"Tomorrow, the Order Senate will officially convey this divine decree to every church in the world: any entity daring to assist the Church of Pamires shall be deemed an enemy of Order!"
The atmosphere in the conference hall had completely congealed—not because everyone was deliberately suppressing their emotions, but because those emotions had finally found their most fitting outlet.
At this moment, Karen thought of the demonic dog back home.
When he had first come into contact with information about the churches, Karen had wondered about the difference between a true god and an evil god. The explanation he later received was simple:
When a more powerful entity determines that you are an evil god, then you are an evil god.
It had nothing to do with whether you were good or evil.
Just like right now.
Chief Bishop Wolflen read the divine decree issued by the Order Senate. It contained two determinations: the god Pamires was an evil god, and the Church of Pamires was an evil cult.
The very nature of the weak's existence was judged and decided by the strong.
Looking around, the priests of the Church of Order had solemn flames burning in their eyes, while the priests of the Church of Pamires wore expressions of utter despair.
The former had shifted from initial anger into a reserved aloofness, as though watching an opponent already locked in a cage;
The latter did not scream hysterically about unfairness or why this was happening, as if all strength had been drained from them, both physical and mental.
How many people chose to enter the church circle just to escape reality, never realizing that no matter how much faith embellished it, no matter how many doctrines decorated it, and no matter how many confessions were made, none could redeem the one original sin—weakness.
Karen felt that if the Church of Pamires had been stronger—strong enough to a certain degree—this divine decree might still have existed, and it wouldn't have been overturned, but it would have been redacted.
For instance, the first and second articles would have been retained, but the declaration of war in the third article would likely have been removed.
They would stigmatize you with everything they had, but they wouldn't truly declare war on you.
Aside from these reflections, Karen was also a bit curious: would they still receive their security mission rewards?
The target they were supposed to protect had become a target for arrest. Did this security assignment still count?
Swirling ribbons of black light began to spin across the ceiling of the conference hall, casting shadowy silhouettes along the walls. They were the ones maintaining the arrays of this Ankara Hotel.
Their appearance served as a deterrent, reminding every member of the Church of Pamires present whose territory this truly was.
Any resistance at this point would be utterly pointless.
*Ding... ding... ding...*
The elevator doors on the floor slid open simultaneously. A group of figures clad in black armor marched into the conference hall, accompanied by the synchronized, metallic rasp of their plate.
Karen also spotted Captain Neo and the others appearing at the entrance. This meant the security assignment was officially over, and the concealed security personnel could now reveal themselves.
Derius raised his hand and said, "I hope to be granted an opportunity to speak and explain."
Then, he turned to face the assembled members of the Church of Pamires in the hall.
"I believe the truth will come to light. I believe the crimes placed upon us will be washed clean. Therefore, before that truth arrives, I ask that none of you resist. Please believe in me, and please believe in the great god Pamires.
"God's letter is already on the way!"
Were these merely polite platitudes? Karen didn't know.
Yet Karen could see that the Holy Child's words provided a way out for every member of the Church of Pamires present. None chose to resist; all submitted to having specialized handcuffs fastened onto them before being escorted out in rows.
Karen didn't need to do anything during this process, but as the figures in black armor passed before him one by one, he curiously noted the legion insignia on their armor.
Ranging from the Second Knights to the Twelfth Knights, these armored figures did not belong to the same branch as anyone else present. Thinking of it in terms of a secular nation made it easier to understand: all the other departments, including the Whip of Order to which Karen belonged, were administrative branches that could be divided into many categories and served diverse functions; these black-armored figures, however, belonged exclusively to the "military."
The military answered directly to the Order Senate and generally refrained from meddling in local affairs.
These people were not on active duty; they resembled discharged soldiers stationed locally as reserve garrisons. Once a great war among churches erupted, they would be swiftly drafted into new knight legions to campaign.
When that time truly came, personnel would be conscripted from every department. The Whip of Order ranked ahead of the other departments as a cog in the war machine, yet even they stood behind these garrisons in the priority order.
