Chapter 482: Divergence
“What to do? What can I do?” Inside the carriage, as he listened to Shadi’s words, the translucent ghost named Tuset snorted slightly before continuing, “With your current strength, you can’t provoke either of the two crazy factions on stage. One is ridiculously strong, and the other has influenced your team far too deeply. When the first batch of madmen came after you, I warned you that you couldn’t control them, but you didn’t believe me. Hehe… I already predicted your current predicament back then…”
Setute spoke to Shadi with a gloomy smile, his words somewhat laden with schadenfreude. However, Shadi showed no anger at Setute’s mocking attitude, as if he had grown accustomed to it.
“There’s nothing I can do… I was too weak back then. I couldn’t defeat Baruch on my own; I could only pin my hopes on powerful allies. The Savior’s Incarnation Sect approached me personally, and they were my only option at that time. If I hadn’t cooperated with them, I would never have had a chance to face Baruch directly.
“After all, the fundamental rule of power in this world is the strength of extraordinary power. Without the support of strong extraordinary power, even if I were to rally more people to resist Baruch, it would be useless. I needed the backing of extraordinary power desperately; I had no choice…”
Holding his forehead, Shadi revealed evident frustration. Seeing him like this, Setute paused slightly before speaking in a somewhat less mocking tone.
“Then why were you in such a hurry? If you lacked extraordinary power, you should have improved yourself. With me to guide you, spending thirty or forty years to reach the ‘Creation Tier’ is not difficult. By that time, you could establish an extraordinary force capable of rebellion. You couldn’t wait after hearing those madmen’s nonsense, which led to your current situation.”
With a tone of reproach, Setute continued to address Shadi. After listening to Setute’s words, Shadi paused slightly before letting out a sigh.
“Ha… I was indeed too anxious, but there was nothing I could do. Since my parents died, my life’s creed has been revenge against Baruch. It was the determination for revenge that allowed me to survive after being abandoned by that group of beasts in the tomb. I struggled for a month in the dark grave. If it hadn’t been for that determination, I would never have had the chance to meet you again, nor could you have gained your freedom.”
Shadi spoke with a tinge of nostalgia, his gaze lost in memories of the past. As he spoke, Setute fell silent, not saying much.
“On the quest for revenge against Baruch, it was my main reason for becoming an extraordinary being and the only support for my survival. I originally thought that as long as I could overthrow Baruch, I could pay any price. Therefore, I could leverage any power at my disposal. When the Savior’s Incarnation Sect found me, I agreed to cooperate without hesitation.
“Although I foresaw that relying on the power of heretics would not be tolerated by Sacred Summit after overthrowing the Baruch Dynasty, it was already irrelevant to me at that point. If Sacred Summit targeted me, I could merely abandon everything and live a life on the run again. Besides, Baruch was already destroyed. I had nothing else to care for, so I didn’t think too much when I agreed to the Savior’s Incarnation Sect’s request for cooperation.
“But everything that happened afterward proved I was wrong. I overestimated myself. When the day came that I succeeded in overthrowing Baruch, I found that there were so many things I couldn’t let go of—my comrades who fought alongside me, the future of Adus, the people who supported us through the toughest times, and those who sacrificed themselves… All of these were too heavy. I originally thought I was just a solitary avenger, but now I realize I was carrying the hopes of so many. I am no longer alone; I must think of Adus’s future.”
Shadi lamented, his gaze towards the top of the carriage filled with myriad emotions. After hearing Shadi’s words, Setute fell silent for a moment. After a long pause, he addressed the man who was once a vengeful spirit and is now a revolutionary.
“Alright… I can tell that you never intended to be a ruler. The situation has turned out unexpected in this way. As things stand, this country cannot do without you. If you truly want to save what you have built and save this country, you can’t accommodate these madmen from the Savior Sect.
“If you are genuinely considering the future of this country, there is only one path for you—to accept the conditions set by those Three Saints. After all, they are the lamp bearers of this Fourth Era, so strong that they cannot be opposed. If you don’t want this country to be swept by war again and risk losing everything, then bowing to them is your only option. Continuing to mess around with those Savior Sect lunatics will only lead to your destruction!”
With an advisory tone, Tuset spoke to Shadi, who after a slight pause, replied.
“But… I have cooperated with the Savior’s Incarnation Sect for so many years. The Revolutionary Army has been greatly influenced and infiltrated by them. Muhetar is directly placed by their side. Now, the Revolutionary Army is largely no longer under my control. If I announce acceptance of Sacred Summit’s conditions, not only will it cause a rift within the Revolutionary Army, but Muhetar will likely take action against me and declare himself in charge of the entire Revolutionary Army.
