Chapter 354: Beyond Our Capacity
"There is Parriman's face behind the thorny robe." Chu Hengkong said.
After returning to the Supreme People's Procuratorate, he immediately informed everyone of the incident. Li Ke, already emotionally unstable, flew into a rage upon hearing this: "What do you mean?!"
"Literally. There's another face in the back of his head, just like Professor Quirrell."
"Who is Professor Quirrell?! Please stop using such incomprehensible analogies!"
However, everyone's reactions were different. The two captains who knew the sacred tree best did not show any surprise, but only became more gloomy after hearing the words.
"I can think of that," Trick said dryly. "Come on, let's go back and talk about it."
"No, no, it's better to clarify this matter as soon as possible." Ji Huaisu was shocked. "What's going on? Did that masked man use some insidious spell to take over someone else's body? Let's find out quickly so we can deal with it!"
"——Please let me answer this question myself."
Everyone turned their heads and saw Parriman walking towards the gate of the procuratorate. His white military uniform was spotless, and the iron surface reflected a cold light.
His voice was a little hoarse, the speeches he had been giving these days sapping his energy. Yet, he was full of energy and grace, a perfect match for the aging Jingsha. He began, as if lecturing, "Do you all know the true nature of the Senluo pantheon?"
Fander said coldly: "The Senluo Pantheon is a civilization that uses all living beings as its source of power."
"That's quite correct. If the Candlelight Pantheon is a 'totem' centered around the Ancient Dragon, then the Senluo Pantheon is the 'holy spirit' that unites all beings. The Divine Tree thrives not on its own strength, but rather on the collective strength of the group. This path's unique advantage is its ability to firmly maintain the pantheon's purity."
The power of one individual can bring unparalleled efficiency, but it also means placing the risk of opposition at the hands of a single individual. If the person in power is overwhelmed and their thinking is extreme, the loss of control by one individual can lead to the downfall of the entire nation. From recent examples like the Empire and the Spiral Tower to the Dulong, who parted ways with the Candle Dragon, the tragedy of entire nations falling is not uncommon.
But if collective will is enough to influence the direction of a nation, then unless everyone's minds collapse, there is no fear of corruption. This is why, over all these countless years, only the Senluo pantheon has never fallen!
Parriman said calmly, "But everything has its pros and cons. The sacred tree thrives because of all living things, which means its form is inevitably influenced by the thoughts of all living beings. The image of the thorny robe you see before you originates from the first generation of Speakers at the founding of the city, a reflection of the spirit of all citizens of that era."
But the times have long since changed. Citizens no longer choose the path of struggle, and the image of the sacred tree has naturally changed due to the choices of all. The other face behind Jingsha is a reflection of the current city-state's path of 'exclusive love'... and its appearance resembles mine, simply because the will of all has chosen me, the current Speaker, as its vessel.
"In other words, it's just the same chair-choosing game you're all so familiar with."
He adjusted his mask and asked, "Do you have any questions?"
"Yes." Chu Hengkong looked him in the eye. "Would killing Jingsha bring you any benefit?"
"The Bill is sentient beings—"
Chu Hengkong interrupted directly, "We are all smart people, there is no need to waste time. It is true that some citizens want to avoid war, but without your support, Speaker Parriman, this bill would not be passed even after fifty years!"
Parriman stroked his mask and let out a low laugh.
"I mentioned earlier that the path of the Senluo God System has both advantages and disadvantages. Do you know how the other sacred trees circumvent this weakness?"
"Symbiosis," said Vander dryly.
"Indeed, it's still a symbiotic relationship! The World Tree exists naturally alongside the world, the Sakura Divine Tree and the Netherworld Lord jointly rule the Divine Kingdom, and the Jade Wu Divine Tree takes root in Longquan Township, ensuring eternal life. They provide mutual protection for all living things and the powerful, consolidating their own purity while ensuring internal stability.
But the Jingsha city-state has no second "god." This weakness persists to this day, as Jingsha was the first tree to become a god after the World Tree attained enlightenment. During its time of deification, the forces of righteousness were weak, making such a luxurious "insurance" impossible. And after Jingsha's deification, this vast city-state could no longer accommodate another god!
Parriman's spirits soared. He raised his right hand, as if giving another speech to the people: "This is the weakness of the Jingsha city-state. This weakness has swelled over thousands of years of development and war, bringing with it countless contradictions and ills. Today, it has become a 'poison' that is dooming the city-state!
The change and replacement of political systems is an inevitable law. When old systems become corrupt and rotten to the point of collapse, armed resistance will arise. But the current world no longer allows city-states to change dynasties. The day civil war breaks out is the day a city-state dies.
He patted his chest and declared to the crowd, "That's why Bill No. 368 is necessary! That's why we need to free the city-state from this chaotic world! Replacing bloody struggle with peaceful paths, preserving the city-state's values at the lowest possible cost—this is exactly the significance of the independence bill I'm promoting!"
Ji Huaisu roared, "Stop deceiving yourself! Do you think Jingsha can survive after leaving the secret realm?"
"Before blaming the future, open your eyes and look at the present!" Parriman said without hesitation. "From our city-state of Thorns to the north lies the Spiral Tower, the headquarters of the Scourge; to the west lies the armies of the Truth Empire; to the south, the former homeland of the Netherworld has long been reduced to a forbidden area for funeral processions; even if we go east, there is no way back; that is the Sea of Illusions, where demons are eyeing us covetously.
I dare to ask, in the current Shendong Realm, is there any place more dangerous than Jingsha today?!"
Everyone froze at these words. Parriman sneered, "Your concerns are nothing more than demonic sieges and intrusions from outsiders. But now Jingsha is facing two great outsider masters, defending a desperate front. There's no place in the world more perilous than this!"
