rslcontracting Chapter 492 - 491: In the Darkness
Chapter 492 - 491: In the Darkness
Sevin Terry knew that he had no way back.
Moreover, he couldn’t find a better path than the one he was on now.
He had read every flyer the Cecil Clan distributed when they entered the city, and he had also heard the rumors circulating in the outer city district. He understood that the Cecil Clan was promoting a nearly heretical version of the Faith of Holy Light, which blurred the boundaries between man and God. Frankly speaking, he found these ideas quite repulsive. As someone who had devoutly believed in God for half his life, he could not accept the Cecil Clan’s claim that the "Holy Light originates from the heart."
However, he could not accept how the current Holy Light Church used faith as a means to hoard wealth and relied on the Holy Light for violence.
He accepted Amber’s invitation and then thoroughly learned about what he needed to do.
"We can find a way to interfere with the small chapel district’s guards and simultaneously disable the theurgy circle’s defenses. But the road leading to the Grand Cathedral is out of our control," said the low-level cleric, explaining the internal situation of the church district. "The Disciplinary Monk Order and Church Knights guard all the gates, and they only take orders from the Grand Cathedral."
"What about the combat capability of those Disciplinary Monks and Church Knights? Do you think they will desperately defend the Grand Cathedral?"
"...Disciplinary Monks are professionals more skilled in faith judgment and disciplinary spells rather than direct combat. As for the Church Knights... they used to be the strongest defensive force of the Lu’an Grand Cathedral, but last time Bishop Leimont took all the high-level knights with him. A large number of middle-ranked and novice knights died assisting the noble lord in battles. Now, their remaining combat strength may be less than twenty percent," Sevin Terry detailed, "but to ordinary people, they are still lethal."
"Don’t worry about that part. There will be other forces joining to help. You just need to provide me with the route map and the defense arrangements of the church district."
"Alright."
After handing over this most crucial intelligence, Sevin Terry felt an abrupt sense of relief, as if he had completed a significant mission and sighed deeply. Amber, on the other hand, observed the fatigue accumulated over days on the middle-aged cleric’s face and suddenly, seemingly nonchalantly, asked, "If I’m not mistaken, the Holy Light Power of quite a few priests in the church district should have diminished to varying degrees by now..."
Sevin Terry immediately showed surprise: "How did you know?!"
"At the heterodoxies trial site, the effect of divine arts cannot be deceived," Amber slightly shook her head. "Although I suspect there is a significant issue with the divine arts used for identifying heterodoxies, perhaps making most ordinary people show signs of shaken faith, for those of you who are supposed to be devout clergymen... its effect shouldn’t be that pronounced. I carefully observed each of your expressions at the time. Your wavering, surprise, and panic were genuine."
Sevin Terry fell silent, and the two low-level clerics beside him also looked down with complex expressions. After a few seconds of silence, one of the low-level clerics finally spoke: "...Your observation is sharp."
"At least one-third of the clergymen have experienced varying degrees of power decline," Sevin Terry continued, "the most severe even regressed in level. To be honest, it’s not uncommon for clerics to experience a temporary power decline due to misguided faith. However, the scale of this faith crisis might be the first since the establishment of the Lu’an Grand Cathedral..."
Amber pursued further: "When did the situation of many experiencing power decline first occur?"
"Since the order to collect indulgence money and suppress Otherworldly God faiths came from the Plains of the Holy Spirits, my Holy Light Power has stagnated. Many in the church district are in a similar situation. We cannot accept these practices contrary to the Church of the Holy Light’s doctrine."
Amber blinked, and with a speculative tone, muttered, "It seems it is indeed so..."
Just as Gawain had speculated, what happened to Wright was not an isolated case.
Although the Holy Light Church’s recent aggressive actions have, on one hand, amassed enormous wealth and rapidly increased the Church’s strength, on the other hand, they have also led to excessive questioning by the conscientious lower-tier priests within the Church. The split between the doctrine of the Holy Light Canon and the Church’s actual behavior has created more and more low-level clerics with shaken faith like Wright. As time goes on, this situation will only worsen...
