A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 625 - Chapter 625 Chapter 464 The Future_1

Chapter 625: Chapter 464: The Future_1 Chapter 625: Chapter 464: The Future_1 One question had been bothering General Kriolleiv.

What would the future hold for Herman?

And now, he saw a partial answer to that question.

He saw how the Fourth Legion managed to take over Ros City…well, from a military perspective, this attack didn’t have any particular highlight. In fact, to this veteran general, the fighting was even somewhat sluggish, far from ideal.

However, that wasn’t the point; the point was… he saw a battlefield unlike any he remembered.

After capturing Ros City, the Fourth Legion didn’t pillage and plunder. Instead, they immediately deployed soldiers to maintain order in the city and prohibited any looting or seizure activities–this was a new experience for Kriolleiv and his men because they always viewed these actions as part of war. Soldiers need to vent their fear of death and the stress brought by the war, so this behavior was tacitly allowed to some extent.

However, the Fourth Legion was distinctly different–they forbade such actions. They took charge of patrolling the city and maintaining public peace. At first, the residents of Ros City were worried about this new regime. But, when they realized these soldiers weren’t a threat, they gradually relaxed.

But it didn’t just stop there.

Soon after taking over Ros City, the Fourth Legion opened special courts, announcing to the citizens that the city had been liberated from the hands of Congress and returned under the Emperor’s control. The henchmen of the Congress would be put on trial. Then, those nobles and officials in Ros City, who used to oppress the civilians under the authority of the Congress, were imprisoned, arrested, put on public trials, and then executed.

Their wealth was seized by the Fourth Legion, of which food and some daily necessities would be distributed to the poor. Houses and lands would either be returned to their original owners or temporarily used by the Fourth Legion.

Afterward, the Fourth Legion would send people to explain to the citizens of Ros why they were fighting–of course, the central theme was that Chancellor Stisseth and the Congress had controlled the emperor and taken over the country. Therefore, the Fourth Legion aimed to restore orthodoxy by defeating the Congress and returning power to the emperor…

“Why are they doing all this?”

Watching the man making speeches to the civilians from afar, Laures frowned at this, while Duanmu Huai simply shrugged.

“It’s simple because we hope to gain the support of the people. Soldiers are humans too, coming from these civilians. Only by letting them know what they’re fighting for can they fight without doubts.”

Having said that, Duanmu Huai quietly glanced at Kriolleiv.

“And not be like a certain old man, not even knowing what he wants to do.”

“Haha…”

Kriolleiv gave a bitter smile, saying nothing. He knew Duanmu Huai’s meaning. Sure, though he and Laures thought this was a waste of time, they carefully considered that making the people aware of what was happening would make rule easier at least.

As commanders of the legion, they only needed to focus on fighting. Issues like internal governance were not a soldier’s concern.

“Your Honor, the Judge.”

At that moment, Kierdi appeared before Duanmu Huai, looking rather serious.

“What is it?”

“We received a tip-off from the public that some officials have hidden in the Church of AL. We originally wanted to search the church, but the priest of the Church of AL rejected our request and even rallied the believers to defend the church…claiming that if we want to enter the church, we must step over their dead bodies.”

Speaking to this point, Kierdi made a helpless gesture.

“We are unable to forcefully enter the church now…”

“Hmm.”

Hearing Kierdi’s report, Duanmu Huai snorted coldly.

“Bring me there.”

Soon, Kierdi took Duanmu Huai to the Church of AL on Royce City Square. At the gate, dozens of civilian believers surrounding a fat-eared priest confronted Kierdi’s Personal Guard and soldiers from the Fourth Legion.

Meanwhile, the fat-eared priest was mouthing off.

“You can’t enter this church! This is where the holy Goddess Alice resides. You barbaric and vulgar soldiers aren’t allowed in! Even if you’ve captured this city, you can’t defile the grand sanctuary of Goddess Alice!”

Facing this priest who was shouting like a charlatan, everyone was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, a crowd of Ros residents gathered, uneasily observing the church.

“This sure is interesting.”

Watching this scene, Laures whistled quietly to General Kriolleiv.

“I hate these religious fanatics the most; talking to them is just infuriating. I wonder how Your Honor, the Judge plans to handle them.”

“…..”

Kriolleiv didn’t say anything, he just nodded slightly. He agreed with Laures, because the priests of the Church of AL were indeed all very devout–or stubborn. If not handled properly, the reputation of the Fourth Legion in Ros City would suffer; he was curious about how Duanmu Huai would handle this.

“Hmm.”

Looking at the ranting priest of the Church of AL, Duanmu Huai coldly snorted and strode forward. Seeing Duanmu Huai’s figure, the priest quickly turned pale.

