Forge a path to success

"Yes, the city-state is in fact the body of the gods, and the divine tree is the spirit of the city-state. Therefore, before discussing public opinion, power struggles, and measures, we must first consider the will of the divine tree itself. If Jing Sha is still sane, then there is nothing wrong with his actions in the future. If Jing Sha is incompetent and tyrannical, then the matter of the city-state will be settled, and there will be no room for maneuver."

Wilbert moved swiftly, showing none of the scholarly frailty of her, with the Trio of Dragon City and Trek and his daughter close behind.

They were all granted permission to meet the sacred tree, as the purpose of the meeting was to award medals to the heroes who made outstanding contributions in the Battle of the Thorn Flower Festival. Chu Hengkong and his group represented the outsiders, Trek represented the Divine Guard, and Li Ke represented the shopkeeper and other citizens who volunteered to fight.

Banningtik listened to their discussion without offering a single comment. Lico, somewhat anxious, asked, "Mr. Banningtik, the Divine Tree..."

"Due to the limitations of my duties, I cannot say more on this matter. Please make your own judgment on Lord Jing Sha's condition later," Banningtik said meticulously. "We'll be there soon, please follow me."

Using Trek's abilities, they teleported multiple times, arriving from the bookstore entrance to a secret room within the Supreme Attorney's Office in Fort Mansa. The room had no doors or windows; the only source of light was a teleportation array emitting a green glow in the center. Banningtik led the group to the center of the array, and perhaps because this was not a public place, his speech became much more concise.

"Request a meeting with the authority of the chief commander."

【license】

A flash of light appeared in the teleportation array, and everyone smelled a refreshing fragrance. They were deep within lush vegetation, the branches and leaves swaying in the gentle breeze, and the light filtering through, making it impossible to tell whether it was a starry night or dawn.

There were animals here too; a few rabbits hopped among the tall grass, and birds chirped in the treetops—all familiar sights from the city-state. A small flower turned its head, revealing cartoonish features, looking exactly like its ubiquitous counterparts.

Little Flower whispered, "Wait a minute, it's still sleeping."

"I'm awake," someone said. "Please bring them here!"

The birds and beasts parted at his call, and Banningtik led them across the tall grass to a clump of overgrown thorns. The thorns and brambles grew in a dense, dark green, altar-like formation. The man lay flat on the thorns, using the altar as a bed. He had been calling out earlier, but now he closed his eyes, as if asleep.

He wore a crown woven from thorns and a white robe embroidered with flowers and creatures. The robe was extremely large, as if made for a robust warrior, but now it looked like a luxurious shroud. The man in the white robe was so weak that his hair was sparse and he was emaciated, like an empty shell of skin and bones. Almost all the muscles in his body had disappeared, and his bones bulged out under his skin, the loose skin hanging on his skeleton.

Chu Hengkong recalled the tragic deaths of starving people he had seen in Africa, and now, in the heart of a prosperous and beautiful city-state, he saw similar people. A deity of mass 7, closer to death than old age.

Lico burst into tears in shock: "Lord Divine Tree!"

Even Trek's expression darkened: "It's gotten to this point...!"

“Before the Vitex Festival, the Divine Tree was able to maintain its condition,” Banningtik said in a low voice, “but after the vote results were tallied… well, as you have seen.”

Jing Sha was awakened by the disturbance. He turned his head and cast a dim glance at the crowd: "You've come! Please come closer so I can see you clearly!"

They took a few steps forward and, urged by Jing Sha, stood before the altar. Jing Sha slowly rose to his feet, refusing Banningtik's help. He did his best to put on a kind and approachable smile: "The city-state is very grateful to you! Your valiant fight protected the lives of our citizens, and the city-state will never forget this kindness. Captain, please bring me my medal!"

Banningtik handed over a box containing medals shaped like white flowers. Jing Sha personally picked them up and slowly placed them on everyone's shoulders.

“In the past, we wore the medals on our chests… but later some team members complained that it was disrespectful to women. So we changed it to shoulder straps.” Old Tree told them with a smile, “Fortunately, all the medal recipients so far have shoulders… at least they have heads!”

