People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

King Ivangelista XI gently wiped the guard gun in his hand.

Every Sarkaz, upon reaching adulthood, must register and undergo an examination at the Papal Palace and a notary office. If they pass, the Papal Palace will issue them a Guardian Gun.

You can choose your own Guardian Gun, and you can't just own one. Many Sarkaz who enjoy collecting like to spend money to buy more Guardian Guns, but for most Sarkaz, the first Guardian Gun is definitely the most precious.

Ivangelist XI's guardian musket was a hand cannon.

He wasn't wiping his gun at that moment to do anything to Ernst and his two companions who were about to arrive. Rather, he was using it to calm his mind and think about and speculate on the purpose of their visit.

Ernst's encounter with Andorn was something Ivangelista XI had never anticipated.

He had long paid considerable attention to Andorn, this special Sarkaz.

Because this represents a road.

"Law" and "Lateran Law" are two different concepts. "Law" refers specifically to the fundamental, underlying code, the source of everything, or "existence," as revealed by the legal machinery deep within Lateran. "Lateran Law," on the other hand, refers to a set of laws continuously compiled and revised by successive Lateran popes based on this broad concept of "existence," ultimately established to maintain the existence of the Lateran state and social stability—for example, prior approval to the Papal Court is required for any demolition; only adults can receive the Guardian Gun from the Sakorta; and infected individuals are not permitted to enter Lateran.

The road, on the other hand, represents the path recognized by the law that may be helpful for the survival of the Sakotas.

The Path is directly linked to the Law, and in some respects, it is even more important than the Lateran Law. This is why Ivangelista XI's attitude toward Andorn is so ambiguous.

Andorn's actions certainly warranted a warrant for his arrest and the dispatch of a funeral procession. However, he was also one of those recognized by the Law, and in order to uphold the authority of the Lateran Law without compromising the possibilities offered by the Law, Ivangelista XI had no choice but to take this compromise.

Pursue, but not completely.

Some might ask, why didn't Ivanista XI just kill Andorn and eliminate him? Wouldn't that have reduced the number of people whose path was recognized by the "law" and eliminated a threat to Laterano?

The answer is simple: he can't do that.

Just as the Vice President of Colombia, no matter how powerful, dared not defy Mark Max, the Pope, no matter how powerful, cannot defy the law, let alone kill those approved by the law or eliminate dissidents.

The Sarkaz's current state—his aura, wings, guns, and the heavenly realm of Laterano—is all a gift from the law. What right does he have to rebel?

The law is a machine, not a benevolent, motherly beast like Jeragund, capable of tolerating the rebellious acts of its children. If he were to judge Sakota as a traitor, the consequences would be unimaginable to anyone.

The mere act of "restoring to its original state" would be enough to bring Laterano to its knees in an instant. Not to mention, who knows if the law has other means of dealing with traitors?

Ultimately, Sarkaz is nothing more than a prisoner of the law.

And now, Andorn has come directly to him.

He came with Ernst.

Ernst was a key part of Pope Evangelist XI's plan for the "Summit of Nations," and persuading him was the least costly way Evangelist XI could think of to connect with countries like Victoria and Colombia.

Ernst cannot afford to fail.

Because this also involves the path of him, the one who inherited the name of a saint and carried on the will of the saint originally recognized by the Law.

This is a collision of two paths.

Listening to the approaching footsteps in the corridor, Ivangelist XI took a deep breath, stood up, put his pistol back into the holster at his waist, covered it with his papal robe, and made his decision.

He needed to persuade Ernst, force Andorn to back down, prove the correctness of his path, and push forward the establishment of the World Summit according to the predetermined plan.

Therefore, they would not hesitate to reveal even a portion of Laterano's secrets.

This concerns the future of Laterano.

Chapter 232 Pope: You beast, what do you know!

Lateran, Papal Chamber, Reception Room.

King Ivangelista XI sat at the head of the sofa, while Andorn, as if to confront him, took his seat in the chair directly opposite him. Ernst did not immediately choose his own seat, but waited a moment before, at King Ivangelista XI's prompting, he sat in the center of the two men's seats, forming a perfect triangle with them.

This should be a scene from "The White Album," with King Evangelista XI saying, "Clearly... I was here first, whether it was to meet with Ernst or to negotiate..."

Whoops, just kidding.

