Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 994 Unifying Truth (Second Update)

"Latvinia is the experiment of an ideal state. I admit that many people will die in this process, but I will not regret it. I will pay what I should pay, and the people of Latvinia should pay what they should pay. The weak are not capable of winning their own future, so I will mold them into what they need to be."

Salomon bluntly pointed out what he was doing, appearing cold-blooded and ruthless, but little Lorna was used to his ideas and therefore didn't protest. He lowered his head, slowly turning the pages of the book he had read many times before. Compared to the cautious attitude of collectors, Salomon was much more relaxed when reading. He didn't even wear gloves as he began to peruse the 1511 Venetian illustrated Latin edition of "Ten Books on Architecture"—a book that had appeared on Athena's reading list when he was thirteen years old. He had repeatedly consulted the book when designing the fortifications and workplaces of this manor and the Immortal City, adapting them to better suit his circumstances and needs.

"Next, you'll go read that book. After *The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State*, you'll also need to read *A Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Law*, *On the Jewish National Question*, *The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte*, and *Capital, Volume I*. That's your reading list for this week, and you'll also need to write a corresponding essay." Salomon didn't look at Lorna's almost tearful expression; he knew that if he did, he would soften and have to agree to her bargaining. "Madame Minerva has been far too lenient with you. Don't expect the same treatment here. Even if I go to the Immortal City, Bayonetta and Joan of Arc will supervise your studies."

"I don't like them."

The sorcerer shook his head. He felt his collar was a little too tight, so he stretched out his fingers and loosened his tie slightly.

"That's none of my business." He took a silver box from the drawer, filled with cigarettes he had rolled himself. He took a deep drag, looking perfectly at home in his all-black suit, exuding a gangster vibe, especially with the ring on his hand and his nonchalant demeanor. Little Lorna frowned; she immediately saw through Salomon's intention—to test whether she had truly quit smoking. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn't smoke, since he had no nicotine cravings.

Salomon looked up and winked at her. "That's your problem to solve, and it's just you. I have other problems. Now, go to the liquor cabinet and pour yourself and me a glass of whiskey, not too much, and don't tell anyone else."

The task of shaping the Latvian people was entrusted to the preachers of the Immortal City, who, along with Wakanda's engineering equipment, ventured into the snow-capped mountains and forests of Latvian, using television to preach the truth of unification to the young people who joined the guerrillas. Initially, this work was fraught with difficulties, as Latvian was a superstitious place where the nobility had historically relied on religion to persuade the common people to submit, and even among the guerrillas resisting local corporations and conglomerates, religious superstition persisted. However, after the attack on the fuel depot a few days prior, the work suddenly became remarkably smooth, and the Latvian army's commander-in-chief, Victor von Doom, demanded that every unit undergo cultural education and be indoctrinated with the ideology of unification.

"Is this the unifying truth you preach?"

"Yes, that's right. It was this truth that saved your life from the gallows, Audra." The middle-aged man in charge of preaching and education sighed. He found that this woman was far more difficult to deal with than the soldiers, who were not well-educated and even somewhat superstitious. The blonde woman casually flipped through a beautifully printed book from the Immortal City, her expression full of disdain. Even though the ideas in this book had saved her life, she showed an eager urge to criticize, almost an instinct of a political economy student.

"Barbaric," she muttered under her breath. "Using vigilante justice at will violates human rights, and the death penalty is an even greater violation of human rights."

A middle-aged man brought over an empty ammunition box and sat down opposite the woman. The tent was simply furnished, yet exuded a clean and efficient military style. A pistol was tucked into his tactical suit, and his clothes reeked of gun oil. "Odra, how tall are you?"

The woman tried to suppress her smile and answered casually, "178 centimeters, is there a problem?"

"Do you know the average height of women in Latvia?" The middle-aged man leaned forward, his tall stature creating an overwhelming sense of oppression. "155 centimeters. Many are malnourished, emaciated, and mothers don't even have enough milk to feed their children. You not only have a well-proportioned figure, but you also have special body management courses to prevent yourself from overeating and affecting your appearance. I've witnessed many horrific things on the battlefields of the Middle East, and I myself have pushed some innocent people into the abyss. So, after meeting my Lord, I chose to atone in this way. And you, Odra? While you're devouring the flesh and blood of civilians and still complaining about getting fat, how do you plan to atone?"

Audra's smile vanished, replaced by a flush of anger. "So you want to humiliate me? Do you think I'm that worthless, George? I've never raised a whip against them! I've never oppressed them!"

"So you're still sitting here instead of drying out on the gallows. Yes, I'm going to humiliate you. You've never seen the starving people outside the castle eating human flesh. The worst things in your life have been failing exams, breaking up with your friends, having a bad boyfriend, and so on—all so pretentious and melodramatic… I know you usually look down on those guerrillas for being poor and dirty, but you must understand that they became like that because of you. Their exploited blood and sweat created your current living conditions. You and your family owe those people a blood debt, and this book in your hand teaches those poor children how to collect that debt. But fortunately, our Lord is a reasonable man; he upholds the role of order, so you won't have to go to the gallows."

"I need to go... send me back, my family will pay the ransom."

"I don't care where you go, Audra, you can't leave here. The moment you step out of the camp, the sentries will shoot you dead. Don't think we can't track you. No matter where in the world you go, the tracking chip implanted in you will provide your location," the preacher said coldly. "Besides, we don't lack money; what we want is your repentance. Pick up a hoe and farm, or go wash guerrilla clothes—that's your job. Your family will also be punished accordingly; work or death will be determined by the mistakes they made in the past."

"I'm going on a hunger strike!" For a flower raised in a greenhouse, this was the most extreme method Audra could muster. When George spoke of his master, his face shone with the radiance of a martyr, but when he collapsed in Audra, it was a symbol of madness.

"Then we'll let you starve to death in a comfortable environment," George said calmly. "All the methods used in Western society are ineffective in Latvia. Our lord wants to forge this country into steel, so we won't waste much sympathy on you. Since you've chosen to go on a hunger strike, we'll help you take responsibility for your actions and ensure you don't receive a single bite of food. Trust me, we can do it."

"You really would lay a hand on a kind person?" Audra jumped up from the only chair in the tent. "Where is your humanity?!"

"This has nothing to do with whether you are kind or not, but with whether you are guilty or not. Once you have paid your debt, you will understand our Lord's importance to humanity, though not in the way you imagine." George also stood up and limped towards the tent porch. "Remember, you only have one day to consider. But I advise you to read more of that book, *The Unified Truth*, to understand just the tip of the iceberg of our Lord's ambition, to understand why we value freedom as a whole rather than individual freedom. This will make you a better person."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)