“Heretic! Get away from here; this isn’t a place for a heretic like you!”

“Church of AL, you believe in the Goddess Alice, right?”

“Yes!”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s words, the priest showed a fanatical expression of excitement.

“The great Goddess Alice guides and saves people! She created the world and lovingly protects humans! She is the great and sacred deity!”

“Oh?”

Hearing this, Duanmu Huai raised an eyebrow.

“In that case, let me ask you this, when the people of this city were oppressed, bullied, and abused by the Congress’s lapdogs, where was your Goddess Alice, the one you worship? Shouldn’t she have come out to save everyone?”

“This……”

Faced with Duanmu Huai’s question, the Priest was temporarily at a loss for words.

However, Duanmu Huai didn’t give him a chance to think or articulate his thoughts, he continued to stare at him coldly.

“Or are you saying… you’re just looking for an excuse? You’re not fulfilling your duty as a Priest of the Church of AL at all? Otherwise, why are the people of this city suffering here, and Goddess Alice is completely unaware of it? Have you, in cahoots with those damn Congress lapdogs, clouded people’s judgment?!”

“That…… no…… absolutely not! I am a devout believer…!”

The pot-bellied Priest was sweating profusely with anxiety. He didn’t expect this man to be so relentless, coming at him with such a damning accusation right off the bat! In fact, some of the believers around him were already beginning to look at him with suspicion!

“If that’s the case, let’s go in and search. If those guys aren’t in there, I’ll believe that you are a devout Priest who worships Goddess Alice.”

“………”

“Oh dear.”

Seeing the pale face of the pot-bellied Priest, Laures shook his head and looked towards Kriolleiv.

“Are these religious types naturally incapable of distinguishing right from wrong?”

“Heh……”

It’s no wonder Laures thinks so. If Duanmu Huai denied the existence of Goddess Alice here, as one of the Tribunal’s Judges charged with heresy, it would surely elicit dissatisfaction from the other believers.

But Duanmu Huai didn’t do that. Instead, he directly confronted the Priest of the Church of AL, accusing him of being disloyal! He is not a devout believer of Goddess Alice! In this way, the focus of the whole situation shifted. For the other believers of the Church of AL, the problem now was not about Goddess Alice, but about this fat, lazy priest who was living off the believers!

Of course, Laures had no idea that the Tribunal was highly skilled at this maneuver!

What about the Four-Armed God Emperor?

What about the Second Empire?

What about the path of ultimate goodness?

You’re disloyal? Guards, drag him away and behead him!

Who would dare to challenge the Tribunal in judging heresy-they’re the experts!

“No, no, this is not…”

The pot-bellied Priest turned pale in the face of Duanmu Huai’s rebuke, sweating profusely from head to toe, unable to articulate his argument. However, Duanmu Huai didn’t care, he strutted to the entrance of the church.

At this moment, the believers seemed less resolute than before. Seeing Duanmu Huai approaching, they all moved aside. The Priest collapsed onto the ground, gazing in utter terror at the giant figure looming over him.

Duanmu Huai didn’t bother to look at him, pushed open the door, and gave a hand gesture.

“Search!”

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s command, the soldiers of the Fourth Legion rushed into the cathedral. Soon, pig-like screams accompanied the sight of several Noblemen being dragged out of the cathedral and onto the streets by the Fourth Legion.

Seeing this scene, the Priest’s face turned ashen.

“Take them away.”

Duanmu Huai glanced coldly at the wailing Noblemen and casually commanded before looking at the crumpled Priest on the ground.

“And this pseudo-believer who masquerades under the guise of the Goddess, take him away for interrogation as well! Then hold a public trial!”

“————–!”

Upon hearing this, the pot-bellied Priest was both furious and anxious, his eyes rolling back in his head…… and he fainted.

“………”

Watching the Priest being taken away, Lusian, who had been hiding amongst the crowd, had a complex expression on her face. After Kriolleiv surrendered, she followed Kierdi’s Personal Guard back to the rear, joining the Fourth Army’s operations. In this process, Lusian witnessed the brunt of the suffering of the lower-class citizens, their pain and tragedies.

And now…even the Priests of the Church of AL were colluding with these villains, exploiting the people?

Why had Herman turned out this way?

At this thought, Lusian shook her head. Just then, her gaze met with Kriolleiv’s, who was looking her way. She was taken aback, lowered her head quickly, turned around and left with the other soldiers.

“Hmm?”

“What’s wrong, General Kriolleiv?”

“No, nothing……”

Kriolleiv retracted his gaze from the figure of the girl dressed in civilian clothes, wearing a puzzled expression, then shook his head.

“I thought I saw someone familiar.”

“Here?”

“I might have just mistaken her for someone else.”