Chapter 168
Chapter
168
2026
For this purpose, a high platform had been temporarily erected in the square. The statue of the God of Hope, with both hands folded over its chest, gazed down upon the platform with merciful benevolence.
The year-end sermon was usually led by high-ranking clergy and had always been very popular. However, it had never been as overwhelmingly crowded as today. It could truly be described as the entire city turning out in force.
Clergy in robes and Church knights were squeezed tightly into the crowd, desperately trying to maintain order. They had not anticipated this situation at all and had only arranged personnel for crowd control based on past experience. Until reinforcements arrived, they could only keep shouting over the noise.
“Step back! Step back!”
“Don’t push forward! Stop!”
Their voices were swallowed by the roar of the crowd. One knight, after being ignored and shoved by the masses, lost his temper and unconsciously activated his ability. The pressure he released sent the ordinary people around him tumbling down, while the unaware crowd behind continued surging forward.
A child who had been pressed to the ground let out a loud cry. Just as a serious stampede was about to break out, a wall of light suddenly blocked the rushing crowd. The people who had been knocked down quickly helped each other up and turned back in shock.
At some point, more knights in white uniforms had formed a tight line, restoring order. From a distance came the stern, resounding voices of female knights directing the crowd to disperse.
The Church’s knights always wore white uniforms, with higher ranks bearing more gold emblems and badges. However, one particular squad was different. Over their white uniforms they wore simple gray armor, and on the exposed white collar, a blue sun emblem was embroidered.
—It was the Saintess’s Order of Sacred Conduct!
A woman holding a child excitedly shouted, “It’s the Saintess’s knight order!” Those words were like hot oil poured into a boiling pot. The crowd, which had barely calmed down, erupted once again.
“The Saintess’s knight order is here!”
“What Saintess? Where is the Saintess?”
“The people in front are saying the Saintess has arrived!”
The news spread toward the back of the crowd. Everyone thought the Saintess had already begun her sermon and tried to push forward excitedly again. Wende felt a little tired, but she raised her voice even more sternly. Her tense expression made people feel intimidated at a glance.
Fortunately, Ye Zheng had made preparations in advance, Wende thought.
She’d originally intended to stay close and personally protect the Saintess, but Ye Zheng had turned her down and instead assigned her the responsibility of keeping order.
Wende couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of disappointment. She hadn’t wanted to miss Ye Zheng’s sermon from the back rows, and in a place as chaotic as this public gathering, Ye Zheng’s safety was genuinely a serious concern. Still, she now understood that Ye Zheng had entrusted her with the most important duty of all.
“No matter what happens to me on stage, your only job is to ensure the safety of the people below the platform.”
That was how Ye Zheng had instructed her.
At the very front of the crowd, the knight who had nearly triggered a disaster wore a deathly pale expression. He tried to slip away with the chaotic flow of people, but suddenly felt something heavy clamp onto his ankle. Before he could even glance down, he let out a piercing scream and disappeared on the spot.
Under the harsh midday light, the dark shadows on the ground seemed to gather and intertwine. Cheng Cheng moved seamlessly through those shadows with her team and swiftly dragged the man beneath a quiet overhang.
When the young man caught sight of the not entirely unfamiliar woman’s face, panic instantly spread across his expression. As fellow knights of the Church, how could they not recognize this special squad?
It was precisely because he understood this that he obediently allowed her to seize his collar. As long as they remained within the shadows, this woman named Cheng Cheng was practically unbeatable.
One of their squad members had once attempted to befriend them, only to be ruthlessly targeted by Cheng Cheng. He had been trapped in the shadow of a tree from morning until night, unable to escape no matter what he tried, until the shadow finally vanished with the setting sun.
“Who are you?”
“I’m from the Fifth Squad. My name is…”
“No one cares about your name. Who sent you?” the young woman asked, her voice lazy yet her gaze razor-sharp.
The man shrank his neck, his face full of panic. His eyes darted toward the crowd surging in one direction outside the alley, desperately hoping someone would notice this hidden corner.
Pei Xi was forcing his way through the packed crowd alongside two companions. Someone recognized him with pleasant surprise and called out a greeting, but their hurried, excited steps didn’t slow down for even a moment.
He was quite tall, so when he tilted his head upward, he could clearly see the high platform ahead. On the stage, a drama performance was underway, energetically reenacting the story of the God of Hope. Dramatic performances had originally been one of the most popular forms of entertainment, far more engaging than the dull, dry sermons, but today the vast majority of people only wished for the performance to end as quickly as possible.
This gathering, held under the name of the God of Hope, no longer had the deity as its true focus. Instead, everything revolved around Ye Zheng.
