Forge a path to success

Lico pursed her lips, seemingly angry. Vande interjected, "Just out of curiosity, ma'am, did they invite you to sit here specifically to dampen your spirits?"

"Of course not, I'm sorry... Please take this. It's for one hour, and you are not allowed to take any documents with you."

Lico snatched the pass, gave Vande a grateful look, and then strode towards the elevator. Ji Huaisu patted her shoulder: "You have a case too?"

“I’m a family member of someone involved in the case,” Lico replied vaguely. “There was a stupid case before, but it has nothing to do with anything important. Let’s go…!”

She hurried to the elevator door, which opened just then. Upon seeing who it was, Li Ke actually took two steps back; this fearless girl had never seemed so reserved before.

“Mr. Banningtik,” she greeted softly.

The prosecutor, dressed in a dark black tuxedo, stepped out of the elevator, his gaze sweeping over each person in turn. "Good afternoon, Miss Lico," he greeted politely, "and then we meet again, everyone..."

He paused for a moment, then pondered, "So, who are you all again?"

"You didn't know that?!" Vande couldn't hold back anymore.

“Although we met briefly at the amusement park, none of you seem to have mentioned your names.” Banningtik adjusted his checkered scarf. “That’s right, my prosecutor’s memory is as sharp as this pure white scarf; it won’t overlook any suspicious ‘points’!”

“But your scarf is checkered,” Ji Huaisu said.

"..."

Banningtik lowered his head and fell into a mysterious silence. Lico silently rubbed her forehead: "You've mistaken a handkerchief for a scarf again..."

Prosecutor Banningtik swiftly pulled a folded checkered scarf from his pocket, straightened it, tied it securely, and put the handkerchief away—the entire process taking less than 0.6 seconds. His movements were so fluid that even Chu Hengkong wanted to admire him. Just as he was about to speak seriously, another voice came from behind him: "Excuse me, may I come out now? The elevator doors are still closed..."

Banningtik turned and stepped aside, saying, "Excuse me, please go ahead."

The elevator doors slammed shut behind him, catching a section of his white shirt. A muffled voice came from behind the doors: "A little difficult..."

“The stop interval design of the Grand Library elevator is clearly extremely unreasonable.” Banningtik pressed the button repeatedly. “I will report this to the engineering department later.”

Vande squinted: "No, it's already quite patient of you to wait until you've finished all that nonsense before closing this elevator. Seriously, is there not a single normal person on the upper level of Jing Sha? I feel so sorry for the guy trapped inside!"

“What this guest said is true; work efficiency is indeed an issue that Jingsa and other city-states cannot ignore. However, every place has its own customs, so you might as well consider it a characteristic of Jingsa.”

The elevator doors opened again, and Lico's expression darkened upon hearing the voice. It was a man in a white military uniform, his blond hair neatly combed. Judging from the shape of his lips and the curve of his chin, he was undoubtedly a handsome gentleman. However, no one could see his full face, as a white mask covered the upper half of his face, even his eyes were obscured by a thin film, making it impossible to discern the expression in his eyes.

“Pariman…!” Lico muttered cursingly.

“It has been a while, Miss Lico,” said Parriman. “And I extend my greetings to all the guests from Dragon City and a heartfelt welcome to Mansa Star Castle. My name is Zan van Parriman, and I am the Speaker of the Upper House of our Thorn City-State.”

Chapter 324 Hiding in Seclusion (6)

Even Chu Hengkong knew about Zan Van Pariman, because he was extremely famous in the Jingsa City-State.

Born into a prestigious family of the first generation, he became famous for his intelligence at a young age, and the city's elite praised his exceptional understanding and said he had the demeanor of ancient sages. He was unable to join the Divine Guard due to a lack of talent for advancement, but he still volunteered to join the Volunteer Army as a commoner, serving Jing Sha and becoming a commander in the garrison on the front lines.

Twenty years ago, during the transition of the battle lines, Jing Sha misjudged the situation and was besieged by outsiders, resulting in extremely heavy casualties. At that time, Parriman astutely assessed the situation, rallied the remaining troops, broke through the encirclement, and joined the main force in the city. This operation saved the lives of many soldiers, and the survivors and their families were extremely grateful, calling him a "hero," and Parriman became famous from then on.

