Sword God in a World of Magic

The soldiers didn't want to show it, but they subconsciously became wary of their officer.

Everything pointed to the fact that he was a traitor.

Shang could have kept the suspicious information a secret and could have passed it along to the relevant authorities.

Yet, he had unveiled all the suspicious information without censoring it.

He was essentially publicly accusing the officer of being a traitor without saying it directly.

The soldiers became very nervous.

If their officer were truly a traitor…

Then, would he just kill all of them to silence them?!

"They were smart," the officer said.

Shang and the soldiers only looked at him.

"Remember, no plan is complete without a backup plan for when the primary plan backfires," the officer explained. "By sending nine people, their primary plan evidently was to wake the True Path Stage beast."

"But if they fail, their backup plan was to get rid of me," the officer said.

The officer gestured to the corpses.

"They are most likely criminals on death row," he said. "Duke Mithril has a policy that criminals can gain freedom as long as they accomplish a deadly mission. The criminals have to take a poison to which only Duke Mithril's soldiers have an antidote."

"If they flee, they die. If they fail, they die. They can only survive by completing the mission."

"You told me that they threw the Firebombs into the lake without concern for their life," the officer said.

Shang nodded.

"This means near-certain death for them. Normal soldiers don't just throw their lives away like that. Only someone with no way out would consider doing something like this."

"Criminals are not part of Duke Mithril's main force," the officer explained. "The fact that they sent criminals means that they, to a certain extent, have expected this mission to fail."

Shang didn't say anything.

their plan succeeded to some degree. I will surely be investigated by the higher-ups after today, no matter what

SHING!

officer summoned a Communication Crystal. "Might as well do it

at

visible due to

a bit. He still suspected the

had unveiled all

was just

Shang reported everything to the relevant authorities, it might be possible that a biased investigation would take place. It would have been possible

He wanted to give the officer a chance

officer reported everything, leaving no

blowing up in anger, but not

"You found a tunnel and didn't report it?! You put us all at

tongue-lashing, the superior

only

with access to only my

superior exploded once again, berating

It was thoroughly humiliating.

be put under investigation!" the superior shouted through the Communication

was

give you one week to get everything in order for your replacement.

now, you will wait near the tunnel

then, the superior

looked

heard that a Circle would arrive, they took a deep breath. Only now did they truly realize how far out of their depth this task had

lot. He still

decision to give the officer a chance to defend

in the mood to talk, so everyone waited in

they didn't have to wait for

new guards of the

in luxurious robes, each

looked over and felt Mana swirl around the

What was a Circle?