Felix's odd behavior immediately caught the attention of the mercenaries. An older mercenary approached Felix, bending down and reaching out to sample the giant wolf's blood.

"Don't touch," Felix's voice was cool and stern as he addressed the mercenary reaching for the blood. "It's poisonous."

At his words, the mercenary's hand froze mid-air. The townspeople watching the spectacle scattered, standing at a distance, fearful of the danger.

The mercenary captain, busy boasting about their conquest to the townsfolk, noticed the unusual scene. He eyed Felix, who was crouched next to the giant wolf's corpse, dissecting it with a dagger. "What are you doing? That's our trophy," the captain said in a grave tone.

"You've all been poisoned," Felix replied, his expression grim yet his hands unceasingly worked the dagger, skillfully slicing open the giant wolf's abdomen and meticulously removing the internal organs.

The rich, slightly pungent scent of blood permeated the air.

"We're poisoned?" The seasoned mercenary captain observed Felix, his deft dissection skills not something one sees every day. An instinct told him this young man was no ordinary individual. Otherwise, others wouldn't dare touch their spoils so boldly.

"Cut your finger with your dagger and see what color the blood is," Felix suggested without lifting his gaze, continuing his careful extraction of the giant wolf's organs.

True to his seasoned nature, the older mercenary captain, after weighing the truth in Felix's words, immediately sliced his finger with his dagger.

Blood oozed out, but to the captain's horror, it carried a tinge of disturbing black.

Witnessing this abnormality, other battle-hardened mercenaries also sliced their fingers, and without exception, their blood also bore the sinister black tint.

Felix removed the last organ from the giant wolf's body - a dark red, seemingly withered heart.

He stood abruptly, addressing the townspeople from a distance with a grave tone, "No one leaves."

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Noticing a few townspeople attempting to sneak away, Felix decisively threw his dagger.

The dagger traced a trajectory and embedded itself in the thigh of the first person trying to leave, pinning them to the ground, their blood flowing bright red. The injured person could only lie there, wailing in pain.

This act immediately stunned those contemplating escape. Felix's murderous aura left the townsfolk, unaccustomed to such violence, trembling with fear.

Scanning his surroundings, Felix approached the most elaborately dressed elder.

"Are you the mayor?" Felix asked, his voice cold and carrying a chilling intent.

"Yes," the elder quivered, replying with a voice barely above a whisper. Behind him stood two guards, who lacked even the courage to meet Felix's gaze, let alone confront him.

"I am requisitioning this town temporarily on behalf of St Pilds. As of now, I am in charge here," Felix declared, showing the elder a silver badge carved with a wingless angel, unconcerned whether he understood its significance.

"Summon the town's priest immediately and have the guards seal off this area. No one is to leave," Felix commanded, his face stern.

After giving his instructions, Felix returned to the giant wolf's corpse, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the heap of putrid organs.

If things weren't as he suspected, that would be a relief. But if his guess was correct, the situation would be dire, potentially affecting the entire human world.

The strange aura emanating from the giant wolf hinted at a terrifying term: plague.

Soon, the town's guards were mobilized, surrounding not only the townspeople but also Felix.

An elder in a pure white bishop's robe, accompanied by several priests, rushed to the scene. The mayor might not have understood what Felix had shown him, but the name St Pilds was well-known.

"I am Bishop Denokas of the Sadore Church, overseeing twelve nearby churches. And you are?" The elder in the white bishop's robe approached Felix, not underestimating him due to his youth, but instead addressing him earnestly.

Felix handed the winged angel silver badge to the bishop, commanding, "Perform purification rites for everyone here immediately. Burn the giant wolf's corpse and sprinkle the highest purity holy water where its blood has spilled. Don't use any diluted stuff."

The bishop was startled upon recognizing the badge. Others might not perceive it, but as a bishop, how could he not see the intense divine light emanating from the badge?

Upon confirming the badge's authenticity, the bishop, filled with excitement, bowed deeply, ready to kneel before Felix.

However, Felix stopped him, his face grave. "Attend to the tasks I've assigned first."

The bishop's reaction alarmed the other priests. They didn't have the rank to understand the significance of the badge, but they knew that not even a cardinal could make a bishop kneel.

With this realization, they covertly observed Felix, speculating about his identity.

Seeing the usually revered bishop ready to kneel before Felix, the mayor, who had been watching secretly, was terrified. He immediately ordered the town guards to step back and cautiously approached, waiting for Felix's commands.