Karen didn't see the insignia of the First Knights. That was only natural, as the First Knights were publicly acknowledged as the strongest in combat among the twelve knight legions of the Church of Order. But sheer strength was not the reason they didn't appear in the reserve garrisons—it was because every single member of the First Knights was... lying in a coffin.
The members of the Church of Pamires in the conference hall were all escorted away. They were not treated as convicts; in a state of war, they were prisoners of war.
Even the Holy Child Derius was handcuffed. Due to his exceptional status, an additional set of shackles was placed on him to thoroughly restrain him. As he was led past Karen, he paused and gave Karen a slight nod, seemingly expressing gratitude for the care Karen had shown him over the past few days.
Immediately after, everyone else filed out. Yet practically no tension or anxiety could be seen on the faces of the people from the Church of Order. Even if an accident had befallen the Seventh Knights, the foundations of Order remained immensely profound; when it came to a war against the Church of Pamires, there was no need to worry about victory or defeat.
At the entrance of the conference hall, Neo's squad gathered.
Richard, too, stepped out of the elevator.
Karen noticed Fanny and Peige taking out silver masks and putting them on. He had one as well—after entering the hotel, Fanny had given him a newly customized silver mask, though Karen had left it in his room.
The reason he had forgotten to bring it was simple: he already carried one on him. So he turned slightly, feigning the motion of taking a mask out to put on, and with a light brush against his ring, a silver mask appeared on his face.
Karen felt like he was performing a theatrical face-changing act—and an ancestral one at that.
Once the squad had assembled, everyone exited the hotel under the captain's lead.
"During wartime, according to wartime regulations, all Whip of Order squads must maintain readiness to assemble within half a day," Neo said.
"Yes, Captain."
"Yes, Captain."
"You've all worked hard during this period. Dismissed for rest."
The squad was dismissed. The captain didn't mention how the security mission rewards would be settled, and no one was going to ask right now. A war had started; dwelling on such things was pointless, given the special circumstances.
Richard pointed toward the VIP car and said, "I've packed all the luggage from your rooms and put it in the car—including your sword, Karen. That thing is seriously heavy."
"Good boy." Peige patted Richard on the head and gestured for everyone to get in. "Come on, I'll drive you home. Huh? Captain, do you need a ride too?"
Everyone else had left, but the captain remained. This didn't fit his usual style. Normally, after dismissal, the captain was always the first to leave, eager to clock out before anyone else;
Of course, that was one of the reasons his subordinates loved him. Who wouldn't love a boss who despised overtime more than anyone?
"Yeah," Neo answered.
Karen held the car door open for the captain, and everyone climbed inside.
This VIP car could still be used for personal matters for another day before it had to be returned tomorrow morning. Not only did the car cost a fortune on the market, but it had also been modified by the Church of Order, reinforced and protected by arrays.
It had little to do with the car's actual brand; the exterior was simply styled that way to facilitate operations in the secular world.
Peige took the wheel. Inside sat Neo, Karen, Richard, and Fanny.
"Captain, should I drop you off first?" Peige asked.
"Drop you off first."
"How can the driver be the first to go home?" Peige chuckled.
"That's an order."
"Yes, Captain."
Richard glanced left and right. Since everyone was wearing masks, he couldn't see any shifts in their expressions, but he sensed that something was slightly off.
Karen noticed it too. Regardless of the circumstances, having Peige go home first was indeed unusual.
Soon, they arrived at Peige's residence—an old apartment building. Not everyone liked living in large houses; even when their means allowed it, some people still preferred old, cramped spaces that held personal significance for them.
"Who's taking over the wheel? I'm home."
Peige stepped out of the car.
"I'll drive," Richard offered.
The captain nodded.
Richard immediately opened his door and hurried over to the driver's seat.
At that moment, the captain looked at Karen and said, "Get out. Knock Peige down and draw blood."
"..." Karen was speechless.
"That's an order."
"Yes, Captain."
