Why are all of us who transmigrated at the same time demons?

A cruel, satisfied smile spread across his face as he addressed his generals: "The Plantagenet is calling for her savior, or rather, her new master. The time has come!"

He now commands the 37th, 16th, and New 16th Legions—battle-hardened, fiercely competitive forces, eager for the riches of the capital region. Immediately, along Flaminia Avenue, under the grand pretext of "upholding the mandate of Heaven to quell the rebellion, avenge our superiors, and settle scores with the slave rebels who have held the Emperor hostage," they advanced at lightning speed towards Ebiscraja.

Lorraine personally led his elite cavalry, relying on their bravery to clear the way for the main army. No force dared to stop this torrent from the border.

Chapter 248 The Godfather's Game: Changing Dynasties and Deposing the Emperor, Loran Proclaims Himself the Duke of Protectorate

When the legion's dense forest of spearheads and dust-covered banners appeared on Mount Yanni outside the capital, the chaos within the city turned into utter panic.

However, the atmosphere was quite different in the mansion of Elder Basas Fabiana, which was decorated with statues of his ancestors.

Fabian was raising a toast with several close elders in celebration.

"Gentlemen," he said, his face beaming with pride, "behold! Loran has arrived, the man I personally promoted! He is like the most powerful 'Mjolnir' in my hand! That lowly Aurus has been freed, and that arrogant, out-of-touch Marat is dead! Once Loran purges the remnants from the palace, the Plantagenet will return to its true masters—our Senate!"

He could almost see himself standing on the pulpit of the Senate, becoming the new "Father of the Senate," taming the beast of Loran, and restoring the glory of the Republic (at least superficially).

He immediately set off in high spirits, as "the leader" and representative of the Senate, accompanied by a retinue, to Lorraine's camp outside the city. He imagined how respectfully Lorraine would greet him and listen to his "guidance."

The military camp was filled with the smells of leather, sweat, and steel. Loran sat on a simple marching bench, wiping his halberd. Beside him stood his loyal adjutant, Claudius, who had always followed him.

Fabian maintained his aristocratic composure, smiling as he stepped forward: "Lorraine, my child, I'm relieved to see you've arrived in time. The Broom Flower is facing a critical moment..."

Loran raised his head, without getting up, but grinned, revealing a set of strong teeth. There was no warmth in that smile: "Lord Bassas, it's great that you could come. I am already aware of the situation in Ebiscraja."

Fabian, oblivious to anything amiss, continued in a conciliatory tone: “Very good. The key now is that your legions must enter the city immediately and take control of the situation. But remember, be swift and precise. The primary objective is to eliminate the remaining rebels in the palace, especially Aurus and his cronies. As for those in the Praetorian Guard who participated in the murder of Mara, they must be severely punished, but not excessively, lest it trigger a more violent backlash. Afterward, we need to convene a Senate meeting as soon as possible, with your military support, presided over by me, to establish a new order, and perhaps elect… a member of the royal family who understands how to respect the Senate.”

He spoke at length about his plans, as if Loran were merely a pawn on his chessboard.

Lorraine listened patiently until Fabian finished speaking, at which point he slowly stood up.

He was a large, imposing man, and every step he took carried the heavy weight of a seasoned veteran. He walked up to Fabian and looked down at the richly dressed elder.

“Your plan… sounds very comprehensive.” Loran’s voice was calm, but it made Fabian’s heart tighten for some reason. “However, I have a question.”

"what is the problem?"

“Who told you,” Loran’s gaze suddenly sharpened like an eagle’s, “that I and my legion are here to take orders from you?”

Fabian's smile froze on his face: "Loran, what do you mean by this? Don't forget who it was..."

“Of course I haven’t forgotten!” Loran interrupted him, his voice rising with a hint of mockery. “I haven’t forgotten how I bribed you with almost half my fortune to get this position as Governor of the Northern Frontier! But now,” he abruptly waved his hand, pointing to the legionary banners fluttering outside the tent, “now I possess this ‘Mjolnir’! I set the rules!”

Fabian's face turned deathly pale; he realized the situation was completely out of control. "You... what do you want to do? Without the Senate's support, your rule is not legitimate!"

“Legal?” Loran scoffed. “My legion is the greatest legitimacy! As for the Senate?” He sneered. “They will learn to survive under the new rules. Just like you, Lord Barthus.”

