After Rod left the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground, Horus strangely asked, "King, why are your words... so peculiar?"
The King sat back down before the Golden Holy Artifact and gazed at the Eternal Burning golden flas, answering casually, "Little Horus, this is sothing Theodore told in his final Soul Transmission. He said that Rod’s soul quite likes the phrase ’slap in the face.’ Using it appropriately can stir Rod’s fighting spirit."
Horus nodded, "Young people, full of vigor."
The King laughed, "Isn’t that the mark of youth?"
Horus bowed his head, "Being naive is characteristic of the young. What is rare is that even after knowing their naïveté, they remain as naive as ever."
He paused, then asked another question.
"King, did Lord Theodore say anything else? Conducting ideological work is a duty of the Holy Church, especially for an Archbishop. I must educate him well."
The King pondered for a mont and said, "He also particularly liked a type of clothing called ’black silk.’"
He briefly described the features of the black silk.
Horus bowed his head, "I understand. I will find the best tailor in Royal City at once, to tailor a set of black silk and attach the Wind Curse Mark to it, so he can run faster in battle. Rod will surely like it."
The King didn’t think deeply, as a terrifying echo erged from the void, and the Source of the Holy Fire trembled. His spirit flew into the Holy Fire, striving to maintain its stability.
Horus silently watched the golden Holy Fire beco turbulent and emit a terrifying aura, thinking, "Kroos, Lothar, why haven’t you taken over Star City yet?"
"Is the Holy Fire plan truly feasible?"
"How should we deal with the dissenters in Royal City?"
"What direction will our future ultimately take?"
Nurous distracting thoughts assaulted him like a spider web ensnaring Horus, inescapable and deepening; eventually, only one thought remained in his mind.
"Rod, you must succeed..."
——
When Rod left the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground, it was already evening.
It was his first ti seeing the night sky of this world.
The night sky, unobscured by Black Fog, was so clear and pure, the thin clouds like swaying gossar, the stars a silvery fla, the bright silver moon hanging high in the sky, and a frost-like moonlight enveloped the Royal City.
The night scene was so breathtakingly beautiful and tranquil that Rod was absorbed for a long ti.
There was sothing Rod had never understood before.
How did people persevere in such a dark and desperate world?
Now he understood, it was because there still existed such miracles and hope.
Seated in a Floating Spirit Car, Rod looked down.
The entire Royal City was imrsed in lights and moonlight, bustling with throngs of people shoulder to shoulder, the night markets all over the place he had never seen before, with laughter and jovial voices clear even from high above.
This was indeed the human world.
Rod thought.
Later, I also want to find a beautiful lady to enjoy the bright moon, stars, and fireworks with .
If the lady asks , "The moonlight tonight is so beautiful."
I will answer, "Heh heh heh."
Heh heh heh.
——
Upper City.
Levill residence.
Three of the ten Chief Judges of Royal City were gathered here.
"Levill," one Chief Judge said, "Royal City is increasingly disregarding us. The matter of Gregor being killed just passed like that."
"True," another Chief Judge agreed. "Gregor was such a diligent, honest, and timid person, he could not have been a Doomsday believer."
"Exactly, I believe it was the Judgent Court framing him—they found no decisive evidence but used so vague matters to defa him, all to protect that young man."
Chief Judge Levill asked, "Why is that? Does he have so powerful backing?"
Soone said, "It is said that Guardian Qingyu holds him in high regard, perhaps he is her young lover."
"Exactly, it must be so."
"This is too much, how can they trample on the laws of Royal City like this?"
"We too have established countless rits, why don’t we receive such treatnt?"
"The King’s expansion plan is even threatening to interfere with our properties and seize our money!"
"This is too unfair, why must we undergo such turmoil? Haven’t historical lessons been enough? Do they want another great extinction? Can’t we just peacefully stay at ho and enjoy the fruits?"
"I don’t even have money to buy servants anymore!"
"I can only eat ten servings of honey-roasted beef a day now!"
"I can’t even afford thirty-year-old Samwell Mushroom Wine anymore!"
"I really can’t stay in Trolian anymore, we might as well beco Doomsday believers."
The residence fell silent for a mont, then a Chief Judge changed the subject: "So, we must stop the King’s reckless expansion plan, for Trolian."
"Yes, yes, for Trolian, no one loves Trolian more than we do."
"That young man is just the King’s pawn, we must find a way to crush him."
"Right, we need to present our valuable and correct opinion to First Elder Ando, pride is the source of all tragedies."
"Levill, our power alone is not enough; we must unite the majority. As long as everyone bravely expresses their true intentions, the King must respect our opinions too."
"Right, let’s first go to the Chief Judge Manolo Bana; he appears to be a good person."
The three Chief Judges stood up together as a massive Floating carriage landed before them, the white Spiritual Horse whinnying restlessly in front of the carriage.
This was the most upscale carriage in Royal City, far more expensive than those new, horseless Spirit Cars.
In their view, products from the chanical Research Institute had desecrated the sanctity of carriages, allowing many cheap vehicles to roam and even fly freely in Royal City.
With the developnt of the Royal City, there were fewer creations reflecting their nobility, and the status of the Chief Judge had declined significantly.
