Chapter 144 The Truth
The content of the referendum... whether to execute the Lyra God?
When Oliver said this, the Lyrans, who were still boiling with excitement a second ago, suddenly became silent.
Whether it was those in the conference hall, those waiting for the result outside, or even the Devil Army and Skeleton Army who were about to start a battle, their swords and knives had already been half drawn out, but stopped at this moment.
Everyone focused their attention on Oliver, trying to see if he was joking.
But it was obvious that Oliver would not joke at this time. He had already anticipated the reactions of the crowd. At this moment, he once again glanced at the representatives in the conference hall and let Quan Tianqin hear his voice once again.
"I know that all this may sound incomprehensible and even hard to accept at first." Oliver said calmly, "But please think about it, is it really that hard to accept?"
"Tianqin is a place where progress is pursued."
“Our entire city is always flowing with new blood, always keeping its vitality, and always being the most creative place in the world.”
“It’s because we did the following two things.”
"We eliminate outdated limbs."
“Emerging technologies, we use.”
"In that case..."
Oliver said slowly.
"Outdated gods, why can't we eliminate them?"
"Prosthetic limbs can be replaced, and technology can be upgraded."
"Then why not God?"
…
"Tsk, is that why?" Bai Wei's voice slowly rang in Gerard's mind. "You Lyrans have been madly pursuing technological updates and iterations over the years, just so that one day you can replace the gods as well. You marginalize the gods, turn them into accessories, and then you can link the execution of gods with the replacement of accessories... Well, from this perspective, you Lyrans are really creative, and you can come up with something different when it comes to killing gods."
Gerard was in no mood to pay attention to Bai Wei's teasing, his face was particularly gloomy.
Obviously, he did not expect that Oliver would bring the matter of godslaying to the public so quickly, and in a way that all Lyrans knew about. This was beyond his expectations.
And just as Bai Wei said, they marginalized the Lyra God and turned it into an accessory just for the present moment.
This may sound unreasonable at first, but in reality...
When Gerard saw that the Skeleton Knights guarding the conference hall and the Devil Knights beside him only showed slightly confused expressions instead of anger and excitement after listening to Oliver's arguments, he knew that the other party had succeeded.
Deicide is undoubtedly the greatest blasphemy.
But even the guards of the capital city did not react much to such blasphemy, so the reaction of the rest of the people can be imagined.
"It seems that what you said is right." Fortunately, not everyone was unresponsive to this. Yuri pulled out the Blazing Sword completely. "He dared to say such words now. I dare not even think about what he will say later... But it's not all bad. At least he made me believe that I did not make a mistake in coming here. Don't you think so, Gerald?"
"……yes."
Gerard took a deep breath, looked at Chalmers, who was his comrade a few days ago, and tightened his sword.
It was originally thought that a bloody conflict was inevitable, but what Gerard did not expect was that there was an obvious flash of struggle on Chalmers' face.
At the moment when the situation was about to break out, Chalmers issued an order.
“Stand back.”
This retreat was not directed to Gerald, but to the Skeleton Squad under his command.
The Skeleton Knights looked at Chalmers in surprise: "Captain?"
"I said, back off," Chalmers repeated.
The Skeleton Knights looked at each other, and finally put away their weapons and stepped aside to make room for Jellal and Yuri.
"It seems that there are still sober people here." Yuri didn't know so many things. Seeing Chalmers gave up his position, he no longer hesitated and immediately ordered his men to prepare to bring the purification source crystal and the equipment in.
Gerard looked at Chalmers. He really wanted to know what happened, but he didn't have the time.
Yuri simply broke open the door of the conference room, and Jellal had no choice but to follow.
Just as he walked past Chalmers, he heard Chalmers say "sorry" in a very low voice. When he turned around, Chalmers had asked his subordinates to close the door of the conference room again, and then stood in front of another team of skeleton knights who came to reinforce.
…
In the conference hall,
Oliver looked calmly at the Devil Knights who rushed in, apparently not too surprised by this.
His eyes kept scanning everyone's faces, finally landing on Gerard's face.
"Ah, Gerald." He spoke slowly, "It's been many years since we last met."
Gerald.
As soon as this name came out, there was an immediate commotion in the conference hall.
Not only in the conference room, but at this moment, Oliver's voice could still be heard by all the Tianqin people.
Ten years ago, as the Knight of Evening Star, Jellal had already enjoyed considerable fame and was a hero in the eyes of countless people. But now, Jellal is even more well-known than he was ten years ago.
However, it is notorious.
…
"Jellal? Isn't he the wanted criminal?"
"Damn it, why is it that guy?"
"Are the Skeleton Knights just here to eat and do nothing?"
Outside the Tower of Babel, countless people gathered and began to discuss. The appearance of Gerard even made them temporarily forget Oliver's previous shocking remarks.
…
As Oliver looked at Gerard, Gerard was also looking at him.
Similarly, it was an old friend whom I hadn’t seen for ten years.
But Oliver's condition was completely different from Holman's at that time.
He still looked so dignified, so solemn, and his spirit did not at all seem like someone who had been immersed in the amber of thought for ten years.
All this made Gerald feel a little uneasy.
But now he had no way out, so he just nodded slightly and said, "Yes, it has been ten years, Bishop Oliver."
"You look much older than you were ten years ago." Oliver had no qualms about letting everyone in Lyra hear his conversation with Gerald. His tone was very relaxed, not like he was talking to Lyra's most wanted criminal, but to an old friend. "Of course, I also know what you've been through, and I'm sorry for that... You should have been a hero of Lyra, but you've been saddled with too many infamies."
