As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

Page 119

Chapter 239 The Beginning of the Operation (Part Six)

“I remember the bishop once said that from the first day she joined the church, she knew about the plan to resummon the supreme God to the world, and she has been working towards this plan ever since, for more than ten years now.”

Looking at Lius, Ershu placed her hand on her chest with a respectful tone, solemnly addressing the blond boy before her. Lius, in turn, gazed intently at the black-robed girl and continued to ask:

"In other words, for you believers who joined the church later, all your actions were carried out at the behest of your bishop, right?"

"It can be said that, according to what His Excellency the Bishop previously told us, this operation has been the Church's initial mission and its ultimate goal from the very beginning, and we have been making efforts in this regard from the very beginning."

"Did the earlier believers, before you bishops, also have the same thoughts and continue to act on them?"

"Well... His Excellency the Bishop said that our Church has always operated in this way, constantly striving towards its proper goals. No matter the era, the essence of the Church remains unchanged. Neither our reverence for the Most High God nor our own actions have changed. What do you think of this answer, Your Excellency? Is there anything wrong with it?"

Looking at the blond boy in front of him, Ershu tilted his head slightly and asked him the same question. Lius shook his head slightly, looked intently at Ershu's face, and slowly said:

"No... if you've truly been taking action all along, targeting the entire kingdom and treating every life within it as an enemy—how could such a large-scale operation not leave any clues or loopholes?"

"Hmm? Your Excellency, do you have doubts?"

Hearing Lius's sudden words, Ershu lowered his eyes in surprise, while Lius continued to nod and explain to the black-robed Shaoan in front of him:

"Throughout the history of the kingdom, many talented people have emerged. Even if you truly possess extraordinary power and are able to conceal the church's whereabouts for decades or centuries, there will always be some records left behind on the surface, such as rebellions in a certain place or disappearances in a certain place. These are things that cannot be hidden and are necessary steps in your actions. However, as far as I know, it seems that such a great disaster has never occurred in the kingdom."

"Even those recorded conflicts and attacks have no connection to your church in terms of their underlying causes. Moreover, I once traveled throughout the kingdom and helped the Queen organize the history of various parts of the kingdom. I am very familiar with this. I have even found some sects that are more low-profile than yours, but there is no trace of your whereabouts. Could it be that your abilities have become so powerful that they can influence the history of the entire kingdom?"

"Ok?"

Upon hearing Lius's statement, Ershu's face also showed a thoughtful expression, as if he was considering the credibility of Lius's words. For a moment, he put away the relaxed smile on his face and replaced it with the same slightly furrowed brows as Lius.

Taking advantage of the girl's silence, Leus pondered the clues he had uncovered in the small mountain village where Olivia had lived. His expression grew even more serious, as if he were engaged in a brief mental exercise during the silence, causing him to utter words continuously:

"Based on our recent understanding of you, your operations are actually quite high-profile. Not to mention the most prosperous areas of the kingdom, even in some remote small towns, there are still records from decades ago. If someone wants to investigate, they will definitely notice something amiss."

"Therefore, I judge that your church has not always been as high-profile as it has been in recent years. There must have been highs and lows! Otherwise, everything would be too illogical."

The girl's silence was particularly striking at this moment. After expressing his thoughts, Rurius also fell silent and stared at Ershu in silence.

In the silence, about a minute passed before Ershu gradually reacted. He took a small step forward, exhaled, and spoke softly to the blond boy in front of him in a thoughtful tone:

“We possess power bestowed by the Supreme God, including many abilities that we ourselves do not fully understand. The church is also well-managed, and if Your Excellency the Bishop takes the lead, everyone’s actions will not go wrong… Under these circumstances, it is not difficult to hide. Your Excellency, do you… really think there is something amiss?”

Faced with Lius's words, Ershu looked at him with a serious gaze, his eyes filled with a probing emotion. Lius nodded slightly and continued, "I have considered these matters before. I know you have unparalleled power, but I also believe that this power is not limitless. Otherwise, you would have already taken over the entire kingdom by force. It is because of various restrictions that you have been hiding in the shadows for a long time, which has prevented you from advancing your actions smoothly."