At this point, he saw Vande, corrected himself, and placed the flower on Vande's forehead. He then pinned it on Trek, saying, "How many times have we awarded you this medal, Trek?"

"I've forgotten... the last time was more than 20 years ago."

"Only 20 years! That's not a long time!" The old man said nonchalantly, even joking, "If one day a fluid creature becomes a city-state hero, we really won't know how to award medals. Perhaps we should develop a liquid medal... cough cough!"

He coughed twice, a trickle of blood seeping from beneath his white robe. Vilbert reminded him, "You're injured."

"I got bitten by a stray dog, it's nothing!" he said nonchalantly.

Strangely enough, even though he was so weak that his voice was barely audible, his manner of speaking still sounded strong and vigorous, as if he were still a young and energetic man.

His divine robes were too large to conceal the dense scars covering his body. There wasn't a single patch of unscathed flesh on his body; it was covered in scars. It was as if he had endured endless torture, with old wounds healing only to be replaced by new ones, like thorns binding his body.

Jing Sha noticed their gazes, and he simply bared his chest and arms, his face beaming with pride: "We've suffered far more serious injuries than this countless times. This mere chaos is nothing to worry about!"

“But the city-state is not what it used to be, and I think we are now at a difficult juncture,” Vilbert said.

Jing Sha laughed heartily: "Child, you are very clever and quick-witted, but you have not experienced enough life. Let us tell you what difficult times are."

He pointed to an old, raw scar on his neck: "This was shortly after sunrise, when we had only reached point 5 and had just blossomed our first 'Holy Flower.' The giants came seeking refuge because the greedy demons had their eyes on their invention. We leaped into their gaping maws and broke all the teeth of those greedy demons, ensuring they would never again dare to harass our friends!"

He patted his chest, revealing a gruesome teeth mark: "When the World Tree was stabbed, the Chaos Demon seized the opportunity, wanting to devour us like a piece of fat meat. Its smoke tore through our bark, and its sharp teeth bit into our flowers. But we pinned that wild dog under our roots, and since then he has been running rampant in the city-state, while he himself has been unable to go anywhere."

The old man raised his right arm again, displaying the old wound that looked like corrosion: "After the Spire fell, 'Our Lady of the Courtyard' Lavaiva came herself, wanting to uproot us old things and plant us in her garden. Her light poison infected everyone, and the city was almost turned into a dead city. But we did not give up. We supported each other to stand up, dispelled the poison, and used wooden spears to pierce her slaves and drive her back into that mad tower."

"Before the great battle, the Empire's Origin was sent to the front lines. Even though the true machines had already invaded Mansa Star Fortress, we remained united and drove them back to their homeland."

"Towards the end of the great war, the insects rebelled. Ronghua Xian and Cimu arrived, joining forces from within to devour Lao Jingsha. At that time, the city-state was completely collapsing, and even the captain thought there was no hope. But we said no, we could hold on to the end. Together with the World Tree, we blocked the offensive of the Desire Demons, and in the end, we didn't let them take over the secret realm!"

The old man laughed proudly: "We have experienced far too many difficult times, but we have overcome them every time. Hardship has made our city stronger."

We fear no heretics, as long as we are united!

His words were all true, and his scars were irrefutable proof. Yet, the more true it was, the more sorrowful everyone felt. For that frail body could no longer bear the weight of such a glorious past.

Vilbert bowed in respect. She then said, "The current predicament lies in the fact that the Thorn Robe is no longer united. If they leave the secret realm, what will become of the independent city-states?"

“The children haven’t figured it out yet.” The old man shook his head. “They’re overwhelmed by this ever-changing situation, bewildered by this unprecedented era. First, the Heavenly Prison appeared, then Twilight departed. The world is changing rapidly; a year’s changes are equivalent to a hundred years ago… They haven’t realized that there’s never been any ‘self-preservation,’ and the world is always interconnected.”

Deep down, they understand reason; they understand love, understanding, and the meaning of unity and sacrifice. I believe they will eventually open their eyes.

Vilbert tapped her cane and suddenly asked, "Why are you so certain?"

"Because they are our citizens."

"What if they don't change their decision until the very last moment?"