Is the Holy Light Church truly unaware of these disruptions occurring at the grassroots level? Or have they realized it, yet still felt compelled to proceed, risking church division and some clergymen’s abandonment of their faith, just to ensure the Church’s rapid growth in the short term despite it being akin to drinking poison to quench thirst?
Amber racked her brain but found herself completely at a loss, so she simply shook her head and temporarily shelved the issue—after all, she was just here to gather intelligence and cause a bit of sabotage. Analyzing these headache-inducing matters was the specialty of that old man in the rear. Once she reported the situation to him, he could worry about it.
Sevin Terry didn’t catch Amber’s murmurs clearly and asked curiously, "What did you just say?"
"Nothing," Amber waved her hand, "Let’s settle it like this. Everything can be discussed once the dust has settled."
Sevin Terry nodded slightly, but before getting up to leave, he suddenly seemed to remember something: "There’s something I think I should remind you of—although I don’t know what kind of supernatural power you’ve prepared, but be very careful of Fran Belon. I feel something is wrong with him."
"Fran Belon?" Amber raised her eyebrow, "According to intelligence, he should just be a middle-ranked peak priest. If it weren’t for all the high-level powerhouses of the Southern Church being wiped out, he wouldn’t have become a bishop at all."
"He is indeed middle-ranked, but he now controls the cathedral’s core theurgy circle, so his strength may not be so easy to assess," Sevin Terry said seriously, "Moreover, ever since the heterodoxies trial four days ago, he has locked himself inside the cathedral and hasn’t shown himself once. Even the head of the Disciplinary Monk Order hasn’t had the chance to meet him. This is very unusual. I prayed to the Lord, and the feedback from the Holy Light was filled with unsettling visions and howling sounds. I can feel there is a strong power gathering in the cathedral, it seems like the Holy Light, but there’s something else mixed in... In short, we must handle this carefully."
"...Oh my God, might be planning some last-minute breakthrough routine..."
Sevin Terry didn’t catch it: "What?"
"Don’t worry about it," Amber quickly waved her hand, "I’ll report the situation to the higher-ups, don’t worry, this operation is very solid."
No matter what Fran Belon is doing in the cathedral, the Cecil Clan has enough strength to suppress it. At worst, let the team make some trouble in the Outer City District, then Byron and Philip can bomb the Inner City District directly. Against sufficient amounts of artistic firepower, even if he’s the main character planning a breakthrough, it’s useless—when the ’circle’ is blown flat...
Amber didn’t realize at all, almost unconsciously, that her way of thinking had been greatly influenced by Gawain...
"So I’ll be going back now," after discussing the matters, Sevin Terry stood up and gave Amber a cleric’s salute, "Being away from the church district for too long might get noticed."
Amber nodded, but just when the three clergymen were about to reach the door, she suddenly called them from behind: "Regarding your Holy Light power that’s declining... the Cecil Clan has a solution."
To ensure the reliability of the "insiders" in the church district, she decided to reveal some "bait" in advance.
As expected, Sevin Terry immediately stopped, with a look of disbelief: "Are you serious?"
Power decline caused by faith wavering has always been an irresolvable issue for clergymen, basically only cured by the passage of time or oneself’s breakthrough. Most people won’t be cured in their lifetime and can at most maintain a stagnant state in the power of Divine Arts, but those from the Cecil Clan... actually have a way?
"The flyers don’t make it very clear, but Wright indeed found a new path of the holy light, and this path... everyone has the opportunity to try."
Sevin Terry’s eyes became excited. There’s nothing more tempting for a devoted believer of the Holy Light than the opportunity to reconnect with it: "What are the conditions?"
Amber thought for a moment, unsurely looking at the slightly thin bodies of the three priests before her: "Can you lift a forty-pound warhammer?"
The three priests looked at each other, confused: "...Uh?"
"Anyway, start by training your body," Amber rubbed her smooth chin, thoughtfully saying, "Then train your resistance to hits, run eight kilometers with weights every day and move some bricks, after a month or so you should become a qualified war cleric..."
After the three bewildered priests left, the temporary base fell silent for a moment.
One of the Intelligence Agency agents looked at Amber with admiration—of course, not for fooling the three priests into exercising at the end, but for their boss’s previous words to Sevin Terry: "Boss, your bluffing skills haven’t declined at all."