"Your Excellency, do you mean... that although the bishop said that the church has remained active for hundreds of years, the reality is the opposite, that the church has been in hiding all along, and that the start of our plan is not as long as we imagine?"

Thinking about Lius's words, Ershu narrowed his eyes slightly, a thought flashing through his mind. He asked Lius this question, and Lius nodded gently, continuing his explanation:

"That's right. If I'm not mistaken, your plan to sacrifice the entire kingdom to awaken the supreme god was actually only restarted in recent decades. In fact, it could be said that... your bishop was the one who spearheaded it. Because of her, the plan has been able to continue moving forward. Am I right?"

“Your Excellency, is that what you think…” Ershu pursed his lips. “But the bishop said before that the Church’s initial purpose has always been to awaken the Supreme God, and it has been so since ancient times. It’s not her idea alone.”

"The initial intention is the initial intention, and the action is the action. The two cannot be confused. Perhaps your church has indeed maintained this initial intention and purpose for hundreds of years since its establishment, but the means have changed. In the past hundreds of years, due to the situation or its own morality, the methods were not so radical, but now..."

Looking out of the tent at the soldiers coming and going, Leus sighed softly:

"But now, your methods are very different from before, becoming more radical, which has led to the current situation where the conflict between your church and the Lord's Kingdom has become irreconcilable. This is the current situation."

"Hmm...Does the leader believe that it was because the bishop led our church in a radical direction after he joined us that it became like this? The church's plans and the orders of the supreme God were all ordered and executed by the bishop."

Ershu pursed her lips, looking somewhat conflicted. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then continued to look at Lius. "But... even so, what is the Bishop's purpose? Why would she do this?"

"Well... I can only make a rough inference. If someone wants to awaken a god by offering up a country, and she is not a particularly devout believer, then she is probably pessimistic or even in despair for some reason, and wants to resolve some inner confusion by summoning a god."

"Confused... Your Excellency is confused? We've never noticed it, and you, Leader, have never met Your Excellency either. Why are you so sure?" Ershu asked in surprise.

“I have seen many people who are fanatically devoted to religion for no reason other than because they have been deeply mired in some kind of extreme grief, such as the death of a loved one or being betrayed, which has made them lose the will to live and can only seek spiritual sustenance in the church.”

"Heading towards Ershu," Lius murmured slowly, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.

"...The more pessimistic and desperate she was, the deeper her devotion to the church became. If we were to apply these elements to that bishop, it might be the reason why she used such extreme methods. I have a feeling that she must have experienced something particularly desperate before joining the church, which made her want to summon God to punish this unjust world."

"This... Is that what the Bishop thinks?" Ershu looked shocked as he heard Lius's words. His small hand, which was hanging in front of him, seemed to freeze in space until Lius reminded him and he put it down again.

Although she was somewhat bewildered by this conclusion, for some reason, perhaps due to her trust in Lius, she also firmly believed in this abrupt conclusion.

"His Excellency the Bishop muttered to himself inwardly, while Ershu pondered for a moment, then narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he had thought of something, and continued speaking to Lius: "

"Wait a minute, the bishop nodded in agreement with what you, leader, said earlier, but then sent us to prepare for the plan. What does this mean? Didn't the bishop want to punish this world? Why would he agree with what you, leader, said?"

"Personally, I think that there are some cracks or entanglements in her heart. Some reason has made her change her original idea, or she has begun to hesitate about her previous actions, so there are different differences in her actions."

"In that case, does it mean that although Her Majesty the Bishop agrees with your idea, Your Excellency, she still cannot go against her original intention, which is why she wants us to continue with the original plan?"

"I'm more inclined to believe that your bishop agreed with my statement in her heart, but for some reason, perhaps a sense of responsibility or duty as a bishop, she had to continue her actions."

As Lius spoke, he continued to gaze intently at Ershu's face and said:

"Even so, the bishop left herself some leeway, that is, she only allowed you to carry out the preliminary actions, and as for the final step... that was to be carried out by herself."