He turned to Brunus, a guard captain beside him who resembled a giant bear: "Brunus, please ask the elder to 'rest.' No one is to disturb him without my order."

“Yes, sir!” Brunus’s voice was deep and powerful as he stepped forward, his massive shadow completely enveloping Fabian.

His rough, strong, calloused hands grabbed Fabian's well-maintained arm without any politeness, the force causing Fabian a sharp pain and humiliation.

“No! Loran! You can’t do this! I’m an elder! I’m your patron! If you’re worried about being abandoned by the elders, I can adopt you as my son, and you can inherit my position in the future. We don’t have to do this…” Fabian struggled and screamed, trying to maintain his last shred of dignity, but it was all in vain.

Brunus dragged him out of the tent like a chick and shoved him into a heavily guarded tent, where he was placed under house arrest.

Only now did Barthus Fabian fully realize that what he had personally introduced was not a knife, but a primordial behemoth that was completely out of control and would instantly turn on its master.

Regret, fear, and unbelievable shock overwhelmed him instantly.

Having dealt with the arrogant "proclaimed leader," Loran began his performance. Instead of immediately attacking the city, he dispatched numerous envoys, laden with gold and silver from the northern frontier, to infiltrate the city and entice the leaderless and demoralized Imperial Guard units with bribes:

"Those who surrender will share in the glory! Those who resist will be slaughtered when the city falls!"

Under the dual threat of money and death, coupled with an already fractured internal situation, a portion of the Janissaries quickly defected. The gates of Ebiscrajaya were opened from the inside.

Loran rode a crimson warhorse from the northern frontier, wearing a purple-trimmed cloak symbolizing supreme command.

Beside him, Claudius and Brunus, riding black horses and as silent as death, followed closely, their beast-like eyes scanning their surroundings warily.

Under the complex gazes of a group of fierce guards and surrendered Janissaries, they slowly crossed the square and ascended the steps of the Senate.

Loran's gaze swept over the ashen-faced elders and citizens gathered in the square, filled with the contempt of a conqueror.

He not only came, but he also stepped into the heart of the Eternal City as its master.

The old rules were shattered the moment he stepped through the city gates.

"The order of Plantagenet has been utterly destroyed by intrigue, betrayal, and civil war!" Loran's voice echoed like the clanging of metal in the silent hall. "Young Gaius Aurelius, manipulated by his mother and the treacherous freed slaves, not only failed to uphold the empire but also condoned and even participated in the murder of his loyal Praetorian Guard commander—my recommender, Mara Agrippa! He has lost the favor of the gods and the right to rule Plantagenet!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room like a hawk's, and several elders who wanted to speak swallowed their words under his intense gaze.

“For the future of the Plantagenet, a change must be made.” He pointed to a middle-aged man in the corner who kept his head down and was trembling with fear. “Gergpa Aurelius, the late emperor’s cousin, is mature and steady, and upholds traditional virtues. I think he is more suitable to wear the purple robe and lead the Plantagenet out of its predicament.”

Gergepa, whose name was called, looked up in terror, his lips trembling, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

When an elder attempted to object by citing law and tradition, Loran simply waved his hand, and the captain of the guard behind him immediately stepped forward, wielding his axe. The elder's head rolled to the ground, and blood stained the ancient marble floor.

Terrified screams and suppressed sobs echoed through the hall.

"Anyone else," Loran asked calmly, as if he had just swatted a fly, "has any objection to the rebirth of the broom flower?"

Dead silence. A suffocating dead silence.

Loran personally draped the heavy purple robe over the trembling Gergepa, then turned to face the elders, a cold smile playing on his lips:

"Homage to your new emperor, Gergepa Aurelius Augustus!"

The scattered, fearful cheers that began at first quickly became orderly and loud under the fierce gazes of the guards, like a rehearsed ugly drama.

After the coup succeeded, Loran proclaimed himself "Duke Protector of the Nation" and "Regent of the Empire," wielding absolute power.

He launched a bloody purge: Aurus and his core followers were publicly executed;

The Imperial Guard troops who participated in the resistance were defeated by Loran's halberd. Loran's terrifying personal strength and the terrifying military power of the Northern Frontier Legion completely extinguished everyone's will to resist.

Officers loyal to Mara were also purged under pretexts.

The old Guard system was completely shattered, and the veterans brought by Loran were absorbed and reorganized.