After the handover, Parriman, hailed as a hero, entered politics and rose rapidly through the ranks. His Parrimanism effectively alleviated the post-war trauma and played a significant role in the spiritual reconstruction of the city-state. Several bills he spearheaded enabled Jingsha to successfully complete its post-war economic recovery, garnering widespread support from both upper and lower classes.

Ten years after the war ended, Parryman became the Speaker of the House of Lords. And now, 20 years later, a new bill is gradually moving toward implementation under his leadership.

That was "Act 368," which caused a huge uproar both inside and outside the city-state.

·

“He’s a big shot…!” Vande whispered a reminder.

Generally speaking, most power in the city-state of Thorns is held by the Divine Guard. However, the situation is different in Fort Mansa. The First Order Divine Guard is more like a court and police force, mostly playing a supervisory and law enforcement role. The Senate, on the other hand, is like the central government in a conventional system, holding both legislative and executive powers, and can even directly mobilize the military in special circumstances.

This system, characterized by decentralized local autonomy and centralized power, inevitably concentrates power in the Senate. As Speaker, Parriman's position is akin to that of a "president" or "head of state," making him the most powerful man in the First Order and even the entire city-state of Thornhill.

Parriman smiled at everyone, and Chu Hengkong nodded to him: "I've heard so much about you, shall we bow?"

“Of course not. The system of the city-state is different from that of the divine kingdom. Politicians and civil servants only represent their professions and have no relation to their social status,” Parriman replied. “Although you are not citizens of the city-state, on a social level, I am equal to you all… Therefore, the city-state never uses the title ‘sir’, so please feel free to use it as you wish.”

“To add to that, legally you do have the right to ask others to address you as ‘sir,’” Banningtick said. “Section 142 of the Civic Etiquette Act, the 7th Amendment, was proposed because the then-Speaker was in poor governance and was scorned whenever he went out in the street.”

"May I ask, has his situation improved since the bill was passed?"

Banningtik replied solemnly, "According to records, the citizens at the time, because cursing the Speaker for breaking the law, started throwing rotten fruit at him. Therefore, there was the third amendment to Article 13..."

“Thank you, Prosecutor Banningtik. I think we should find an opportunity to amend the Civil Etiquette Act, at least to preserve the right of citizens to throw rotten fruit.” Parryman gestured with his hands. “I haven’t introduced you yet, this is Banningtik, the best prosecutor in our Mansa Starburg High Prosecutor’s Office, known as ‘Ghostwood’.”

Banningtik adjusted his scarf with composure, and Ji Huaisu asked curiously, "Does this mean that Mr. Banningtik is impartial and incorruptible in enforcing the law?"

"No, it's because Mr. Banningtik is always so forgetful, acting like an old man despite his young age..."

"So it's this 'dried wood'!"

“No one can be perfect!” Parryman joked. “Lord Ji met with us a few days ago, and I know why you’ve come. There are many places worth visiting in Mansa Star Castle, but I didn’t expect to meet you all in the Grand Archives.”

The speaker was witty and never arrogant; his every move exuded charm. Even the picky Chu Hengkong found him approachable. But Li Ke alone had a gloomy expression, as if she were looking at an enemy.

She forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "I'm in a hurry, please move aside!"

Parryman didn't move, only saying, "Miss Lico, you've come many times before, and I don't think the outcome will be any different this time."

"But I will still try my best. After all, I am a person who cares about my reputation, unlike some charlatans who use the title of 'hero' to deceive the world!"

These words were utterly offensive, yet Parriman showed no reaction and no anger on his face.

“I understand that you have doubts about my reputation. However, once a person enters the public eye, what they become is no longer up to them,” Parriman said. “The title of a politician is the result of the expectations of the group converging on the individual. I was called a ‘hero’ not because of my own abilities or character, but simply because the citizens of the time longed for a ‘hero’.”

"Are you trying to say you're a manipulated puppet?" Lico sneered.

“What I’m trying to say is that titles, like the job of a politician, are ‘chairs’ made by the crowd.” Parryman stroked his mask. “The crowd will only choose the image it wants to see, and the politician’s duty is to respond to their expectations. If I fail to meet those expectations, the citizens will naturally choose another ‘hero’ to sit in the chair… People like me are just sitting in chairs performing a play. The crowd watching this play is the one who truly decides the direction.”