Amber waved her hand unconcernedly: "When have I ever declined? Just can’t use it over at Cecil Castle."
As someone dubbed "Tavern Queen," who once made quite a name for herself in the illegal mercenary and adventurer circle in the southern borders, leading a gang of thugs and bullies, Amber couldn’t possibly not have a silver tongue or the ability to talk the dead back to life.
Living on the most wild and backward border of the Anzu Kingdom, constantly interacting with a myriad of people, this half-elf bandit is skilled in reading people and controlling hearts. Without this ability, she wouldn’t have been able to quickly understand the situation of the grassroots citizens in Lu’an City and create such a large-scale destructive action.
Normally unused, it’s just not usable.
"But speaking of which, boss, your words just now really have quite a bit of the duke’s influence—"
"Nonsense, I usually spend my free time catching up on sleep, how would I have the time to ponder such boring stuff?" Amber rolled her eyes, "A lot of it is what Gawain... the duke often says, I just adapted them depending on the situation. But you all shouldn’t blindly imitate me, the words must be directed at the right person—in today’s case, that priest came from a humble background, has a conscience, understands the plight of the commoners, and can see the darkness within the Holy Light church. He’s seeking a genuinely meaningful path, so those words work for him. But if it were someone else, the same speech could backfire..."
"We understand, we understand," the subordinates nodded repeatedly, and then one of them asked, "So next... should we contact the rear?"
Amber nodded, looking at the tall, thin man standing in the corner of the room: "Skinny, open the Magic Web Communicator, internal channel 8. Gray Wolf, go stand guard outside."
The specially miniaturized Magic Web Communicator was placed on the table, and with a slight humming sound, the complex and precise magic-conducting machinery was activated. Amber patiently waited for a moment, then saw the crystal on top of the communicator emit a gentle glow, quickly forming a holographic projection above it.
It was Gawain’s face.
"The oil in the pot has already boiled," Amber looked at the holographic projection and grinned, "It’s time to upend the table."
The holographic projection of Gawain nodded: "Everything going smoothly?"
"Developing according to plan, but there’s some information that needs to be reported..."
Gawain quietly listened to Amber’s report, noting everything in his mind, and after the report was finished, he exhaled lightly, looking at the communicator before him: "Understood, arrangements will be made in advance here. Ensure safety on your end."
The projection of Amber waved impatiently: "Don’t worry, don’t worry, if something happens I wouldn’t just dash away, I’m quite the coward..."
...
Gawain helplessly looked at this cowardly impostor, shook his head slightly, and closed the communication.
He then raised his head, looking at another Magic Web communications device in the study.
Floating above that device was a scene outdoors—
Countless people gathered in an open space, the torches in their hands and the distant glow of the magic crystal lamps illuminated the gathering under the night sky. In the picture, the furious slogans and countless noisy voices from people could be heard, and uniformed public security officers maintained order on-site, while several White Knights in heavy white armor, surrounded by brilliant Holy Light, had thick chained iron-bound catechisms hanging from their waists, towering figures stood at the center of the crowd, speaking loudly to everyone—they were the most conspicuous in the image.
Witch Gipuli’s voice came from outside the frame: "...This is Tanzan Newtown, excavation work continues. Thirty minutes ago, engineers discovered a new cellar...
"... If not for Viscount Andrew constructing the new district here, these things might have remained sealed...
"... According to witness testimony, these cellars are secret vaults set up by the Holy Light church in the southern borders. We’ve found a large amount of gold and silver items in the cellar—these belong to believers. Some were voluntarily donated by followers, and a large portion was amassed through indulgence money, heretic trials, confiscating commoners’ properties, and appropriating assets from other churches. Based on ledgers and records we’ve retrieved from nearby chapels earlier, the local church originally promised these financial assets would be used for repairing statues, churches, distributing disaster relief supplies, and raising orphans, but in reality, over 90% turned into church private assets...
"White Knight Commander Mr. Rhett stated he’s never seen such shamelessness."
Moments later, Gipuli’s voice surged again: "Breaking news, Hosman City’s Governor Daedalus has just announced shocking news: staff at the administrative office, while clearing a facility formerly under the Holy Light church’s care, discovered a mass of skeletal remains... suspected to be orphans that have been missing for years within the Hosman Region...