Karen couldn't comprehend the instruction, but he decided to carry it out anyway. He believed Neo had his reasons for telling him to do this. Most importantly, it was only drawing blood, not killing her.
Peige, having just stepped out, was planning to wait until her teammates drove off before heading inside. Instead, she saw Karen step out carrying the Sword of Arius and walk toward her.
"Are you seeing me off, Karen?"
Karen kept walking toward Peige, letting the tip of the blade drag along the ground, scraping out a shower of sparks. The meaning was unmistakable: he was about to strike.
Peige didn't put up a guard, nor did she back away. She merely asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"
Karen turned his body slightly, shifting into the preparatory stance for swinging the broadsword. Plainly: I'm attacking.
Peige still didn't raise a defense. She asked curiously, "What is this for?"
Karen swung the sword, striking at Peige not with the edge, but with the flat of the blade.
*Bang!*
Peige was knocked to the ground by Karen's blow. Upon landing, she stared in disbelief.
"Are you crazy?!"
Karen stepped forward and brought the sword down on Peige again with the flat side.
Peige still didn't retaliate, only crossing her arms to block.
*Bang!*
Even though Karen didn't channel the power of the Dark Moon Blade, the sheer weight of the Sword of Arius combined with momentum was enough to hurt Peige through the blunt impact, causing blood to seep from the corners of her mouth.
This time, however, she didn't ask Karen what he was doing. Karen had struck twice in succession, yet none of the people in the car—especially the captain—had made a move.
Seeing that Peige was bleeding, Karen lowered his sword and gave her a nod. He wasn't entirely sure what the gesture meant either, but after beating someone until they bled, he figured he should at least say goodbye.
Turning around, Karen dragged the Sword of Arius back to the car.
The engine started.
Richard asked nervously, "To my place?"
Richard mistakenly thought this was a cherished tradition the Hound Squad observed after every mission.
Neo spoke up: "West Water Street bowling alley."
"Right away, Captain."
Hearing that it wasn't his house, Richard let out a long breath of relief.
The VIP car arrived at West Water Street. Because it wasn't the weekend and was currently midday, there weren't many people inside the bowling alley.
On one lane, however, two men were playing—none other than Marlo and Gray.
"How interesting. The captain actually invited us out to bowl."
With that, Marlo threw his ball. With a loud *clatter*, every pin was knocked down—except they were the pins on the adjacent lane.
"Oops." Seeing this, Marlo felt a bit embarrassed and covered for himself, "I was just adding some extra difficulty for myself."
Gray ignored him and instead looked toward Karen, who had just walked inside. More importantly, Karen was carrying the Sword of Arius over his shoulder.
Sensing the commotion, Marlo looked up and called out, "Did the captain invite you to play too?"
Karen carried the sword over and stopped before the two of them. "I need to make both of you bleed. Who's first?"
Both men froze.
Marlo scratched his head and smiled. "Is this considered infighting? No, even if it were, we wouldn't be this direct, right?"
"I'll go first," Gray said.
"Alright," Karen acknowledged, then asked, "Will you fight back?"
Gray shook his head. "Just drawing blood, right? Then I won't resist. I can't beat you right now anyway."
"Good. Stand firm."
"Yeah, I'm ready."
Karen swung the Sword of Arius, playing a round of golf right inside the bowling alley. Gray was sent flying, crashing down onto the lane. Clutching his chest, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Next, Karen looked at Marlo and tipped his chin up slightly, indicating it was his turn.
Marlo immediately stood in place and said, "I'm a formation master, not nearly as durable as Gray. Go easy on me."
"I feel like the captain sent me here just to make enemies," Karen sighed, leveling the Sword of Arius horizontally.
"No, I think the captain sent you to collect a favor," Marlo replied, as if realizing something.
"Count it down. Three seconds."
"Alright, alright. Three—"
*Bang!*
Marlo was sent flying, landing near Gray and coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Having finished the job, Karen waved to the two men, picked up an opened but unconsumed bottle of soda from nearby, held the sword hilt over his right shoulder, and sipped the soda with his left hand as he walked outside.