“By that time, not only might I lose my life, but the Revolutionary Army would fall into chaos and even civil war. Sacred Summit might send troops to prevent Adus from falling completely into the hands of heretics, which would lead to even worse outcomes…”
Shadi spoke slowly, caught between the Sacred Summit and the Savior Sect. He couldn’t easily choose either side, as the outcomes were dire whichever way he went; all he could do was stall.
“Those folks from the Savior Sect only think of getting me to fulfill my promises of legitimizing their faith, completely disregarding the consequences. Once Sacred Summit takes the situation in Adus seriously, they will be no match for us. I have talked to them… I would provide cover for their secret preaching in Adus, but they wouldn’t listen… Even a fool could understand that Sacred Summit is not to be trifled with, but they just don’t get it! They insist on dragging us all down with them!”
With a hint of rage, Shadi continued, clearly expressing his dissatisfaction, while Setute responded calmly.
“Hmph, what a fool could understand, a madman cannot, let alone those fanatics of ‘the Lamp.’ Their mentality of seeking martyrdom and self-sacrifice is something average people can’t comprehend. There were such lunatics in the Second Era as well, but it was not as widespread as it is now. It’s evident that this era dominated by ‘the Lamp’ is terrible.
“In my view, both the so-called Savior Sect and the Three Saints Sect are a bunch of lunatics; the difference lies in that the Savior Sect is just a little crazier. Choosing between two groups of madmen is difficult; however, you still need to weigh the pros and cons. Kid, choose carefully; you don’t have much time.”
Setute candidly shared his perspective with Shadi but did not make the decision for him, leaving Shadi to sink back into contemplation, silent for a long time.
…
Meanwhile, after concluding a round of negotiations, Muhetar quickly left the scene with his entourage along a forest path near the palace. He wore a gloomy expression while the clerics accompanying him appeared furious.
“May the Lord bring punishment… that brat Shadi actually dares to go back on his word. He’s still evasively pushing the issue all around. He promised once victorious to legitimize the true faith in Adus and expel the heresy, yet he is still so timid.”
“Yes… I shouldn’t have trusted that brat Shadi so easily. We should have replaced him sooner with someone easier to control. Now he actually dares to waver between both sides; I don’t know who gave him the courage!”
As they walked, the clerics around Muhetar vented their displeasure with Shadi, clearly dissatisfied with his performance in the recent negotiations. After a while, when the talk around them quieted down, Muhetar spoke up.
“Shadi… he has changed. He is no longer the person who would forsake everything for revenge. After overthrowing Baruch, the position of the king of the New Adus has turned into a trap that he has fallen into. Wealth, power, status… it has all blinded Shadi. He is no longer that pure person. It’s a pity that Shadi has become what he used to hate.
“I saw long ago that Shadi after victory has already been tainted by mundane desires for power. He is unwilling to hand Adus over to us. His current behavior doesn’t surprise me; not everyone can willingly sacrifice themselves for a greater good like us.
“In the end, Shadi is not one of us, which is why I hired someone to warn that heretical nun, so she would retreat and eliminate Shadi’s opportunity for hesitation. I didn’t expect that heretical nun would indeed have some conviction and endure until now…”
As they walked through the woods, Muhetar spoke slowly. After hearing his words, one of the clerics beside him chimed in.
“My lord, what should we do now? That Shadi guy is clearly no longer on the same side as us. He wants to waver between us and the heretics of Sacred Summit; it’s simply too arrogant to let this continue. We must take action!”
Listening to the words of his subordinate, Muhetar paused slightly, then gazed into the distant sky beyond the city before continuing.
“Let’s wait a bit longer, until the next round of negotiations. If Shadi hasn’t made the right choice by then, we’ll make it for him. If he is still unwilling, I believe there are many in the Adus Revolutionary Army who would be more suitable to lead than him.”
After Muhetar said this, the clerics beside him couldn’t help but become invigorated. It was clear that they were all accumulating dissatisfaction toward Shadi.
“Can we finally bring that guy Shadi down?”
“A traitor… there is nothing to pity about.”
“Cowardly weaklings don’t deserve to lead Adus…”
“Adus will belong to the Lord. Even if Adus is destroyed in our holy war against heretics, it will still contribute to a greater good…
“Even if the faith of Adus only exists for a brief moment, it will aid in the resurrection and descent of the Lord, and the brutality of heretics will be witnessed by our brothers in Northern Ufeiga…”
After hearing about Muhetar’s plans to replace Shadi, the clerics began to enthusiastically discuss, and upon hearing their words, Muhetar quickened his pace.
