Anyone Who Obstructs Shall Be Deemed an Apostate!

Of everyone present, Karen held the lowest post. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lacked even a chair to sit on. Although he had declined one of his own accord, if a person were truly qualified to sit with them, the others would never remain seated while he stood. Even so, Karen wasn't afraid of these two bishops. It wasn't because he was young and rash, deliberately trying to act arrogant and show off. Rather, given his current post and the prevailing wind he intended to ride, it was already certain that he was going to thoroughly offend both bishops before him. He had come today to arrest Vicolai. Although there were too few people in this setting—hardly the atmosphere he liked or wanted, leading him to consider whether to shift to another venue—this man had to be arrested regardless. Therefore, offending Bishop Dolph was inevitable. If he wanted to lift his team up and shoulder the responsibilities and authority of the Whip of Order, he was bound to collide with, and even tear into, the current vested interest group—the Regional Administrative Office. Thus, offending the Head Bishop was equally inevitable. Since offending them was unavoidable, there really wasn't much left to fear. At that moment, Vic took the initiative to fetch a chair and set it down behind Karen. Karen hadn't instructed him to do so. In any case, someone who could become Rasma's student and be taken out to sea by Theisen certainly had his wits about him. Karen sat down and said, "The canonical scriptures state clearly that the Whip of Order is responsible for internal surveillance and scrutiny, sweeping away the dust upon order. Therefore, to ensure the independence of the Whip of Order, disciplinary actions against its members are strictly the responsibility of internal law enforcement and inspection departments within the Whip of Order system. External systems have no right to interfere." "Heh." Dolph chuckled. "Young man, when I was your age, I liked to dream too." Karen smiled as well. "Indeed. One must always have dreams. A life without dreams would be dreadfully dull." "Hahaha!" Dolph laughed even louder. Pointing at Richard, he said, "I originally thought you came to shield him. Now it seems you want to ruin him completely! Hahaha!" Delon wanted to define the matter as a brawl between two young men, settling it through compensation and an apology. Dolph wanted to escalate it into a confrontation between the Naton and Guman families, forcing Delon to back down and sacrifice Richard. As for Karen's words just now, they had amused Dolph because, in Dolph's eyes, Karen had turned this into a clash of interests between the Whip of Order and the Regional Administrative Office. Whenever any conflict was dragged into the vortex of factional struggle, the incident itself lost all meaning; all that remained was choosing sides purely based on interest. How could the Regional Administrative Office possibly be willing to let the middle and lower tiers of the Whip of Order re-establish their independence? Dolph knew he wasn't well-liked, but with Karen framing it this way, even the bishops who usually disliked him would now be compelled to support him—including the Head Bishop himself. Wolflen felt a twinge of a headache. Earlier, this young man had assured him that the Whip of Order and the regional office would certainly be united under his leadership, which had sounded wonderful. Who knew that Karen would make such an abrupt turn, directly inciting confrontation? Young people were young people after all, always liking to imagine things were so simple. "Ahem..." Clearing his throat, Wolflen said, "I originally intended to act as a mediator. After all, we are all colleagues and devout believers in the God of Order. But now, I see that this matter cannot be settled by simple mediation. "Someone, go summon a few people from the Law Enforcement Department to explain how such a case should be judged. We should listen to the opinions of professionals, shouldn't we?" Old Master Delon's face turned ashen. He knew the situation was sliding uncontrollably into an abyss. Richard stood there the entire time, his expression calm. He trusted Director Neo, and he trusted Karen. Most importantly, when it came to this matter, he felt he had done the right thing; his conscience was completely clear. Sitting on the chair with his fingers interlaced, Karen said, "Head Bishop, I have no intention of triggering a feud between the Whip of Order and the Regional Administrative Office here in Yorktown. At the very least, I am