Multiple dead bodies were strewn everywhere and were already decomposing. The person who first discovered the anomaly didn't dare to enter. He quickly raised alarm, and soon a large crowd had gathered in front of the Thorne estate.
All of them stared with mixed emotions on their faces. Some looked on in horror, while others stared in fear. Eventually, a few brave individuals decided to check the state inside.
A few men, all wearing the same set of clothing, ventured inside the Thorne estate. Upon seeing them, the crowd made way for them. The symbols on their clothes were not unfamiliar to them, and they understood what they represented. As for who they were,.....
Immediately they entered into the Thorne Estate, they spotted the array of flags that were used to create the previous illusions.
One of them ventured closer to them and started examining them enthusiastically.
"Whoa. These are some pretty high-level array flags. Who would have thought they would only be used to construct an illusion formation?" The man asked, excitement evident in his voice.
"Stop asking stupid questions and just continue your investigation, Allen," A gruff, bearded man said. As he and the rest of the team waited patiently for him.
The man named Allen didn't pay attention to his team leader's words as all his attention had shifted back onto the formations on the ground. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, Allen finally spoke.
"This is more than one formation here. From what I can see, there are a total of three. There is an illusion formation, soundproofing formation, and soul blocking formation.
And they're all very advanced as well. I can't confirm the grade, but all I can say is that they are definitely above the spirit rank."
This statement made everyone present frown. They didn't doubt Allen's words. Though he was a bit goofy, he knew when to be serious and when not to be.
"What the hell happened here then?" Another member said while frowning. He was a short, stout man with bulging muscles bigger than his head. His name was Bose.
The other two members turned their attention to their team leader after hearing Bose's question. The present situation didn't look good. For a formation above the spirit rank to be present, the situation was undoubtedly unclear.
Furthermore, they had technically trespassed into the Thorne estate. Even if it was for a good reason, if the members of the Thorne family were to attack and detain them, they wouldn't be able to resist.
Even the power behind them wouldn't be able to save them easily. After thinking it over for a few seconds, the team leader, David, finally let out a breath before speaking in a deep voice.
"Let's go in. If things get rough, we'll simply say we were sent here by the higher-ups. I don't think the Thorne family will make things too difficult for us."
The rest of the team nodded their heads, and they continued to make their way further into the Thorne estate. The scene of destroyed buildings and dead bodies along the way made them even more uneasy.
The fact that they hadn't met a single living member of the family also surprised them. At this point, some of them were even hoping to be confronted by the members of the Thorne family.
At least that would get rid of this depressing atmosphere that lingered around them. When they finally got to the main pavilion. They were astounded.
Even the usually stoic David had his mouth open in sheer astonishment. They had thought that the destruction they witnessed in the outer residences was bad enough. This was on a completely different level.
They searched each building one by one, and only found dead bodies inside. Even the main family hall of the Thorne family was in shambles. However, the bodies of the Patriarch and the two madams were nowhere to be found.
However, those of high ranking members and officials of the family could be found. The five-man team came to a conclusion that even they didn't want to believe.
The Thorne family was destroyed. And going by the sinister and baleful qi that was present in the surroundings, it was clear which faction was responsible.
It was a statement so unbelievable that they would probably get beaten for it if they said it out loud in the city. However, the truth was in front of their eyes.
'"Holy shit. This is unbelievable!" Allen muttered to himself after they finished searching through the rubble.
"Indeed. This development is too huge. We have to return immediately to report it. I'm afraid the whole continent is about to receive a huge shock." David said in one of the rare moments he agreed with Allen.
With that, they immediately rushed out of the Thorne estate. Ignoring the questioning gazes of the crowd that had gathered in front of the estate, they swiftly made their way to s large store located in the core of the city.
The residents were surprised by their actions. However, no one dared to stop them. They could only watch as the five men disappeared from their view.
After a few hours, a shocking piece of news started circulating among the residents of the city. The destruction of the House of Thorne was finally exposed. The residents in the city were in a state of panic as they had no idea when it happened.
Most didn't believe it at first. They thought it was a hoax being spread by some troublemakers. A few people were even beaten for spreading such false rumors.
However, as time passed, the information was confirmed by those living in the core region of the city. By the end of the day, the entire city had been completely turned upside down.
Many merchants had already resolved to vacate the city. Some of the shops owned by the Thorne family had already started being ransacked by some brave individuals.
The organization that David's team belonged to was the first to act. They dispatched many powerful individuals to take control of all the major shops owned by the House of Thorne in the core region.
While others were scrambling to escape, it was clear that they had other priorities.