Caius's gaze shifted back and forth between Lanqi and the statue.
Even the priests of their Resurrection Church knew that the Goddess of Fate would never make such an obscene gesture as raising her middle finger.
Yet the fellow who had carved this thing looked as though he were cursing the Resurrection Church and the Extinction Branch on the goddess's behalf!
Caius tapped his fingers lightly against the tabletop, producing a rhythmic clicking sound, as if weighing options or judging something.
Lanqi stood calmly in place, his face devoid of expression, save for the glint of amusement in his eyes.
Caius's brow furrowed in utter bewilderment. Such complex emotion was exceedingly rare upon his ordinarily cold, hardened face.
Only upon observing the youth at close range did Caius become certain: this person was just as abstract as his work. It was impossible to tell whether he was simply simpleminded or unfathomably deep.
After a moment's hesitation, Caius stared at the statue and, ultimately unable to bear discarding it as a failure, placed it on the passing side.
The ownership of these passing works belonged to him.
Originally, they were meant for internal display.
Now, however, he decided he would keep Lanqi's stone sculpture in his personal collection.
This young man was destined to become the most outstanding sculptor in the Protos Empire.
When that day came, the value of this piece would be immeasurable.
He was certain that the youth's artistic attainment far exceeded his imagination, and his personal talent was every bit as exceptional as his written exam results.
"You did very well."
Caius commended him with a slow nod. "You pass."
Lanqi smiled faintly. He had known Caius wouldn't have the heart to destroy this piece.
With that, he stepped down from the dais and returned to his seat, waiting for the re-examination time to expire.
Many of the candidates who had already passed cast their gazes upon Lanqi for a while, harboring diverse thoughts.
Some looked on with admiration, others with greedy jealousy, while someone like Side revealed none of her internal thoughts, simply watching Lanqi with a steady gaze.
In the corner of the hall, the accumulated debris and rubble formed a small hillock.
The final submitter walked nervously before Caius, hands trembling slightly, as though the statue of the Goddess of Fate he cradled could feel his anxiety.
Had time not run out, he would never have handed in an unfinished piece. His face was pale, his eyes pleading, praying that Caius could see what he had intended.
Yet Caius's eyes had no patience for such weakness. He glared coldly at the submitter, then shifted his gaze to the statue.
After a moment, he sighed and shook his head.
Immediately, two towering priests in heavy armor stepped forward and seized the candidate's arms with swift force.
"My stance is sound! High Priest Caius!"
Struggling and begging for mercy proved futile; amidst shrill cries, the last candidate was dragged out of the hall.
As the heavy doors leading to parts unknown slowly shut, the clock's hand reached the half-hour mark, signifying that thirty minutes had passed since the exam began on the hour.
"Congratulations on passing the interview and the second round of testing. Regardless of whether you pass the final trial, you are all eligible to become colleagues in the Extinction Branch. However, those who achieve outstanding results in the final assessment will have the opportunity to receive a fast-track promotion granted directly by the Bishop of Extinction."
Caius finally rose to his feet. His gaze swept over the faces of every candidate as he spoke.
His voice was slightly milder than before, yet remained laden with intimidation.
The candidates looked at Caius, waiting for him to announce the details of the final assessment.
They knew that the final trial was the real highlight.
Rather than merely becoming new priests holding the White Common [Proof of Resurrection - Extinction], they far preferred a rapid promotion to elite priests or high priests—catching the eye of the Bishop of Extinction, becoming his direct subordinates, or even climbing higher in the future.
"For the final assessment, show me your value. And that value will be the best reflection of your comprehensive capabilities."
Caius raised his hand slightly, pointing toward the crowd below the dais.
"Within one day, you may challenge any priest of the Extinction Branch who holds a Blue Precious or higher [Proof of Resurrection - Extinction]. So long as you do not violate the law, you may use schemes, stratagems, or any means at your disposal. I want to see how much distress and trouble your plots can cause them."
This was a process to adapt to current circumstances and policies.
It would also filter out the exact talents they needed most during the Protos Empire's bishop election process.
If, in the environment of the Protos Empire, they could not even handle existing elite priests, then they simply were not the talent in urgent demand.
"However, choose your targets carefully, and be prepared to be struck down in return."