unwilling to fire the first shot and be the first to taste the bean paste. "However, I cannot stand by and watch my subordinate be ruined under the oppressive power of a bishop. It isn't that I want to stir up trouble; Bishop Dolph simply leaves me no way out. "When I returned from Fire Island, the Whip-Wielder presented me with a book on behalf of the High Priest—the latest edition of the *Code of Order*." In truth, what Foden had given him was a novel that the High Priest enjoyed reading. But... who could verify that? Could they call Foden right now and ask, 'Did you give one of your young subordinates a copy of the *Code of Order*?' Or could they reach through a communication array to ask the High Priest, 'Do you know about this matter?' Pausing briefly, Karen continued, "The Whip-Wielder meant that the Whip of Order wishes to rebuild its neglected system across every region. He places great hopes in me, trusting that I will make a good start." Dolph scoffed dismissively. "Boy, do you really think us old men grew up being intimidated by empty threats? If so, you truly underestimate us. And you, kid..." Dolph looked at Richard. "Remember clearly: the one who truly ruined you is this captain of yours." Wolflen spoke up: "Yorktown staunchly upholds the will of the High Priest. I, too, hope to see the Whip of Order prosper, thereby helping our Church grow even greater. "However, at times, if certain viewpoints, opinions, and measures are too extreme, then even if the initial intentions were noble, the situation may still take a turn for the worse. "Young people might not understand these truths very well. In the eyes of the young, the world is strictly right or wrong, black or white. That is not how it works. "Managing a region is no easy feat for the Church. It is the culmination of generations of painstaking effort, and we old men have a duty to safeguard it. "Therefore, on this matter, let us rely on the opinion of the Law Enforcement Department as our standard." Wolflen had clearly taken a side. His underlying message was: you young people think you can tear open an opening in Yorktown using such simplistic methods? You underestimate the old men who sit in these chairs far too much. When traveling to attend church-wide assemblies, Wolflen's seat wasn't particularly prominent because many ranked above him, and he would break into a nervous sweat before figures like cardinals. But that was outside. In his own "home turf," he possessed immense confidence. If everything in a divine church could truly be determined by a single word from the High Priest, with every decree executed faithfully from above, that would only happen in a dream church, never in reality. Standing behind him, Vic felt a pang of anxiety. While he could understand Karen's desire to protect Richard, he felt Karen's approach was somewhat irrational. Yet after a moment's hesitation, he refrained from stepping forward to speak on Karen's behalf. Deep down, he refused to believe that someone Lord Theisen regarded so highly and had paved the way for could truly be so "naive." Facing the Head Bishop's "forceful suppression," Karen maintained his smile. Pointing at Vicolai, who remained "standing" there, he asked Richard: "The young women he tortured—are any of them dead?" Richard answered, "No. I stepped in and rescued them in time, but they were all severely injured." "They've all been safely looked after, right?" Recalling the black crow message he had received when setting out this morning, Richard nodded. "They've all been settled." "The witnesses can all be found as well, correct?" "Yes, they can be found." "Very good." Karen nodded. This clash had stemmed from an unexpected incident. It was likely because during that probing encounter, Philomena had forcefully sliced open Vicolai's car hood; Vicolai hadn't dared to fight back and had turned his impotent rage inward, then headed to Pastry Street to vent, trying to "reclaim his pride" by torturing others. The psychology and disposition of such people were actually easy to grasp: arrogant on the outside, but thoroughly insecure deep down, prone to extreme emotional swings. Looking at Bishop Dolph's conduct and speech, Karen even wondered whether the Naton family had a hereditary history of psychiatric disorders. Now that the incident had happened, Neo's style guaranteed he would handle all the details and aftermath, ensuring that witnesses and physical evidence were well-protected. Under normal circumstances, such evidence would be practically useless, because Vicolai was a bishop's grandson. Did Delon not know he could gather