Storm of Gods

Chapter 191 Epiphany
With a flutter, an owl flew in. It was an owl, but this one was different. It wore a collar around its neck and its wings were painted. This was the mark of the Hexbird Order, which told everyone that it was a messenger of the Hexbird Order and was officially recognized.

The haughty owl saw Christie seemingly injured in flight and crashed headfirst into Christie's ample bosom, but Christie lifted it up with one hand and placed it on the table.

The pen tip tapped against the owl's beak, and the owl immediately stood at attention. One could even see a hint of obsequiousness in the owl's expression. "Deliver the letter to Li Xin, don't delay."

This owl is quite cunning; if you don't remind him, he'll really procrastinate.

The owl flapped its wings and held its head high, seemingly proclaiming its professionalism and unwavering commitment to its mission. Then, with a burst of speed, as if a rocket had been mounted on its rear, it flew out the window.

Li Xin is sparring with Simmons at the Command Academy base. Li Xin is not familiar with Didia's fighting style and characteristics. If he had fought him before, he might be able to be more targeted. However, he would not be foolish enough to launch a sneak attack on Didia. He can only enhance Simmons' resistance and reaction to the power of thunder. In addition, he can try to come up with a way for Simmons to turn the tide. Simmons' comprehension is quite good.

While Simmons rested, Li Xin went outside to practice with Lancer, Locke, and others. After the intensity increased, everyone felt completely different. The first day was particularly tiring, but by the second day they had already gotten used to it. Everyone's foundation was fine, and their minds were fine too. They knew this was a very rare opportunity.

Just as everyone was practicing enthusiastically, the base windows were being banged on repeatedly, an extremely irritating and impatient knocking.

Who is Celia? She has worried herself sick over this family. Seeing that Li Xin is working hard and everyone is on track, how can she be disturbed at this time?

A spell was unleashed, and the proud owl, not expecting to be attacked, was hit before it could dodge. Instantly, it looked as if it had been flown tens of thousands of times and crouched down in place, looking dejected.

Celia frowned. It was Hexbird Society. She knew that Li Xin was also working part-time as a reporter and writing novels for Hexbird Society, but this was a critical time for the Order of the Fathers. Hexbird Society was being a bit short-sighted. Besides, their family was also a major shareholder of Hexbird Society. This was tantamount to delaying the boss's business.

Or should we kill this bird?
The owl shuddered, sensing the murderous intent, and fluttered its head repeatedly. Celia smiled, "Just kidding, is something urgent?"

The owl quickly shook his head, saying that urgent letters were different, and this one could only be delivered on the same day.

"I'll let it go this time, but if you're this rude again, I'll pluck all your feathers and stew you in soup, then have the bird report send a different messenger," Celia said calmly, startling the owl, who immediately nodded and bowed.

Celia broke the spell, but the owl was still a bit weak and didn't dare to act tough. It flew in with the letter in its beak. The messenger had to deliver the letter to the recipient to complete the mission. Seeing the owl flying over crookedly, Li Xin was amused. This time, he had to have a good chat with it. But the owl simply dropped the letter and flew away without looking back.

Li Xin picked up the letter, too lazy to argue with a bird, and decided to find a time to ask who would be responsible if something happened to the bird.

"Submit the manuscript by Friday"

Li Xin was a bit overwhelmed. He had a lot on his plate lately and his mind was a bit chaotic, so he hadn't written much. In his heart, young master Simmons was still a higher priority.

Wangting Society.

Organized by the Grand Scholars of the School of Heavenly Principles, the participants were the best of the younger generation in Heldan, mainly members of the royal family and noble children from the Knights Academy and the Order of the Church, as well as relatively young officials who were already serving in various departments.

The host for this event was Grand Secretary James. Grand Secretaries like Vladimir are now rarely seen. As the leader of the Tenri School, his level of understanding was crucial to consolidating the school's position.

The topic of this meeting was Anthony's case. The agenda had been distributed beforehand to give the participants ample time to prepare. Since Ackley was in charge of the case, he was also required to attend.

Each session is limited to around twenty participants. Those who qualify for the training come from families that hold significant positions in the kingdom or hold important government positions. Sometimes, personal ability is not a major factor.

After all, with His Highness the Prince present, if it were just a Grand Scholar of the School of Heavenly Principles, the noble children would respect him but wouldn't care too much. Different factions and different affiliations meant that it was enough to maintain appearances. Everyone would just go through the motions. But if an important member of the royal family was present, it would be an opportunity to make a name for himself and gain favor, which would definitely be of great benefit in the future. Prince Aklis would most likely be in charge of the kingdom's secret forces and intelligence department in the future.

James let everyone speak first, but the whole morning was spent criticizing the funeral procession. Ackley just listened; he didn't want to come. Although Grand Maester James had limited influence over these noble sons, he had a great influence on his father, the King. If his father was unhappy, he would be in trouble. Being a prince in this dynasty was quite miserable.

James listened quietly to the earnest speeches of the noblemen, his brows twitching incessantly, his anger burning fiercely. However, he was now in charge of many things and had to control his emotions, not to fire off at the drop of a hat. He listened quietly to the criticism and denunciation.

