Devil's Bible

"The reason I invited you here is for the upcoming operation." Hayes didn't waste any unnecessary formalities or pleasantries, and didn't even exchange a few words with Nems.

For him, all etiquette was a set of rules to constrain others.

Given his status and position, he didn't need to bow to anyone else.

He also deeply understood that interests were more important than etiquette.

If there are mutual benefits, no matter how rude you are, both parties can still reach a cooperation agreement.

Without any benefit involved, no matter how proper your etiquette is, it's just empty formality.

Hayes was like that; his attitude was very clear, and it was precisely because of this undisguised clarity that he became the primary target.

"We can't change the decisions those old men at the top have made."

“But there is a way to get through this safely—as long as the mission fails.” Hayes stated the ‘optimal solution’ without hesitation.

The difficulty of this task lies in the fact that they need to cross the land and travel by air to the Azure Whale.

Although the bone ship can minimize the impact of geological disasters.

However, crossing the calamity itself is quite costly, and next they will have to face the demon lord on the Azure Whale.

Although the maximum value of a demon lord in the material plane can only reach 1200.

If they do this, they will most likely be ambushed by Nemus when they get close to the Azure Whale.

"The location of the Azure Whale has changed. We may not be able to find it, and even if we do, we may not be able to get up there."

“As long as we go around once, it’s as if we’ve completed the mission and then come back.” Hayes made no attempt to hide his selfish motives.

The Azure Whale, a whale carrying millions of people on its back, never paid any attention to them.

It's gone, it's gone. It wasn't his money that was lost.

“This is a mission from the church.” Nemus looked at Hayes, finding it amusing.

Hayes is probably the top-tier second-generation model.

My uncle is a cardinal bishop, and our family is related to the Pope. Now, when he sees the Pope, he can even call him "uncle".

In addition, his father was also a bigwig in the church, serving as the chief of the guild on the back of a floating whale.

His position as Grand Master is quite different from Nems's and the previous Guilliman's.

The closer a floating whale is to the Central Plains, the higher its status and the more important its position.

The blue-sky whale was among the first group of floating whales. Although it can still live for a long time, its potential is honestly already insufficient.

She's an older woman who's not very popular.

The floating whales in the inner circle are different; most of them are newborn floating whales born from the Source Whale over the past century.

Putting aside the resources on these floating whales, just living on them naturally provides them with some protection.

This can be seen from the average lifespan of those who die of natural causes.

On the outer ring of floating whales, excluding those who have practiced breathing techniques, the average age of those who die of old age is 68.

However, on the floating whales in the inner circle, this number has increased to 83 years old.

While living standards certainly play a role, the most crucial factor is that the newborn floating whales possess a vital energy that gradually improves the lives of those living on them.

Of course, this was entirely different for the nobles of Middle-earth.

They have a special life-giving potion that, when taken daily, is hundreds of times more effective than simply living there.

The gold-bearing varieties in the inner circle are not necessarily stronger than those in the outer circle.

However, precisely because they are in the inner circle, the resources and manpower they can mobilize are far greater than those in the outer circle.

This is not due to a lack of strength, but rather a matter of power.

Those who are "golden seeds" from headquarters have a higher status than those from other regions.

Hayes's parents both lived near the Source Whale, as did their relatives.

Their power had almost reached its zenith; all they needed was the emergence of a cardinal bishop. Yet Hayes, despite his position, was completely indifferent to the interests of the Church.

In his eyes, as long as his own interests can be guaranteed, then anything is acceptable.

"So what?" Hayes glanced helplessly at Nemes and said seriously, "Life is your own, but the results belong to the church."

"It's not worth it for a reserve position."

"As long as you do as I say and get through this task, it won't do you any harm."

Nemes knew that Hayes was absolutely right.

He is now being used as a tool by the church's higher-ups, and nominally he may be granted a preparatory status to enter the church's top decision-making level.

But in reality, if a person is stabbed too many times, they will break down.

Historically, those who were the main drivers of reforms, even if the reforms were successful, have almost always been subject to purging.

The essence of reform is to affect the interests of those who have already benefited from the system.

If the reforms succeed, those who have already benefited will only lose their interests, not their status.

They united to retaliate, and even Nemus, now holding the status of 'Holy Son', couldn't withstand it.

Therefore, although Hayes' proposal would sacrifice Naim's short-term interests, it would be beneficial to Naim in the long run.

If Nemes and Hayes mess up this mission, they will be blacklisted by the church in a short period of time.

Instead, it avoided the contradictions that had already accumulated to a certain point and was able to escape various disputes and troubles.

That's right, the reason Hayes made those moves and jumped around so enthusiastically at the beginning was precisely because he wanted to be the first to be eliminated.

Hayes believed that he already had enough power and that he had no need to covet a key position.

Becoming a cardinal would actually limit him.

The cardinals wield great power, but with them come great responsibilities.

Once he reaches that point, it will be virtually impossible for him to prioritize his own interests as he does now.

That position will push a person to change themselves little by little.

Jeff is an example of this.

Jeff may not have long to live, but every day he can live is a day more. Why would he be so foolish as to go to the abyss to die?

It's precisely because he was in that position that he would appear mediocre if he died quietly on the job.

To be mediocre until death in the position of Cardinal is a sin.

They have failed in their crucial role.

This sense of responsibility will gradually suppress the nature of the person in charge.

In Hayes's view, it was suicidal.

But now he can't refuse to fight for that position.

His status determines that although he is only a Gold type, he can obtain resources that other Gold types cannot accumulate in thousands of years.

Having acquired these resources, one must naturally bear the corresponding responsibilities.

His family, subordinates, and various factions were all pushing him to compete.

He can never say that he doesn't want to fight.

Just as Jeff was driven to his death by the desire for fame brought about by his responsibilities, he is now being pushed by various forces to fight for it.

Given the current situation, if he really wanted to fight, he might actually win.

At this point, how to retreat, and how to ensure that one's own interests are not harmed are the questions Hayes needs to consider.

That's how this whole series of events came about.

However, the old men above also realized this, so they assigned him another task. (End of Chapter)