Ernst, of course, understood Ivangelist XI's intentions. This position, to some extent, was meant to place him in the role of "neutral arbitrator," to prevent him from making biased calls.

But the question is, when did Ernst inexplicably get this position?

He vaguely remembered that he had come to Lateran at the invitation of King Ivangelista XI. So, you dragged me here to make me the [ruler], huh?

Since ancient times, what ruler hasn't blown the whistle unfairly? Do you even understand the value of fairness in the judiciary?

Moreover, Ernst couldn't help but mutter, "You Sakortas!"

This is arbitrarily increasing someone's workload!

Since I'm getting to sit in the front row and enjoy the VIP entertainment, I'll let it go this time.

King Ivanista XI sat upright, observing Andorn's thoughtful expression. He took a deep breath and launched into a barrage of questions, a clear attempt to intimidate him:

"Andorn, I know what you're thinking!"

"You're wondering why Sakorta is different, born to enjoy the protection of the law."

"Are you wondering why Lateran is a holy city? On this land, only Lateran is spared from the ravages of war, and only Lateran's peace remains forever untouched by the dust of war?"

"Are you wondering why, even though I recite the Lateran scriptures, I turn a blind eye to those who need salvation and perform hypocritical acts, yet still enjoy a long and happy life, while in your homeland of Iberia, no matter how devout a monk is, he cannot receive the blessings from the [Law]?"

"Am i right?"

Andorn was taken aback, and this shock was also caught by Ivangelista XI, who accurately observed it.

A look of understanding and smugness appeared on His Holiness the Pope's face.

Hmm, who wasn't a master negotiator when they were young? Surely no one really thinks that he was able to rise to the position of Pope in the holy city of Lateran because he won the "Fruit Tart Creation Talent Contest," right?

Don't underestimate me, the one who inherited the name of "Saint"!

“It has nothing to do with this.”

"Cough cough cough... What?"

King Ivangelista XI looked at Andorn in astonishment, only to find that Andorn's surprise quickly subsided. At this moment, Andorn frowned slightly and firmly denied King Ivangelista XI's question.

Who asked this?

Andorn said, "I wasn't planning on asking that."

He was indeed curious and puzzled by the questions raised by Ivangelista XI, questions he had long sought answers to from the Pope, the Law, and even the behemoths. But priorities differed, and Andorn was no longer so eager for answers at this moment, because…

"Mr. Ernst has already given me an answer to these questions."

King Ivangelista XI: "???"

The Pope's eyes, behind his small round reading glasses, were wide open, like the snow-capped beast of the Sherag Mountains. He involuntarily turned to Ernst, whose face was filled with shock and confusion. His hand, in a panic, instinctively reached for the pistol hidden under his robe at his waist, clearly in a state of shock.

Ernst gave you an answer? What answer did Ernst give you? How could Ernst give you an answer?

These questions directly concern the essence of the law, the very foundation of Laterano's existence, and the eternal secrets of Sarkaz. If Ernst could provide you with an answer, wouldn't that mean...?

No, no, no, that should be impossible. Logically and emotionally, the law is a core secret accessible only to successive Lateran popes. Those who know this secret on this land are either buried and unable to speak out, or they know it but would never reveal it. There is no reason for Ernst, a foreign leader, to obtain information about it.

It should just be that Ernst and Andorn had a debate and came to some conclusion; that should be it.

King Ivangelista XI forced himself to remain calm, nodded to Ernst without making a sound, and even offered a gesture of goodwill and gratitude.

Ernst, naturally, accepted it without any psychological pressure.

He did indeed do that; helping Ivangelista XI persuade a Sakota to repent was quite a good thing.

However, he wasn't sure if Sakorta had truly "gone astray," nor was he certain if he had truly "returned to the right path."

Therefore, Ernst could only offer a very polite, slight smile as a token of his apology.

Having confirmed that Ernst's response was nothing special, but rather quite reasonable, Ivangelista XI felt somewhat relieved.

It seems he was indeed overthinking it. The secret of Laterano remained undiscovered, as did the secret of Sarkaz.

He then turned his gaze back to Andorn, tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, and, with a hint of doubt and apprehension, posed a question to the heretic Sarkaz directly opposite him, who had exceeded his expectations:

"Then why did you come to see me? Do you have any more questions?"