"Your Excellency, are you saying that if the bishop doesn't want to do this at the moment, she can give up at any time?" Ershu asked with a hint of surprise, while Lius shook his head slightly and continued to tell her, "No, I think what this bishop means is... if it really comes to that, she has left herself a chance—a chance to be stopped, or to put it another way, a chance to be stopped by me."

"Hmm? You stopped me, Your Excellency!?"

Hearing the words of the blond boy in front of him, Ershu's eyes widened in surprise, his astonishment deepening...

Chapter 240: The Beginning of the Operation (Part 7)

"Your Excellency, you said... the Bishop wants you to defeat her? Why? Why does the Bishop want to do this?" Hearing the conclusion from Lius's mouth, Ershu's eyes widened in disbelief, and she asked him repeatedly. At this moment, the black-robed girl's eyes flashed with an even more astonished light than before, as if she had heard something that was like the collapse of the world, which made Ershu clench her small fists.

Her slender fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her black robe, her knuckles turning white from the force. Her body swayed slightly, her gaze darting back and forth between Lius and her, waiting for him to offer her an explanation.

Meanwhile, Lius, noticing Ershu's current state, did not reply immediately. Instead, he took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the map on the table beside him, looking at his own mansion in the center and the cross placed next to it. He said thoughtfully, "Perhaps deep down... she regrets her actions and doesn't want to continue doing these extreme things. She is waiting for someone who can free her from this long dream, but she can't overcome that inner demon. She only wants to do things through me that she couldn't do before."

"Let the Bishop be free? What do you mean? Does the Bishop want... to die? Or does she want you, Leader, to punish her? Leader, do you also want to do that? Are you planning to harm the Bishop...?"

Upon hearing Lius's words, Ershu's gaze immediately turned serious, and he asked Lius repeatedly with a hint of urgency in his voice.

"Calm down, Ershu. I didn't intend to do that. I just analyzed the bishop's thoughts. Don't worry."

Seeing Ershu's worried and anxious expression, Lius patted the girl's shoulder repeatedly to calm her down. Ershu then unconsciously reached out her small hand and clasped it tightly with the boy's, as if seeking a sense of security from him. As she clasped her hand, her voice trembled as she spoke, "Thank you for your mercy, Leader... But I still don't understand why the Bishop has such emotions, wanting to plunge herself into a state of destruction... If the Bishop doesn't want to carry out the plan, then why not just not do it? We wouldn't have any objections. Why must you, Leader, stop her..." Ershu slowly uttered the word "stop," not uttering the word "kill," which she feared most in her heart. She simply raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on Lius's face, yearning for the answer she longed for.

"Because she didn't want to negate the efforts of the past few decades, and she couldn't even muster the courage to give up the supreme god she originally believed could resolve her inner doubts. Because once she negated it, it would mean giving up the most painful thing in her heart, giving up the will that kept her alive. This was something that the bishop absolutely did not want to happen."

"Is this... the bishop's heart, filled with self-destructive desires?"

Hearing Lius's words, Ershu pursed his lips slightly, seemingly unsure of where to begin, while Lius sighed softly.

"In short, although it was very complicated, that's how it is. Although we don't know what this bishop went through, she was filled with despair. Even though she found some things that gave her hope over a long period of time, it still couldn't completely resolve her inner turmoil."

Lius recounted this, and Ershu frowned slightly, adding as he continued:

"Then... the two inner conflicts intertwined, and the bishop could not make up her mind for a while. She could only hope that someone could defeat her and stop her extreme actions. And you, leader, are a variable in her plan and the object of her hopes."

"That's right, so now Ershu, do you understand? Do you understand the significance of your actions, and you also understand the deeper meaning behind your bishop's actions?"

Looking back at Ershe, Lius straightened his expression, adopting a serious demeanor once more. He tightened his grip on the black-robed girl's hand, and in the tense atmosphere, leaned closer, speaking softly, "Ershe, now that you understand the emptiness and turmoil within your bishop's heart… I must now ask you some questions."