In the projection, the crowd stirred, emotionally charged citizens gathered around the White Knights, who raised their heavy warhammers high, chanting slogans to drive out the Old Church.
Gawain stood up, approached to close the projection equipment, and from behind him, Pittman’s voice drifted: "Truly terrifying."
Gawain turned back, looking at this little old man known for cynicism and shameless wandering within the territory, a hint of jest on his face: "Even you find something terrifying?"
Pittman twiddled his beard, speaking lightly: "Of course, I fear many things, otherwise, do you think Amber’s talent for adaptability wasn’t cultivated by someone?"
Gawain glanced at Pittman: "Then what are you fearing now?"
"Humans, a crowd fueled by rage is terrifying," Pittman shrugged, "but I think you’re even scarier—because this is all led by you. You’re wielding a power distinct from Transcendent force and firearms, and its effect... is far more alarming than what you originally described."
"Power is neutral; it depends on how it’s used. Sometimes, to deal with those who commit evil using Holy Light, extreme measures are necessary," Gawain said calmly, then his face showed a touch of grimness, "Especially when I found out there were children’s remains in those facilities... I knew that no matter how severely I dealt with those charlatans, it wouldn’t be excessive."
Pittman sighed: "Raising and indoctrinating orphans from an early age is a common method for churches to cultivate staunch combat power, enhancing strength and reputation. But not all children can harmonize with Divine Arts; some lack any spiritual gifts, even when using potions or rituals for catalysis it’s ineffective. And among those unable to be utilized, having seen partial dark truths—’bad seeds’... no church remains innocent."
"Churches from seven hundred years ago were entirely different," Gawain shook his head, "Back then, those priests and knights charging against aberrations would never have imagined their successors would deteriorate to this level."
Pittman chuckled: "Did you ever expect you’d wake up to find aberrations at the tomb’s door, while your descendants misplace your shield?"
Gawain instantly glared at the little old man: "...You bring this up and I’ll be mad at you."
He then coughed lightly, pulling the conversation back on track: "Compared to that, what’s your take on Fran Belon’s unusual behavior mentioned in Amber’s report? That bishop’s secluded himself in the grand cathedral, is he absorbing power through some means to enhance himself?"
"...I don’t think he can strengthen himself through absorbing power or similar methods—those are wizard and sorcerer ways, but certainly something is amiss. A normal bishop under such circumstances wouldn’t lock himself in the cathedral doing nothing; he’d either continue restoring order or outright flee, or come out to mercilessly suppress, in any case he should take some action."
Gawain slightly shook his head: "In my initial plans, Fran Belon should have taken some desperate measure at this stage. Yet I didn’t expect he’d isolate himself, doing nothing—which frankly, has disrupted my arrangements slightly."
Pittman mulled over, then after a moment, this little old man knowledgeable in theological matters spoke: "Perhaps... he’s attempting to communicate with the gods, seeking unimaginable power to help him survive the desperate situation."
"Could it be divine descent?" Gawain frowned immediately, "Can he achieve divine descent?"
"...Just because it’s impossible, I’m puzzled. Divine descent requires significant costs and strict prerequisites—only legendary powerhouses can withstand divine descent without perishing; powerful figures can undergo temporary divine descent at the cost of life under specific conditions, while those of lower clerical status... simply lack the ability to communicate divine will. His voice wouldn’t reach the gods’ ears; who’s divine descent is he praying for?"
Gawain pondered, breaking the silence after two minutes: "In any case, it seems more ’insurance’ must be arranged in the next step. Having reached this point, no mistakes can be allowed."
Not everyone could understand Gawain’s persistence and caution in this matter; in this regard, only he knew—
In this existence of Transcendent power and socially stagnated world, this will be the first rebellion by ordinary people against supernaturals.
Perhaps there were abused farmers raising pitchforks at their noble lords, and wrongly declared heretics shouting curses at their judging priests, but those sporadic, powerless, insignificant ripples couldn’t compare to this.
This time, it’s the first collective rebellion of ordinary people, long deceived and exploited, against the clerics as another collective.
The world has waited for millennia for this first time, and if it fails, no one knows how long the second would take.
Hence, this can’t fail.