Lightning Strike!

*Crack! Crack! Crack!* With three resounding cracks of Presiding Judge Gaspol's whip, the sentencing of the six bishops, conducted one by one over six consecutive days, finally came to an end. Perhaps the final shred of respect shown to these six bishops was that their verdicts had not all been crammed into a single day. Karen did not sit at the tribunal bench, but rather in the gallery behind. As a section chief now, there was no need for him to show his face on such occasions; sitting in the back and watching Alfred, Vic, and the others perform was more than enough. During this period, other personnel were also rotated in to get a taste of being "prosecutors." For instance, on the day Richard appeared in court, the entire Guman family attended to watch, looking as though they were attending their child's graduation ceremony. Alfred and Vic had even thoughtfully left him some extra lines, keeping him from just sitting dryly through the whole thing as a recorder. Karen stood up and went through the small side door at the front, where Presiding Judge Gaspol was waiting for him. "When you have time some day, come visit the Dinge Region. I'll treat you to coffee." "Certainly, Presiding Judge." "Keep doing good work. Everything will turn around eventually. After all, who can say for sure what the future holds?" "Thank you for the encouragement." "Of course. I like outstanding young people who strive to improve." "Could I invite you to stay for dinner, if you are willing? It would be my honor." In truth, Karen would be leaving Yorktown on business shortly. "That's truly a pity. Next time. Next time you find another job for me, we can enjoy dinner together while discussing the case details." After exchanging polite pleasantries, Gaspol left with her judges. Karen looked back at the lively scene inside the courtroom, but instead of joining them to celebrate the trial's conclusion, he returned to his dormitory alone. Pushing open the door, he saw Purr sitting in a chair, wearing a red hood and cape: "Oh, dear little Karen, can we leave now?!" "I think you should take off all those clothes. Try not to make yourself look too flamboyant and attract attention. You should know that the Church of the Burrow has many monster beast believers." "Oh, I'm not a cat monster." "I know you're not, but attracting attention might make people want to probe you. Even though they won't find anything, there's no need to give them that kind of cue." "All right, I got it." "Where's Kevin?" "Woof!" Kevin dashed out of the washroom. A flexible sword was strapped to his body, and a mask covering only the upper half of his canine face adorned his head—the classic image of Zorro. "Take it off." At those words, Kevin first shot a mournful look at Purr, then immediately spun around and bounded cheerfully back into the washroom to tear off the miscellaneous junk. Evidently, had it not been for his "fear" of the cat's authority, he never would have dressed himself up like that. A knock sounded at the door. "Come in." "Chief, I'm ready." Though Ashley was wearing clerical robes, she had clearly put great effort into her hairstyle and jewelry. She plainly placed great importance on this opportunity to go on a business trip with the section chief. Her makeup looked a bit mature, and many of her accessories had definitely been borrowed from her mother. Still, Ashley wasn't one of Karen's pets, so he wasn't going to tell her to go wipe off her makeup. Purr leaped onto Kevin's back. Kevin lowered his head and offered his leash into Ashley's hand. Choosing a partner at the Church of the Burrow certainly required bringing an advisor, and no advisor could be more professional than his own dog. He could even tell which kind of dragon meat tasted better when roasted. As for Ashley, while she was now a member of the Whip of Order, her family ran a monster beast breeding facility and had ties to the Church of the Burrow. Moreover, having her walk the pets was far more appropriate than Karen leading a cat and dog himself. Although Alfred had mentioned last night that his young master wearing black clerical robes of Order with a black cat on his shoulder would look exceptionally striking, adding a Golden Retriever completely ruined the aesthetic. "*Pfft... hack!*" Stepping out into the exterior corridor, drops of water dripped down just then. Karen looked up to see Neo brushing his teeth with a cup in hand on the balcony above. "Skipping work again?" "Bullshit! I worked overtime all night, and I'm only now getting ready to sleep." "Then get some rest." "I'd love to go have some fun too. I know she seems to be there." Neo was referring to Anita. "You can go, but buy your own ticket." "Oh, I told you long ago, you'd regret it if I didn't get that Logistics Chief seat! That woman audits reimbursement receipts so strictly!" After Richel took office as Logistics Chief, she restructured headquarters' logistical system. At the chiefs' meeting the day before yesterday, she had even produced several peculiar reimbursement receipts from the previous term: A coffee mug costing 1,600 Order coupons; A black goat costing 6,000 Order coupons. Receipts like these had actually been reimbursed in the past, and the applicant was none other than Neo. Neo had initially explained that such an expensive coffee mug was a magical artifact that shattered during a mission; as for the black goat, it was a monster beast goat. And where was that monster beast goat now? Oh, it was killed in action! Yet Richel pointed at the purpose column on the form, stating it was marked for consumption! Just how extravagant did one have to be to spend 6,000 Order coupons on a black goat for charcoal-grilled lamb chops! In the end, Neo resorted to playing dumb, claiming certain special expenses couldn't be written out explicitly and could only be billed this way, which the previous Logistics Chief had taught him, and that he himself understood nothing of these