Chapter 166-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation

Ye Fanjing had fawned upon the empire's vanity fair for years. Now, as the Presiding Judge of the Ability Court and the father of the Saintess, rumors claimed the Emperor also favored him. Even if he was temporarily mired in a storm of public opinion, there were still many willing to lend a helping hand.

On the other hand, although Pope Wen Jian held great power, the influence of the current Sei Curia was inferior to that of the Royal Family. Moreover, scandals had repeatedly broken out, causing a loss of public support. It was said that there was dissatisfaction with him even within the Curia. In the Upper District, some had long speculated that he might become the first Pope in the empire to be driven from power.

Therefore, Ye Fanjing decided to return the favor to this Pope.

When Ye Zheng faced trial last time, the Crown Prince personally came to save the situation, clearly indicating that the Royal Family had acknowledged their Ye family. The Royal Family and the Sei Curia had always been in a state of checks and balances; the Pope setting a trap to suppress him was akin to slapping the Royal Family's face. Of course, he had to retaliate; otherwise, how could he be worthy of the Emperor's promotion?

Besides, Ye Fanjing had found Wen Jian an eyesore for a long time.

He was younger than him and came from a lower background, yet he had climbed to such a position by unscrupulous means in a short time. Such a person, whose virtue did not match his rank, would be pulled down sooner or later.

Look, he had so quickly found some interesting materials. Although according to regulations, clergy members were to be judged by the Curia's internal court, coincidentally, he found some things from before Wen Jian entered the Curia!

He could completely utilize the network of contacts left from when he was a High Judge in the Upper District to control the interpretation of the rules and laws, forcing Wen Jian to accept a trial by the Upper District court. Even if it wasn't enough to turn Wen Jian into a prisoner, it was sufficient to cause him significant trouble.

Thus, Ye Fanjing became unusually busy, barely coming home, fully immersing himself in this fierce power struggle.

Meanwhile, Ye Zheng left early and returned late every day. Although busy, her schedule was fairly regular, and she was able to enjoy breakfast at home daily.

Such regular times were rare for Shu Wan. Ever since Ye Zheng participated in that ability competition, she rarely came home. When she finally returned late at night, she would leave hurriedly in the early morning.

In the bright dining room, the mother and daughter sat across from each other at the long white table. Without Ye Fanjing present, their chat was naturally much more relaxed.

"Zhengzheng, are you still going to the free clinic in the Lower District today? I heard the Lower District is very chaotic these days. Do you want to postpone this activity?"

Ye Zheng shook her head. "This is my duty as the Saintess. If I retreat because of public opinion, it will only make the rumors ferment even more violently."

Shu Wan revealed a helpless expression. She lowered her head to wipe the corners of her mouth with a napkin. At the moment she bowed her head, murderous intent flashed in her eyes.

It was trouble brought by Ye Fanjing again. If he had died earlier, would Zhengzheng not have to experience these things?

Ye Zheng was chewing her food, her right cheek slightly bulging. Perceiving a momentary violent fluctuation of ability from Shu Wan, she tilted her head in confusion.

Come to think of it, she hadn't stayed at home properly for too long, so much so that she felt a slight change had occurred in her mother, but she didn't understand the specific reason.

She would have Wen De send a knight to guard her mother. Although Ye Fanjing bore everyone's scrutiny, the possibility of someone targeting her mother to deal with her could not be ruled out.

"The empire is too chaotic recently. I will send someone to protect you."

Shu Wan's expression froze. If the situation was chaotic enough that someone would target her, wouldn't Ye Zheng be in even greater danger?

She had specifically inquired about it; the voices in the Lower District denouncing Ye Fanjing were growing louder, and many people indiscriminately dragged Ye Zheng into it. In this situation, how could she be at ease with Ye Zheng going to the Lower District again?

"No need, the Ye family is very safe, and I don't go out much usually. Keep the people by your own side."

Ye Zheng quickly finished breakfast while maintaining elegant table manners, consuming a considerable amount of food. She dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin and revealed a soothing smile to Shu Wan.