In the hall, as Caius's voice faded, his figure vanished behind the corridor on the inner side of the hall.
At the same time, the main doors of the hall swung open once more, seemingly signaling that the candidates could leave—or that the official final assessment had begun.
They would have twenty-four hours to select and investigate their targets, lay out schemes, execute them, and see their plans through.
"..."
Inside the hall, candlelight flickered upon the candelabras, casting the candidates' shadows onto the murals of the cold stone walls in twisted silhouettes, as if demons were on the verge of breaking free.
Every crystal on the wrought-iron chandeliers reflected a faint glimmer, illuminating their varied expressions.
While turning Caius's words over in their minds,
candidates gradually began exchanging glances. No words were spoken, yet a clear realization shone in their eyes.
Having grasped the rules, they quickly understood the most crucial point:
Rather than competing against one another, the candidates could cooperate.
They could gang up on one elite priest together, and then move on to another.
Perhaps this was also what Caius wished to convey: the Extinction Branch was an organization that valued cooperative hunting of enemies.
And yet.
As one of the more eye-catching figures among the candidates, Lanqi stood up, stretched lazily, and then turned to stroll casually out through the hall's doors.
He appeared to have no intention whatsoever of cooperating with anyone.
"Is this guy really that arrogant?"
"I was thinking of asking him to join us. With a few more people, maybe we could try taking on a high priest."
Amidst the hushed murmurs, Lanqi's retreating figure slowly vanished at the end of the corridor.
The only one like him was Side. Deigning not to spare a single person a second glance, she departed the hall entirely on her own.
...
The Temple of the Knights of Extinction was both magnificent and mysterious, its towering spires and frost-rimmed walls gleaming brightly beneath the sun.
Lanqi emerged from the main entrance of the Knights of Extinction, greeted by the chilly town streets.
Cold wind blew past in periodic gusts.
He stepped into the middle of the road. The sunlight slanted down from his left, stretching his shadow straight across the right side of the street.
The town's flagstone streets extended outward from the entrance of the Temple of the Knights of Extinction, the low buildings flanking the road frosted over in snow-white crystalline frost.
After leisurely turning a few street corners, the little black cat sprang out from Lanqi's shadow once more and burrowed into his embrace.
"Meow meow meow! Lanqi! You won't be able to shake off the Extinction Branch even if you want to now!"
Boss Cat had been thoroughly terrified in that examination hall, where it felt as if one might never make it out alive.
This organization, even if it didn't let someone pass, would destroy them instead!
Having come this far, Lanqi had to see the third round through no matter what.
"Since we're already here, we might as well finish the exam."
Lanqi did not slow his pace as he patted the little black cat's head and spoke.
His posture was calm and unhurried, his steps light as though treading upon soft carpet. In the wind, the ends of his hair brushed gently against his white shirt, intermittently revealing the trim of his vest. Leaving the Knights of Extinction, he looked just as he had upon arrival—unsoiled by the mud around him.
He had a clear objective and seemed brimming with confidence for the upcoming trial.
"You... so which elite priest are you going to go after? What do you plan to do about the final assessment?"
In Boss Cat's eyes, Lanqi wasn't the type to plot someone's downfall from the shadows.
He was always upright, open, and candid in his actions; if truth be told, his style was far more like that of the Domination branch priests.
The two of them teaming up to overpower an elite priest with brute force wouldn't be difficult at all, but when it came to scheming and underhanded sabotage, it couldn't imagine what Lanqi would do.
"It's already over,"
Lanqi said with a smile.
Boss Cat: "???"
...
That very evening, the Protos Empire received a report under a real name: High Priest Caius of the Extinction Branch was illicitly harboring an artistic statue of the Goddess of Fate, involving an astronomical sum of money; furthermore, he was suspected of being a cultist from the Church of the Goddess of Fate who had infiltrated the high ranks of the Resurrection Church, suffering from shaky and corrupt devotion.
Although the Extinction Branch immediately held a press conference to clarify the situation, under the united condemnation and suppression from the Domination and Mourning branches—who seized the golden opportunity—the Extinction Branch had no choice but to launch a thorough investigation and dismiss High Priest Caius from his post.
Chapter 265