evidence proving his grandson had acted out of righteousness? Could Head Bishop Wolflen not see what the truth was? Delon knew raising it was pointless, while the latter simply didn't care. "Hey, what are you getting at with those questions?" Dolph glared at Karen with disdain. Karen said, "Using the power of faith of the Church to harm ordinary people violates Chapter Two, Article Five of the *Code of Order*. Sentences vary depending on the severity of the offense. You ought to thank Richard. If not for his intervention, and had your grandson truly tortured those young women to death, his punishment would be the total erasure of all traces of his existence." As he recited the specifics, Karen couldn't help recalling the image of Old Theisen wielding the Scythe of War on Fire Island. "Boy, haven't you woken up from your sleep yet?" Ignoring Bishop Dolph's mockery, Karen pointed at Vicolai and continued, "Violently resisting lawful enforcement by the Whip of Order and causing harm to Whip of Order personnel violates Chapter Five, Article Thirteen of the *Code of Order*, with penalties determined by severity. "Richard's injuries are severe, so this violation will be treated as an aggravated offense. "Furthermore, as a priest of the Church of Order, any violation of the *Code of Order* carries enhanced penalties. Both counts apply." "Heh... Hahahaha!" Bishop Dolph doubled over with laughter. "You're truly hilarious. Truly." Seated in the head position, Wolflen silently rested his hand on the lid of his long-empty teacup. Karen rose from his chair and bowed to the Head Bishop once more. "Head Bishop, I have been entirely candid about what I intend to do, and you have given me your answer. I have always respected your character. When I stood before you in the past, I trembled with apprehension, but your magnanimity made me feel welcomed and warm. Moreover, your grandson Leon and I are good friends. "Belonging to different systems within the Church naturally breeds friction between us on certain matters, but that will not diminish my respect for you. You are a benevolent elder." Bishop Dolph urged, "Summon the people from the Law Enforcement Department. I don't want to waste any more time, Head Bishop." Wolflen remained silent, gesturing for Karen to continue. "In your eyes, we are merely foolish youngsters. Of course, I don't imagine achieving anything would be so simple. Furthermore, using a matter like this as an opening would be profoundly disrespectful to you, as well as to all the respected bishops of our Yorktown Region. "I know that even if this matter blows up, we cannot win. I, and the people around me, would most likely be branded as instigators of conflict and transferred away from Yorktown." "Got cold feet now, boy? Ready to surrender? Heh, then get back in line!" Karen turned to face Bishop Dolph. Purr had a pirate's habit of giving people nicknames. Right now, Karen gave Bishop Dolph one in his mind as well: Dolph the Lunatic. "Bishop Dolph, if you insist on ruining Richard, then I can only embark on an attempt doomed to fail, casting my future into total darkness. "However, once the higher-ups of the Whip of Order suffer a setback in Yorktown, they will naturally want to reclaim some face, won't they? "Your grandson has severely violated the *Code of Order*, and the evidence is damning. Using him to reclaim that face would be ideal. "Furthermore, "I am quite curious about another matter. Even if he transferred in as an Adjudicator from a clerical role, I know Richard's combat skills—he ranks at the very bottom of our squad. Yet Adjudicator Vicolai was no match for him. Could it be that Richard ambushed him? "If he wasn't ambushed, could there be other secrets hidden beneath the surface? "I will include all of these questions in my investigation report." Karen stepped toward Dolph, coming to a halt directly before him, meeting his gaze square on: "I may forfeit my future, but I will make sure you lose your grandson!" You want to rally people for factional strife? Fine. But once you dive into this vortex, you'd better be prepared to get soaked to the bone. Dolph's eyes widened, glaring fixedly at the young man before him. Wolflen stroked his white beard again, feeling much more at ease. *That should quiet down this old mad dog of the Naton family.