Chapter 46: Heretics

“You bastard, what did you do?”

Ji Jige had hoped Meng Linna would negotiate.

Instead, she ambushed and killed the Fire Seekers’ chief.

Watching it unfold, Ji Jige was livid.

She shoved Na Naya aside, grabbed Meng Linna off the ground, and nearly threw her into the magma.

“I was just purging heretics.”

Hoisted up, Meng Linna stayed nonchalant.

“That assistant was about to curse you from behind. I struck first.”

“Curse me? Really?”

Ji Jige glanced at Na Naya, doubtful.

Na Naya looked embarrassed.

“Sorry, I didn’t notice their moves.”

She’d been browsing her system for useful items.

Both shot her disappointed looks.

No matter.

Meng Linna had another card.

“You heard him. He used the Giant’s Flame curse. That’s pure heresy to the church.”

Ji Jige relented, releasing her.

“True, that was a Flame Giant curse. Forbidden heretic power. No idea how you know so much about them. But you’re right.”

Ji Jige, often loaned to the Tribunal for her strength, knew Flame Giant powers well.

But this young nun?

Hard to imagine her sources.

“I was just prepared.”

Meng Linna dusted her heat suit.

“These people are filthy heretics. Can’t let my guard down.”

“Fair point.”

Ji Jige turned to Na Naya.

“Candidate, you need this insight.”

Na Naya, knowing she’d slipped up, bowed her head.

“Thank you, Bishop. I’ll try harder.”

“Mhm.”

Ji Jige nodded, satisfied, but her mind was on Meng Linna.

Suspicious.

The chief used a Flame Giant curse.

But no proof he planned to attack first.

After dealing with these heretics, she’d watch this nun closely.

For now, the Fire Seekers were priority.

Ji Jige coughed.

“Whatever the cause, they’re dead. Let’s set our investigation plan.”

The fight was loud, but the villagers didn’t notice.

Volcano rumbles drowned it out.

Plus, craftsmen hammered weapons constantly.

“No need to hesitate. Kill them all. No one here’s innocent.”

As a reincarnator, Meng Linna knew the village worshipped the evil fire god.

Wiping them out was fine.

Ji Jige, a seasoned heretic hunter, paused.

“Got proof?”

“Of course…”

Meng Linna started, then faltered.

In her past life, they confirmed the village’s heresy by finding the Flame Giant Whip at the chief’s house.

Every home had replicas.

The whip, woven from a Flame Giant’s red hair, was damning evidence of evil worship.

But now, Na Naya had the whip.

How did her system work?

If it duplicated the whip, fine.

But if it took the actual whip…

How could they prove the village worshipped Flame Giants?

Even if every home had replica models, without the real whip, how could she convince Ji Jige?

Meng Linna hesitated.

“Probably?”

Ji Jige crossed her arms.

“So you’re not sure?”

Meng Linna spread her hands.

“I’m not a villager. How would I know for sure?”

Na Naya spoke up.

“Once heresy touches a village, it’s hard to say. In remote places like this, far from the goddess’s light, it’s easy to stray.”

Her words made sense.

Even Ji Jige, skeptical of Meng Linna, had to consider them.

As a heretic hunter, she knew how fast heresy spread in isolated villages.

“Not wrong. But we’re the church. We need evidence. Those two are dead, fine. But we can’t confirm the rest are heretics. No acting without proof, got it?”

She glared at Meng Linna.

“Okay—”

Meng Linna drawled lazily.

***

With no witnesses, they pushed the assistant’s body into the magma.

They cleaned the murder traces.

For now, they could investigate the villagers.

Probably.

Meng Linna’s ambush and belief in the village’s heresy made Ji Jige wary.

She assigned Meng Linna to talk with the villagers.

She and Na Naya would follow.

If Meng Linna tried another ambush, Ji Jige would stop her instantly.