People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Yes, that commander was thus given the "honorable title" of "the evil spirit of the Tower of Babel".

The reckoning came quickly. Under the absolute power of Theresis, the opposition, without the Demon King's leadership, could not muster enough resistance. The resisters were slaughtered, the neutrals were forced to remain completely silent or state their position, and those who had previously held different positions were given two choices.

It's either death or proof of loyalty.

Hedley paid the price with one of his eyes.

He was supposed to die, but General Manfred, a complete stranger, pleaded with Therese for his life. The reason, of course, was Hedrena's level of education, which made him a "prophet" in the Sarkaz, and his book, "The History of the Sarkaz War," written at the end of the Civil War.

Hedley survived because of his value, but Theresis wouldn't allow a mercenary squad with a clear criminal record, questionable background, and direct contact with Theresa to continue operating in Kazdel. So, he dismantled Hedley's mercenary squad.

Hedley was kept on the Military Council as a civil servant under Manfred, ostensibly to utilize his literary talents, but in reality, it was to have Manfred, his "recommender," monitor him. Ines was sent to Ursus to monitor the recently burgeoning Reunion Movement. W, meanwhile, was dispatched to pursue and monitor Rhodes Island.

Yes, W went to monitor Rhodes Island.

Hedley couldn't comment on Theresis's judgment of character, but sending W, who was once closest to Princess Theresa, to monitor Theresa's former subordinates was somewhat ironic. However, Hedley couldn't rule out the possibility that Theresis had some other ulterior motive.

For example, the classic scenario: letting heroes search for heroes? Or letting good men search for good men?

All he could say from the bottom of his heart was, "Your Excellency's insight is brilliant!"

Getting back to the point, to be fair, Hedley was quite grateful to Manfred. He knew that this overseas assignment opportunity was also secured for him by Manfred.

This second disciple of Theresis, a rising star among the new generation of Sarkaz of the Military Council, was inexplicably favored by Manfred. Not only was his so-called surveillance essentially free rein, but he was also granted considerable authority, allowing him freedom of movement within the city of Londinium. Now, he had even been given a chance to escape this vortex. Although he didn't understand Manfred's considerations, he couldn't help but be grateful for Manfred's actions.

Sherag, though a place teeming with hidden talents—Ernst Shivaesh even managed to give Theresis a few unpleasant surprises—is at least a civilized world with moral veneer, making it safer than Kazdel or Lontinim.

Therefore, despite his deep resentment towards Theresis's threat, Hadley accepted the task.

Although Hedley is just an ordinary Sarkaz, the difference in physical ability between a Sarkaz and Felin is like the difference in physical ability between a sports student and an ordinary person in Bilibili and Douyin. Some high-risk operations that are particularly difficult for Felin are much easier for a Sarkaz.

For example, mountain climbing!

Yes, in order to infiltrate Sherag, Hedley chose to climb the mountain.

To brazenly enter Sherag by taking the Snowfield Express is far too conspicuous! It would easily attract attention. It would be better to disguise themselves as Sarkaz refugees and climb the mountain directly to enter. This would be more in line with the identity of an "ordinary Sarkaz"—you can find them anywhere in Terra, but no place in Terra is their home.

Having made up his mind, he acted immediately. With his own mountaineering equipment, tent, food, water, and a portable, assembleable Originium stove for heating, Hedley chose a suitable day and a snow-capped mountain with a gentler slope than other peaks, and began his mountaineering career.

Everything went smoothly. He didn't encounter any blizzards or other climbers. He also didn't meet any of the frozen snow-mountain pack animals that might exist on the snow-capped mountains, as described in the information he had collected during his preliminary preparations—the Shelag Travel Guide. He was so lucky that he couldn't help but exclaim "lucky!"

In just three days and two nights, he successfully reached the summit of the cliff.

Clouds and mist floated above and below him, and thick snow covered the mountaintops like a carpet. As Hedley looked out, the outline of the undulating mountains of Sherag and the shape of the central basin were vaguely visible. The expansive view was breathtaking, and he almost couldn't help but shout out.