He found Richard and Fanny standing outside the vehicle, while the captain sat by the open door.
"Captain, as you ordered, both bled."
"Mm." Neo nodded. "Drive."
Karen looked at Richard and Fanny. Richard spoke up: "The captain told us to make our own way back."
"Oh, alright."
Karen didn't know what the captain was playing at, but judging by what Marlo had said earlier, Marlo seemed to understand. Karen hadn't bothered to ask, though.
After beating someone until they bled, running back to ask them, *Please hurry and tell me, why did I have to hit you?* would feel far too obnoxious.
Placing the Sword of Arius inside the vehicle, Karen took the driver's seat and started the VIP car. As he pulled out, Karen asked, "Where to, Captain?"
"Ivy Cemetery."
"Understood, Captain."
After the VIP car had traveled some distance down the road, Karen took the initiative to ask, "Captain, why did you have me hit them?"
As he asked, Karen raised his eyes to look at Neo sitting in the back through the rearview mirror.
"To remind them."
"Remind them of what?"
"Did you know that within the Church of Order, there are many spies?"
"Really?"
Karen glanced at Neo. He felt it was rather rich for Neo to say such a thing, because Captain, aren't you one yourself...?
At the same time, Karen realized that he seemed to be one as well.
After all, he and Neo had apparently used the exact same method to forge their identities within the Church of Order.
"There are probably some in the negotiation delegation as well."
"Who?"
"I don't know, but there definitely are. Because in this negotiation delegation, the people sitting at the table were the ones who belonged there, but the crowd sitting below was a rather strange lineup."
"Oh?"
"The fact that your two cellmates, Leon and Lore, appeared in this delegation is the best proof. For an affair this monumental and serious, arranging for one pampered heir to pad his resume would be enough, yet they arranged for two.
"That effectively set the tone from above, meaning the selection process for the entire delegation was handled with great arbitrariness. The screening of other personnel wasn't as rigorous as in the past; it became much more flexible, allowing many people to pull strings and join just to add a line to their records."
"And among them... there were spies?"
"Some are. Others aren't quite spies. For example, the three you just drew blood from aren't spies, but they maintain close ties with other churches. Normally, they sell bits of intelligence on the side to earn extra pocket money."
"So, having me beat them was meant to..."
"When their mouths are full of blood, it isn't convenient for them to run their mouths."
Karen recalled what Marlo had said right before being sent flying: *No, I think the captain sent you to collect a favor.*
"You had me warn them to keep their mouths shut this time, so this matter..."
"Having you make others bleed also saved a step—the step where I would personally have had to make you bleed."
"..." Karen fell silent.
"Still, I hear your strength has improved quite a bit recently."
"I'm still far behind you, Captain."
"Yet my hands are really itching for a fight."
"Captain, I know an ointment that works wonders for eczema."
They arrived at Ivy Cemetery.
Karen and Neo stepped out of the car. Before they even reached the keeper's cottage, they heard musical accompaniment coming from within.
Pushing the door open,
Karen saw Old Saman pressing his fingers along a new recorder, blowing into it, while a radio rested by Alfred's feet, providing backing tracks and keeping the rhythm for him.
It was clear Old Saman was having a wonderful time, his face beaming with a smile.
Seeing Karen and Neo enter, Old Saman stopped playing.
Alfred stood up and stepped aside.
Old Saman sighed and said, "Negotiations over? Looks like my funeral is about to begin."
Karen spoke: "The Church of Order has declared war on the Church of Pamires."
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, a sharp glint instantly flashed in Old Saman's eyes, and his entire aura transformed drastically. At this moment, he looked like a ferocious beast that had snapped its chains, poised to tear someone apart!
"I won't hit you, but you can tell me where the new Church Affairs Building has been set up. I don't know who handled it the first time, but I can go tear it down again."
"Heh..."
Neo let out a laugh.
"Keep preparing for your funeral."
Chapter 208