Reporting the issue through official channels was out of the question, and starting a fight might not end well either.
Ashu looked at Anna. The most effective solution right now was to seek help from the Witch's Guild, but they had their own set of restrictions. For a mere handful of Cidi cultists, they likely wouldn't risk punishment by intervening.
Just then, a steady and rhythmic sound of footsteps approached from the distance. Ashu focused his gaze and saw a group of soldiers clad in specially designed armor, led by none other than Kyle.
"Nice to see you again, young one."
"Kyle, the law enforcer, you're late," Ashu said.
The others looked at the river in front of them. The collapse of the Cidi temple had caused the river to flood, leaving the riverbed temporarily dry.
The situation was clear and didn't need much explanation.
Kyle, the law enforcer, sighed in frustration and replied, "The family funds were slow in coming, and there was nothing I could do."
He then showed Ashu his army, a fully armed force clad in silver armor, with full helmets that only left a narrow slit for the eyes.
In their left hands, they held shields adorned with a cross, and in their right hands, they wielded silver spears, exuding a formidable and deadly aura.
From Kyle's tone, Ashu could tell he had a powerful family backing him, but he didn't press for more details.
"Let's go back," Ashu said, turning to Anna. Kyle was a sharp law enforcer, and as a Cidi cultist, prolonged contact could be risky.
Without a word, Anna took Ashu's arm, ready to leave. However, Kyle spoke up again.
"I'm in dire need of help," Kyle repeated, bringing up the subject he had mentioned before. Last time he invited Ashu, he was flatly refused, and now he was trying to persuade Ashu again.
He continued, "Don't refuse yet. Hear me out. As a reward, I will ask my family to use their connections to get you out of here. You can go to any city you want."
Ashu stopped in his tracks. There was no need to beat around the bush; they both knew the cultists' grip on the Riven town area. Once targeted, it was nearly impossible to escape.
And Ashu was one of those targeted. According to Kyle, he had already survived one cultist ambush and was now at the heart of their stronghold, likely entangled in a deeper conflict.
People targeted by cultists often had a tough time, needing to avoid the cultists' poison while also proving their innocence to the Sacred Cultivator Guild.
"Alright, you help me get out, and I'll go to an uncorrupted Sacred Cultivator Guild to report this and get them to send reinforcements," Ashu said.
The biggest problem in the Riven town area was the lack of reporting channels. Information couldn't get out, and both the legal and illegal authorities were under the cultists' control.
Hearing this, Kyle immediately responded, "Deal. The first priority is to take out the mayor. My family is being suppressed by him. That damn man is like a boulder blocking the channel. Only by removing him can my family use their connections to get you out."
"You must be joking." Ashu said.
"No, I'm serious."
"If we can take down the mayor, you can report to anyone you want."
"No, only your family has a witch."
Kyle, the law enforcer, had asked Ashu twice for help, and the reason was simple: Ashu's family had a witch.
The Sacred Cultivator Guild branch in Riven treated witches as holy maidens, and the same went for other branches. An ordinary person lacked the authority to make a direct impact. Even if they found a clean branch of the Sacred Cultivator Guild, a low-ranking individual's report would have to go through multiple layers of review, and it might never even reach the top. If it did, it could take an eternity.
But the status of a holy maiden allowed direct access to the branch bishop!
At that moment, Anna spoke up, "Deal."
As long as she could get Ashu out of here, reporting the cultists was a minor matter. She had a bright future ahead, but she needed time to grow. Staying here could only deepen Ashu's corruption by the Cidi cultists.
"Thank you for your assistance, Miss Witch," Kyle, the law enforcer, said with a respectful bow. He then turned to Ashu, "Mr. Ashu, what about you?"
"When do we start?"
Hearing this, Kyle, the law enforcer, knew Ashu had agreed. The weight on his mind finally lifted.
He glanced at the collapsed Cidi cultist stronghold and said, "With this place in ruins, the cultists are scattering. They are creatures of the shadows and will seek new shelter immediately. In the entire Riven town, besides the archbishop, only the mayor remains. We need to act before the cultists around the mayor can regroup. Otherwise, with just our numbers, we might not win."
"You mean you want us to storm the town hall in broad daylight, ignore the city's defenses, and kill the mayor?"
It was a ridiculous plan.
Kyle, the law enforcer, was the only one who had discovered and dared to act on the mayor's corruption. The rest of the law enforcers and the city's defense force were still loyal to Riven and the mayor.
"That's where I need your help," Kyle, the law enforcer, said, taking a risky approach. "My family can temporarily hold off the city's defense force, and my men can distract the guard post. I need you two... no, three, to quickly take out the mayor in his office, a confined space."
Ashu was cautious. His first thought upon hearing this was that they could be thrown under the bus once the deed was done.
If they could pin the murder on someone else, they could walk away clean and even gain a position of power.
"You have to come with us," Ashu said.
"Of course," Kyle, the law enforcer, replied sincerely. "I will bring you to the mayor under the pretense of a cultist kidnapping. We will act then."
One must always be wary. The situation in Riven was too complex, and who knew if Kyle's family hadn't been corrupted as well.
If he fell into another trap, he needed a scapegoat. And Kyle, the law enforcer, would be his scapegoat.
Without another word, Ashu immediately set off towards the town.
He now had a double layer of insurance. Besides using Kyle, the law enforcer, as a scapegoat, he also had the identity of a "Cidi believer." If things went south, he could immediately seek refuge with the mayor.
Righteousness was not his primary concern right now; survival was.
Thus, they all returned to Riven town.
Upon re-entering the town, Ashu could immediately sense that the atmosphere was off. The town hall was near the headquarters of the Sacred Cultivator Guild branch. As they passed by, he noticed a significant lack of people, and no nuns were working outside the church.
"Damn, we need to move faster," Kyle, the law enforcer, said, a hint of urgency appearing on his usually resolute face.
"It seems the archbishop has taken in quite a few cultists," Ashu remarked.
"That means the remaining cultists can only go to the mayor!" Kyle whispered, "Because this side is full."
With that, they all quickened their pace.
The atmosphere inside the town hall hadn't changed much yet. A few law enforcers were lounging around in the guard post.
Kyle didn't even glance at them, giving his men a subtle signal before quickly leading Ashu and the others upstairs.
The mayor's office was on the third floor, in a central position with a good view.
As they climbed the stairs, Ashu's brow furrowed before they even saw the door to the mayor's office. He sensed a familiar presence, the evil power of Cidi believers. While he already knew the mayor was a cultist, this feeling was different.
"The mayor has taken in a few," Ashu warned, primarily to gauge Kyle's reaction. As for Anna and Leia, one had a divine spiritual perception at the twelfth rank, and the other was an elf. Their senses were far more acute when it came to detecting evil power.
"Get ready," Kyle, the law enforcer, took a deep breath, walked up to the door, and knocked with a firm but not heavy hand.
Knock knock knock~~
There was a nearly thirty-second delay before a response came from inside: "Come in."
Kyle, the law enforcer, glanced at Ashu and slowly opened the door.
Through the gradually widening gap, they could see that the mayor was not alone. On either side of him stood a man and a woman. The man had a lecherous look, clearly a fellow cultist. The woman appeared dazed, likely a plaything summoned for the mayor's pleasure.
Kyle pushed the door open further, and the four of them stepped inside. The tension in the room was palpable.