"Hmm? Your Excellency, you want to ask me?" Ershu looked surprised.

"Yes, I want to ask you, Ershu, what are your own thoughts on this matter? If I were to really confront your bishop and satisfy her desire for self-destruction, which side would you support?"

"Faced with this question from Lius, Ershu's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she were momentarily caught in a dilemma." She muttered to herself unconsciously, lost in thought, "The Leader." And the power struggle between the bishops... For Ershu, those few seconds of contemplation were arguably the most agonizing period of her life.

Of course, this period of hesitation didn't last too long. Especially after staring at Lius's face, Ershu's heart raced several times before he finally took a deep breath, regaining his previous composure. With a burning sensation in his chest, he nodded vigorously to Lius.

"If that day ever comes, then I believe... the church will seek out the person who serves the one closest to the Most High God, which is you, Leader."

"Oh? Really? The bishop has been with you for so long, and now she wants to destroy herself. Won't you support her?"

Looking at the girl in black robes before him, sensing the determination in her voice, Lius maintained his previous serious demeanor and asked her again with a firm tone.

In response, Ershu freed her hands from Lius's grasp, gently clasped them together in a prayerful gesture, and slowly opened her eyes, nodding to Lius as she gazed at him.

"Because our church has always existed in this way, it exists to serve the Most High God. The Most High God is our most sincere faith. Therefore, we should obey our leader, who is the messenger of the Most High God, and fulfill all your wishes, even those of the bishop... As long as our leader is willing, we will also help you fight against her."

Looking at Lius, Ershu, with all his might, spoke those words to him, then took a step closer and added:

"Furthermore, perhaps I'm being a bit arrogant, but deep down I don't think... I don't think that you, Leader, would really lay a hand on the Bishop. That's not like you, Leader. You're full of love for everyone around you, so how could you hurt the Bishop for such a reason?"

"Oh? Is this your idea, Ershu?" Hearing the girl's words, Lius's eyes lit up, and he smiled as he confirmed it.

"Um... Please forgive my presumptuous speculation, but I do have this impression of you, Leader, and therefore I always believe in you and that you can help the Bishop. This is my most sincere thought. If I have offended you, please forgive me, Leader."

"Trust me... Ha, this feeling is really nice."

Feeling the trusting gaze of the black-robed girl before him, Leus patted her shoulder, a hint of relief in his eyes, before shaking his head slightly.

"No, while I admire your awareness, if things really escalate to the point of confrontation, then I have only one order: if I and your bishop start fighting each other... do not intervene. Neither I nor the bishop should help. Do not bring these matters into the church. I believe your bishop... does not want her affairs to affect too many people."

"Are you preventing us from getting involved in either side's conflict?"

After listening to Lius's words, Ershu seemed to want to say something more after her brief praise of the god. However, after feeling the serious look Lius was giving her, she finally stopped herself from saying what she wanted to say and nodded vigorously to the blond boy in front of her.

“I understand, Your Excellency… I will convey your message to the others later. Of course, if anything happens, we will prioritize rescuing you, so please don’t worry.”

"Ha. Rescuing me... Actually, my only worry was you guys. As long as nothing unexpected happens, there shouldn't be too many problems. That's enough. Thank you, Ershu."

Nodding to the black-robed girl before him, Lius then scrutinized her from head to toe. Seemingly pondering something, he spoke softly to Ershu:

"Speaking of which, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you about, Ersh." "Oh? Your Excellency, is there anything else you'd like to know?"

Hearing Lius's voice, Ershu tilted his head slightly and looked at him seriously. "Yes, it's about Ershu yourself, about the blessing from the Most High God in the Church. It hasn't been passed down from ancient times, but has suddenly increased in recent years. Am I right?"

Looking at Ershu, Lius made this deduction to her, and the girl also looked stunned, seemingly equally surprised by Lius's statement:

"Hmm? Enhanced in recent years? This... I don't know much about this, but the bishop said that she was the first person among the church members of this generation to be blessed, and it was she who transmitted the power of the Most High God to everyone."