“That means the path of unity has come to an end.” The old man closed his eyes. “We will follow the will of all beings and walk the path they have chosen. Regardless of life or death, success or failure, we will always be together.”

Vilbert nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, I have no further questions. We will take action within the city-state."

The old man smiled: "Our city-state has no prohibitions; you are free to do whatever you want, as long as it does not violate your conscience and justice."

So they turned and left, and the old man lay back down on the bed, seemingly about to fall asleep. Before leaving, Chu Hengkong turned back to him and said, "Hey, we'll help you."

The old man didn't respond, seemingly already asleep. Chu Hengkong suddenly stopped; he vaguely saw another face behind Jing Sha. That face occupied about half of the back of the old man's head, bearing a cold smile completely different from the original's demeanor.

That face was covered by a steel mask; it was Speaker Parryman's face.

Chapter 354 Beyond One's Power

“The face of Parriman is behind the thorn robe,” Chu Hengkong said.

Upon returning to the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, he immediately informed everyone of the matter. Li Ke, whose emotions were already unstable, flew into a rage upon hearing this: "What do you mean?!"

"Literal meaning. There's another face on the back of the head, just like Professor Quirrell."

"Who is Professor Quirrell?! Please stop using such incomprehensible analogies!"

However, everyone's reactions were different. The two captains who knew the sacred tree best showed no surprise, but only became more gloomy upon hearing this.

“I can think of that,” Trek said dryly. “Let’s go back and talk about it.”

"No, no, it's better to clarify this matter as soon as possible." Ji Huaisu exclaimed in shock, "What exactly happened? Did that masked man use some insidious magic to try and possess someone? We need to find out quickly so we can deal with this!"

"—Please let me answer this question myself."

Everyone turned their gaze to see Parriman walking toward the prosecutor's office gate, his white military uniform spotless, the iron surface reflecting a cold light.

His voice was somewhat hoarse; the lectures of the past few days had taken a toll on his energy. Yet, he was full of vigor and charisma, a perfect complement to the frail and elderly Jing Sha. He began as if giving a lecture: "Do you all know the essence of the Senluo pantheon?"

Vande coldly replied, "The Senluo pantheon is a civilization that draws its power from all living beings."

"That's very true. If the Candlelight pantheon is a 'totem' with the ancient dragon as its absolute core, then the Senluo pantheon is a 'holy spirit' that unites all beings. The divine tree does not rely on its own power, but on the strength of the collective. The unique advantage of this path is that it can firmly maintain the 'purity' of the pantheon itself."

The power of one person can bring unparalleled efficiency, but it also means entrusting the risks to a single individual. If the person in power is overwhelmed and becomes ideologically extreme, their loss of control can lead to the collective downfall. From the recent example of the Empire and the Spiral Tower to the distant example of the Lone Dragon that parted ways with the Candle Dragon, the tragedy of the entire nation's collapse is all too common.

However, if collective will is powerful enough to influence the course of a nation, then unless the entire population experiences a complete mental breakdown, there is absolutely no risk of corruption. This is why, throughout all these vast ages, only the Senluo pantheon has never fallen!

Parriman said calmly, “But everything has its advantages and disadvantages. The Divine Tree thrives because of all living beings, which means that its form is inevitably influenced by the thoughts of all living beings. The image of the thorn robe that you see just now comes from the first Speaker at the beginning of the city’s founding. It is a projection of the spirit of all citizens of that era.”

But times have changed. Citizens are unwilling to choose the path of struggle, and the image of the divine tree naturally changes with the choices of the people. The other face behind the thorns is a projection of the current city-state's path of 'exclusive love'... and its resemblance to mine is merely because the will of the people has chosen me, the current speaker, as their vessel.

"In other words, it's nothing more than a game of choosing chairs that you're all already used to."

He adjusted his mask and asked, "Does anyone have any further questions?"

"Yes." Chu Hengkong met his gaze. "What good would it do you to kill Jing Sha?"

"The bill is for all living beings—"

Chu Hengkong interrupted him directly, saying, "We're all smart people, there's no need for nonsense. It's true that some citizens want to avoid war, but without Speaker Parryman's push, this bill wouldn't have passed even in fifty years!"