Empress Dowager Livia and the deposed Emperor Gaius were secretly imprisoned in a secluded royal villa. Although Bassas Fabius survived and was released back to his residence in the capital, he was placed under house arrest. His political life was over, and he could only spend his days in regret and fear.

Chapter 249 The Godfather's Game: The Essence of Fate Reveals the Gods, Enlightenment in the Temple Leads to the Chaotic Buddha

The capital city of Ebiscrajaya was composed of many hills, with Wolf Hill at its center, the royal palace located on Holy Lamp Hill, and the Pantheon and its many temples located on Parlan Hill.

Lord Loran, the Protector of the Empire, dressed in simple leather armor, rode his divine horse, which resembled a red dragon, and carried a halberd. He crossed the main road of the capital alone, heading from the palace to Parlan Hill.

Along the way, assassins frequently tried to kill him, but all of them perished under the gleaming halberd. No matter how powerful or terrifying the assassins were, they all lay dead in the streets.

This display of unparalleled bravery shocked all the citizens of Ebiscraja. Some citizens began to regard Loran as the incarnation of the god of war, otherwise how could they explain this terrifying and unreasonable personal strength?

Red Hare climbed the hill as if walking on flat ground and arrived at the temple of the Heavenly Father.

Faced with the extremely disrespectful act of riding a horse into the temple, all the priests chose to remain silent. The halberd, its blood seeping into the ground, told them that it was best not to say anything at this moment.

Astride his tall horse, Loran gazed into deep thought at the statue of the Father, a man with a perfectly proportioned, muscular physique, a thick beard, profound eyes, and a staff of lightning in hand.

Endless flashes of wisdom crossed his mind, culminating in a final sublimation as he entered the temple.

The martial prowess level in this realm may not seem high, but according to Loran's observation, its underlying nature is terrifyingly high.

Loran had seen far too many gods.

Some worlds are simply individuals of slightly stronger beings who have gained some supernatural powers.

Some are divine beings who have received incense offerings and religious faith.

Some of them are primordial energies from heaven and earth that have acquired consciousness and form.

Some are even towering beings who imprint their own principles upon heaven and earth, creating their own supreme kingdoms and authority.

But the gods of this world do not belong to any of the above categories.

Loran had previously used the divine power of destiny, "Return of Destiny," to fight against the gods in countless rounds. Loran created many powerful and influential figures according to his own script, but the gods would add their own twists and turns, changing Loran's script into something completely unrecognizable to them.

It can be said that Loran's transformation from the initial "Lu Bu" to the current "Dong Zhongying" and his current position as the Duke of Protectorate was not actually Loran's original plan, but rather the result of his struggle and entanglement with the gods.

According to the original plan, Lorraine intended to continue recognizing her adoptive father and rise to the highest position. Therefore, Lorraine's initial script was that of "Lu Bu".

But the gods didn't want him to have it so easy, so they intervened in various ways to bring him into the open, no longer allowing him to hide behind his "adoptive fathers." As a barbarian, Loran, without the protection of his adoptive fathers, was exposed to the light, which would arouse the vigilance and even lead to his suppression by the major political forces of the empire.

Barbarians had no political status in the empire.

Barbarians can serve as servants, common soldiers, or even military leaders, or be adopted sons, but they must never stand on the highest stage of the empire to compete with others; if they do, they will be killed.

The gods then decided to expose Loran's "ambitions" and "threats" directly to the public, so that Loran would be completely wiped out by the empire.

As for why they didn't directly issue a divine oracle, frankly speaking, in this era, it was actually quite difficult for the gods to issue one. Furthermore, with Loran's obstruction, it was simply impossible for the gods to issue a oracle directly targeting Loran to humankind.

But Loran didn't want to fall into the gods' trap, so he simply flipped the table. "I'm not going to be 'Lu Bu' anymore, I'm going to be 'Dong Zhongying'! Let's see if you're scared!"

After years of struggle, Loran gradually figured out the true nature of the gods.

He believed that the essence of the gods was a convergence of something he called "fate".

“Yuanli” is somewhat similar to “Xianghuo”, but it is different from “Xianghuo”.

The essence of "incense offerings" is a collective, emotional, and directional desire and imagination, which is initially an unconscious and pervasive collective psychological energy.

"Fate" is a product of the interaction between humans and nature. In their survival practices, primitive humans had a profound interaction with nature (hunting, gathering, natural disasters).