"Rest assured, everything is under control."

Walking out of the Ye residence, Wen De was already waiting at the door with Cheng Cheng and Cheng Che. Ye Zheng first nodded with a smile, and as she passed by Wen De, she asked softly:

"Is everything ready?"

Wen De nodded, her eyes determined.

"Thank you for your hard work. Let's go to the Curia first."

These days, she went to the Curia every day to process paperwork and hadn't run into Wen Jian a single time.

Perhaps he was overwhelmed by a series of events, too busy to be seen, but Ye Zheng guessed the greater possibility was that he was unwilling to show himself.

She had stayed in the Curia for nearly four years and had her own informants in the Papal Palace where Wen Jian resided. The maid responsible for cleaning sent word that Wen Jian stayed in his bedroom and study almost all day, only receiving a few loyal subordinates. His black and white hair was falling out in clumps, a shocking sight.

The accident at the ability competition was not Wen Jian's doing, but so what? She was happy to exert even greater pressure on him. She wanted to force him—to pass on the throne.

Wen Jian certainly wouldn't choose to pass it to her, but once he selected a successor, he would have to prepare for the inheritance of the [Mother of All Things]. That meant Ye Zheng would have an opportunity to learn the conditions for the inheritance.

Aside from the holder dying naturally due to the expiration of their twenty-five-year lifespan, there must be other conditions.

She was waiting for Wen Jian to provide the answer.

But before that, she had to give him an even greater sense of crisis, personally entering the fray to muddy the waters even further.

As for the true mastermind behind that accident... Ye Zheng curled her lips into a smile devoid of warmth. She would choose a suitable time to return a grand gift.

"Today, I stand here with a heavy and indignant heart to commemorate with everyone the compatriots who passed away in the Amber Lake accident."

"I have thought countless times these days, if I could have ended that competition earlier, reached that settlement earlier, could I have saved everyone?"

A young man with black hair and blue eyes, dressed in a dull black suit with a white flower pinned to his chest, was giving a speech to the masses in front of the solemn tombstones, looking downcast.

"No, it's not your fault! We all know that!"

"It's the fault of those black-hearted management levels, it's that Ye Fanjing's fault!"

Before he could even finish his sentence, voices of public outrage rose one after another. It was Percy's first time encountering such a scene, and he was momentarily at a loss. The organizers of this memorial service had invited him to speak at the last minute, and he hadn't prepared much.

Percy had to ask everyone present to remain quiet. He continued his speech, but as he went deeper, his emotions became increasingly invested and surging.

"Those withheld resettlement fees were only equivalent to a piece of gemstone jewelry for a noble lady, yet for a piece of expensive and exquisite jewelry, dozens of families suffered injustice, and twenty-three people lost their lives..."

"We stand here today not only to mourn our passed compatriots but also to remind ourselves of what we are suffering and what we should change!"

Inside the solemn cemetery, Percy's voice echoed with agitation. Many people had tears in their eyes, and others waved their fists in indignation.

The moment he finished his speech, thunderous applause erupted from everyone. Percy looked a bit dazed, his blood rushing backward. In the chilly autumn, his limbs felt hot. It wasn't until he struggled through the crowd excitedly surrounding him and returned to his companions that he felt he had calmed down a little.

The excited crowd refused to leave for a long time. He heard them discussing him, and also discussing her.

"A child like Percy is the hope of our Lower District. Everything he has done is more valuable than winning the Dragon Bone!"

"Fortunately, Percy passed by there, otherwise I'm afraid I would already be lying in this cemetery. Thank the God of Hope!"

"Sigh, I feel it would have been better if the God of Hope had chosen Percy—not saying the Lady Saintess is bad, but she has that kind of father. She has worn expensive jewelry obtained through exploitation since she was little... She ultimately cannot truly understand us..."

"Say, does the Saintess really not know about her father's actions? And that recent matter with the Pope, I don't believe the God of Hope acknowledges a person like him to be Pope..."