But he knew it wasn't the right time yet.

Going up the mountain was only the first step; he began looking for a way down.

As he stood atop the cliff and looked down, he witnessed a puzzling scene.

Behind the majestic mountains, beneath the sheer cliffs, a few lonely hemp ropes swayed slowly in the wind and snow, seemingly carrying something. More often, however, only a broken thread and a nail remained, stubbornly embedded in the rock.

What is this for?

Hedley was somewhat puzzled. However, due to the clouds and fog, the view from the mountaintop was not very open, and due to the angle of view, he couldn't see clearly what was hanging from those still intact ropes.

But he was knowledgeable and experienced, and he knew that in ancient times during the Great Yan Dynasty, many people living in Shangshu would build "plank roads" or "Shu roads" on cliffs for passage. Could these ropes and nails be remnants of these "plank roads" left by the ancient people of Xielag?

"It looks like it's no longer usable, what a pity."

Hedley glanced at the old, weathered rope and nails, and shook his head with some regret.

But despite the disappointment, the presence of these ropes and nails also gave him some clues.

Since a "plank road" could be built here, it means that there must be a foothold left by the ancients down this road.

Having made up his mind, he began to walk down the road.

The path down the mountain was more difficult than the path up, especially on a snow-covered mountain. The snow-covered cliffs were very slippery and also concealed some loose rocks that were not easy to step on. Hedley carefully climbed down step by step, following the direction indicated by the iron nails.

In the mist, the thing hanging from the rope above the iron nail gradually became clearer, until it approached and became level with Hedre's position. The ordinary Sarkaz extreme athlete turned his head to look at the legacy left by the Sherag people, intending to say thank you.

"Thanks......"

His voice stopped abruptly.

But the mountain wind did not stop, blowing across his withered face, which was only a meter away from his "legacy," and the breaths coming out from his leaky mouth seemed to be responding to his gratitude.

The ancient people of Kherag left behind the following: "........."

Hedley: "Holy shit!"

Chapter 240 A Ruthless and Hardcore Man – Hedley “Garcia”

“Your Holiness, when we arrived at the scene, we only found this person at the foot of the mountain.”

Looking at his fellow countryman from Sherag who had kindly brought the red-haired Sarkaz mercenary to him, Ernst nodded slightly, thanked him, and asked with some concern:

"Gentlemen, is any cleanup work being carried out on the snow-capped mountain?"

Just by looking at the deeply shocked expression on the poor Sarkaz's face, Ernst could roughly guess what Hadley had seen and experienced on the mountain.

It is said that he slipped down the hillside and was eventually found in the valley by a local villager from Sherag who happened to be herding pack animals. As for why he slipped and fell down the hillside, and why he went to climb the mountain, Ernst decided not to ask for the time being to avoid triggering his painful memories.

However, it is worth noting that Hedley fell off the cliff without suffering any injuries, which may be due to the combined bloodline of Super Terran and Super Sarkaz.

The villagers were also very enthusiastic, and when Ernst, the Holy Son, inquired about this matter, they replied as if to take credit:

"It's in progress, it's in progress! We just brought my great-aunt back from the Jeragunda Temple yesterday..."

Seeing that Hadley's expression changed again, Ernst quickly coughed to stop him:

"Alright, alright, stop talking, stop talking, I understand. May the great god Yeragand protect you, Golem."

Upon hearing this, the villager immediately became enthusiastic, his face lighting up with joy. He bowed to Ernst several times, repeatedly chanting, "May the great god Jeragand bless us! May the great god Jeragand bless us!" It took Ernst considerable effort to finally get rid of them at the New Tukarim Sherag government office building under the pretext that the Holy Son "needed to communicate with the gods."

After they left, Ernst finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down in his office chair with a bit of helplessness, feeling the warmth of Miss Lavishini, who had automatically stepped forward to help adjust the room temperature.

Yes, the Sherag government office building has been largely rebuilt. This building, which was the last to be demolished in the entire Tukarim reconstruction project, is not the last to be rebuilt. On the contrary, Nasti put him on the fast track, with a priority second only to the "Yelagand Grand Square" in the new city center and the Spark Night School, which Ernst had specifically reminded him of.