All of this left them highly dissatisfied.
Although Trolian was more prosperous than before, in their eyes, it lacked the beauty of the past.
The three Chief Judges, along with many in the Royal City, were eagerly longing to return to the past.
Of course, not a hundred or a thousand years ago, not the distant Fire Epoch or God Epoch, but rather those years of opulence and luxury they had once lived through.
——
Rod returned to Jinworth Academy.
The secret branch base was located right next to the Heidler Training Ground, deep within the academy, a castle spanning over a hundred thousand square ters, guarded by school security.
After a long absence, seeing the familiar buildings again overwheld Rod with a flood of emotions.
The castle remained unchanged, while he had beco vastly different.
The secret branch had received news of Rod’s return, and Instructor Soron personally welcod him at the gate, giving him a bear hug as soon as they t.
"Our great hero has finally returned."
Many familiar faces ca along too.
His old friend Reslin also gave him a hug.
"Rod, I always knew you were no ordinary person!"
Egger shouted, "Big hero! Do you know how much you stand out? There is an entire legion of beauties in the Royal City who want to spend spring nights with you!"
Karamon snorted coldly, "What’s so great about that? At least a hundred stunning beauties begged to sleep with yesterday, and I ruthlessly turned each of them down."
A hulking man, limping over, jeered, "Karamon, I saw you pestering Anna all night and she didn’t even let you in her room."
Karamon snapped, "Beowood, stop causing trouble. I just wanted to ask her about so issues with using Spiritual Energy!"
Suddenly, Rod lifted his head from among the crowd, "Beowood, you’re not dead?"
The familiar hefty figure laughed, "Who told you I was dead?"
"Weren’t you and Instructor Dark Leaf missing?"
Beowood’s face turned slightly somber, "They found later, I was lucky, only severely injured, but the instructor died."
Reslin imdiately said, "That damn bastard has been killed by Rod! Publicly executed!"
Beowood showed a smile again, "Okay, you’ve told us a hundred tis."
Karamon said fiercely, "A hundred tis isn’t enough! Say it a thousand, ten thousand tis more, Gregor wasn’t the only one! There are people in the Royal City who have beco corrupt!"
"Exactly, I don’t believe Manolo Bana is innocent!"
"And those associated with him!"
"We must cut them off! Like slicing off rotten flesh from the body!"
Rod rembered that since the Gregor incident, they had been dealing with Manolo Bana at the Internal Affairs Court.
But now it appeared, clearly, to be ineffective.
Rod was about to ask further, but Soron interrupted him.
"Alright, let’s not discuss this topic anymore. Whatever you guys want to do, strengthening yourselves is always the most important."
"Let’s head back to the base now, our nightmare training isn’t over yet."
——
After returning to the base, Rod learned that the secret branch had also undergone significant changes.
Due to the outstanding performance of the secret branch mbers in the campaign, after Black Tide had ended, the "Top Class" students were authorized to graduate and beca official mbers of the secret branch—
Covert Combatants.
Rod almost forgot that Jinworth’s secret branch military was actually a legion.
Covert Combatants are formal combat roles in various legions, just like Guards in the City Defense Army and Conquerors in the Conquest Legion.
Rod finally understood what the King ant, thinking, "I need to establish good relationships with them. The mbers of the Top Class are very strong. If I can utilize their strength, many matters will be much easier to handle."
On the training ground, Rod saw many new faces.
"Who are they? Have we recruited new people?"
Soron laughed, "Of course, you guys have graduated, and naturally, new students need to co in. In fact, not just our Top Class, a group of regular class students also graduated due to their good performance."
"Just right, since Jinworth Academy’s half-sester ended, the Royal City’s defense system returned to normal, and the patrol practical courses ended, recruiting so qualified new students is a very normal thing."
Reslin patted his chest laughing, "Now, we are also seniors. We also need to guide and lead the junior students."
"Not just that, Rod, you are now the captain. Setting a good example is a must, and touching female students inappropriately is not allowed."
Rod’s face turned red as he defended vehently, "It wasn’t who touched them."
Karamon smirked, "Stop arguing. The more you explain, the worse it gets. The Disciplinary Committee has already received many complaints about you and is investigating your illegal actions. What awaits you is a hefty fine."
Soron also said seriously, "Rod, I will be strictly monitoring you. You’d better restrain your lustful thoughts and not consider our female students with ulterior motives."
Rod was quite depressed. Do I seem like the kind of person who misuses a little power for underhanded deeds?
Even if a female student has sothing to ask of , sleeping together to discuss it is pretty normal, right?
Soron said, "Co on, the Royal City built us a new training base with many new features. Let’s go check it out."
Rod was about to turn around when he suddenly saw a familiar figure.
It was a group of students in training, vigorously striking a revolving wooden dummy.
Among them, one figure was exceptionally agile, delivering fierce punches that made the dummy spin wildly, yet she did not get hit by any counterattacks.
She had dazzling blond hair, eyes as blue as a lake, and a physique that even a fitting training suit couldn’t hide.
When he saw her, she also saw him.
"Kashan!" Rod called out.
The forr Captain of the tenth group, Kashan, whom he hadn’t seen for several months, teared up instantly.
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