Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1170 A Merciful Commander Cannot Lead an Army (First Update)

"Teacher, don't let him bite his tongue."

"I've done this thousands of times. Who do you think has been responsible for enlightening all these Kamar-Taj sorcerers over the past thousand years?" The Sorcerer Supreme skillfully turned Sherlock Holmes's head to one side, while simultaneously casting a spell to stabilize his breathing and convulsing body. "However, I don't mind giving this opportunity to modern technology. It wouldn't have worked in the past. Medieval doctors' skills consisted mainly of enemas and bloodletting, which would turn a living person into a dead one afterward."

"The medical team will be here soon." Emperor Latvinia pressed a button on one of the many devices on the table. "However, I think you're just trying to slack off this time."

Less than three minutes later, a medical team belonging to the Royal Guard entered the office, led by Hammurabi. They did not see the Supreme Master standing by the sofa. It was as if only the Emperor could see the Supreme Master. To others, the Venerable One was like a ghost in a thin mist, naturally ignored by the brain.

This medical team was not prepared for the emperor's emergency medical needs, but rather for visitors entering the castle. Following established procedures, they lifted the unconscious Sherlock Holmes onto a gurney, cut his clothes with blunt-tipped scissors, and began first aid—laying him on his side, artificial ventilation, intravenous glucose infusion, external cooling, intravenous sedatives, injections of antihypertensive drugs, and so on. Hammurabi had informed the medical team in advance that they knew they were dealing with a patient with a very unusual type of epilepsy, and the strange symptoms that would appear that were different from ordinary epilepsy.

Although puzzled, the medical team didn't ask further questions, instead repeatedly practicing specialized first-aid techniques as instructed. Any ordinary person subjected to such intense, chaotic information overload could potentially suffer an epileptic seizure. Even with Sherlock Holmes's exceptional intelligence, his brain was ultimately bound by the constraints of human evolution. In fact, it would have been abnormal for Salomon, whose brain wasn't fully developed, to remain unaffected and even confront Dormammu himself without going insane. Emperor Latvinia watched Sherlock Holmes, now connected to a ventilator and injected with sedatives, with an utterly calm gaze, as if the dying man before him didn't exist. Only after the medical team wheeled Sherlock Holmes out of the office did he lazily pick up the next document and check off the list of those responsible for the "sewer children" incident.

"This is a death list." The Venerable One leaned forward, looking at the piles of officials' names. All the relevant evidence was stored in the databases of the State Council and the Ministry of Justice. The data could be retrieved using identification codes on the paper after fingerprint, voiceprint, and facial recognition. "How many people will die this time?"

"At least 20,000 people, of whom 5,223 were convicted of serious crimes and tried in public. These were officials, businessmen, and gangsters involved in human trafficking and organ trafficking. 634 were convicted of serious crimes and tried in private. About 7,567 were executed in private. Most of the survivors were forced to work in mines until they died, using their decaying lives to provide resources for other Romanians. This could be considered a death sentence. Even those who escaped lifelong hard labor had to endure imprisonment and labor reform in prison. Victor von Doum's mission was to arrest all those involved before the list was published, suppressing both the Romanian civilians and the locals who had gained power, to prevent the lust for power and fanaticism from killing those not on the list."

The emperor sighed.

While everyone welcomes the punishment of the wicked, this time his mood was less than pleasant. He was concerned not only with ensuring judicial fairness but also with controlling the intensity of the purge—ensuring all the scum was thoroughly cleansed without causing excessive harm to civilians. This task required extremely meticulous judicial and law enforcement procedures, posing a significant challenge not only to the newly established Latvian Code but also to the ideological work of Latvian unification. The regent had to use this purge to silence the voices of the Romanian republicans promoting constitutional democracy and to reform Romania's political system that combined civil servants and political officials.

Up to ten standard companies of genetically modified soldiers and tens of thousands of fully armed troops are ready to depart for Romania to suppress a rebellion instigated by republicans, and to arrest scholars who have long wielded influence in the cultural sphere and media, politicians skilled in political entertainment, and comprador-class business owners. The National Endowment for Democracy's infiltration of Romania has reached an alarming level, and those on the arrest list will certainly face considerable resistance. Therefore, a military deployment comparable to that made in Romania during the First Expansion War is absolutely necessary. Genetically modified soldiers can suppress urban rebellions in a very short time.

Fortunately, the information management capabilities of modern information society have greatly improved since 1989. The rumors that triggered the upheaval in Romania will not be effective again. Latvia, who unified the army's ideology after the war of expansion, will not be stripped of military power again. Moreover, those who voice such opinions are not only the beneficiaries of capitalism, but also those at the top of the pyramid of wealth disparity. The regent only needs to appease the proletariat to accomplish this task.

"Using harsh measures in chaotic times doesn't mean Latvinia should maintain this approach indefinitely. Punishment is meant to save that sick society, not to massacre it. The negative impact of secret police like the Stasi is still written in history books. Victor wants to ensure that this purge doesn't become a grand spectacle where some people wield power with impunity to persecute others; that would only instill fear, not safety, in civilians. We must provide them with job security and reasonable compensation. We must let Romanians know they have a future."

"You have always shown your kindness, but I hope that after sitting in this position, you will realize the power you hold in your hands," the Sorcerer Supreme said meaningfully, echoing the story he had told Salomon in the past, and then brought up Victor von Doom. However, this time the Sorcerer Supreme seemed quite satisfied, "You get along well with him, and I am glad that you do not look at him differently like other sorcerers."

"I trust Victor because we share the same ideals."

"No, you convinced him to share your ideals," the Sorcerer Supreme said. "I've met him. He prefers this hectic work to the peaceful life in Kamar-Taj, because he can finally save humanity with his own hands. He's one of the few traitors who survived under my command. Although I couldn't foresee his current situation, I always believed that he, like you, shouldn't be confined to Kamar-Taj. It's just that I didn't consolidate the power of the arcane families in Kamar-Taj back then, which caused Victor a lot of suffering. Now, there's no problem."

"What do you mean?"

"Just one more bargaining chip; Sherlock Holmes and Stephen Strange aren't enough." Although the Sorcerer Supreme's tone was calm, he couldn't hide his anxiety. Realizing his own emotions, the Sorcerer Supreme dismissed his anxiety and shrugged. "Anyway, you decide this. I'm about to retire."

"I agree. I need a trustworthy person to help manage Kamar-Taj." Emperor Latvinia nodded. "If Sherlock Holmes and Stephen Strange's will is too weak, then Victor von Doom's leadership is just right. I think this is very likely. It's difficult for ordinary people to change their minds in a short time, especially since those two, who were educated in Europe and America from a young age, simply don't understand the threats facing the world or the sacrifices required to resolve them."

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(End of this chapter)