Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1344 The Shield of God (Second Update)

The emperor first traveled to the Boch region according to his itinerary, not leaving until nearly dusk in the afternoon. Afterward, he boarded a flying vehicle and headed to Hungary, known as the "Shield of God." In the Balkans, a land of fierce and untamed people, the Hungarians were considered among the best. The impact of the abolition of religion was greatest in Hungary, and most of the opposition was concentrated there.

Although the regent has adopted a conciliatory approach, not demolishing the church but turning it into a tourist attraction, the banned religious organizations continue to incite believers and proselytize in secret. The current right-wing ruling government in the Hungarian province is based on religious faith, and Latvian government's efforts to convert civil servants to renounce religion and embrace the "United Truth" while reorganizing the administrative structure to gradually erode the power of the current ruling party have created an irreconcilable power conflict between the two sides. It's hard not to suspect whether there is government support behind the scenes.

For a province conquered by military means, the Federation's decision was undeniably lenient; it neither overthrew the current leader nor thoroughly investigated past corruption, but merely seized control of all military and public facilities. However, the Emperor would not tolerate any privileges for religious organizations, nor would he allow any government agency to secretly support them. Compared to the suspects in Bochum convicted by the former Yugoslav criminal court, the religious organizations in the Hungarian province were the ones who truly crossed the Emperor's bottom line.

Constantine's orders were to deploy heavy weaponry to the Hungarian province and send additional genetically modified soldiers to Hungary, with a final decision to be made based on the outcome of talks between the Emperor and the Hungarian provincial rulers. The worst-case scenario was that the Latvian Federation would have to conquer Hungary again by force, but not with a mere decapitation strike like before; instead, it would completely erase all administrative institutions, all traces of the Hungarian people's existence, all culture and history, wiping out religious superstition from the land through extermination. The Emperor possessed a productivity advantage and could stabilize the unemployment rate in the Hungarian province. Faith versus survival—this was the choice the Hungarian province had to make. The Emperor believed that as long as the survival of the majority was guaranteed and all religious armed forces, namely the far-right religious guerrillas, were eradicated, then after a few generations, the land would no longer bear the title of "Shield of God."

If the rulers of the Hungarian provinces were unable to carry out the emperor's orders, this would be the only outcome.

Budapest remained deathly silent, save for the massive war machines and genetically modified soldiers patrolling the city. Their immense weight caused the old-fashioned concrete roads to collapse and crumble. The war engines' deterrent power was unparalleled; the complaints of the road administration were drowned out by the towering shadows cast by their Titan-like forms. On the day Hungary surrendered and signed the agreement to be annexed by Latvia, several war engines were already present in Budapest. Even after the war ended, those engines did not leave but remained stationed near the city alongside the genetically modified soldiers.

It was clear to everyone that this was a sign of the emperor's distrust, and indeed, the emperor's thinking was not wrong. In implementing the "United Truth," the current ruling party in Hungary was slow and prone to procrastination, and frequent public protests spread from the countryside to the cities. Unlike the Hungarian peasants who had never seen the emperor, many people in Budapest had. The radiant golden giant was like a god in many people's minds, and this image, to some extent, reduced potential opposition in the city. Therefore, many banned religious organizations were based in the countryside, not the city, which repeatedly hindered the work of teachers and grassroots civil servants in Latvia.

The Emperor wanted the current ruling party in the Hungarian provinces to resolve this issue because he knew who the real supporters of those rural religious organizations were, and he also knew the background of the groups attempting to reinstate the electoral system to hijack the work of the Latvian government. The common people didn't care about religion; at most, they would express their opinions but wouldn't truly rebel against the Emperor's rule. After all, the Emperor provided substantial support to rural agriculture and small businesses, and did his best to ensure social stability. The lives of ordinary people were not only unaffected but also continuously improved under the Emperor's policies. The only reason for the demonstrations was that groups whose interests in "United Truth" were being instigated behind the scenes.

"This is a big problem," the Emperor said during the Regent's holographic communication. "We must solve this problem."

"Try dealing with the people who caused the problem?" Viktor von Dum chuckled coldly. "For now, that's the simplest method. Don't imprison them, execute them on the spot. The Hungarian province is performing just as we initially anticipated; the reform efforts aren't as forceful as in other provinces, and the lack of strong implementation measures will inevitably backfire. Tito and Hoxha have taught us enough lessons: middle-level business owners swallowing up the interests of lower-level workers only leads to increased privatization through collusion between officials and businessmen. We cannot repeat the same mistakes."

"I will inform you of the results of the discussions," the Emperor said. "Activate the Zeta-13 and Zeta-15 contingency plans."

"Peaceful means and war?" The Regent removed his iron mask, his smile chilling. This contingency plan was one of hundreds he and the Emperor had devised in their mountain hut in Latvia. They had anticipated the consequences of preserving the provincial ruling party and allowing it to promote the *United Truth*. Zeta-13 and Zeta-15 were two of the religious solutions. The plan had been prepared in advance; Regent Victor von Doom only needed to retrieve the documents and distribute them to the relevant departments to begin implementation. All the details, from start to finish, were contained within; only personnel were needed to execute it. No initiative was required. "Which plan do you prefer?"

"Zeta-13, peaceful means. Elections under a parliamentary system are weak; the core of this system is maintaining rule rather than changing the status quo, and all policies are based on votes and approval ratings. To maintain their rule, they have to make concessions," the Emperor said. "However, I will stall for time until Victoria Hand returns from Kamar-Taj. I need the Ministry of Justice to handle this matter entirely."

"How's your patience?"

"This is terrible. I just got a call from Milia." The Emperor's face didn't show any impatience. "She thinks I was out hunting and came home late. I can't think of anyone but the Cheshire Cat who would give her that explanation. Now I have to carry the game home. I suspect my pet said that on purpose just to get more food."

The regent didn't respond; he had no interest in hearing the emperor talk about cats. "I've sent both plans to Victoria Hand. If you want her to handle this, then don't give us a result today."

"I will tell Orban that this is a negotiation and consultation," the Emperor said with a wry smile. "But I don't think he will believe it, after all, the War Engines and Knights have already surrounded the entire city. I will lock them up and force a vote, making them believe that I will not easily replace them. This will delay until Victoria Hand finishes her vacation, after which I can leave. This is a problem that you should solve, Victor. I am merely your guarantor of force."

"But you are the ruler, and I am the one who obeys orders, aren't I?"

"You'd better not give me an excuse to work overtime next time, Victor. I made a promise to Bayonetta and Jeanne, and you know the weight of a vow. If you don't want the witches to attack the royal castle one day, then you'd better fulfill your duties properly. I have no doubt they are capable of doing so. Don't forget, they are witches; they don't care about power or influence."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)