Parriman stroked the mask and let out a low laugh.

"As I mentioned before, the path of the Senluo pantheon has both advantages and disadvantages. But do you know how the other divine trees circumvent this weakness?"

“Symbiosis,” Van der said dryly.

"Indeed, it is still a symbiotic relationship! The World Tree exists alongside the world, the Cherry Blossom Divine Tree and the Netherworld God jointly rule the divine kingdom, and the Azure Phoenix Divine Tree is rooted in Longquan Township and thus lives on. They ensure that all living beings and the strongest can insure each other, consolidating their own purity while guaranteeing internal stability."

However, the city-state of Jingsha has no second 'god.' Jingsha's weakness persists to this day because it was the first divine tree to become a deity after the World Tree attained enlightenment. In the era of its ascension, the righteous path was weak and unable to provide such a luxurious 'insurance.' And after Jingsha became a god, this vast city-state could no longer accommodate a second deity!"

Parriman's spirits rose, and he raised his right hand as if addressing the people once again: "This is the weakness of the city-state of Thorns, a weakness that has grown larger over thousands of years of development and war, bringing countless contradictions and ills, and today it has become a 'poison' that has placed the city-state in a deadly situation!"

Political system changes and replacements are an inevitable law; an outdated system, riddled with problems, will inevitably give rise to armed resistance when it reaches its most corrupt point. However, the current world no longer allows for dynastic changes in city-states; the day civil war breaks out will be the day the city-state perishes.

He thumped his chest and proclaimed to the crowd, "That's why we need Act 368! That's why we need to pull the city-states out of this chaotic world! We must replace bloodshed with peaceful change, preserving the value of the city-states at the lowest possible cost. This is the significance of the Independence Act I'm promoting!"

Ji Huaisu roared, "Stop deceiving yourself! Do you think Jing Sha can survive on her own after leaving the secret realm?!"

"Before pointing fingers at the future, let's open our eyes and look at the present!" Parryman said without backing down. "From our Thorn City-State to the north lies the Spiral Tower, the stronghold of the Cataclysm; to the west lies the True Machine Army of the Empire of Truth; to the south, the former Netherworld has long since become a forbidden land for funeral processions; even if we go east, there is no way back, for there is the Sea of ​​Illusions where demons are eyeing us covetously."

"In this turbulent world, what place could be more dangerous than the thorny path we face today?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone paused in shock. Parriman sneered, "What you worry about is nothing more than the siege of demons and the invasion of heretics, but now Jing Sha is facing the two true forms of heretics, guarding the front line of the desperate battle. There is no more dangerous situation in the world than this!"

"Once we leave the secret realm, Jing Sha will lose its value as a priority target. The reinforcements from Longquan Township will naturally take our place and hold off the enemy we should be facing. As for those one or two roving armies overseas, they can't even conquer Wuchen Land and Paradise, so how can they threaten us, Jing Sha? This scholar should understand the reasoning very well."

Velbert said calmly, "The independent Dust Island, ruled by Point 7, is both territory and home ground. Enemy deities from afar cannot conquer it; at least two Point 7 deities would need to join forces to have a chance of winning. However, most heretics regard each other as enemies, and even if they are from the same faction, it is difficult to send two deities overseas to attack a remote island. Dustless Land and Pure Land are safe and sound all year round; frankly speaking, it is simply not worth the war to attack them."

"If we really want to annex these independent dust islands, a Supreme Being will have to take action personally. That means the strongholds of the heretical forces will be vulnerable, and the Supreme Being of the Allied Forces will naturally take action as well." Parriman sneered, "If the destruction of my city-state can result in the severe damage or even annihilation of any heretical headquarters, then I, along with these 1.7 billion people, will have died a worthy death, without any regrets!"

With his hands behind his back, he smiled and said, "You all know the advantages and disadvantages of independence. If there are still any doubts in your minds, I will certainly explain them to you without reservation."

“I have another question, Speaker Parryman,” Trek said coldly. “Your method might ensure stability for the next ten years, but what about a hundred years from now?”

Parriman stood firm: "I don't know what the world will be like a hundred years after Thorns' independence. I only know that if we remain on this front line, Thorns will probably cease to exist in less than a hundred years!"