bureaucratic rules. Ultimately, the farce concluded only when Sous stepped in to smooth things over. Had the major crisis not just subsided and all of them been newly appointed officials for whom digging up past grievances was ill-advised, Neo might have been removed for corruption before his seat as Reconnaissance Chief had even grown warm. "I'm fine with strict reimbursement. After all, it's far better than you being Logistics Chief and mortgaging our headquarters building one day, forcing everyone to work outdoors." "You're impugning my noble character! You've really disappointed me, Karen. I never thought that was how you saw me." "I expressed myself quite mildly." "By the way, I'd like to borrow some point coupons from you. I'm a bit tight on cash lately." "You can ask Alfred." "That manservant of yours is stingier than our current Logistics Chief!" "What do you need coupons for?" "My secret office needs operational funds! Some expenses aren't convenient to submit for approval right now. What else can I do?" "How much do you want to borrow?" "Not much. Just 200,000 Order coupons." "How much do you want to borrow?" "Just 200,000." "Hurry up and say it. How much do you want to borrow?" Neo: "..." "If you won't say, there's nothing I can do. I need to catch the teleportation circle. I'm leaving on my trip now; we'll talk when I get back." "Hey, you're a section chief now, can't we keep up some dignity? In a while, I'll pay you back 300,000." "Heh, then I definitely don't have coupons for you." What kind of business yielded a fifty-percent return in a few days? Just then, Leon stepped out of the office, looked up, and called to Neo, "Chief, do you need coupons? I have some here." "Ohohoho!" Neo instantly shifted targets and called to Leon, "From the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were an outstanding young man with a bright future! Wait right there, I'm coming down!" Neo didn't dare leap down directly from the balcony. This area was covered by a defensive array, and flitting carelessly around the outer walls could get him struck by lightning. Karen looked at Leon and cautioned, "Don't fool around with him." Leon smiled. "It's fine, Chief. I have plenty of coupons on hand, and they're just sitting there anyway. If Chief Neo needs them, he can go ahead and use them." "Careful, or he'll drag you up to the rooftop to drink beer." Leon pursed his lips. "Having too much inheritance on hand isn't great either." Karen nodded. He understood. Leon's entire family was gone—from his grandfather down to his father and uncles. The family's original inheritance combined with the church's pensions and compensation amounted to a vast sum. Yet Leon had no worries about food or drink; carrying so many coupons served no purpose, and seeing them only made him uncomfortable. Karen really couldn't dissuade him any further. After all, the boy simply felt he had too much money. After Karen and his entourage departed, Neo brought a thick roll of newspapers and documents into Karen's office. "Come, I have a magnificent plan here!" "Please go ahead, Chief." "Have you noticed that interest rates on Order coupons have started rising?" "I have." "Look, these are the recent exchange rate fluctuations of the coupons from several churches affiliated with our Church of Order. And look at this chart—this is my projection for the upcoming trend. I believe we can take advantage of this opportunity to make a massive killing!" "However, if it's on such a grand scale, it seems I don't have enough coupons." "That doesn't matter. There is a forbidden curse called... leverage." "But what if those affiliated churches take active measures to intervene...?" "Dogs should know their place. When the master gets hungry, slaughtering them for meat is the most natural thing in the world. Rest assured, I've never failed at this." "Then why didn't Chief Karen...?" "You mean why he didn't lend me coupons? That's because I've helped him win so many times that he's worried earning too much will dampen his work enthusiasm." "Uh..." "What, you don't believe me?" "I believe you, Lord Chief. Here is my card; there are 250,000 Order coupons in it. If that's not enough, I can go home and get more." "Enough, enough, it's enough for now. As those lunatics from the Church of Principles said, 'Give me a fulcrum, and I can pry up a temple!'" "Then I'll take my leave first." "Hey, don't leave so quickly! Let me describe the plan to you in detail." "Chief, I have something to take care of. Would you mind waiting a moment?" "Alright, go ahead." Leon walked out of the office and returned to his own quarters. Inside the living room, a skeleton being was tied up—Gus. After Karen had confirmed he was going to the Church of the Burrow, Alfred had thoughtfully invited Gus over as a "guest," extracting as much useful information from him as possible, which was compiled into a dossier for his young master. As for Gus, he would only be released after the young master safely returned, and Leon was tasked with assisting Alfred in feeding him. Leon took out a bottle and popped the cork. Tendrils of foul-smelling black mist immediately wafted out. Gus took a huge inhale, absorbing all the black mist, an expression of bliss showing in his eye sockets. "Sorry for the hardship. Once the chief returns, you'll be set free." "No, no, no, no hardship at all! This stuff is way too expensive. I'd rather stay tied up here and fed this forever! You have no idea how hard it is for creatures like us to grow." "Do you not have a family?" "I was born from a pile of bones. I have no family." "Do you feel lonely, then?" "I feel that if I say I'm lonely, it'll resonate with you, and then I'll get better treatment." "And the truth?" "Actually, having no family is pretty great too. As long as I live happily myself, that's enough, hahaha!" Leon nodded. "I'll open another bottle for you." ... Fortunately, Yorktown had a direct teleportation circle to the Church of the Burrow, which spared them the trouble of transfers. After the teleportation concluded, Karen and Ashley arrived at the Church of Order's liaison office stationed at the Church of the Burrow. A carriage bearing the emblem of the Church of Order pulled up, and the driver said warmly, "My lord, please get in. Everything has been arranged. Heading to the Dim Hotel." Just as Ashley was about to board, Karen reached out to catch her wrist, then looked at the driver and asked, "How much is the fare?" Ashley froze for a moment. *Huh? Wasn't it arranged to be free?