The male supporting character was actually myself.

Based on this reasoning, we can continue to speculate that since the bandit gang started, they have used every means to burn, kill, and plunder. Some people have listed the major cases recorded by the bandit gang over the years and found that the amount of property they took after the Holy Light Knight Jiang Chen killed them was less than one-tenth of what they had stolen.

Where did such a huge amount of gold and silver treasure go?

Many netizens instantly transformed into detectives, deducing, listing evidence, and searching for clues. Soon, someone revealed that a large number of magical plants were planted along the Ulral River in Yaonan Kingdom, a neighboring country bordering Xuan Kingdom. In recent years, they have become extremely wealthy by selling magical plants, and there are suspected transactions with bandit groups involved.

"What do the bandits need so many magical plants for?"

"Based on the transaction volume we've compiled, even if the bandits ate magic plants like food, they wouldn't use more than a tenth of it. When the Holy Light Knight inventoried the treasure vault, there was only a tiny bit of stock left."

"Based on our reasoning, the bandits are affiliated with the church, right? Could it be that they supplied the magical plants to the executors?"

"The problem is that the executor's strength curve on the church's website hasn't increased significantly. With so many magical plants, you could feed a bunch of superheroes just with magic potions!"

"Could it be that the church has secretly trained some kind of army?"

"That's possible!"

"Hey, hey, hey, can you wake up? Aren't there followers of evil gods among the church's higher-ups? There are only a few people who can judge the heroes of the Monument—the Pope, the archbishops, the Holy Son, and the priests. The overall strength of the executors has declined, and the bandits have stolen valuables to exchange for a large number of magical plants... Anyone with a brain can guess who's in the wrong, right?"

"I'm making a bold prediction: the archbishop is a lackey of the evil god. He deliberately weakened the executors in exchange for a large number of magical plants to offer to the evil god, and he secretly judged and banished the heroes of the Monument. He's trying to hand over the human world to the abyss!"

"Holy crap! What the person upstairs said is terrifying when you think about it..."

………………

With Jiang Chen subtly stirring things up in the discussion forum, netizens quickly uncovered most of the truth.

The church reacted swiftly, with a series of actions including removing trending topics, deleting posts, and banning accounts. The uproar on the internet was quickly quelled, and major media outlets even reposted and pinned articles praising the archbishop and the church.

This time, the host gave prior instructions, and the little white cat stood by and did not help, so the heated discussion on the internet quickly disappeared.

"Investigate! Find out where that article came from!" The archbishop was trembling with anger.

He knows perfectly well that he can suppress online speech but not control the mouths of the people. The guy behind this is trying to use public opinion to force him to his death!

The subordinate replied fearfully, "We've already checked. The ID that published the article is very well encrypted. We just deciphered it and found that the sender is from Yaonan Kingdom, but we can't find a more detailed address."

The other side clearly used a military-protected network to release the message. We can control our domestic networks, but we have no control over our neighboring countries.

"Yao Nan?!" The archbishop narrowed his eyes and sneered, "His intentions in spreading such inflammatory remarks are despicable! Order the investigation results to be published on the official website, telling the public that this is a conspiracy by spies from other countries, intended to stir up trouble and weaken the fortune of my Xuan Kingdom!"

In addition, I have sent my general Xiao Yong to see me.

Since the Yao Nan Kingdom has become so depraved, slanderous, and provocative, it's no wonder I've imposed sanctions on them as a warning!

The subordinate obeyed and quickly went downstairs.

A glint of crimson flashed in the archbishop's eyes. He shook his head twitchingly and gave a cold laugh. "The military? Is this a fight to the death over the spoils? That just gives me a reason to send troops, and I can use war and bloodshed to distract the foolish masses..."

That would be excellent!

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Storm Is Brewing

"Have you heard? The Church is sending troops to attack Yaonan Kingdom!"

"The investigation results have been published on the official website. All those inflammatory and reactionary remarks were a conspiracy by spies from Yaonan Kingdom, who wanted to create internal strife so that they could profit from it!"

"Huh? You actually believe that?"

"Regardless of who published it, the content is true, reliable, and can withstand scrutiny!"

"Sigh... Humans are truly incorrigible. How long has it been since the Dark Ages? The days of working together to resist the supernatural have barely passed, and they're already fighting amongst themselves again. Aren't they afraid the supernatural will strike again?"

"Heroes of the Monument never lay a hand on their own kind; otherwise, with their fighting prowess, the world would have been unified into one country long ago, and there would be no troublesome issues like incitement or espionage."

"Holy crap! You really dare to say that! Who would want those lunatics from the Evil God Kingdom? Besides, other countries weren't of the same bloodline as us before the Dark Ages. If the Xuan Kingdom really wants to unify the world, who would want to be a slave to a conquered nation? I strongly support the Monument Hero on this point. If you're so capable, go deal with the supernatural beings. Why are you showing your fangs to your own kind?"