Chu Hengkong nodded: "Then you really are a great person. You're willing to watch billions of lives perish just to protect your city-state."

Upon hearing these hurtful words, Parriman did not deny them.

"As the Speaker of Jingsha, I am naturally only responsible for the interests of the Jingsha city-state. As for how other forces protect themselves, let their rulers figure that out!"

Crack. Crack. A soft, snapping sound rang out, like branches breaking in the forest. It was the sound of someone clenching their fist, so tightly it seemed they were about to crush their own hand.

"You bastard, Parriman!!!"

Lico's eyes were bloodshot. Before the conversation could end, she leaped forward, throwing a punch at Parriman's head. However, her fist stopped mid-air as a deep green divine power barrier appeared in front of Parriman, completely blocking her attack.

“Miss Rico, I do not recommend that you take any further action. Attacking the Speaker under the watchful eye of the Divine Tree is unwise, and besides…”

Parriman raised his hand and gently pushed her fist away, reverting to his usual emotionless demeanor.

"Although I lack the talent for combat, I am still a 6-point mass. With your abilities, you cannot harm me."

Trek gripped his enraged daughter's shoulders tightly, preventing her from moving. Parriman straightened his clothes and brushed past the crowd.

"Well then, I must report the voting results to Lord Jing Sha. Farewell, everyone."

He walked into the prosecutor's office and disappeared in the light of the teleportation array. At that moment, Rico lost control of her emotions. She turned to Banningtik and shouted angrily, "Captain Banningtik!! How can you allow such a villain to continue committing crimes in Jingsha?!"

Banningtik closed his eyes slightly and said, "Miss Lyco Trek, what would you like me to do?"

"Take him down! Throw him in jail! Drag this traitor off the speaker's seat and use your power to stop his bill!"

“I can’t do that,” Banningtik said. “Zan van Pariman became speaker through a fair election, and he implemented new policies in accordance with the people’s requests through reasonable and legal means. I have no right to stop his actions.”

"The vote on the bill was—"

“There are many points of contention in the voting process that still need further verification. However, there is no evidence to suggest that those points are connected to Speaker Parryman,” Banningtik said quietly. “Therefore, Speaker Parryman’s actions so far have been entirely legal. And I am certain that no evidence of him breaking the law will be found in the next thirty days… because if such evidence existed, I would already have it in my hands!”

Trek grabbed his shoulder: "So you're just going to sit idly by? That's a tragedy for the law!"

Banningtik slapped his hand away and shouted, "The law is a tool to uphold justice!"

These words struck like an invisible arrow, leaving Trek speechless and taking a step back. Banningtik glared at him angrily: "Laws are ultimately rules made by people; they have limits! Human effort can shorten the boundaries of these limits, but there are always things the law cannot do. That's why the world needs 'justice'!"

He noticed Trek's somber expression and realized he had misspoke. He sighed and turned away, saying softly, "I sincerely request that you all, if you have the time, carefully read the constitution of our city-state."

According to Article 78 of the Constitution, my most important task at present is to ensure the safety of the current Speaker before the bill is passed... I hope that everyone can hold onto simple justice.

The prosecutor left in silence, and most of the people looked no better than him. As Banningtik said, the greatest tragedy in the world is knowing the root of the problem but being powerless to change it.

They teleported back to the bookstore several times, and the shopkeeper asked with concern, "How is Lord Divine Tree?"

"Don't ask," Van der told it. "It's pointless to know."

The atmosphere in the bookstore suddenly became somber. Manager Ji led the staff upstairs to rest, to prevent them from getting too involved in these unpleasant topics. Ji Huaisu, her face ashen, was the first to criticize: "That bastard actually has a 6-point mass?! If it has that ability, why isn't it on the battlefield?!"

“Theoretically, Parriman only possesses the ‘position’ of a 6th mass point,” Wilbert replied. “This topic would involve a great deal of information if discussed in depth, so I will give a brief conclusion first. Under the Floating Light Path system, such as city-states, divine kingdoms, and empires, the mass point of a Floating Light Path Ascendant is almost strongly bound to their position. The higher the position, the higher the mass point.”