The shamans were the most sensitive people in the tribe; they were the first to perceive and utilize this energy (divine power) generated by collective interaction.

Through rituals (shamanistic rituals), a "standardized" practice, they focused and guided these scattered divine powers, enabling them to interact more strongly with specific objects in nature (mountains, rivers, thunder, fire) or ancestors, thereby achieving effects such as praying for rain and curing diseases.

The concept of God was thus born. This long-term, concentrated, and directed interaction, like a mold, ultimately "shaped" natural objects and ancestral spirits into "Gods" with personalized will.

The difference between gods born from "incense offerings" and gods born from "fate" lies in this.

Because the divine power of the "Incense God" originates from the heart, one can receive blessings from the gods as long as one is sincere.

The divine power of "Yuanli Shen" (缘力神) originates from human behavior and interaction with the world. Therefore, the key to interacting with Yuanli-type deities lies in the precision of the external ritual; as long as the ritual is performed, sincerity is not important.

In a purely physical universe, everything operates according to predetermined physical laws, like a precise and predictable clock. The emergence of intelligent life, especially its free will, consciousness, and agency, becomes a "singularity" in this closed system.

Humans are no longer passive units in the universe's program, but rather sources capable of making autonomous choices and injecting new information.

Every thought and every choice a person makes is not a necessary result of the laws of physics, but a true "creative" event.

The transcendence lies precisely in this: this "transcendence" does not refer to an out-of-body experience, but rather to the will of intelligent life becoming a creative "first cause" in the causal chain. It is humanity that initiates a new causal sequence.

Every choice a person makes, big or small, is like throwing a stone into a river. Ripples spread, and the river branches. The moment you decide to go left instead of right, the universe "splits" or "turns" from a definite state into two completely different potential futures.

This is not merely a change in personal destiny, because an individual's actions interact with countless others, paving an entirely new path. This is truly a "groundbreaking" event.

Before people take action, the future is a "sea of ​​potential" full of infinite possibilities.

Every proactive action is like a ray of light, illuminating a path and transforming it from a vague "possibility" into a definite "reality".

This process of creation from nothing to something, from potential to manifestation, is the core mystery of creation.

Every intelligent life form is, in essence, a "god." This is why all beings possess divinity and Buddhahood.

The power of "fate" comes from this "tiny" "creation process." When people use their free will to act and interact with the world, they are exercising this authority.

People are not "consuming" the power of fate; people themselves are the source and channel of the power of fate.

When countless intelligent beings focus their "force of creation" (creational power) in the same direction (such as hunting or farming) through long-term practice, this collective and directional shaping behavior will leave a deep imprint on the underlying structure of reality, eventually condensing into "force of creation gods" that represent the laws of that field. The essence of these gods is no less than that of incense gods, and they are mysterious in their own way.

In the past, the so-called intervention of the gods in destiny was a series of mysterious things. Therefore, the essence of their intervention in destiny came from the heart. It was a matter of the mind making things happen. The mind is inherently unsettled, hence it was mysterious and inexplicable.

The gods of destiny, on the other hand, are very direct. They interfere with fate by directly interfering with human practices.

What is destiny? In the theory of karmic forces, destiny is not a preordained, unchangeable supernatural arrangement, but a dynamic result of the continuous interaction between humankind and the natural world.

Fate is not an isolated, pre-written line, but a dynamic "web of trajectories" woven from countless "interactions between people and the world," full of nodes and paths.

Every choice and every action is a profound interaction with the world, generating a "force of destiny" that vibrates and transmits across this network, opening new paths or reinforcing old ones.

In fluid mechanics, chaotic systems (such as the atmosphere, rivers, and storms) are characterized by their extreme sensitivity to initial conditions and the existence of countless nonlinear interactions, which leads to unpredictable long-term behavior.

Human society is just like this:

Every individual is a "perturbation." Each person, as a "micro-god" (a unique variable) with free will and creativity, is generating ideas and making decisions every moment.

Every thought and action is a tiny disturbance, a vortex, injected into the "fluid of thought" of society.

My decision will affect you, your reaction will affect him, his success will inspire a group of people, and the failure of a group of people will change the rules of the market... These interactions are not a simple 1+1=2, but an exponential amplification, offsetting, distortion and resonance.

Like two eddies colliding in a river, they may either disappear or merge into a larger eddy.

Human society is a “vast chaotic system”, and the unpredictability of fate is an inherent, macroscopic emergent attribute of this system.