"To so casually shift the blame onto over a billion people, the Speaker sounds like an impeccably pure white lotus!" Rico angrily rebuked. "But right now, isn't it you who's stubbornly pushing through that shameful bill?! Are you going to say that this is what the masses expect?!"

Parriman tapped the edge of his mask and smiled slightly.

"If my actions are solely driven by selfish desires, why should the citizens support me?"

"you……"

"The existence of laws, policies, customs, and the like indicates that a certain group in society has a need. The more intense the impact, the more urgent the underlying need is... I think your father must have taught you this, but your intense emotions have interfered with your thinking."

Lico clenched her fists tightly, and for some reason, she suddenly lost control of her emotions. She swung her fist violently: "How dare you mention me—"

Her fist was gripped by Banningtik, and the prosecutor's expression remained unchanged from usual.

"Both the Civic Etiquette Act and the Jing Sha Constitution contain additional penalty clauses for attacking those in important positions such as the Speaker of Parliament. This is a special reminder."

"I'm sorry, prosecutor." Chu Hengkong pulled Li Ke aside. "She's young and impetuous and can't control her emotions. Please forgive her."

"Not at all, it was my fault for causing your unhappiness first," Parriman apologized. "Well then, I'll take my leave now. I hope that next time we meet, I'll have the opportunity to show you all the sights of Mansa Star Castle."

After saying that, Parriman walked away alone. Banningtik accompanied him for a few steps, then seemed to remember something and turned back to say, "If I may be so bold as to confirm everyone's tickets?"

Fan De's heart tightened; they had gotten in through the back door, and their tickets didn't have any stamps. However, Chu Hengkong remained calm and took out three tickets from his pocket.

"please."

Banningtik glanced at it and saw a "Passed" stamp prominently displayed in the upper right corner.

"excuse me."

He returned the ticket and accompanied the speaker out of the library. Van der breathed a sigh of relief: "When did you do that?"

"Stealing a stamp right under someone's nose is not difficult for me, let alone a sloth."

Chu Hengkong stepped into the elevator, pressed the buttons for his floor, and the elevator ascended rapidly.

"We'll split up. Vande and I will look for the notes, and Huaisu, you'll assist Lico with the investigation."

Ji Huaisu gave an OK sign and patted Li Ke on the shoulder: "Are you feeling better?"

“I’m sorry to have caused you trouble.” Lico said dejectedly. “I shouldn’t have caused trouble, but I… I just can’t stand that pretentious guy.”

"It's related to Trek, isn't it?"

Lico didn't respond, and an awkward silence fell over the elevator. The button for the 78th floor flashed, the elevator doors opened, and Lico let out a sigh of relief.

“Pariman made his fortune from the war, but someone always had to bear the brunt of public anger at that time,” she said. “My dad was that unlucky guy.”

Chu Hengkong watched them leave, and Fan De whispered, "We shouldn't meddle in this..."

"It's not enough to regulate it."

“Sigh, yes.” Van der shook his head. “What are those two point masses thinking?”

"So let's talk about point 4 first."

"Hey, what are you doing!"

Chu Heng chuckled, watching the number 257 light up. Behind the door was a pure white corridor, devoid of decorations and staff, with only doors marked with numbers under unchanging lighting.

Their destination was located on the top floor of the Great Archives, deep within the dusty, sealed-off layer. Chu Hengkong had expected to find tight security, but the place was deserted.

"Your belongings may have been moved ahead of schedule."

“I don’t believe it,” Vande muttered. “The curator’s arrangements aren’t so easy to change.”

The house numbers started from 0000 and went on and on, seemingly endless. Chu Hengkong realized that these house numbers referred to years, and behind each door probably lay information that needed to be sealed away within that year. Perhaps some years contained nothing noteworthy, so their doors had no handles. Along the way, the vast majority of doors were impossible to open; doors with keyholes accounted for only a mere one percent. The handles on those doors were all white.

They walked almost to the end before finding room Z-2978, whose doorknob was silver.

“I’m really nervous,” Van der said.

Chu Hengkong inserted the key and easily opened the door. The moment the door opened, an ancient atmosphere rushed out, making him think he had mistakenly entered a library's storage room.

His vision was shrouded in a dark yellow hue. Everywhere were pages—burnt, corroded, blurred from waterlogging—a sea of ​​indistinct characters. A gust of outside air stirred a breeze, and the long-forgotten pages fluttered in the wind like a grand, decaying rain.