"This woman must have seduced Anthony. The Viscount Anthony I know is a very gentlemanly knight. He has rendered meritorious service to the country. He must have been framed." "Yes, this is clearly not normal human behavior. Could it be a curse from some hidden force? This is a shameless attack targeting a noble gentleman!"

"I heard that the funeral procession tortured him severely; this is an insult to a hero of the kingdom!"

No one cares about the victims, as if they were just a straw to break the camel's back. No one considers the truth either. This is the current state of the noble class in Heldan. If not 100%, then 80% of them are in power. Another 10% are just trying to protect themselves, and the rest have basically lost power.

The king had realized the seriousness of the problem, but the problem was too big to be solved. He had trusted the School of Heavenly Principles for so many years and had made some changes, but people's class consciousness was deeply rooted and above all else. This was something that could not be changed by reasoning. Knowing that it was as difficult as climbing to heaven, the School of Heavenly Principles still had to select those who could be used by the king, choosing the best among the worst.

Sadly, what James saw in these people's expressions wasn't pretense, but genuine belief; they truly thought so.

"Have you finished speaking?" James said in a deep voice. "Now let's see the results of His Highness's investigation."

Then the scholars standing to the side began to distribute a summary of the case file to each person. They were told not to make it too complicated, just to give them the key points; anything more would probably be too much for them to understand.

At first, everyone was united in their hatred, but soon, they fell silent. Aklis remained expressionless. The investigation into Anthony wasn't actually difficult. The main problem was that these idiots were completely unscrupulous, with almost no attempt to conceal their actions. They couldn't withstand scrutiny, so there was no need for covert methods. Moreover, with Aklis's name on the case, some of the victims immediately cooperated, revealing their entire background. This made it much easier for the Undertaker to investigate, and he discovered that the investigation was becoming increasingly thrilling.

Aklis has spent the last few years either in the Fortress or the Sanctuary. He enjoys having fun, but he values ​​voluntariness and atmosphere. Compared to these guys, he's nothing. They even formed a "Hunter's Club" and didn't include him at all. They're utterly lawless!
The auditorium fell silent as everyone exchanged glances. James looked at the silent crowd and said, "The evidence is conclusive. Now we will begin the second round of discussion. Share your thoughts on this case, and how you would have handled it."

A moment of silence fell over the academy. It was a joke; Anthony was a member of the Nasser family. If anyone dared to utter such nonsense, it would soon reach the Nasser family's ears, which would surely create enmity.

Apart from the conflicts caused by power struggles, the nobles of Heldan were almost all of one mind, and on some key positions, they were surprisingly united.

The family had discussed Anthony's case, and it seemed that His Majesty intended to treat Anthony Nasser as a commoner. Did that mean that the nobles would lose their immunity from the death penalty?
Anthony is a small matter, but he has violated the rules, which is no different from disturbing the ancestral graves of the aristocratic class. If the Anthony incident hadn't become so big, it wouldn't even be a topic of discussion. People might even question whether the Tianli Society wanted to change the ancestral system and shake the foundation of the country.
“Grand Maester James, this evidence is indeed unbelievable. How could a noble knight become like this?” Zheng Shengxun said. “Assuming this is true, is it possible that he lost control of his mind due to the cultivation of hidden powers, and that it was not his intention?”

“It’s inevitable to get injured while fighting for your country, and losing control is also very common. I’ve heard that some knights have even self-harmed after returning from the battlefield.”

"Therefore Your Majesty is wise. After all, Anthony did make contributions. He should atone for his sins by paying a fine. They are all victims. Just appease them properly."

“Very good. The Nasser family is known for its philanthropy, and they will likely do a good job in this regard.”

"Give him a chance to reform, and please let the Holy See give him a proper treatment. After all, he has rendered meritorious service and will still have to serve the kingdom in the future."

James, who was initially furious, gradually began to smile. He had always thought Vladimir wasn't tough enough or decisive enough, but perhaps it was because Vladimir had one foot in the demigod realm that he was right.

James re-examined himself, set aside his emotions, and looked at the problem from an outsider's perspective: were these people really stupid?
No, their eyes are extremely sharp; they can reach a consensus with even the slightest movement or exchange of glances. Moreover, they are highly skilled at changing their tune according to the wind, delivering a finishing blow, or feigning death. They are also quite adept at using diversionary tactics to jump out of the problem and claim credit.

Think about it carefully, isn't this exactly what the family taught them? Forget about justice, laws, and the people; even the kingdom and the king have to come after them.

Were those victims wronged?

They knew better than the victims how wronged they were; James even saw mockery and ridicule in their feigned sorrow.

Yes, it was a mockery of him and of the law.

Suddenly, he had a sudden realization and understood why it was necessary to establish the Council of the Church and promote Hextech. Simply choosing the best from the worst was far from enough. There had to be a new force rising up, a new force representing justice, fairness, and courage. This process would not be accomplished overnight; it required wisdom and strategic planning.

(End of this chapter)