…Should have been Tianqin’s hero?
This short sentence also shocked countless people present, including Gerard himself.
He had thought of countless things Oliver would say when he saw him, but he never expected it to be like this.
"What do you mean?" Gerard asked.
"It means exactly what it says. I know you are not a sinner, you are a hero." Oliver said slowly, "No one knows this better than me, because I was the one who sent you to the contaminated area and asked the Evening Star Team to carry out that mission..."
He paused.
“That’s me.”
"I asked Holman to find you."
"I personally selected your general."
At this point, Oliver's eyes gradually softened.
"You and your Eve Star have certainly suffered over the years, Gerald."
"But it doesn't matter. I will make everything clear."
"You are still the heroes of Lyra."
At this point, Oliver suddenly applauded.
"Xixingxing, please allow me to pay the highest respects to you and your team members in the name of the Archbishop."
He spoke solemnly, and the applause in the conference hall rang out like a tide.
…
Ina tightly grasped the hilt of the Blazing Sword. She listened to the voice that came from nowhere and felt her body trembling.
The truth...the truth she had been chasing for ten years.
She has always wanted justice for her brother.
At this moment... it’s completed?
In this way?!
Ina felt extremely unreal.
…
At Reem Station, a woman who looked crazy suddenly fell to her knees and burst into tears.
Crying and screaming at the same time.
"I told you! I told you! My husband is not a traitor, he is not a traitor!"
But there was no one beside her.
…
Outside the Tower of Babel, Ju once again clenched his collar.
But there was a hint of confusion in her eyes.
…
Gerard, who was in the conference room, also felt a little overwhelmed when he heard the applause that was like a tide.
What is this?
The truth is out?
Has the injustice been vindicated?
He had wanted to do this for the past ten years, and he had accomplished it just like this?
Is this... the result of his persistence until now?
But why?
Why can't he be happy at all?
Yuri saw all of this and was about to remind Jellal, but Jellal had already responded.
The next second, the huge chainsaw sword was already on Oliver's neck.
In an instant, the applause stopped abruptly.
People's expressions turned to fear again.
So the cheers immediately turned into curses.
"Asshole! What do you want to do to the Bishop!"
"Devil Knights over there, why are you just watching? Are you planning a rebellion?!"
Only Oliver remained calm.
"Are you looking down on me?" Jellal's voice was as cold as a sharp sword. "Do you think I will back down?"
Oliver sighed softly.
"You misunderstood, Gerald. I didn't mean that at all... and I know why you came." He slowly raised his head and looked at the purification source crystal surrounded by the devil knights. He chuckled and said, "Don't you just think that I have been polluted? Otherwise, why would I do such a blasphemous thing? And you want to expose me in front of all the Lyrans, right?"
Gerard didn't say anything, just looked at Oliver coldly.
"I can understand you, really." Oliver said, "Especially after what happened...ah, there's no point in saying more. If you just want proof, I can prove it to you."
Hearing these words, the feeling of uneasiness in Jellal's heart was magnified several times.
He watched Oliver calmly walk down from the main seat, and under everyone's gaze, he walked to the front of the Purification Source Crystal.
Then he slowly raised his hand and reached out towards the Purification Source Crystal.
At this moment, Gerard even held his breath.
Many images emerged in his mind, flashing through his mind like a kaleidoscope, and finally landed on what Ian said to him that night when he was dying.
Then, Oliver's hand landed on it properly.
But nothing happened.
The purification source crystal showed no reaction at all, as if it was dead.
Gerald was stunned.
"See, Gerald," Oliver said with a smile, "I'm not infected... ever."
...How could that be?
How could that be?!
How could he not be infected?!
Something must have gone wrong!
Gerard did not say anything. He walked forward silently and began to check the purification source crystal under the gaze of hundreds of people in the conference hall.
Yuri didn't just watch, he also directed his men to start checking the purification source crystal.
However, no matter how they checked, there was no error with the purification source crystal. It was still able to purify the pollution source carried by the Devil Knights, but it had no effect on Oliver.
"Why is this happening?" Gerald murmured.
At this time, Bai Wei's voice finally rang out.
"He is indeed untainted."
Even Bai Wei said so.
Gerald's body shook.
"Then why?" Gerard asked, "Ian was contaminated, so why wasn't he?"
"Don't you understand yet?" Bai Wei sighed softly, "He is different from your son."
"Your son wants to kill Tianqin because he is contaminated."
"And he."
"Just want to kill Tianqin."
Gerard froze. He slowly turned his head and looked at Oliver who was smiling at the side. Suddenly, he felt a boundless chill from that seemingly kind smile.
"Why?"
This time, Gerard was not asking Bai Wei, but Oliver.
He stared at Oliver intently, with a look that seemed to kill him.
"You are obviously not crazy, nor are you corrupted!" He approached Oliver little by little, and the anger in his words could be felt by everyone in Tianqin. "Then why did you do such a thing?"
"It's simple." Oliver said calmly, "I've already explained the reason. This city needs a better tomorrow."
"But that weak and incomplete God has long been unable to satisfy our reforms. We need a stronger and more complete God."
"So, He should die." Oliver said without hesitation, "Everything I have done in the past ten years was for this matter, for Tianqin, and for... a better future."
"…What about the people who died as a result?"
Oliver replied calmly.
“We should praise it and remember it forever.”
I've been deleting and revising for a long time but I'm still not satisfied. Let's just leave it like this for now. It will be finished soon. There are only a few chapters left in this volume.
(End of this chapter)
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