"Damn it, isn't this the classic tactic? They can't explain their own stains, so they just shift the blame onto someone else. Isn't it the church that decides where the ID is from? Even if it was a statement released by Yao Nan Kingdom, why doesn't the archbishop explain the doubts?"

"They can't even be bothered with the superficial platitudes. First, explain who this gang actually works for! Where did they come from?"

"Hehe, I'm making another prediction—if this keeps going on, the Church will definitely target Holy Light Knight Jiang Chen. After all, he wiped out the bandit gang. They might even accuse him of believing in an evil god!"

"Damn! Would the church really be this shameless?"

"If the bandits really are their people, they'll definitely find a chance to kill the Holy Light Knight. After all, there are so many elites and gold and silver treasures involved. Just imagine how heartbroken the Church will be if they see the video of the entire group being wiped out..."

…………

The church can continuously delete data on the internet, which at first glance is full of praise for a peaceful and prosperous world and condemnation of the spy conspiracy of Yaonan Kingdom. However, the people are not data, and the power of public opinion has already begun to be activated.

With online discussions prohibited, crowds gathered in the streets and alleys to discuss the matter, and soon all sorts of speculations and rumors spread far and wide. While the church was issuing an official condemnation and deciding to impose military sanctions on Yaonan Kingdom, most of the public's attention was focused on conspiracy theories.

Amidst the conflicting opinions and the tense atmosphere of impending war, the people of Xuan Kingdom felt anxious and helpless. As a result, they held even greater admiration for the monumental hero and the holy knight Jiang Chen, who vowed to defend the interests of the people.

Their popularity among the public soared to its peak in an instant.

"Next, I need to prepare to command the battle and strive to make the despicable Yaonan Kingdom pay the price. Ideally, we should be able to annex the Urlar River into the territory of the Xuan Kingdom, so that in a few years our collective combat strength can be further enhanced!"

The archbishop narrowed his eyes, envisioning a bright future. "To be honest, after the priests researched so many potions that could evolve superpowers, I felt it was unreasonable for the Urlar River to be controlled by those barbarians."

As the country with the largest area and the largest population, our Xuan Kingdom is the main force in the battle against the supernatural.

Those natural, magical plant farms should naturally belong to us too!

Since the war has begun, I won't have the energy to deal with those two petty thieves anymore. It's better to release the prepared revelations now, using the angry crowd to strangle Jiang Chen and Li Moran. Then we'll take over the Magic Plant Farm on the Urlar River in one fell swoop, using war and bloodshed to erase everyone's memories.

In the future, only my Xuan Kingdom will be the source of eternal light!

"The video is ready and can be released at any time to generate momentum." The subordinate asked with some concern, "But... the public is now placing all their hopes on Jiang Chen and Li Moran. Won't this backfire?"

"Are you worried that those fools will defend their own, and instead blame the church for exposing their illusions?"

The archbishop, holding nail clippers, trimmed his overgrown and rapidly growing nails. Seeing the faint bluish tinge on his nails, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of irritation. "What do those commoners think!"

Release the 'evidence' and stir things up a bit, and the fence-sitters will immediately follow the crowd.

Just think about it, if you give them the opportunity to judge monumental heroes and righteous knights from a high position, who can resist the temptation of power? Back then, when Huo Mingyao and other executives were being judged, weren't the common people filled with righteous indignation, shouting as if they knew everything?

Human nature's flaws are unchangeable, so go for it. We control the channels of communication; those two petty thieves will soon meet their demise!

The subordinate was still a little worried, "Li Moran won't kill his own kind, but Jiang Chen will! What if he resists..."

"Wouldn't that be a perfect excuse to deploy the execution squad under the pretext of maintaining stability and kill him outright?" The archbishop let out a disdainful sneer. "Then send out more plainclothes officers to incite trouble in secret. As long as Jiang Chen dares to make a move, innocent people will definitely be harmed."

How could a dignified Holy Light Knight attack unarmed civilians?

Those who carry out the execution will stand on the side of justice and kill them without mercy!

After the archbishop personally gave the order, news spread like wildfire across major media outlets and newspapers that very day—the Holy Light Knight Jiang Chen believed in an evil god, and the Monument Hero knew this but chose to protect him, the reason being that the two belonged to the same sect and were both believers in an evil god!

In the video, the process that was originally shrouded in holy light was "analyzed," revealing all the hidden parts.

The figure of an evil god appeared behind Jiang Chen. The easy killing of the bandits was all due to the power of the evil god. The video, which was originally full of exciting battle and holy light, was transformed into a scene of the evil god's sacrifice!

The video of Li Moran killing the corrupted Huo Mingyao with a single punch was also "processed" and released. In the original video, a sinister and terrifying evil god's shadow appeared behind the tall and thin figure, and a tentacle that was even more terrifying and explosive than Huo Mingyao was wrapped around his arm!