Could it be said that the people had gathered here so frantically out of admiration and faith in Ye Zheng? No, that wasn’t the case. Many were simply here to catch a glimpse of this legendary Saintess. They were curious whether this God’s Chosen would manifest a miracle, and whether her real self would be even more sacred and beautiful than the image projected in rumors.
Not long ago, Ye Zheng had survived an assassination attempt, yet she was appearing before the public again in such a short time. Would she choose to address the growing controversy surrounding her father, as well as the disputes involving herself?
Pei Xi kept his head tilted upward in the dense crowd for so long that his neck began to ache. He rolled it slightly to ease the strain, and at that moment, he suddenly caught sight of a black figure perched on the clock tower to the right side of the square.
At the very top of the clock tower, Wu Shu sat in the best possible vantage point, calmly looking down at the densely packed crowd below that resembled a swarm of ants.
To prevent anyone else from occupying this spot, she’d arrived here long in advance and had even been checked as a suspicious person by Ye Zheng’s people. She was so speechless that she nearly laughed out loud.
“Seriously… I finally won a championship, but all the limelight’s been stolen by you people.”
Wu Shu felt her luck was sometimes good and sometimes bad. But when she thought of the letter she’d received from the emperor, she felt that winning the championship might also count as bad luck. She should’ve listened to Ye Zheng’s advice.
She took out a piece of bread and took a few bites. There wasn’t the slightest trace of regret on her face. Her eyes stayed focused as she patiently waited for Ye Zheng to appear.
At the same time, Bai Muqing was at the edge of the crowd, voluntarily helping to maintain order. Although she was a royal knight, the knight code included the duty to keep public security. Since she was here and saw the chaos, it naturally became her responsibility.
This area was far from the high platform, beyond the reach of her 【Divine Domain】. She was destined not to be able to “see” Ye Zheng’s sermon.
Bai Muqing’s cheeks puffed out slightly as she pressed her lips tightly together. Ye Zheng had made thorough preparations. This sermon was part of her plan, so there was nothing to worry about.
She snapped back to attention, her expression suddenly turning sharp. A man sneaking around in the crowd was suddenly lifted into the air, drawing exclamations from those around him. He was then thrown mercilessly into the distance like he was nothing more than trash.
Bai Muqing had already expanded her 【Divine Domain】 to its maximum range, keeping watch over the area she was in. Suddenly, her expression grew even colder—
She discovered that Sykes had actually shown up as well.
✧✧✧✧✧
Pei Xi rubbed his sore neck, but his gaze never once left the high platform.
Finally, the actors on the stage bowed together and hurriedly exited. Right after that, flustered clergy members removed the performance props and quickly rearranged the platform.
Countless expectant eyes locked onto a single point like scorching rays of midsummer sunlight. It felt as though the platform might ignite at any moment. Even though winter was already approaching, Pei Xi could still feel the air turning increasingly hot around him.
This restless heat persisted until a figure wearing a heavy deep-blue cloak and an ornate, towering crown slowly walked to the center of the high platform. Only then did everything completely explode. The excited roar of the crowd nearly tore Pei Xi’s eardrums apart.
“May the grace and peace of the God of Hope be with you all. Hello everyone, I am Ye Zheng.”
“Today, we’ve gathered here to listen to the words of the divine, to seek His guidance and blessings…”
Her voice, amplified through special devices, carried a solemn dignity that was hard to describe. Compared to her usual gentle and soft tone, it made the crowd unconsciously grow quiet and immerse themselves in her guidance.
Beneath the ornate, heavy crown, Ye Zheng’s expression remained as gentle and approachable as always, with a faint smile. Her eyes, gazing down at the audience, were extremely focused, as if she were carefully memorizing every single person’s face.
Ye Zheng hardly ever felt nervous. As the church’s Saintess, she frequently attended public events and had never once been stage-frightened.
As for certain special private activities, such as disguising herself to seize the divine sword or eliminating a few people who deserved it, when a person was focused to the extreme, there was simply no room left for nervousness.
At this moment, however, as she looked at the countless faces below the high platform and felt thousands upon thousands of gazes carrying various emotions focused on her, Ye Zheng felt a slight dizziness for the first time. It seemed as if every face were reflecting light. It could be nervousness, or perhaps she was simply wearing too many layers.
She let the lingering emotion dissolve into a deeper smile. Her voice stayed steady and unhurried. After delivering the opening blessings, it was time for her to recite the eternal verses of Divine Revelation.
“If we cannot endure darkness and despair, how can we welcome true light and hope…”
“I shall remain undefeated forever in darkness and despair. I shall burn the old to embrace the new!”
Ye Zheng’s expression grew more intense. As her tone rose, she lifted her hand in a highly infectious gesture. Many people below the platform had already become immersed in her sermon, their faces filled with pious admiration. They’d completely forgotten the recent controversies surrounding this Saintess and could only sigh in their hearts: as expected of the child chosen by the God of Hope.
