Philosophical questions are always difficult to explore to any conclusion, but the fact that is right in front of us is that the Sacred Fire Cat Cult is beginning to move from behind the scenes to the forefront.
When the appointed day arrived, while everyone was still listening to the divine pronouncements and receiving free supplies as usual, they heard the thunder of horses' hooves outside.
"Damn it! It's the city defense troops and royal knights!"
Someone peered through the window and recognized the newcomers, instantly turning pale with shock. "They're not here to arrest us, are they?!"
These words struck the others like a heavy hammer blow.
The truth is that things have been so calm these past few days that many people have almost forgotten that they were participating in an illegal gathering. In fact, coming here every day to check in, collect eggs and beg the saintess has become a daily routine, and they feel uncomfortable if they don't come for a day.
Now, when snot gets into their mouths, everyone finally knows to shake it off.
But unfortunately, it was already too late. The royal knights had already kicked open the door and entered – there was no escape now. Where was the secret door? Help!
"Everyone, stay still! Hands behind your heads, squat down!"
The leader was also an old acquaintance, Knight Commander Chen of the Royal Court Knights. He brandished his sword in the air and shouted with an unfriendly look, "We received a report that someone is holding an illegal assembly here... Who is in charge? Come out!"
"...It's me."
Xu Shi straightened his clothes and stepped down from the stage. "I am Xu Shi. May I ask this sir, what crime have we committed by merely preaching and giving alms here?"
"Xu Shi? The one from overseas?"
Knight Commander Chen frowned, as if seeing him for the first time. "Instead of managing your trading post properly, what kind of thing are you doing... You've broken the law, do you know that?"
Um?
Outsider?
Upon hearing this, the others were surprised. "So you're not from around here? No wonder we've never seen you before..."
People don't really have much of an impression of Xu Shi himself, or Xia Ke'an and the like—outsiders and trading posts are commonplace, but when it comes to specific individuals, it's not necessarily the case. Xu Shi and his group rarely show their faces in public anyway, maybe during the battle against the Sea God? But back then, there were too many people around, who would really stare intently at a stranger? Their energy was all focused on seeing off family and friends…
"have no idea."
Xu Shi remained expressionless and spoke with utmost honesty, "Having been in the Hualan Empire for so long, this is the first time I've ever heard of such a law."
"...This is not an excuse for you to get away with it."
Knight Commander Chen said solemnly, "In any case, this kind of activity is not accepted by imperial law, and we need to shut it down. As the organizer, you also need to come with us to verify the situation."
"Actually, I can talk to Brother Cheng later... Never mind, you're just on official business, so it won't hurt to go with you."
Looking at the incorruptible knight commander before him, Xu Shi thought for a moment and then chose to compromise, "I can't make things difficult for you, can I?"
"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Xu."
Seeing his cooperation, Commander Chen naturally didn't make things difficult for him and politely gestured, "Please."
"As for the others... they will be detained here for the time being, and not even a fly is allowed to fly out."
The general public doesn't have such a good attitude, and when they heard him say that, the scene immediately became chaotic.
"Huh?! Let me explain, I'm innocent!"
"I just came to collect the eggs, I didn't do anything..."
"Please let me go back. I have a three-year-old mother and an eighty-year-old baby who is still nursing at home..."
"Shut up, all of you!"
Someone slammed their spear into the ground and shouted, "Any further disturbances will result in death!"
These words were more effective than anything else, and everyone immediately became as obedient as quails.
But even if they keep their mouths shut, their minds can't help but keep moving.
In short, they were filled with regret, and many people immediately felt resentment towards Xu Shi and his group.
You despicable outsiders! It's all your fault for forming these sects; now look what's happened, your blood will really splatter on us when you die...
"...Please be patient, everyone."
At the critical moment, Xia Ke'an's voice came, "I have heard the divine decree. The Holy Fire Cat God told me that as long as the divine fire burns, the divine path will not be broken... We will all be safe."
Looking up, she remained calm and composed, just as she had impressed everyone these past few days—elegant and serene.
To be fair, although the Holy Fire Cat Cult hasn't been around for very long, the white-haired loli saintess is actually quite popular, almost as much as the saintess of the Holy See. A key factor is that the Holy See's saintess is a relatively mysterious figure who rarely appears in public and would never be like Xia Ke'an, who would listen to your troubles and answer your questions one-on-one in the confessional.
Most importantly, she doesn't cover her face; the little girl looks adorable...
Her words put everyone at ease—how could they have forgotten about this? The Holy Maiden herself could hear divine pronouncements and foresee the future, so how could she not know about her own safety?
If she says she's fine, then she should be fine... Even her and Xu Shi's demeanor gives people a sense of inexplicable peace of mind.
Although Xu Shi, the nominal leader, doesn't often appear in public, his aura of "uniting as one" has never stopped—the Holy Fire Cat Cult gives alms to the people and helps them solve their problems. These are the behaviors that can accumulate positive energy most effectively during this special period, and the effects they bring will certainly not be weak.
Many people may not realize that their devotion to Xu Shi is not much less than that to Xia Ke'an.
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