"This is the truth! What kind of holy light knight is this? Jiang Chen is clearly using the sacrifice of an evil god to create an aura for himself!"

"They act as heroes in name, but secretly collude with evil gods. The fact that the two have joined forces now must mean there's a conspiracy behind it!"

"Judgment of Jiang Chen! Judgment of Li Moran! The human world cannot allow these lackeys of evil gods to make a fortune and gain fame!"

"Looking back at human history, where have you ever seen a truly selfless and altruistic philanthropist? There must be some underlying interests behind every action!"

"Jiang Chen's crappy fan club cyberbullied a young girl who questioned him, leading her to commit suicide!"

"He's also promoting some kind of revival technology, which is just trying to lull the public into a false sense of security! He wants everyone to elevate ordinary people and belittle those who carry out the policies, so that when the strange forces return, ordinary people will be powerless to do anything! It will inevitably be the ones who protect us!"

"Down with the evil god's lackeys! Support the executors who silently dedicate themselves and bear heavy burdens!"

………………

Chapter Thirty-Four: Standoff

Whether it was the archbishop's hired trolls or some genuinely brainwashed citizens spreading these rumors, the internet was in an uproar, with various forums and news websites clamoring for the trial of Jiang Chen and Li Moran.

The church headquarters issued an arrest warrant, demanding the capture of two of the most deeply hidden high-ranking followers of the evil god throughout the country.

The Dragonbone City Church branch mobilized a large army of enforcers and immediately began a search operation; along with many enforcers, they rushed to the school run by Jiang Chen, intending to shut it down under the pretext of arresting followers of evil gods.

"Students, our principal and our heroes have been slandered, and our school is at a critical juncture of life and death!" Gerson stood on the podium and delivered a speech, speaking with righteous indignation: "Through this period of study, I believe you can understand the principal's intentions."

He is not a follower of evil gods, and neither are we!

Meanwhile, those bastards outside clamoring to arrest followers of evil gods, instead of pointing their weapons at wicked bandits, want to punish us unarmed civilians! Can we just sit here and wait to die?

"No!" more than two thousand students shouted in unison.

They had just tasted the sweetness of learning knowledge without food or lodging and being assigned jobs in the future, and their hopes, which were within reach, were about to be shattered by the implementers, so naturally they were filled with anger.

Even the teachers who were hired at great expense to teach using superpowers huddled together and discussed things in hushed tones.

"What exactly is the church doing?! Have they done any investigation? I haven't seen the details of the Holy Light Knight and the Monument Hero, so I can't comment on them, but I can guarantee that the part of my teaching has absolutely nothing to do with evil gods!"

"Ever since the abyss descended and the bizarre attacks began, the human world has been ravaged by war, with survival being the primary objective. Schools and institutions have been extinct for nearly a century. The principal went through so much trouble to rebuild them and spread the seeds of knowledge. Whose interests did he offend that he had to be burdened with such a smear and have everyone's hopes destroyed?"

"You still don't understand? Just look at those inflammatory statements and you'll understand. The church is afraid that in times of peace and prosperity, ordinary people can rise up and make superhumans seem useless!"

"The priest initially developed new weapons with the aim of allowing ordinary people to enlist and use magical weapons to defend the country, thus bridging the gap between superhumans and ordinary people. But look at what has become of us now? That article was absolutely right. Humanity's dependence on magic stones is too strong. If this continues, and the Abyss cuts off the supply of magic stones, what will the people eat and drink? How will they survive?"

"Further words are useless. The principal is carrying out a great educational reform. Anyone who wants to take advantage of this will have to step over my dead body first!"

"That's right! We teachers must unite to protect the school and safeguard the students!"

Just as Gerson was rallying the students to prepare to fight against the executors who were trying to frame Li Moran and Jiang Chen, all two hundred part-time teachers from the entire school, who had agreed on the plan, stood up together.

Zhang Yigang, the director of the teaching affairs office, a junior high school math teacher, the former head of the Knights of Honor of the Church Headquarters, and a retired church man in his sixties with graying temples, stepped forward. His slightly aged but still upright figure stood at the front, and he shouted in a loud voice: "All teachers, follow behind me and protect the students! Protect our school!"

Today, anyone who tries to slander our principal and our heroic figures, anyone who tries to destroy our campus and shatter our hopes, we will fight them to the bitter end!

Hold fast to the school, and the light will be ours!

"Stay at the school!"

"The light belongs to us!"

……

More than two hundred executors, both active and retired, quickly divided into twenty teams. As the church's main force surrounded the school and tried to break through the gates, Gerson led his team to open the gates first, and all the teachers and students lined up and went out.

The students, chanting slogans in unison, confronted the army of enforcers under the protection of their teachers.

"Hey, aren't you guys worried at all?" Li Moran sat in a comfortable and luxurious chair, holding a glass of light blue liquid in his hand and gently swirling it, saying with concern, "Will Gerson's true identity be discovered?"