At this time, although the office had not yet undergone the final renovation and could only be considered a bare shell, it did not prevent Ernst from temporarily requisitioning it to deal with some tricky problems that were not convenient to handle at home.

For example, the problem with this Sarkaz mercenary in front of us.

Sarkaz mercenary—He Dalei. Ernst didn't know if the rather rustic name he gave was true or not, but he genuinely felt that the kid was indeed quite unlucky.

Since Rhine Labs moved into Kjerag, and the head of the company, Ms. Christensen, was nearly killed by a small avalanche triggered by her subordinates' screams on the summit of the Matterhorn, a plan to "change customs" began throughout the mountains, cliffs, and valleys of Kjerag.

The most important of these is, of course, to completely resolve the issue of the "snow mountain flying man" that has frightened wave after wave of outsiders.

Shelag has a tradition of sky burial, and the Manjushri Monastery of the past liked to hang those who opposed or disrespected Jeragand from the mountains by "hanging them off the cliffs," as a way to warn the world and to apologize to the great god Jeragand. Because this method was several versions ahead of the later "hanging lamps," similar "ancient relics" can be seen on many peaks in Shelag.

Ernst did organize a cleanup effort, but this work was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Changing a thousand-year-old custom is incredibly difficult, not to mention that even disregarding the Sherag people's habits, just climbing snow-capped mountains to access the remains on those already inaccessible cliffs is an extremely challenging task, comparable in difficulty to any extreme sport that people talk about.

However, due to the recent recruitment of staff for the Tukarim reconstruction project in Sherag, and the hiring of many devout Sherag people for the construction of the Great Statue of Yeragand at the Silver Heart Lake, the progress of this work has naturally slowed down.

Who knew that this slowness would lead to He Dalei running into him!

Ernst confirmed with the locals that, considering the need to ensure tourists could enjoy the best of Shelag's natural scenery and snow-covered landscapes during the journey on the Snowland Express train to Shelag, the few large snow-capped mountains within sight had always been a key focus for the locals. They had indeed worked very diligently; to date, there had not been a single complaint indicating that any tourist had witnessed an incident resembling a "flying corpse in the snow mountains" on the Snowland Express train.

The cleanup work on other snow-capped mountains is also proceeding in an orderly manner. If it is not 80% complete, it is at least 60% or 70% complete.

But good words can't dissuade a cursed spirit; when luck is bad, even drinking cold water can cause problems. Mr. He Dalei, unconventional and genuinely dedicated to studying unorthodox methods, happened to choose a less "clean" mountain from among a host of mountains, thanks to his Sarkaz-like, curse-seeking luck.

Isn't this a coincidence?

Just to be on the safe side, Ernst even specifically consulted Jeragund, asking if this unfortunate luck was intentionally arranged by the great Jeragund, or if he had offended her in some way. Unsurprisingly, he received a negative answer from the great Jeragund.

He's just unlucky.

Ernst could only shrug – there was nothing he could do.

You deserve the privilege of experiencing this unique folk attraction in Shelag that is on the verge of being lost. This time, we'll make an exception and not charge you for admission.

Whoops, just kidding.

As the self-proclaimed Tourism and Cultural Ambassador of Kjerag and the Director of the Kjerag National Cultural and Tourism Bureau (a newly established department), Ernst was somewhat taken aback by this incident occurring within Kjerag's borders.

Of course, it wasn't that scary. Because the person who encountered this situation was a Sarkaz.

Isaacazana, if not infamous, at least has a social reputation that is universally hated. Even if Mr. He Dalei intentionally leaks... no, he's slandering Sherag, it's highly unlikely that anyone will actually believe him.

However, adhering to the principle that "the customer is always right," Ernst still intended to seek Mr. He Dalei's opinion in more detail. For example, the most crucial point:

"Mr. He Dalei, what made you decide to cross the snow-capped mountains and enter Shelag?"

“It’s my pursuit of a stable life,” Hedley replied.

Ernst, unsurprisingly, showed a surprised expression.

