A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

In the mid-levels of the Lower District, Marlena stood in a room, looking down at the chaotic scene on the street below through the window.

Four tattooed, vicious-looking thugs were being surrounded by some civilians, their increasingly agitated shouts audible even from here.

"It seems... it's still not enough."

The girl with her arms crossed lightly tapped her arm with her index finger, thoughtfully watching the others—more people still observing—and murmured to herself, "Even at this point, it's still not enough?"

This situation was within Marlena's expectations. As long as most people, or even all people, weren't completely indifferent, the people of the Lower District could still be salvaged.

Her greatest fear was that these civilians, due to their long-term lives at the bottom, would have their last traces of blood and dignity eroded by their yearning and longing for the extraordinary's "gifts." If that were the case... then they, at least this batch of people, would be utterly beyond saving.

With this thought, Marlena took out a telecrystal and calmly said, "Continue to provoke them, ignite their anger."

Then, among the blocked thugs, someone suddenly shouted loudly:

"Wanna die, huh? That kid dared to steal our money, and this is the price! Don't think that running to the Upper District to submit a request will save you. Let me tell you... they can't always protect you scumbags!"

...Adventurers sure know how to talk trash.

The gang members being surrounded, and the boy thrown down to incite public anger, were all adventurers Marlena had gotten from Milo.

The original gang members had already been dealt with, and the boy had been placed with a foster family in the Upper District by Marlena, not wanting to return here at all.

For now, there was no need for any real sacrifices, but from the looks of it... an even greater flame was needed to ignite the civilians' fervor.

At that time, simple acting might not be enough.

Marlena looked at the group of clearly angered but hesitant-to-advance civilians and whispered to herself.

"A week... no, three to five days should be enough."

The girl leaning by the window slowly finalized her plan.

"Continuously provoke real conflicts, incessantly incite their hatred and anger. If they can collectively or mostly rise up in retaliation, then we can continue this."

The order of the Lower District is essentially chaos. Milo and other adventurers treat this place as their playground, never genuinely caring about its development. There is no clear administrative system, no defined positions, which led to the previous situation where gangs controlled order.

However, the three major leaders have already been dealt with by Seri, giving them a certain level of confidence. Additionally, all the civilians previously banding together to commission extraordinary beings to purge the remaining gang members... their fear of these former rulers should now be at its lowest.

All the first and second-stage extraordinary beings in the Lower District have been thoroughly cleansed, leaving only ordinary gang members.

If, under these circumstances, they still lack the courage to rise up, Marlina will have no choice but to abandon this testing ground. She would then have Milo create a facade of peace for Seraphina, urging her to leave.

The focus will then shift to how to use Dispute Fortress as a center, leveraging Milo, the Whistling Legion, the Executioners, and even the Duke of Azuregold's connections, to spread a vast network across the Western Lands.

This network will undoubtedly aid Mr. Ansel. Even though Shadewell's influence spans the West, their primary focus remains on finding Evora, inevitably leading to oversights. I will fill in those gaps.

Once Seri's troubles here are resolved, I might use this network to further stabilize her subsequent training. This way, Rhine will be even more reliant on me.

What Shadewell can do, I can also achieve; what the Garden can accomplish, I can surpass!

Marlina slowly clenched her fist, exhaling the heated breath of excitement from her lungs, and continued to observe the scene outside the window.

Her heart carried more burdens, her thoughts grew increasingly complex, yet Marlina felt more... tireless.

She was like a young beast that, having tasted blood, could no longer endure the dry taste of grass and leaves. Yet amidst her restless heart, an extraordinary calmness resided.

Marlina had never felt so lucid, nor so full of drive.

On the street, the adventurers playing gang members seemed to be getting into the spirit, deviating from the script Marlina had given them. They began to shove the civilians surrounding them, and when the civilians fought back, they even threw a punch directly at one of their faces.

Adventurers... a pack of loathsome hyenas.

Marlina's gaze turned cold, her agreement with Ansel's words reaching new heights.

According to the original script, they were supposed to "flee in panic" once enough anger and resentment had been stirred, allowing the civilians to savor the sweet fruit of victory through unity. Instead, they were now brawling... deepening the hatred was not wrong, but it should not be happening now.

"Do you wish to be torn to shreds by Lady Inothea?"

Marlina's voice, soft and melodious, resonated through the communication crystal, "If that's your desire, then by all means, continue."

Even from afar, Marlina could see the adventurer, who was gleefully pummeling a civilian, suddenly freeze in place.

He had no choice but to stop, and the other adventurers, daunted, ceased their actions and prepared to flee obediently.

Just as Marlina breathed a sigh of relief and lowered the communication crystal, ready to turn and leave, a furious roar echoed through the mid-levels of the district.

"You wretches... are you courting death?"

The roar, akin to thunder, was accompanied by a genuine storm that swept through, the violent winds carrying palpable wrath, emanating from a figure that descended like a falling star.

Boom, boom, boom, boom—

Deafening crashes and clouds of dust erupted on the street, with the terrifying speed creating visible voids in the air. The immense force gouged a deep trench along the road.

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