mercenary Group suffered even heavier casualties, with more than fifty deaths and almost all remaining members injured.
This was the casualty situation for the Dark Association!
Although the losses were significant, they were still within Qing Dao's acceptable range. At least the Dark Association retained most of its combat strength.
The situation on the Guangming Palace's side was unclear, but it was speculated that their losses were also considerable.
It was rumored that Guangming Palace had also lost a Cardinal this time, which made Qing Dao feel a lot better. If they lost one more key member, the Dark Association would have one more chance.
As for the highest mortality rate, it was among those temporary allied armed forces. Several hundred armed personnel suffered nearly 80% casualties this time.
These forces, usually not to be underestimated, were no different from ordinary people in the ruins once their firearms were rendered useless.
In front of the stone puppets, they were simply lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
It seemed they had entered the ruins as cannon fodder!
Who could they blame for dying when they dared to enter the ruins to seek treasure without knowing their own limitations?
"Notify everyone to proceed to the City Lord's Mansion together!" Qing Dao waved his hand and led his men towards the City Lord's Mansion.
With the stone puppet patrol squads all wiped out, there was no longer any force to stop them.
...
High city walls encircled the entire City Lord's Mansion, exuding a sense of immense pressure and mystery.
The City Lord's Mansion appeared very large. The only way to enter was through the wide gate capable of accommodating a bus.
The gate was made of wood, with remnants of vermillion paint still visible.
It was quite strange! Many buildings in the city were built of stone, showing traces of erosion by the years.
Yet, this wooden gate remained perfectly intact. It had to be said that the material of this wood was far superior to that of stone.
When the Dark Association members arrived at the gate of the City Lord's Mansion, the Guangming Palace also arrived with their people from the other side!
"Hasal, you've arrived quite quickly. Afraid we'll snatch the benefits inside the City Lord's Mansion first?" Qing Dao glanced at the group rushing over and then looked at an old man in a red robe with a half-smile.
Hasal, a Cardinal of Guangming Palace!
He was also considered the most troublesome opponent by Qing Dao among those who entered the ruins this time.
Cardinal Hasal placed a hand over his chest and smiled, "Esteemed Qing Dao, fortune naturally favors the destined. It has nothing to do with who enters first!"
Qing Dao scoffed, disbelieving his words.
If they were rushing over so eagerly, it was precisely because they feared the Dark Association would get there first.
He looked towards the Guangming Palace side. Besides Cardinal Hasal, there were four other Cardinals and over a dozen Divine Envoys.
The strength hierarchy of Guangming Palace: Cardinals were the top experts, second only to the Palace Master. Below them were the Cardinals, and then the Divine Envoys.
Compared to the Dark Association, Cardinals were roughly equivalent to Earth-tier experts, Cardinals to Black-tier deacons, and Divine Envoys corresponded to the Yellow-tier members of the Dark Association.
Although their numbers seemed comparable, the Dark Association currently only had about thirty members of the Caesar Mercenary Group left who were still combat-ready.
On the other hand, the Guangming Palace had only a dozen or so top assassins from the Heavenly Net left. The Tamu Mercenary Group, though depleted, still had a considerable number.
Qing Dao frowned. It seemed their side was at a slight disadvantage, especially with his subordinate Xuan Shi being severely injured and his combat effectiveness greatly reduced.
At this moment, an assassin from the Heavenly Net on the opposite side gritted his teeth and said, "My Lords Cardinals, the Dark Association killed our Heavenly Net experts during the battle. We implore your Lordships to uphold justice for the Heavenly Net!"
Although the Heavenly Net was the world's number one assassin organization, gathering eighty percent of the world's top assassins, those who reached the rank of S-class assassins could be counted on one hand.
They had brought three S-class assassins into the ruins this time, but not long ago, one of them died in battle, ambushed.
Cardinal Hasal frowned slightly and looked at Qing Dao.
"Esteemed Qing Dao, can you provide Guangming Palace with an explanation regarding this matter?"
"Did this really happen?"
Qing Dao frowned upon hearing this, then sneered, "Without proof, are you trying to make the Dark Association take the blame for your casualties?"
The Heavenly Net assassin who spoke earlier gritted his teeth, "Many people saw it. Would we falsely accuse you of this matter!"
"There were three people in total, two with bronze masks and one with a silver mask. One of them was formerly a Heavenly Net assassin named Gu Yue!"
"Hmm? Is it Xuan Qi and the others?"
Qing Dao frowned and then turned to search. He asked in a deep voice, "Where are they?"
The members of the Dark Association looked around, and indeed, Xuan Qi was nowhere to be seen.
At this moment, Huang Wu cautiously stepped forward and explained, "Reporting, my Lord, Xuan Qi and the others had led away a large group of stone puppets, and we haven't seen them since!"
Huang Wu was not with Ye Cangtian and the others during the operation, so he did not know their whereabouts.
Could they be dead?
Qing Dao frowned. Their side was already at a disadvantage, and if Xuan Qi and the others were also dead, it would be even harder to plunder the City Lord's Mansion later.
Just then, the plump Xuan Jiu pointed into the distance and said, "They are over there, coming this way!"
Everyone looked and saw three figures approaching.
Seeing that both sides had converged at the City Lord's Mansion, Ye Cangtian quickly walked forward with Huang San and Gu Yue, cupping his fists. "My Lord!"
"Good timing!" Qing Dao nodded slightly, relieved that they were alive.
He had few Black-tier experts on his side, so he didn't want any more complications!
Seeing the Guangming Palace side still staring at them, Qing Dao irritably asked, "Xuan Qi, the Guangming Palace claims that you mistakenly killed a Heavenly Net expert during the battle. Is this true?"
He only asked if it was a mistake, wanting them to understand the gravity of the situation.
Ye Cangtian glanced at the Guangming Palace and Heavenly Net sides, understood Qing Dao's intention, and directly denied it. "There is no such thing!"
"You're spewing nonsense! Our Heavenly Net S-class assassin was clearly heavily wounded by Gu Yue!" the Heavenly Net assassin retorted angrily.
Ye Cangtian glanced at the man and then sneered, "My friend, is your Heavenly Net trying to instigate conflict between the two sides and provoke an early confrontation between the two major factions?"
"I admit that my subordinate Huang Jiu, oh, that is Gu Yue, did have some misunderstandings and conflicts with your Heavenly Net before."
"But she was heavily injured by you before, and she hasn't recovered yet. How could she possibly have the strength to heavily wound an S-class assassin?"
Everyone then looked at Gu Yue, who was wearing a bronze mask. At Ye Cangtian's gesture, Gu Yue removed her mask, revealing her pale face.
Moreover, anyone could see that she was extremely weak.
Could she have heavily wounded an S-class assassin, or even killed one, in this state?
That S-class assassin from the Heavenly Net must be quite weak.
At this moment, everyone on the Dark Association side showed expressions of disdain, with some even shouting, "You're trying to frame us! I think these Heavenly Net people are deliberately looking for trouble!"
"It doesn't matter if they're looking for trouble. We can just fight again. What are Heavenly Net and Guangming Palace compared to us!"