Chapter 180-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
Not far away, hundreds of tall knights surrounded the magnificent circular building. Patrol teams patrolled nearby; it was evidently a restricted area of the Sei Curia where casual entry and exit were strictly forbidden.
Percy poked his head out from behind a building to observe the situation, showing hesitation on his face. Now that he had calmed down a bit from his anger and thought about the current situation, he realized that from receiving the letter from the Sei Curia until now, he had been pushed around by others, just changing from Wen Jian to Ye Zheng.
Wen Jian needed him to achieve a certain purpose. As long as he left the Pope's Palace now, Wen Jian's plan would be declared a failure.
Percy looked at the grand and solemn building, truly realizing that what he and Ye Zheng were about to do now was not the kind of play where you go back to settle the score after being bullied by a senior student. Once they entered the altar and confronted Wen Jian head-on, it meant a situation where they would not rest until one of them died.
But was it really necessary? He heard that Wen Jian's body couldn't hold on for much longer. He didn't have much time left anyway. Was it really necessary to take the risk of bearing the capital crime of assassinating the Pope for revenge?
In case the operation failed and he was caught by Wen Jian on the spot, wouldn't that be fulfilling Wen Jian's wish?
If it was just to stop Wen Jian's plan, choosing to leave now would be the most rational choice.
More importantly, thinking about it carefully now, every word Ye Zheng said since meeting him had a deceptive quality like looking at flowers in the fog. She had never openly revealed her purpose...
"Percy, are you still hesitating?"
Ye Zheng's voice sounded abruptly, and Percy's body subconsciously tensed up in defense.
"I thought you were ready to kill Wen Jian, ready for revenge."
Seeing Percy's face change as if he wanted to defend himself, Ye Zheng put a finger to her lips, making a hushing gesture, disappointment revealing in her black eyes.
"The moment we mourned the dead together in the cemetery, it seems that only I was revealing my true feelings."
Percy trembled physically as if struck by lightning. His face was stiff, and lowering his head couldn't hide his shame.
The words he used to persuade Ye Zheng were now stabbing fiercely into him, the waverer, like a boomerang.
Percy covered his face, and only after a good while did he look up at Ye Zheng.
"I haven't forgotten, Ye Zheng. I won't retreat."
His voice was sonorous and forceful, obviously having made up his mind.
Hearing this, Ye Zheng tilted her head and laughed lightly. Looking at Percy's expression turning firm, she nodded in appreciation.
"This is good. Don't forget where we came from, Percy."
"So, what does Lady Saintess plan to do next? Find a way to sneak in?"
Percy glanced at the dark mass of knight guards, "I'm afraid it's hard to operate. Better look for defense loopholes..."
"I already have a plan."
"...You have a plan again?" Percy couldn't help but be surprised. He pressed, "What is the plan?"
"The two of us show up now and let the knights report. Wen Jian will definitely see us."
Ye Zheng said lightly.
"...Isn't this walking right into a trap?"
"You are right. Walking right into a trap, but it's Wen Jian falling into my web."
Percy shook his head in disapproval, looking at Ye Zheng in disbelief, "We are going to kill Wen Jian, not to say hello to him. This is a capital crime!"
Entering the altar under the gaze of everyone, once the operation succeeded, it would simply be announcing to the whole world "We killed the Pope"!
Ye Zheng's black eyes were condensed, and there was no wavering on her face.
"If the operation succeeds, the Pope will only be me."
"Do you understand, Percy? Once I become the Pope, Wen Jian's death won't matter."
Percy's blue eyes trembled. He had fully understood Ye Zheng's meaning. If she grasped the authority of the Pope, those Sei Curia knights would serve her from then on. This Pope's Palace would also honor her as the master. Who would offend the new Pope for the dead former Pope?
But Percy still didn't understand. Why was Ye Zheng so sure she could become the new Pope? There was clearly already a candidate for the new Pope. Even if Wen Jian died, it wouldn't be her turn. He heard that the bishops of the Sei Curia didn't support her.
But looking at Ye Zheng's unshakeable expression, Percy inexplicably believed in his heart that Ye Zheng would succeed.