…
In Adis, within a hotel originally meant to host foreign guests, in a lavishly carpeted room adorned with golden decor, exuding an extravagance, Doro, having removed her headscarf, sat on a chair on the balcony, gazing at the vast city before her.
As “merchants” who arrived together with the church, Doro and Nephnis received splendid treatment, staying in a hotel in Adis that was previously reserved only for foreign nobles.
To avoid raising Vania’s suspicions, Nephnis had taken on the responsibilities of a “merchant,” heading off to sell the purchased goods in Adis, while Doro remained at the hotel. This was to keep a grasp on the negotiation situation with Vania and to gather various intelligence on Adis.
For instance, she had just observed the first round of negotiations and had a clear understanding of the deep conflicts between both parties.
“The conflict between the Savior’s Incarnation Sect and the Sacred Summit… is anything but trivial. Judging by the demands both sides made today, there is absolutely no ground for consensus or negotiation. The bottom line for Sacred Summit is that no heretical faith can be publicly propagated in Adus, while the Savior’s Incarnation Sect insists on legitimizing and legalizing their faith… With such significant divergences, it feels like no matter how many rounds we go through, we won’t achieve anything…
“And then there’s Shadi’s attitude. As the nominal leader of the Revolutionary Army, he has yet to make a clear statement in the end. It seems he doesn’t want to pull his entire new regime down with that group of fanatics from the Savior’s Incarnation Sect. Judging by the previous divination results, the discord between them should be quite significant.
“What a pity… I can’t conduct an all-out investigation here. Otherwise, I could rely on continuous surveillance to unearth more intelligence from both parties…”
Sitting on the balcony, sipping her icy fruit juice, Doro thought to herself. Due to her previous encounters with the Spider Fang Priest, she was wary of using miniature zombie puppets for constant surveillance in front of extraordinary beings of the Red Tier, fearing Muhetar might possess some capability to detect her miniature puppets.
Similarly, according to intelligence within the church, Shadi supposedly had some secret weapon capable of countering Red Tier threats, so Doro didn’t dare risk monitoring him either.
Currently, Doro found herself in a major diplomatic setting. If she were to fail at surveillance and get discovered, it would bring significant danger and trouble to Vania. Hence, for safety’s sake, Doro refrained from conducting the pervasive spying she had previously engaged in.
However, this also meant Doro had significantly less intelligence. Without more intelligence support, it would be challenging for her to assist Vania in the negotiations.
“Ha… If I can’t help, then there’s nothing I can do… After all, with the ‘Lamp’ of Red Tier present, my operational space has been greatly compressed; I cannot act as freely as before.
“The deadlock between the two sides shows no signs of reconciling. It seems very difficult to help Vania reach a peaceful resolution in negotiation. If push comes to shove, I can only settle for ensuring Vania’s safety…
“But fortunately… my main purpose in coming to Adis is not to achieve such a lofty goal as establishing peace but to acquire the Advancement Ceremony of the Red Tier, and I do have some progress in this area…”
Doro thought to herself, then gazed out towards the city beyond, where she spotted a colossal structure with numerous stone pillars, an imposing and grand structure marked by significant ancient Ufeiga style.
That was the original Three Saints’ Church of Adis, the Radiant Cathedral.
After browsing through books in the Adis library, Doro knew that this Radiant Cathedral was the oldest building in all of Adis. It was so ancient that it appeared in the earliest records of Adis. It was said to have once been a church of heretics and was later reallocated to the Three Saints Sect.
Understanding the history of Northern Ufeiga, Doro was aware that these heretics likely referred to the Savior’s Incarnation Sect. In other words, this place used to be a church that truly honored the Lord of Zhenyao, but later it joined the Three Saints’ unified worship. However, Doro also recognized that the belief in Zhenyao is essentially a branch of the Third Era’s state religion, just like the Radiant Church. Although the church has undergone numerous renovations, it still retains undeniable architectural styles from the First Dynasty, which was a product of the Second Era.
Having once read works by Mr. Balar, an ancient Ufeiga architect, mathematician, and tomb raider, Doro immediately realized what the church had originally been constructed for; it was supposed to be a temple, a temple for worshiping the deities of the First Dynasty.
This structure, over seven thousand years old, despite being remodeled countless times, still retained its purpose of enshrining deities, even though the gods it once honored have long since ceased to exist.
As the oldest building in Adis and once a temple of the First Dynasty, it was evident that the secret of “Enlightenment” was most likely hidden there.
However, Doro currently faced some obstacles in wanting to search for something there, as the people from the Savior’s Incarnation Sect had already occupied this site, cleaning up any traces of the Three Saints and restoring it to a state of sole worship of the Savior, turning it into their primary headquarters for preaching.