Seeing this, Hedley could only sigh slightly.

It's no wonder Ernst didn't believe it; his stated purpose indeed conflicted with his Sarkaz identity, his extreme sports achievements, and his unclear motives.

"Who would so easily believe what a Sarkaz says?"

Hadley, a mercenary who wrote "The History of the Sarkaz Wars," which was criticized by Tracy as "too pessimistic, defeatist, and nihilistic," is considered a Sarkaz cultural figure and a master of emo.

Ernst clearly didn't believe his sincerity, so he changed his tone and directly betrayed Theresis, frankly stating:

“I come from Lentinium.”

“I am General Therese’s man.”

"My purpose in coming here is to gather intelligence and understand the details of Sarkaz on the orders of the general, and to contact you to find out your understanding and opinion of Sarkaz."

Ernst was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised, before he could even utter his full string of witty remarks.

Actually, when he saw He Dalei, he had some guesses.

He hadn't had much contact with the Sarkaz, and He Dalei's unusual way of entering the country didn't seem like the methods used by Nasti or Rhodes Island operators. Aside from them, the only person Ernst had any dealings with was the "unknown Mr. Sarkaz" he'd met briefly at Rhine Labs in Columbia.

The unnamed Mr. Sarkaz was actually Theresis. To avoid escalating the situation, Ernst didn't reveal his identity, giving the group some breathing room. However, under pressure from the soon-to-arrive Vice President Wilson, Theresis ultimately chose to retreat, returning the Balrog he had acquired to Rhine Lab, essentially suffering a silent loss at Ernst's hands.

Ernst had guessed at the time that, given the Sarkaz's personality, Theresis would most likely make further moves. However, since nothing had happened, he had temporarily suppressed this thought. Now, Hedley's arrival undoubtedly confirmed his suspicions.

But isn't this "spy sent by Theresis" a little too honest?

"You're so honest?"

Ernst was puzzled.

"Aren't you afraid Theresis will cause you trouble?"

Hedley shook his head and answered logically and persuasively:

"Don't worry. The task the general gave me did not require me to keep my identity a secret. In other words, revealing my identity and communicating with you openly is also one of my options, and the general should not have any objections to this."

"Based on my analysis of you, if I continue to resist and conceal my identity from you after my chosen infiltration method goes wrong, it will not do me much good. On the contrary, it may lead to me being placed under close surveillance by you, or even cause the negotiations to break down and me to be deported."

"Instead of doing that, it would be better to just reveal my identity and ask you, one of the parties involved, for your opinion. Besides, this would also benefit me."

Ernst crossed his arms, a look of interest on his face: "Oh? What's the benefit?"

Hedley replied, “I can cooperate with you and fabricate a story in exchange for me staying in Shelag longer.”

He paused, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

"It's much safer here than in Lentinium."

Chapter 241 Card Drawing is a Bad Civilization

Shelag, Tukarim Government Office Building!

Although Ernst was summoned back by Jeragand via message, after he rushed back to Sherag, Jeragand suddenly went silent. Even after Ernst dealt with an illegal Sarkaz immigrant, Jeragand made no further requests.

Ernst only knew that Jeragund had "toughened up, and his fists have hardened," and he was completely clueless about the rest... but not quite.

There are only a few things that can elicit a reaction from Jelagand: either the security of Shelag, such as the invasion of foreign troops, or Shelagand's internal affairs, such as population control and population growth. Fast forward to the present, we might also have to add the future development of Shelagand, since Ernst was able to establish contact with Jelagand through their "question and answer" regarding Shelagand's future during the Trial of the Holy Stone.

Otherwise, nothing should be able to affect Jeragand's mood.

perhaps......?

After Ernst summoned Jeston, Holhaya, Joyce, and Lola to learn about Sherag's recent situation, he was genuinely confused.

It doesn't make sense. Recently, Sherag has not only been steadily improving, but it has also been booming. What is Yeragand so angry about?

A tiny possibility flashed through Ernst's mind, and he couldn't help but feel a little doubtful.

"No way, that can't be possible, right?"