* The driver scratched his head and smiled. "One thousand Order coupons." Ashley's eyes widened instantly. *A thousand Order coupons? Highway robbery!* "Then we'll find transportation outside." "My lord, this is the subterranean world; there are no taxis here. Wait..." The driver seemed to notice the difference in Karen's Order clerical robes. Although the primary color of Order clerical robes was black, the embroidered patterns on the chest distinguished rank and department. Once the driver confirmed what rank the robes represented, his jaw dropped, and he immediately changed his tune: "Fifty point coupons, and I'll take you there, my lord." Only then did Karen board the carriage. The carriage departed from the liaison office. The subterranean world was not pitch-black; special crystals attached to the cavern ceiling cast a glow that illuminated the place like broad daylight. Aside from some peculiarities in architectural style, it wasn't much different from an ordinary city. There were indeed no taxis on the streets, nor four-wheeled vehicles. Carriages were present, but they were pulled by massive monster beasts. As for ordinary people traveling, they rode atop large ladybugs. "Hehe, Chief, it's really interesting here! When I came here with my parents for the first time, I loved it. Monster beasts are everywhere. Anyone who hasn't been here would find it hard to imagine." Karen smiled and said, "As long as a place possesses order, it will inevitably develop toward harmony." Immediately after, Karen realized how official he sounded. It wasn't as if they were in a meeting. As the driver continued steering the carriage, he slid open the small partition window and asked ingratiatingly, "You are a section chief?" Ashley promptly answered, "Yes, this is our Lord Chief of the Whip of Order." "Oh, heavens, a section chief of the Whip of Order?" The driver took fright. He was merely a servant at the liaison office. Karen asked, "Have many people been coming over recently?" "Yes, you are quite right. The time of year has arrived. Every year around this time, a batch of people come from the church to choose their partners, but they're mostly young people... Oh, you're very young too, my lord. Honestly, it's been a long time since I've seen someone of your rank come here." Bourne had told him that partners from the Church of the Burrow were not the same as those from the Church of Principles. Those with prospects and standing in the Church of the Burrow were unwilling to become partners with Order priests. Only ones like Gus hoped to have an Order partner so they could receive regular supplies from the Church of Order. However, that was only relative to Karen. Because Karen was deemed far too exceptional in their eyes, pairing him with someone like Gus wasn't worth it. In reality, every year around this time, a group of young Order priests would arrive to select partners. They generally shared common traits: young, not particularly outstanding, but with well-to-do families. That was why the driver had asked for an exorbitant price when picking up passengers here—such marks were practically begging to be fleeced. The carriage arrived at the Dim Hotel. Karen stepped down, and Ashley prepared to pull out the coupons. "No, no, no, my lord, there's no need, truly no need!" "Take it! We're not so poor as to shortchange you!" Ashley handed over fifty point coupons. "Thank you, thank you!" The driver accepted the coupons. Ashley said, "A receipt!" "Oh, yes, a receipt, a receipt! I'll write one for you right away." "Make it for a thousand!" Standing behind her, Karen couldn't help feeling somewhat helpless. He wanted to remind Ashley that they could be a bit less brazen about their greed now, but remembering that his subordinate had turned out this way largely thanks to his own teachings, he didn't quite know how to broach the subject. Just then, a familiar voice sounded from behind: "Heh." Karen turned around and saw a "mountain," along with peaks, troughs, and peaks. Augie stepped forward, grabbed Karen by the collar of his clerical robe, and hoisted him up, lifting his feet clean off the ground. "Sister Augie, what's going on?" Behind Lady Augie followed a charming girl with a slender, serpentine waist. "Miss Daina, I don't know why, but the moment I see him, I just want to beat him up!" Karen thought to himself: *She doesn't remember me?* *Oh, right. Her memory was sealed by Rasma, and done using that crude method specifically for dragons.* "But you can't beat him up without a reason. He's wearing Order clerical robes." "Oh, right, Miss Daina. I almost forgot." "Though I found a reason for you: falsifying receipts, suspected embezzlement. Hehe, you can beat him up now." "Understood, Miss Daina!" Not only did Lady Augie fail to recognize him, she was actually going to beat him up! Back then, he had carried her heavily wounded, unconscious body all the way back to the temple for treatment. Yet facing Lady Augie's raised fist, Karen didn't panic, nor did he even try to resist. He simply asked very calmly: "Lady Augie, have you forgotten what happened that night in Yorktown? The sand!" In an instant, Lady Augie seemed to recall something. But just as she was about to think deeper, a burst of lightning abruptly surged from her forehead, immediately transforming into chains of thunder that wrapped around her entire body and began shocking her! "Aaaagh!!"