Even Chu Hengkong was stunned by the scene. He raised his hand and turned the pages of the book, spotting a glint of silver in the corner of the room. With just one glance, he knew that it was what Vande was looking for, because he was all too familiar with that thing.

That was another silver-eyed book.

He grabbed the book and turned around. Footsteps echoed in the silent corridor, and a man with a wolf's head appeared in the doorway.

“Please give me that book,” it said.

Chapter 325 Hiding in Seclusion (7)

He was a person who could be described as "ambiguous," with a purple wolf's head attached to the body of a man in a suit.

His hair was ethereal, like pale purple smoke; his voice was fleeting, like a hallucination under immense pressure. He stood there undeniably, yet seemed like a phantom created by an illusion. His gaze, his gait, and his unusual appearance all made one doubt their own perception, wondering if the immense pressure had caused them to imagine his existence.

The light cast a long shadow behind him, but his figure resembled that of a bloodthirsty wolf.

"Is the pressure too much?" the wolf-headed man said kindly. "Let me adjust the information flow. That should help. Can you hear me?"

Two streams of blood flowed from Chu Hengkong's ears. He stared at the wolf-headed man, his van der trembling slightly inside his pocket.

"Looks like everything's fine," the wolf-headed man ordered. "Alright, hand over the book to me."

His gaze met Chu Hengkong's on the cover of the silver-eyed book. Chu Hengkong waved the book in front of him and stuffed it into his coat.

"Why should I?" he laughed.

The wolf-headed man laughed with interest, and Vande began to tremble.

"Listen to that arrogant tone. They're right, you're a young man who's too proud to admit it. Excellent, genius, successful... people like you always have some flaws."

A deep purple light shone in his eyes.

“You’ve had it too easy at such a young age… so you can never learn to respect those who are older than you.”

The fluttering pages froze in mid-air. Room 2978 fell silent; time seemed to vanish, leaving only the radiant, powerful purple gaze. The next moment, the pages shattered, the walls crumbled, and everything within sight shattered simultaneously. Chaotic air currents swirled, the wind howling like a pack of wolves!

In that instant, countless spike-like "color blocks" appeared, as if the program supporting the world's operation had suddenly malfunctioned, and the surface image turned into irregular geometric shapes.

A sharp pain shot through his vision, surging through his optic nerve and transforming into a roar from within his body. The chaotic patches of color were like a deadly poison; even a mere glance at them would harm any living being.

Bloodlust filled Chu Hengkong's eyes. As he closed them, he leaped up, traversing the storm of shattered fragments. He soared high above the wolf-headed man, the tip of his God-Slaying Blade whistling as it shot forth!

"Can you really draw your sword?" the wolf-headed man asked with a smile.

Chu Hengkong's body suddenly stiffened, and seven lines of blood gushed out from his joints, like invisible knives piercing out from his own body!

Hands, feet, right arm, left wrist, and right leg—seven limbs—were simultaneously twisted, or reversed like the joints of a puppet, or shattered like a balloon pierced by a needle. The fluttering pages were soaked in blood, and the room was stained with a frenzied crimson.

Chu Hengkong barely managed to land, using his Divine Slash to support his body. Just as he was about to rise, his face turned deathly pale as intense pain surged from within. Nearly 7% of his internal organs had shattered simultaneously, all because of a single glance from the wolf-headed man!

"Chongming's swordsmanship, the God-Slaying Blade, just looking at it makes my eyes hurt," the wolf-headed man sighed. "Don't look at me like that. Do you think I'd clash head-on with your swordsmanship? The best way to deal with the ultimate sword is not the ultimate shield, but to prevent the slash from being drawn."

Chu Hengkong unleashed his Undying and Indestructible Technique with all his might, repairing his body with his willpower, only to destroy it once more before the phenomena that had not ceased. A delicate balance between repair and destruction was achieved; at this moment, he could do nothing but protect himself. The wolf-headed man stepped forward, irregular blocks of color forming chaotic halos around him.

"Don't use the knife yet." Van der wrote in his pocket, "Don't make any movements. Don't try to touch it."

"You must be very resentful! You didn't even get to use your skills, yet you were crushed here by an unreasonable force," the wolf-headed man laughed. "But who told you you were just a mere point mass 3?"