"After leaving the secret realm, Jingsha no longer warrants prioritization. The reinforcements from Longquan Township will naturally take our place, holding back the enemy we were meant to be facing. As for those one or two roving armies overseas, they can't even capture Dustless Land and Happy Land, so how can they pose a threat to us in Jingsha? This scholar should understand the logic behind this."
Velvet said calmly, "The independent Dust Island ruled by Sephiroth 7 is both its territory and its home turf. Enemy gods traveling from afar cannot conquer it. At least two Sephiroth 7s would have to join forces to have a chance of victory. However, most outsiders already consider each other enemies. Even the same faction would find it difficult to send two gods across the sea to attack a single island. Dustless Land and Pure Land are always safe. To be frank, attacking them would simply be a loss."
"If we truly want to annex these independent islands, a Supreme Being would have to personally take action. That would mean the defenses of the Outer Path's headquarters would be vulnerable, and the Allied Supreme would naturally take action." Pariman sneered. "If the destruction of my city-state can lead to the severe damage or even destruction of any Outer Path headquarters, then I and these 1.7 billion people will have died a worthy death, with no regrets!"
He put his hands behind his back and said with a smile, "You all already know the pros and cons of independence. If you still have any doubts, I will explain everything to you."
"I do have a question, Chancellor Parriman," Trick said coldly. "Your method may ensure stability for the next ten years, but what will happen a hundred years from now?"
Parriman refused to back down. "I don't know what the situation will be like a hundred years after Jingsha becomes independent. I only know that if we remain on this front line, Jingsha will be gone in less than a hundred years!"
Chu Hengkong nodded: "Then you are really a good person. You are willing to watch billions of lives die just to protect your city-state."
When Parriman heard these heart-wrenching words, he did not deny them.
"As the Speaker of Jingsha, I am naturally only responsible for the interests of the Jingsha city-state. As for how other forces can protect themselves, I will leave it to their rulers to figure out!"
Crack. Crack. A tiny crackling sound echoed, like branches breaking in the woods. It was the sound of someone clenching their fist, squeezing it so hard they felt like their hand was breaking.
"Bastard Parriman!!!"
Rico's eyes were red, and before the conversation was over, she leaped forward and punched Parriman in the head. However, her fist stopped in mid-air, and a dark green divine barrier appeared in front of Parriman, completely blocking her attack.
"Ms. Rico, I don't recommend you take any further action. Attacking the Speaker under the watchful eye of the Sacred Tree is unwise, not to mention..."
Parriman raised his hand and gently pushed her fist away, returning to his usual emotionless appearance.
"Although I have no talent for combat, I am still a Sephiroth 6. You cannot harm me with your abilities."
Trek grabbed his furious daughter's shoulders, preventing her from moving. Parriman straightened his clothes and walked past the crowd.
"Well then, I will report the voting results to Master Jingsha. Everyone, take your leave now."
He walked into the prosecutor's office and disappeared in the light of the teleportation array. Li Ke's emotions lost control at this moment. She turned to Benintic and shouted, "Captain Benintic! How can you allow such a villain to continue to commit crimes in Jingsha?!"
Benintic closed his eyes slightly and said, "Ms. Liko Trick, what do you want me to do?"
"Take him down! Throw him in jail! Drag this traitor from the Speaker's chair and use your power to stop his bill!"
"I can't do that," Benintic said. "Zan van Perriman was elected Speaker through a legitimate campaign. He's using legitimate and legal means to implement new policies in response to the people's requests. I have no power to stop him."
"The vote on the bill is—"
"During the voting process for the bill, there were many doubts that needed further verification. However, there's no evidence linking those doubts to Chancellor Parriman," Benintic said quietly. "Therefore, Chancellor Parriman's actions so far have been completely legal. And I'm certain that within the next thirty days, no evidence of a violation of the law will be found... because if that evidence existed, I would have already held it in my hands!"
Trek grabbed his shoulders. "So you're just going to sit back and do nothing? This is the tragedy of the law!"
Benintic slapped his hand away and shouted, "The law is a tool to uphold justice!"
Those words shot out like an invisible arrow, causing Trick to step back speechlessly. Benintic glared at him. "Laws are ultimately human-made provisions, and they have their limits! Human efforts can shorten those limits, but there are always things the law cannot do. That's why the world needs 'justice'!"
He noticed Trick's gloomy expression and realized he had spoken out of turn. He sighed, turned away, and whispered, "I sincerely ask you all, if you have time, to carefully read the constitution of our city-state."
In accordance with Article 78 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, my most important task at this moment is to ensure the safety of the current Speaker until the bill is passed... I hope you will be able to grasp the simple justice in your hands."
The prosecutor left in silence, and most people's expressions were no better. As Benintic said, the greatest sorrow in the world is knowing the root cause of the problem but being unable to do anything about it.
They teleported several times back to the bookstore, and the store manager asked with concern: "How is Master Shenshu?"
"Don't ask," Finder told it. "There's no point in knowing."
The atmosphere in the bookstore suddenly became dull. Manager Crucian Carp took the staff upstairs to rest, to prevent them from getting too involved in these awful conversations. Ji Huaisu's face was as gloomy as water. She was the first to criticize: "That bastard actually has a particle 6?! If it has such ability, why doesn't it go to the battlefield!"
"In theory, Parriman possesses only the 'personhood' of Sephiroth 6," Velvet replied. "This topic would involve a considerable amount of information if discussed in depth, so I'll just give a brief summary. In the Floating Light Path systems of city-states, divine kingdoms, and empires, the Sephiroth of a Floating Light Path Transformer is almost always strongly tied to their position. The higher the position, the higher the Sephiroth."
Chu Hengkong felt it was incredible: "Fuguang Road's subsequent advancement depends on promotion?"
(End of this chapter)
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