Percy couldn't help but pay attention to people's comments. He subconsciously clenched his fists. The one truly acknowledged by the Blood of the God was him. Ye Zheng, she—

Forget it, obsessing over these empty titles now was meaningless. Even if people didn't know the true object of the Blood of the God's acknowledgment, he could still save innocent people and receive their sincere gratitude.

He already knew that the prophecy about "the heir of the God of Hope saving the apocalypse" was fake. Once he told everyone this news, the people's fanaticism for the Godsent would disappear, and they might even conversely hate the fraudulent Godsent.

But he didn't need to do that. Ever since losing the competition and accidentally saving the innocent workers, Percy completely understood that empty titles were unimportant; he only wanted to be a true savior.

Ye Zheng had her own methods and goals, which he couldn't learn, but he could save others in his own way.

Percy also didn't believe in his heart that Ye Zheng was more likely to save the crumbling empire than him.

Ye Zheng grew up in the magnificent Upper District. Her nutrients as a noble lady were the blood and sweat of countless commoners. Superior as she was, it was impossible for her to truly empathize with ninety percent of the empire's common people. Her father was the best example.

Whereas he had struggled in the Lower District since childhood; he could see everyone's pain!

Percy zoned out on the spot for a while, suddenly remembering he had received an invitation from the Emperor before setting off. He needed to rush back to reply.

He turned his head and found Roy staring blankly. He shook him and said, "Let's go, let's head back."

Roy snapped out of it and followed silently by Percy's side. Percy glanced at him somewhat strangely; usually, Roy talked a lot and rarely had such silent moments.

"Roy, what's wrong with you?"

"...Nothing. Over twenty people died; it's normal for me to be sad, right?"

"Are you blaming yourself for not walking that path with me that day? Roy, that's not something we can control."

Percy recalled the scene that day. The one who lost composure the most after losing the competition was Roy. He couldn't stand losing because of Wen Xiaoxing's mistake, had a one-sided argument with Wen Xiaoxing, and ran out.

At that time, Percy was also irritable and, as the captain, couldn't say much. Using finding Roy as an excuse to take a walk alone to relieve his frustration, he lost track of Roy but accidentally stopped the tragedy from continuing under the monster's claws.

"It's nothing. Anyway, remember to reply to that invitation early; that's from the Emperor."

Percy suddenly stopped walking and stared at Roy. Roy first looked at him in confusion, then his expression changed.

"Roy, you went through my mailbox?"

The two stared at each other in silence, the atmosphere becoming increasingly strange. Before Roy could answer, an anxious voice attracted everyone's attention.

"Saintess... When Lady Saintess was at the free clinic in the Lower District, she... she..." A half-grown girl was panting, speaking intermittently.

The crowd that hadn't yet dispersed immediately gathered around, urging her on with chattering voices, "What? What did you say happened to Lady Saintess?"

"She was attacked while holding the free clinic in the Lower District!"

Percy suddenly couldn't care less about Roy's strangeness. He grabbed the girl and asked, "Why? Who attacked her?"

"It seems to be a few people who hated the Saintess because of the Amber Lake accident. They disguised themselves as people needing the free clinic to assassinate her."

"Lady Saintess could have avoided it, but to protect the people behind her, she forcibly took all the damage!"

The crowd went into an uproar. Almost everyone present had witnessed that miracle of the Blood of the God, and a few among them had even had contact with the Saintess and received her help. Although she had gotten into controversy because of her father's corruption, she was ultimately the most praised Saintess in the empire's history!

Percy looked stunned, many thoughts flashing through his mind for a moment. He composed himself to comfort the crowd, "Everyone, don't get agitated. We will investigate this matter. No matter what, it shouldn't be Lady Saintess bearing all this."

These days, the scandals involving Ye Fanjing and Pope Wen Jian were fermenting continuously. As the daughter of the Ye family and the Saintess of the Curia, Ye Zheng also received a lot of criticism, but Percy hadn't expected someone would actually attack Ye Zheng.

This behavior was too excessive, so excessive that Percy felt it was a bit strange, a bit unsettling.

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