Work Prophet
Chapter 702 - 28 The Death of Hirodod

Chapter 702: Chapter 28 The Death of Hirodod

History is not a novel, but often it is more dramatic than any fiction.

Because history does not need to consider the narrative arc: the setup, the confrontation, the turn, and the resolution.

Many once-insurmountable and awe-inspiring figures have had their exits filled with irony and absurdity.

Take, for instance, the great king who died of suffocation after breaking his shinbone lifting a heavy cauldron or the philosopher who was killed by a turtle falling on his head during a seaside stroll, or even the Pope who was thrown out a window for sleeping with someone else’s wife...

And now, Hirodod, plummeting from the skies at breakneck speed.

This famously notorious heretic of the Silver Moon Church had single-handedly established the Blood Moon Association, causing countless lords in the Western Territories to live in constant fear. Numerous enemies wanted him dead, yet until just moments ago, he had been perfectly alive.

Not just alive, but Hirodod had just secured an unprecedented miraculous victory that catapulted his personal standing to its zenith.

No longer content with lurking in the shadows, this trial was his and the Blood Moon Association’s chance to step into the light, regaining the support of the faithful and basking in the sun’s glow.

Hirodod had been plotting for this day for a long time.

He had calculated every possibility. As a master in the art of assassination, he naturally had safeguards against any attempt on his life and had arranged for a tight security detail in advance.

The trial exhibited a lax exterior but was tightly secured within; no matter where an assassin might dare to show up, Hirodod was confident that he could capture them instantly.

However, he had completely overlooked the threat from above.

Even though the Wing Tribe had invaded the Bratis Continent, they had not reached the Western Territories, nor did they have any connection with Hirodod or his Blood Moon Association.

As a result, Hirodod naturally ignored them.

But facing such an assassin descending from the heavens, even if one was prepared, it was still difficult to defend against.

Especially since Li Yu had given Zhu Zhigang a gun before departure. The plan was for Zhu Zhigang to use his ability to fly to evade the city guards, hide in nearby buildings, and shoot Hirodod amidst the chaos.

The new gun Ge Lipeng had been modified with rifling, greatly improving its accuracy and allowing Zhu Zhigang, the executioner, to shoot from a considerable distance.

It was best to act when the crowd was cheering or shouting so the noise could drown out the gunshots, allowing Zhu Zhigang to calmly leave after eliminating the target.

However, Zhu Zhigang himself was not satisfied with the plan, as an unannounced sneak attack was the most contemptible tactic in the world of martial arts.

Furthermore, with the special privilege granted by Li Yu to act according to the situation, Zhu Zhigang decided to observe first after finding a good hiding spot.

And just by chance, he saw Gwen dive into the crowd, slashing wildly and attracting the attention of everyone present.

Therefore, Zhu Zhigang made a split-second decision, leapt out from his hiding place, pounced towards Hirodod, and did not forget to shout loudly, "Evildoer, your life ends here!"

This proclamation was quite deliberate: firstly, it announced his purpose, indicating that his action was justified; secondly, it served as a warning, so what followed would no longer be considered a surprise attack.

However, since Zhu Zhigang was speaking in Chinese, and the scene was quite noisy at the moment, it’s likely that Hirodod didn’t hear him very clearly.

It wasn’t until Zhu Zhigang took hold of his shoulder that Hirodod couldn’t fully grasp what happened, his face still bearing a smile.

Zhu Zhigang didn’t bother being polite with him. The greeting had already been made, and not being able to hear it was the opponent’s own problem.

Zhu Zhigang couldn’t just wait around until Hirodod had fully reacted before making a move; Hirodod still had many minions by his side.

Zhu Zhigang also knew that once he was discovered by those minions, his situation would become very dangerous.

So, as soon as he grabbed Hirodod, he flapped his wings and soared into the sky.

By the time the archers reacted, the two of them were already twenty to thirty meters above the ground, and those people dared not act rashly in an instant.

They could only watch helplessly as Zhu Zhigang continued to climb higher until the people on the ground turned into tiny black dots. Zhu Zhigang held Hirodod with one hand and pulled out the Sun and Moon Axes he carried with him. Without further ado, he plunged one into the other’s throat.

"The eradicator, Bruce of the Double Rest Sect, that’s me. When you get to Yama Hall, remember to give my name," Zhu Zhigang said.

After speaking, he let go, sending Hirodod’s body plummeting down.

Having successfully completed his mission, Zhu Zhigang then flapped his wings and left Duolin City.

Hirodod’s body fell from the sky, smashing forcefully onto the ground. His head hit the stone steps first, instantly shattering, and his neck broke along with it.

The entire body was so mangled by the fall that it was almost unrecognizable.

This left the congregants present utterly horrified, and a deathly silence prevailed in front of the temple, with no one speaking for quite some time.

Quintus was also shocked. He had been prepared to be judged and even killed, but he didn’t expect that Hirodod, the Judge, would be the first to die—and in such a gruesome manner, executed in front of tens of thousands of onlookers.

Especially considering that assassination had always been Hirodod and the Blood Moon Association’s preferred method, from this perspective, his death seemed like it too was subject to a kind of judgement.

Afterward, Quintus realized he seemed to have been forgotten. He was supposed to be judged immediately after Gwen, but now the priests of the Blood Moon Association were all gathered around Hirodod’s body, and no one was paying attention to him anymore.

Even the guards keeping watch over him were tiptoeing and stretching their necks to look towards the stone steps, their faces filled with shock and bewilderment.

However, Quintus did not take the opportunity to run. First, he did not believe he could escape, and secondly, he did not know where to escape to.

Duolin City had originally been the Holy City of the Silver Moon Church, but now it was occupied by the Blood Moon Association, and of the newly elected High Priests, he was the only one left.

Quintus was filled with a sense of aimlessness.

He wasn’t the only one feeling aimless about the future. The Blood Moon Association was established by Hirodod himself, and its operation and maintenance entirely depended on him.

Everyone in the Church firmly believed Hirodod was the Savior chosen by Pisya, following him unconditionally, worshiping him.

This organization structure ensured Hirodod’s supreme authority, allowing his commands to be enforced to the greatest extent.

But the problem was that once they lost Hirodod as their leader, the Blood Moon Association would be left paralyzed, without a second person of sufficient prestige to command respect.

And with Hirodod’s death, his claim to being the Savior was also declared bankrupt, which also caused the Blood Moon Association to lose its persuasive power over the common followers.

The crowd fell silent, only to soon afterward plunge into an even greater unease.