"Is it provided by the bishop...? She first received divine blessing, and then used herself as a 'transfer station' for the blessing of the supreme god to replenish your divine power. So that's the process."

"The bishop said that this is how church members have received the blessings of the Most High God since ancient times, and it is led by the bishop at the time... Does Your Excellency have any doubts about this?"

Ershu asked this question, and Lius nodded slightly, giving an affirmative answer to the black-robed girl in front of him, "Although I don't want to spoil your mood, Ershu, according to my deduction... that might be a lie told on purpose to enhance your cohesion. In fact, it could be said that the power within you is not as pure as you imagine."

"Hmm? Not so pure?"

Hearing Lius's words, Ershu was slightly surprised, once again taken aback by his statement...

Chapter 241: The Beginning of the Operation (Part 8)

"The power within us isn't so pure? Why would you say that, Leader? Is there something we don't understand?" Hearing Lius's sudden conclusion, Ershu's astonishment deepened, and she couldn't help but gently touch her chest with her small hands, feeling the burning sensation emanating from it.

This feeling was like sunlight, yet also like a gentle fire, making Ershu feel extremely calm and focused. He then exhaled, gazing intently at Lius's face with an inquiring look, and continued speaking to him:

"Your Excellency, I have just tried to release the divine power within me again, and there is no difference from before. What exactly do you mean by 'pure'? Could you please tell me as well?"

"Well, how should I put it? The power within you may indeed contain the kind of divine power I sensed in the church before, but it's also mixed with ordinary magic. These two forces intertwine to form the power that you, Ershu, and other believers typically use."

"Oh? It's mixed with magic?"

At Lius's words, Earl closed his eyes, his fingers once again touching his neck. He closed his eyes to carefully feel the tremors within his body. Lius, on the other hand, shook his head slightly, placed his hand on the black-robed girl's shoulder, and added a reminder:

"There's no need for further self-examination. If you haven't noticed this before, it means you've become accustomed to this mixed power. There's no need for further scrutiny. Just leave it as it is."

Looking at Lius, Ershu pursed his lips, seemingly still harboring doubts and a degree of trust in Lius. After exhaling, he looked at the blond boy in front of him with an inquiring expression and asked:

"If what you say is true, Your Excellency... then why is this happening? Isn't the power of the Supreme God infinite? Why is this mixed magic being bestowed upon us?" Perhaps you can indeed obtain the power of the Supreme God, but it is not as infinite as you imagine. If I'm not mistaken, this power was initially only bestowed upon the Bishop.

“It is merely a gift to His Excellency the Bishop…” Ershull muttered to himself.

"That's right. Therefore, the divine power within is not so abundant. It can only be distributed to everyone in a way similar to 'diluting'. It's also possible that the Church is not as powerful as you think. That's why this bishop needs to step forward and use this power to give you confidence."

As he spoke to Ershu, Lius examined her body again. After a moment of thought, he suddenly said, "Ershu, since you came here alone, it means you must have a way to escape from here. For example, there is a part of the divine power you obtained from the bishop inside your body, is that right?"

“Ah… yes, Your Excellency. Before the mission, we retained a blessing from the Supreme God within us. This power cannot be detected by anyone, not even by magic. As long as we activate this power, we can be teleported back to the church and escape from here.” Facing Lius’s question, Ershu calmed himself and nodded in reply. “In that case… could you give me that power to examine? I want to confirm this further,” Lius continued.

"Of course... Come, please come closer, Leader. Look at my chest; this is where our power comes from."

With that, Ershu nodded slightly, loosened the collar of his shirt, and walked up to Lius with a blush on his cheeks.

Lius also moved closer to the girl, who was looking at him with a hint of shyness in her eyes. He observed the burning passion that remained in the girl's chest next to her full, round breasts.

I'm very sorry for being so rude.

With his eyes closed, Lius gently stroked the tender skin, carefully savoring every sensation he touched.

When Lius opened his eyes again, there was a thoughtful look in his eyes, and his gaze towards Ershu held a more complex emotion than before: