World version update

Chapter 278 The Hostility of the Great Nobles, Sequence Three: Gods and Humans of the Present World

The night the union presided over the trial and hanged George, Joa, and others, was like a lightning bolt tearing apart the long-standing gloom that had shrouded Orank, completely revealing the long-simmering contradictions between the workers and the factory owners.

As the first rays of dawn illuminated the bodies still hanging from the streetlights, the news had spread throughout the industrial area, and murmurs of discussion echoed in the factory corridors and slum alleys.

After the banquet at Violet Manor, Lu Yan revised his understanding, causing capitalists and the new aristocracy to voluntarily reduce their profits to improve the treatment and wages of workers. This led to a very gentle evolution of the labor union, without much bloodshed or violence.

Even with the unrest at Welton Mine, the higher-ups believed that the root cause lay with the cult of evil gods, not with the workers' own power.

It wasn't until this moment that the fact that George, Joa, and others had conspired to kill dozens of workers in order to seize money was exposed, revealing just the tip of the iceberg of the bloody background of the labor movement.

As the union investigation deepened, more heinous crimes were uncovered.

In an effort to reduce costs, some factory owners deliberately failed to equip their factories with safety equipment, resulting in the deaths of dozens of workers in the machinery.

Some supervisors, under the guise of "training," indulged their own desires by wantonly abusing child laborers.

Some wealthy people even used the pretext of introducing jobs to send daughters from working-class families to brothels.

These things weren't exactly secrets, but given the circumstances of the past, most workers had become numb to them. Even if they knew these things didn't concern them, they would find it difficult to resist.

However, as the incidents of the hanging of George, Joan, and others spread, they aroused an unprecedented sense of resistance among the working class.

The union began to expand rapidly, with membership reaching over 200,000 within weeks.

The union led by Sain was no longer a loose organization, but had developed into a force to be reckoned with, and began to formally negotiate with many factory owners to fight for more rights.

Those factory owners who used extremely malicious methods and refused any change were sent to the streetlights one by one.

Every execution was not a blind act of violence, but a methodical public trial, a statement of the crime, and a pronouncement of the verdict.

This approach made the workers' actions morally sound and also garnered sympathy from more neutral citizens for their cause.

For a time, the factory owners were all in a state of panic.

They began to split into two factions: one chose to cooperate with the unions, recognizing the inevitability of change and providing workers with the necessary protections.

The other faction, unwilling to lose its own interests, began to seek help from government officials and nobles in an attempt to stifle the workers' movement.

Behind all of this lies the spontaneous efforts of the union, as well as Anna's almost invisible presence.

As a wandering spirit, she travels between factories and slums, entering the dreams of workers to reveal the hidden truths and transmit images of judging sinners, thereby inspiring courage and the power of resistance in their hearts.

For those oppressors who have committed heinous crimes, she implants fear into their dreams, keeping them in a constant state of unease and anxiety.

Although mortals cannot see Anna, her hundreds of dreams and manifestations have made some workers aware of her existence.

Some even believe that Anna came from the Steam Church and is the Holy Spirit who saves the world.

Within the unions, more and more extraordinary individuals who had risen from the ranks of workers are spontaneously joining the unions.

Although they were only some Sequence 9 and Sequence 8 units, they were still a rare force in the barren industrial area.

So far, the unions have made good progress, but they are ultimately only dealing with minor nobles and factory owners.

As the expansion of the guilds brought about its effects, some of the great nobles gradually began to realize the dangers lurking behind it.

An unknown upheaval is brewing within the noble council.

The White family, one of the oldest noble families in the Kingdom of Victoria, has a history spanning over a thousand years. Its current leader, the Marquess of White, is not only a staunch supporter of the royal family's efforts to promote the Industrial Revolution, but also wields considerable influence throughout the Kingdom of Victoria.

The White family estate is majestic and ancient, and several high-ranking nobles have already arrived in its council hall.

These nobles were all pivotal figures in the industrial reforms, holding the lifeline and wealth of the kingdom in their hands.

Although Marquis White, who sat at the head of the table, was over seventy years old, his face still retained the heroic spirit of a middle-aged man in this world where extraordinary powers flowed. Only the vicissitudes revealed in his deep eyes could vaguely show the traces of time.

Marquis White's gaze, sharp as an eagle's, slowly swept over each noble present, his voice cold and authoritative: "I presume you are all already aware of the chaos in the industrial zone."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Earl Levin, dressed in a dark blue velvet tuxedo, eagerly chimed in:
"That so-called union is absolutely outrageous. They've stirred up such unrest in the industrial zone; are they trying to ruin the industrial reforms we've worked so hard to build over the years?"

“How utterly ridiculous!” Another nobleman slammed his hand on the table, his face contorted with anger. “If it weren’t for industrial reforms, these peasants would probably still be toiling in the fields for their entire lives, not even knowing where Orank is.”

We gave them jobs and ensured they had enough to eat, yet these peasants dared to ask for more—it's utterly absurd!

The hall echoed with the angry voices of the nobles, their words filled with a deep-seated sense of superiority and arrogance.

This is no coincidence. In this mysterious world dominated by supernatural abilities, the shadow of feudalism has ruled the world for tens of thousands of years.

Those extraordinary nobles who have survived from the feudal era have long had contempt and arrogance for ordinary people engraved deep in their bones. Some extreme nobles even believe that ordinary people and nobles are completely different races.

If this were during the Industrial Revolution on Earth, capitalists who control new wealth would gradually challenge and eventually defeat the old aristocracy, and the perception of the working class would also change with social change.

However, in this world dominated by extraordinary power, the emerging nobles and capitalists have barely gained the right to speak with the great nobles, and are far from having enough power to shake the existing order.

This meant that the great nobles had no need to change their views; they continued to control the fate of countless ordinary lives like gods, arbitrarily deciding their life and death.

Even with the advent of the industrial age, this deep-rooted class divide shows no sign of bridging.

Just as the nobles were filled with indignation, a calm voice interrupted their denunciation.

That was the Marquis Bodleian, sitting to the right of the Marquis of White. He was nearly fifty years old, with short, silver-white hair and shrewd, experienced eyes.

"Gentlemen, those peasants in the union are utterly worthless. Taking action against them is as simple as saying a word. A new law, a new government document—any of these could abolish this so-called union."

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, his voice lowered, "The one we really need to be wary of is that saint who appeared at Violet Manor."

The moment these words were spoken, the parliament hall fell silent; everyone understood the weight of their words.

At the extraordinary banquet at Violet Manor, a saintly figure stood up for the guild, gaining the support of many new nobles and capitalists, which enabled the guild to grow rapidly.

That is why the nobles dared not act rashly.

In the sequence system of the extraordinary world, those at Sequence Five can pledge allegiance to the royal family and be granted the title of lord.

The fourth-ranked human saint is a powerful being capable of creating a family that lasts for centuries; they are truly great figures in the extraordinary world.

Most of the noble families present had ancestors who were saints, but they all disappeared over the long years.

Within the entire council chamber, no more than three families still have saints living in the world, and the White family is one of them.

The White family has been richly rewarded for their strong support of the royal family during the industrial reforms, and now boasts three living saints.

All eyes turned to Marquis White, awaiting his response. Feeling the weight of those gazes, a meaningful smile finally appeared on the Marquis's face.

"Gentlemen, there is no need to worry." Marquis White slowly rose, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. "Although the Saint Lu who appeared at Violet Manor is extraordinary, the guild he created has already affected the industrial development of the entire kingdom."

This is a grand scheme orchestrated by the royal family over a century; how could a mere saint possibly be qualified to interfere in such a momentous matter?

Upon hearing this, many nobles present suddenly realized the truth.

Although the White family has three saints in charge, it would be unwise to offend even one of them for the sake of a little benefit in the industrial zone.

However, if the royal family is behind this, then everything makes sense.

"My Levin family is willing to fully support the White family!" Earl Levin immediately declared, his voice filled with undisguised excitement.

"The Thorne family is also willing to lend their full support!" another nobleman followed closely behind. Seeing the great nobles expressing their support one after another, Marquis White's smile deepened.

He leaned forward, lowered his voice, and spoke slowly:

"One of the royal princes intends to eliminate the 'saintly figure' behind the union, then seize control of the union and legitimately annex the businesses of the emerging nobles and capitalists."

Many nobles' eyes lit up upon hearing this, their greed evident in their expressions.

The wealth possessed by the emerging aristocracy and capitalists even surpassed that of many of the established noble families present, making them the object of everyone's envy.

However, due to the constraints of the industrial reform order, no one dared to seize it by force.

If we can seize this opportunity to acquire them all at once, it would undoubtedly be a golden chance.

“Since this involves the new nobility and capitalists,” an older baron cautiously began, “shouldn’t we find a more appropriate pretext to avoid causing unnecessary trouble?”

Marquis White smiled calmly upon hearing this, took out a beautifully bound contract from the leather trunk beside him, and slowly placed it in the center of the long table.

"Everyone can rest assured that several weeks ago, the union killed the vice president of the industrial hospital chosen by my White family."

This matter clearly violates noble laws, and my White family has every right to conduct a thorough investigation of the guild; no one can find the slightest fault in it.

He glanced around, his eyes gleaming with confidence:
"As for that guild's saintly figure, he possesses a method for creating a spatial extraordinary item called a storage bag, and is suspected to be proficient in spatial abilities."

My White family will dispatch three Saints to suppress it as soon as possible.

Many nobles immediately looked enlightened.

The White family's high regard for a mere guild, besides currying favor with the royal family, is likely also related to the guild's saintly ability to create storage bags.

The value of storage bags is beyond doubt. At a banquet, Lu Yan took out more than a dozen storage bags to exchange for knowledge of extraordinary paths, which once caused a sensation in the extraordinary world of Orank.

Countless extraordinary individuals covet the method of making storage bags. If one could master it, it would represent an endless supply of extraordinary resources, whose value far exceeds that of worldly wealth.

Just as everyone was marveling at the scene, a slow, leisurely voice rang out in the council hall, as cool as moonlight and as elusive as the night breeze.

"Three saints? That's quite a grand gesture."

The silvery moonlight outside the window seemed to suddenly solidify, outlining mysterious patterns on the marble floor. All that could be seen was a tall, slender figure slowly walking out from the moonlight, each step seemingly crossing some kind of boundary, gradually transforming from illusion into reality.

Lu Yan was dressed in a formal suit, holding a silver cane, with a calm smile on his face, as if he had just come to attend an ordinary dinner party.

"The Guild Saint!"

A nobleman involuntarily gasped, his teacup slipping from his hand, the sound of the porcelain shattering particularly jarring in the silent hall.

Everyone's eyes were filled with disbelief. No one could tell how this saint had broken through the manor's many extraordinary restrictions and appeared silently in this secret meeting room.

A flicker of panic crossed the eyes of Marquis White at the head of the table. He immediately crushed the blood-red gem on his index finger ring, the crimson color scattering in the air like drops of blood.

The next moment, a powerful aura far beyond what ordinary people could imagine instantly enveloped the entire council hall.

The air became thick and breathing became difficult. The nobles around them all looked pained, feeling an invisible pressure squeezing in from all directions.

At the four corners of the hall, ripples appeared in the void, and three figures stepped out from them, each exuding a suffocating pressure.

The two saints wore silver-white armor, which was not ordinary metal, but holy armor forged from extraordinary materials through countless forgings.

They were surrounded by an aura of iron and blood. With each step they took, the sound of war drums and the echoes of clashing weapons seemed to be heard in the void. This was the most widely circulated extraordinary path in the kingdom's army, the fourth sequence of the knight path: Iron-blooded Commander.

The third saint wore a long robe woven with star patterns, his hair and beard were all white, but his eyes were like the deep universe, containing endless mysteries.

He slowly raised his hand, and starlight flowed from his sleeve, instantly weaving into invisible tentacles that spread in all directions, distorting the surrounding space. Star Path Sequence Four: Astral Mage.

The two iron-blooded generals, their eyes gleaming like lightning, drew their swords from their waists in perfect unison. The blades traced two silver-white arcs in the air, their tips gathering boundless killing intent as they slashed down.

Their attacks showed no regard for the surrounding nobles; in their eyes, the lives of these nobles were far less important than killing Lu Yan.

At the same time, the Star Mage chanted obscure incantations in a low voice, his voice like the whispers of stars in the sky. Starlight poured down from the ceiling, transforming into a dazzling yet deadly cage that surrounded Lu Yan in the center.

Faced with the deadly attacks of the three saints, Lu Yan simply smiled calmly, as if what he was seeing was nothing more than a child's game.

He gently raised his cane, tapped it lightly on the ground, and slowly uttered a single word:

"town!"

As the decree, imbued with the supreme power to manipulate creation, descended, an invisible rift suddenly opened in the void, and a mysterious portal resembling a purple vortex slowly opened.

The Gate of the Mysterious Female suppresses all laws and paths. Even though the Great Dao of this world is blurred, and even though the Gate of the Mysterious Female cannot fully manifest, the aura it exudes, which is more profound and more primal than that of the three sages, is enough to awe the sages.

In an instant, the Ironblood General's sword momentum froze in mid-air, and the runes on the sword dimmed.

The astral mage's incantation abruptly stopped, and the summoned starlight, as if its source had been severed, vanished into dust.

Whether it was the Ironblood General or the Astral Mage, all their extraordinary powers were completely imprisoned in that instant.

The confidence and majesty on the faces of the three saints vanished in an instant, replaced by unprecedented terror.

Their eyes were filled with incomprehension and disbelief.

"What power is this?"

"How could it be possible to easily suppress three Sequence Four superhumans?"

At the same time, more than ten miles away in the royal palace, an even more powerful and majestic aura suddenly erupted, shaking the entire city of Orank.

As if sensing something amiss, a majestic voice transcended the barriers of space, resounding in all directions:

"stop!"

The voice was like thunder, carrying an undeniable majesty, as if it could intimidate any disobedient being.

However, upon receiving this order, Lu Yan's lips curled into an even deeper smile.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through layers of space, looking directly at the messenger, and the second decree rang out from his mouth:
"Destroy!"

The moment that word was uttered, the void shattered completely, like fragile glass.

The Gate of Mystery opened wide, and a power darker than the night and deeper than nothingness surged forth, instantly engulfing the three saints of the White family.

Faced with this power, the fear on the faces of the three saints didn't even have time to turn into despair. They didn't even have time to put up a fight before they vanished without a trace, like candles blown out by the wind.

The entire parliament hall fell into a deathly silence.

The surviving nobles were pale, some even collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

Just now, they witnessed three legendary saints being easily wiped away like dust.

Lu Yan ignored the frightened looks. He raised his head and smiled as he looked up at the sky.

Through layers of clouds and buildings, he could almost see the figure rapidly approaching.

He was a majestic man dressed in a blood-red robe, surrounded by a holy aura.

Royal Extraordinary, Sequence Three: Mortal God in the Present World!
(End of this chapter)