* Evidently, Elder Dolph understood Karen's meaning. He could win and the other side could lose, but at the end of the day, the region was pushing back against decrees from the Holy City. The Whip-Wielder would be furious, and even the High Priest would not look kindly upon local factions banding together like this. If Karen's side lost, higher leadership would inevitably seek retribution elsewhere to deliver a warning—for instance, against Dolph's grandson, Vicolai, especially when Karen's side already possessed concrete evidence. Bishop Dolph ground his teeth. "You're insane!" Karen chuckled. "If I weren't insane, how could I have organized an observation delegation and dashed off to the Mipos Archipelago? I simply love to gamble; I love high stakes. I don't even take my own life seriously, let alone a career. "You are a bishop, and the gulf between us is vast. The Head Bishop is someone I have always revered. "All I can manage is one simple exchange: you ruin my subordinate, and I kill your grandson." Vic drew a shimmering book from his robe and gently stroked the cover. Immediately, an aura of majestic authority pulsed from within. Holding the book high, Vic said, "This is the *Code of Order* gifted to our captain by the High Priest via the Whip-Wielder, bearing the High Priest's personal signature." Karen didn't look back, but mentally exclaimed: *You actually have one?!* However, Karen didn't dare reach out, take the book from Vic, and open it for display, because he was very afraid that if he opened it, it would turn out to bear Rasma's signature! Muri took a step forward, pointing at Richard. "Richard saved my life. My grandfather is aware of this as well. The Benda family honors such debts of gratitude." Muri had long severed ties with his family and no longer cared about them, so... using his family's name carried no psychological burden whatsoever. Dolph stared blankly at the three young men before him. He had always considered himself overbearing and reckless, but when faced with these three, he found himself utterly uncertain. Head Bishop Wolflen picked up the wet mud from the floor again to smooth things over. First, he flung a glob right onto Dolph's face, saying: "Dolph, when youngsters get emotional, they really do act without thinking." Immediately afterward, Wolflen tossed another glob onto Delon's face, smiling: "A scuffle between youngsters—as long as nobody died, is it really such a big deal?" Delon promptly rose and said, "The Head Bishop is quite right." However, Delon only dared state his own stance. He didn't dare look at Karen, much less pressure Karen to yield now. After all, Karen was defending the Guman family today. Finally, Wolflen raised the largest glob of mud, preparing to fling it at Karen, when Karen proactively turned to face him: "Shortly, I will have Richard go to the first-floor lobby of the Church Affairs Building, kneel before everyone, and apologize to Adjudicator Vicolai to express his remorse for this incident. "As for other compensation in points coupons, Bishop Dolph may name a sum. As long as it is not unreasonable, we are willing to accept it. "This is our stance. "I ask the Head Bishop and Bishop Dolph to forgive my earlier discourtesy. I am an orphan, so I cherish the people around me and my subordinates all the more deeply. I will not abandon anyone—never. "Still, unless forced to extremes, I do not wish for conflict between the Whip of Order and the Regional Administrative Office to break out first in our Yorktown Region." Eh? Suddenly so docile again? This left Head Bishop Wolflen, who was holding an invisible glob of mud, somewhat caught off guard. However, he quickly recovered and said to Dolph, "Is that acceptable?" Then, he deepened his tone: "Is that acceptable?" Dolph nodded with clear reluctance. "I want to see sincerity." He was confident the other bishops would stand with him on the larger issue, but he was even more certain they would be thrilled to see his grandson offered up as a sacrificial lamb to wrap up the political feud afterward. Karen bowed to Bishop Dolph. "I assure you, you will be satisfied." Delon looked at his grandson with conflicted emotions. Kneeling in apology in front of everyone... "Richard, go down to the first-floor lobby now, kneel, and apologize to Adjudicator Vicolai." Richard didn't hesitate in the slightest, nodding immediately. "Understood. I obey the captain's order and will go right away." Richard bowed to the Head Bishop, bowed to Dolph, and finally, bowed to his grandfather Delon. Delon swallowed hard and said, "Richard..." "Grandfather, I did the deed, so the responsibility must be borne by me." With that, Richard walked toward the office door. Vicolai immediately signaled the people beside him, gesturing for them to carry him down quickly. With a dark expression, Dolph nodded to them. Soon, Vicolai was carried out, and