Andorn's gaze was piercing, his eyes burning with a fiery intensity as he looked at Ivangelista, making it impossible to look directly at him. What he said next shocked Ivangelista XI even more:

"Your Holiness, is the law a prison for Sakorta?"

"What is the purpose of Lateran's existence: a holy city on earth, or a lost paradise we have exiled ourselves to?"

"Are we Sarkaz being manipulated?"

"This...this..."

King Ivangelista XI glanced at Andorn and Ernst, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. His fingers were almost gripping the handle of the gun, but after a lightning-fast deliberation, he finally let go, abandoning the crude but effective method of "if you can't solve the problem, solve the person who raised it."

If it were just Andorn here, he wouldn't mind drawing his gun and demonstrating the power of his Lateran-style Iaijutsu, which earned him the title of "Latland's Fastest Gunner" decades ago. But Andorn wasn't the only one here.

He didn't dare to touch Ernst; if he did, he would truly be in a dead end.

If he could instantly kill Ernst with "It's High Noon," he would immediately face the wrath of Sherag, the counterattack of Windermere, the pressure from Castle, the hostility of Wellington, the tit-for-tat response from Columbia, and the wrath of the entire Terra.

Ernst is not Andorn. Andorn is a wanted criminal on the Papal Court and Notary Public's lists. Even if he were killed, Ivangelista XI could explain it by attributing it to "Andorn trespassing in the Papal Court and being shot on the spot." Ernst, on the other hand, is a national leader and one of the most influential young politicians in Terra over the past decade.

If he died in Lateran, the consequences would be disastrous! If he died in the Papal Palace...

King Ivangelista XI dared not think about what might happen.

But he knew very well that if that happened, not only would it be difficult to implement the plan for the World Summit and establish the international organization that would help Laterand survive, but it would also be hard to say whether Laterand would even survive until next month.

There are quite a few people who covet the wealth of the holy city.

And if he made a move, but still failed to kill Ernst...

That would no longer be a question of whether the Holy City could survive, but rather how it would be destroyed.

Not to mention, he simply didn't have the power to instantly kill Ernst. Although the source of the information wasn't entirely reliable, the fact that Ernst had the protection of Jeragund was a fact that the upper echelons of various nations were generally aware of.

Don't act impulsively; impulsiveness is Sarkaz.

Taking a deep breath, Ivangelista XI, who had just completed a transformation, looked at Andorn and Ernst, momentarily speechless.

Damn it, he even doubted that Ernst's answer was "the right answer," and that he was overthinking it.

In retrospect, he was far more than just "overthinking it."

Andorn doesn't just know now, he knows way too much! He no longer cares about the existence of the law, but directly questions its legitimacy.

What else could be done now? King Ivangelista XI was at a loss for words. His prepared remarks, his eloquent arguments, and his compelling examples had all been disrupted by this sudden question.

I was just playing one against three when Andorn unleashed a devastating attack.

How to fight this?

Just fast forward.

King Ivangelista XI closed his eyes, remained silent for a long while, and when he opened them again, he had a resolute look in his eyes.

He slowly stood up and said:

"Since you want to know the answers to these questions, then come with me."

"And Mr. Ernst, you should come too."

Ernst blinked, somewhat hesitant: "Me? Is that appropriate?"

He could tell that King Ivangelista XI was about to lay his cards on the table and reveal some confidential information about Lateran.

Moreover, the level of state secrecy surrounding this is certainly not low. Considering the questions Andorn just raised, Ernst has reason to suspect that it is related to their laws.

This news isn't good for him, is it? If he hears it, it's like handing over the weaknesses of Sarkaz and Lateran to him. What will Ivangelista XI have to compete with him then?

But Ivangelista XI simply nodded slightly, his eyes resolute.

"bring it on."

I'm bringing you here so you can see for yourself and understand the dire circumstances under which Sarkaz built Laterano.

Regarding the initial right to initiate the World Summit, King Ivangelista XI stated that, after weighing the options, he decided to relinquish it.

It's better than Ernst spreading his "answer" everywhere, which could create thousands upon thousands of Andorns, and then the Sarkaz would really be in chaos.

Chapter 233 Hello World!

Lateran, Papal Palace, underground.

We walked past the solemn tomb, paid our respects to the remains of the saint, stepped through the pitch-black darkness, and descended the long staircase.