The moonlight enveloped the Celestial Maiden Palace, where the previously quiet palace was now brightly lit, with the Imperial Guard swiftly entering the city and gaining control of all the streets and main roads.
The Close Guard Cultivators, dressed in black and gray clothing, temporarily acted as the Constitutional Army, enforcing a curfew while starting house-to-house investigations and registration of suspicious individuals.
Not to ntion the various small ports inside and outside the city, all were completely sealed, even fishing boats were not allowed to leave the port.
Hiding behind windows and door cracks, the residents and wizards of Celestial Maiden City were whispering under the uneasy night sky.
The high-tier wizards, secret faction leaders, and Thousand River Valley rchants who ca to attend the council eting almost wet themselves in fright upon hearing about Horn's assassination attempt.
Hundreds of letters like snowflakes flew into the Celestial Maiden Palace from all directions of the city, and to clarify the rumors, Horn had to reply to each one.
After a series of disturbances and attempts to reassure the populace, Horn finally freed up so ti to et with these related witches.
The most important ones were Ottatila and Athena.
In a guest waiting room of the Celestial Maiden Palace, Horn sat in the main seat, half-asleep, with Jeanne and Moliat sitting on either side, each reading a report from the Close Guard Cultivators.
But the creaking of the old door startled Horn awake, as he looked up to see Louise bringing Ottatila in.
"From the assassination attempt this evening until now, the general outline of the incident has erged." Ottatila's voice was cautious and apologetic, "Outside of Celestial Maiden City, the Imperial Guard's barracks and the counciln's residences within the city have all been damaged to varying degrees.
Currently, the Imperial Guard has taken over the entire city, arresting a total of 34 Demon Hunters and 9 renegade wizards, with 398 people involved being detained and confined, jointly supervised by the Imperial Guard and the Witch Council, while the main perpetrator, Veronica, is still at large."
For Black Snake Bay and even the entire Empire, the assassination by Demon Hunters is a common occurrence.
King Leia Ginijis was assassinated, King of Falan Charles VIII was assassinated, and even the previous Pope Johnny VIII was assassinated over fifty tis, ultimately dying from a fall during mass.
But after this incident, even the always cool and composed Ottatila was so alard that she nearly lost her poise.
If this supre hero of Thousand River Valley died on the grounds of Black Snake Bay, not to ntion anything else, the Salvation Army would soon be coming downstream.
By then, if the Salvation Army entered Black Snake Bay under the banner of avenging Horn, the situation would spiral out of control.
"398 involved individuals seem rather few, and the main perpetrator hasn't been caught." Horn took a sip of blue slurry coffee to refresh himself, "Not fearing the Salvation Army's muskets, able to infiltrate such a high-profile banquet, this isn't the work of ordinary assassins."
"I know, we will definitely provide a reasonable explanation, and I guarantee the relevant individuals will face the punishnt they deserve... and more." Ottatila spoke earnestly, "But I also hope you understand, this will not escalate into a political storm; we want to remove the rotten flesh, not amputate."
"Perhaps it's already terminal and requires amputation, but you just can't see it." Jeanne gazed at Ottatila with an unkind look while patting Horn's shoulder.
Just while she was picking a dress for the banquet, due to her brief absence, Horn nearly encountered an assassination attempt.
Such careless security made it difficult for Jeanne not to overthink, and even if Jeanne wouldn't worry, there's no saying the officers or those in Thousand River Valley wouldn't.
So Ottatila had to take a stand, but it couldn't be excessive.
Horn wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate a secret faction and push through so legal reforms, but that didn't an it should escalate.
Mainly because if it escalated, soone might carry out extre actions and profit under his na.
Then, having the Church take advantage would not be good.
Black Snake Bay is not Thousand River Valley; Horn is not truly a God, and the current technology and system don't support him in monitoring all places and people.
He ca to Black Snake Bay to acquire strategic buffers and raw material sources; before solving the major problem of Leia Kingdom, he did not want to fall into a quagmire of war.
"Regarding the assassination attempt before the Wizard Council eting, I can let your newly established Black Snake Bay Federation handle it, and all involved can be judged and disposed of by you." Horn raised three fingers toward Ottatila, "But I have three demands."
"Please, go ahead."
"First, I request using customs tariffs to form a temporary Constitutional Army, possessing independent investigation, reconnaissance, and judiciary oversight powers." Horn looked Ottatila in the eye, "I need to know if you are just putting on a show or really investigating."
Ottatila pursed her mouth for a while: "Alright, I agree."
"Second, at the day after tomorrow's Black Snake Bay Federation eting, I want to propose implenting the 'Temporary Public Security Managent Law' in the city; it must pass and the Constitutional Army must take over local security."
"Okay, that is necessary."
"Third, I want to pass the 'Prohibition of Child Slave Labor Act' and the 'Prohibition of Hereditary Slavery Act'. "
Ottatila suddenly fell silent, just standing there with pursed lips for a while before slowly speaking, "I also want to push these two bills, but frankly, even with the occurrence of the Celestial Maiden Palace assassination attempt, it's difficult to loosen the wizards' stand on this.
You know, when it cos to a purge of opponents, it will surely be under the guise of collusion between a secret faction and the Church, targeting conservative criminal types and suspected but unproven secret factions.
However, these two bills are too urgent, wizards running plantations who were on our side would oppose them, the first two demands have reasons, the last one really cannot be linked to the assassination attempt."
"Then what can you offer in exchange?" Horn had long known Ottatila wouldn't let the two bills pass, and even he knew the timing wasn't right yet.
Bringing it up now was partly to prepare for a formal proposal in the future and partly because such matters were always a ga of overpricing and bargaining, it was Ottatila's turn to make an offer.
Looking at the injury on Horn's shoulder, Ottatila pondered for a mont before slowly speaking, "You seem to have been searching for Lord Serafe's whereabouts, correct?"
Horn was taken aback, "How did you know?"
"You were tracing the Scales Hermitage's whereabouts, then ca back probing into Grandma Cynthia's matters, Grandma Cynthia and Lord Serafe were friends, so naturally I knew."
"Oh? Do you have a lead?"
"To be precise, I previously ntioned this to Grandma Cynthia; as long as you can swear to secrecy, I can take you to et Grandma Cynthia." Ottatila continued, "Additionally, I can also share with you the thod of making the red Dragon's Breath; will that earn your forgiveness?"
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