Dolph followed down as well, evidently intending to relish the spectacle in person. Wolflen said, "I'm tired. I'll rest for a while." The Head Bishop couldn't be bothered to join the spectacle. After all, it brought him no glory; the fact that a feud between two families under his jurisdiction had reached this point reflected poorly on his leadership. Delon stood up and walked out. He looked haggard, his steps unsteady as he walked. Karen came over and supported him by the arm. "Thank you... Karen." "It's only what I should do." "Earlier, I actually wanted to tell Richard that if he didn't want to, he didn't have to do it." Karen replied, "Then why didn't you say it just now?" "I..." "In fact, if you mobilized your department and your connections, you could have generated tremendous momentum. The Head Bishop does not want the situation to spiral out of control." "How could I do such a thing..." Hearing Delon's reply, Karen merely nodded in silence. From a bystander's perspective, the old man truly prioritized the bigger picture above all. Karen recognized Delon's loyalty to the Church of Order, but he would never recognize him as his grandfather. Uncle Aisen's warning had been entirely accurate; he truly understood his father. Yet Karen felt no disappointment, for he had never harbored any expectations to begin with. Comparing other elders to Diss was simply unfair. Karen still remembered how Diss had protected him when he was suspected of being an evil god. They entered the elevator and descended. First floor. The lobby, crowded to begin with, was now packed with people. The railings on the second and third floors were also thronged with onlookers gazing down. Flocking to spectacles was human nature—especially after Richard had dropped to his knees with a loud thud, instantly drawing every eye in the vicinity. When Vicolai was carried over and propped upright before Richard, Richard began shouting his apologies, turning the area into the center of attention. Some had already recognized Richard's identity; although the Guman family maintained a low profile in the region, they were well-known, not to mention that the old head of the family was an influential department head. On the second floor, Karen saw Dolph surrounded by a cohort of senior priests, a distinct smile playing across his face. Old Master Delon hesitated and halted his steps, closing his eyes, parting his lips slightly, his fists tightly clenched. Karen didn't know if this ordeal would change the old man—nor did he have any interest in finding out. Vic and Muri parted the crowd for Karen, and Karen walked inside with calm composure. Richard was kneeling before Vicolai. Having finished shouting his public apology, he remained kneeling because Vicolai had not spoken. In his muffled, slurred voice, Vicolai sneered maliciously, "What a pity I couldn't cripple you this time. But I'll remember you. Just you wait, next time..." "Pity, there won't be a next time." Vicolai turned his head to look at Karen walking over. "What do you mean by that?" Karen didn't acknowledge him. Instead, he reached down and helped Richard to his feet. "I won't bother comforting you." Richard grinned. "Bah, just playing with a monkey. The only hard part was holding back my laughter—I nearly burst just now." "This wasn't our original plan." "The director told me. I couldn't help it either. When I went after him, I was prepared to take a beating, but who knew he'd start wheezing first while we were fighting?" "It worked out well. The effect here is quite good." Vicolai yelled in alarm and confusion, "What on earth do you mean?!" Flanking from either side, Vic and Muri shoved aside the two servants who had carried Vicolai in, pinning Vicolai between them. Muri produced a pair of sealing handcuffs—the very kind Karen had once witnessed Mr. Pavaro bound in. *Click!* Muri cuffed Vicolai's hands together. Vic opened the book he carried with him at all times, took out the investigation warrant inside, and handed it to Karen. Raising the investigation warrant in his left hand while clamping his right hand onto Vicolai's shoulder, Karen declared loudly: "Upon receiving a report that Adjudicator Vicolai Naton is suspected of severe violations of rules and discipline, the Whip of Order Disciplinary Inspection Committee Office hereby issues this investigation warrant! Adjudicator Vicolai is requested to return to headquarters to assist in the investigation!" Karen tilted his head up slightly, fixing his gaze on the second floor where Bishop Dolph stood, and continued: "Anyone who obstructs shall be deemed an apostate!"