Even though they couldn’t clearly see the Saintess’s face, her figure shone with brilliance. It wasn’t because of her lavish attire, but because every movement she made was filled with calm, generous grace, like the winter sun, dazzling yet not scorching.
After reciting the scriptures of Divine Revelation, it was time to deliver the sermon based on the verses she’d just read, explaining the doctrine and offering exhortation and comfort to the many believers of the God of Hope.
“This is the God of Hope warning us: never compromise with calamity. Fairness and truth are things that must never be abandoned…”
After a focused speech, Ye Zheng’s black eyes grew calm. The faces below no longer seemed to reflect light. Her gaze swept over the audience with a tolerant sense of inquiry.
Questioning and answering was an important part of any sermon. People below could raise points they didn’t understand about the doctrine or share confusions from their daily lives, and the clergy delivering the sermon would resolve their doubts.
Normally, the church would’ve pre-arranged people to ask questions. Otherwise, unusual questioners could ruin the entire sermon.
But today, Ye Zheng hadn't arranged any designated questioners in advance yet.
“Miss, do you have any doubts?”
Ye Zheng selected a few individuals within her line of sight who looked both pious and eager, and proactively answered their questions.
“My grandmother has passed away. Could you pray for her to the God of Hope?”
“Saintess, I’ve encountered some difficulties in my studies…”
“Saintess, on page 37 of the third volume of Divine Revelation, the sentence…”
The vast sea of people at the back couldn't hear the questioners’ voices, so Ye Zheng first repeated their questions before answering them one by one.
During this segment, the crowd grew restless again. Listening to the Saintess’s heavenly voice, they desperately tried to push forward a little more. Maybe the Saintess would notice them too? Maybe they would be lucky enough to receive her blessing?
Ye Zheng observed the crowd and gave a few helpless words of advice. There were only two spots left for questions today. Amid the agitated crowd, she saw someone suddenly raise their hand high.
The person was very tall and dressed entirely in black. His face was hidden under a lowered black hat, but his raised hand was impossible to ignore. For a brief moment, everyone standing around him turned to look in his direction.
Ye Zheng’s black eyes lost their warmth and turned cold and deep, yet the friendly curve of her smile still remained as she spoke in a gentle and composed tone.
“Sir with your hand raised, do you have any doubts?”
The man in black pushed aside the people in front of him. The crowd parted in confusion, thinking he only wanted to get closer to the Saintess to ask his question. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, he leapt straight onto the high platform!
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he walked up to the Saintess and spoke in a hoarse, rough voice:
“Saintess, you just said that the God of Hope warns us that fairness and truth are things that must never be abandoned…”
“I just want to ask you, ask our holy Saintess, the noble eldest daughter of the Ye family, do you think you have the right to say such words!”
The man flung his lowered black hat onto the ground. An ugly scar slashed across his face. Then he took off his black coat. Only then did the people, horrified by his appearance, realize that the deep, bone-visible scar ran from his left ear all the way down to his chest, looking like a hideous red worm of flesh.
“I’m a victim of the Amber Lake incident. If it weren’t for that boy named Pei Xi arriving in time, I would’ve already died under a monster’s claws because of your father!”
“Saintess Ye Zheng, even if the God of Hope favors you, we will never acknowledge you. You are the Saintess of the divine, the Saintess of the church, the Saintess of the nobles—”
“But you are not our Saintess!”
For a moment, the crowd erupted into uproar.
In the distance, Bai Muqing, who was standing guard at the edge of the crowd, frowned deeply as she listened to these words.
On the high tower, Wu Shu shook her head and let out a soft, mocking laugh, as if she’d expected this.
Pei Xi, standing in the crowd, clenched his fists tightly. Like the people around him, his mood became subtly complicated. Some had already begun whispering doubts, others were making a commotion, and some were desperately trying to push forward, as if getting closer would let them hear the Saintess’s reply sooner.
At this moment, the gazes fixed on Ye Zheng turned murkier. Deliberately stirred doubt and malice fermented and rose within the heated atmosphere.
The man stared at Ye Zheng with sharp, cold eyes. He watched her first sweep her gaze across the vast sea of people below the platform before slowly turning her eyes back to him.
She did not display the panic and helplessness he had expected. Her gaze remained extremely calm, without the slightest trace of surprise.
She even had the leisure to give him a faint, secret smile. It was not a contemptuous sneer; instead, it appeared very polite, as though he were a guest listed on today’s invitation.
“You ask whether I have the right to say that ‘fairness and truth are things that must never be abandoned.’”
“Today, I stand here openly and honorably. That is my answer.”
Her clear voice echoed across Sieg Square, which was packed with people. The shoulder-to-shoulder crowd erupted once again.
~~~End~~~