As they approached the main group, one of the Ascetic Elders couldn't help but speak up: "Lyle, who are these people? You know how dangerous the situation in the city is right now; at their level, going in is just suicide."

"Elder Guang Lei, this is Brother Mo Han, whom Elder Guang Huo and Her Holiness the Saintess often speak of. You must have heard of him, right?" Lyle replied respectfully upon hearing this.

Guang Lei, hearing this, gazed at Mo Han with clear interest. "So, this is the young man that old Guang Huo has been endlessly praising? Heh, interesting."

Guang Lei addressed Mo Han: "I've heard tales of your deeds back in the Holy Capital, young man. You've done well. That old Guang Huo rarely praises anyone; this is the first time I’ve seen him speak so highly of someone. I suppose you can't be too bad. Come in with us."

Mo Han understood from Guang Lei's words that his personality was likely uninhibited, much like Guang Huo. If he acted overly humble now, he might be misunderstood or even looked down upon. So, he spoke up: "In that case, I thank you, Elder."

Guang Lei burst out laughing. "Good lad, you suit my taste. Not like some people nowadays, always fidgeting and twisting, acting like a young girl."

Mo Han pretended not to have heard, just standing aside with a slight smile. Seriously? I heard that sort of thing from Guang Huo last time, replied casually, and then I was grabbed by Daili and the others and disciplined for ages! Thankfully, I changed the subject quickly. Now that Murong Feixue is here too, I certainly won't be foolish enough to invite trouble upon myself.

Guang Lei didn't mind seeing this and turned to Mo Han: "Come, come, let me introduce the other two Elders to you."

He then pointed to the Ascetic Elder beside him: "This is Elder Guang Xuan, and the one next to him is Elder Guang Dian. You must get to know them properly. However, they aren't like me or that old; they prefer those who are proper and honest. Don't say I didn't warn you, hehe."

Mo Han immediately bowed respectfully to greet Elders Guang Xuan and Guang Dian. Seeing this, Guang Xuan and Guang Dian both nodded back with smiles.

"Alright, we shouldn't linger at the entrance. We can chat about things once we are inside the city. The Saintess is waiting for us in there," Guang Lei announced to everyone.

The others nodded immediately and headed into the city, leaving behind a group of stunned mercenaries staring at the retreating figures of Mo Han and his companions.

They couldn't fathom how a mere C-rank mercenary group like Mo Han's could be connected to the Church of Light, and especially with such high-ranking personnel. Although some felt distinctly annoyed by the Church of Light’s clear abuse of power, the Church's influence was so vast they were utterly powerless.

Mercenary groups that didn't meet the required standards could only vent their frustrations to the Mercenary Guild staff stationed at the gate, complaining: "Why can a C-rank mercenary group enter when our B-rank groups are denied entry?"

However, the Guild staff responsible simply replied: "If you have the ability, go find the Church of Light to take you in! Didn't you see the Church of Light brought them in just now? With the strength of the Church of Light, they naturally meet our requirements."

That response immediately shifted the blame to the Church of Light, leaving the complainants speechless. Why would they be foolish enough to argue with the Church of Light? That would just be asking for trouble! Only after entering did Mo Han and the others realize the situation inside was even more desolate than they had imagined. There were almost no people on the streets, all the shops were tightly shut, and only one or two commoners hurried along the road occasionally.

Seeing this, Mo Han couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Lyle, do you know why these civilians haven't been allowed to evacuate the city yet? Wouldn't staying inside be more dangerous for them?" Lyle shook his head helplessly, replying, "This is the decision of the Cardic Duchy. They fear that if there happen to be infected people mixed in with those evacuating, the situation would become even harder to control. Moreover, they still haven't discovered the root cause of this strange illness afflicting the populace, nor do they know how to treat it. Thus, this is the lesser of two evils. If the epidemic spreads further, it will be disastrous."

Hearing Lyle's explanation, Mo Han fell into deep contemplation, unsure what thoughts were occupying his mind.

Not long after, the group arrived before the blue light barrier. The guards here were even more heavily fortified—not only were soldiers of the Cardic Duchy maintaining martial law, but quite a few Knights-Inquisitor of the Church of Light were also present. Clearly, this was the temporary command center for the city.

Gazing intently through the blue barrier, Mo Han could only see a hazy expanse; nothing was clearly visible, only the vague outlines of figures moving within, and he could only guess how many people had been infected.

Upon seeing Guang Lei and the others, the guard soldiers quickly moved aside the temporary barricades to allow them smooth passage. The Knights-Inquisitor simultaneously raised their swords and performed a standard salute toward Guang Lei and Lyle's group.

Guang Lei and the others nodded slightly in return to the Knights-Inquisitor, seemingly satisfied with their conduct.

The party arrived before a tall building. Mo Han noticed a glittering golden plaque hanging above the center entrance, inscribed with the three large golden characters: City Lord's Mansion. This was obviously the former residence of City Lord Yima, temporarily repurposed as the command center for this crisis.

As Guang Lei and the others reached the front of the building, they saw numerous officials from the Church of Light and the Cardic Duchy already waiting at the entrance to welcome them. The Saintess of Light, Shui Ling'er, was also standing there.

When Shui Ling'er spotted Mo Han and his group trailing behind Guang Lei, she was visibly surprised, hesitating for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. She walked slowly toward Guang Lei and his company, her face wreathed in smiles: "Ling'er pays respects to the Elders."

Guang Lei and the others quickly dismounted: "The Saintess is too polite, hehe. Your friends happened to be here, so we brought them along on our way into the city."

The Church personnel behind Guang Lei all bowed respectfully to Shui Ling'er, who returned their greetings with smiles one by one.

After greeting Guang Lei and the others, Shui Ling'er smiled and addressed Guang Lei: "Elders, please proceed inside first; your rooms have been prepared. Ling'er needs to greet a few friends."

Guang Lei nodded in agreement and followed the welcoming Church personnel into the City Lord's Mansion.