Knowing her for so long, she had never failed.
"Okay, I'll cooperate with you."
Riley paced with his hands behind his back on the primitive stone floor. He had changed into a heroic new outfit today, looking tall and imposing. But this confident momentum disappeared instantly after learning that his ability was broken by Ye Zheng.
Only by receiving strong psychological suggestion could one enter that space. As long as there was no more than one person in the space, his ability was impeccable!
Apart from Ye Zheng, the possibility of someone accidentally entering was minimal. Was Ye Zheng's luck really that good?
Riley thought comfortingly, even if Ye Zheng left his domain, the outside was full of people from the Pope's Palace. She couldn't break through the heavy guards to come in and stop the ritual. The urgent task was to find Percy...
While he was unable to extricate himself from repeated thinking, the exit door of the altar made a sound. Riley came back to his senses and allowed the person to enter, a trace of expectation flashing in his eyes.
"Did you discover Ye Zheng, or find Percy?"
The reporting knight revealed a slightly awkward expression. He was obviously not good with words and replied, "Both, both."
"Found both? Very good." Riley clapped his hands and laughed.
"Ye-yes, my lord. Both of them are outside the door."
"Ah, still outside the door—" Riley suddenly lost his voice, his volume rising, "You said Ye Zheng and Percy are both outside the door!"
"Lady Saintess said she brought Lord Riley's friend and wanted to come in to visit His Holiness..."
Riley staggered back a few steps, taking a good while to accept this fact. Percy actually fell into Ye Zheng's hands!
Why did Ye Zheng know his name? Why did Ye Zheng target Percy? And why was this fool Percy held hostage by Ye Zheng!
This was simply unreasonable!
A strong force supported Riley's swaying body. The old man's face remained unmoved, as if not surprised at all. Instead, he laughed, a strange brilliance bursting from the depths of his eyes.
Riley looked at the old man with some shame, his tone turning fierce, "I will make the people outside give Ye Zheng..."
"Heh, she is holding Percy hostage now. We can't easily make a move on her."
"Let them in."
Wen Jian ordered.
Riley stared fixedly at the gate. The gate carved with angel reliefs was suddenly pushed open. The Saintess in white clothes led Percy and walked in unhurriedly.
"Your Holiness, it's been a long time."
Ye Zheng looked at the short and thin old man and greeted him politely.
The old man, shriveled like a withered leaf, did not speak for a moment. His gaze wandered between the two, and the atmosphere was deadlocked.
"Lady Saintess." Riley gritted his teeth, forcing a smile. "First time meeting you. I am Riley. Do you have important business visiting with this friend?"
Ye Zheng blinked, "It's not the first time we've met."
Riley was stunned upon hearing this, his eyes widening abruptly. He stared straight at Ye Zheng, as if remembering something—the blonde "guest" who shouldn't have appeared in his domain that day!
He had always thought it was Percy's blonde friend named Roy. Unexpectedly, it was Ye Zheng's disguise.
She had been targeting him since then!
Riley couldn't help stepping forward, wanting to question Ye Zheng further, but unexpectedly the old man behind him spoke faintly, a sentence that stunned everyone on the spot.
"Ye Zheng, you came for [Mother of All Things]."
Wen Jian's sigh-like statement made Ye Zheng's face stiffen. Riley was shocked, and Percy looked confused.
Ye Zheng gazed deeply at the withered Wen Jian. He had become two different people from the gentle and personable Pope of the past. The thin and short old man sat in the huge gorgeous chair, looking indescribably weird and terrifying.
"Yes," Ye Zheng admitted generously. "I came for [Mother of All Things]. What do you want to do, Wen Jian?"
The Succession Ritual required Percy. Although Ye Zheng didn't know Percy's specific use, she had already grasped everything needed for the ritual—Ye Zheng looked up at the high altar and vaguely saw the vessel storing Divine Blood. Wen Jian and the others had prepared everything except Percy.
Now, she only lacked a specific method of inheritance!
"Wen Jian, how about we make an exchange? You tell me the specific method of inheritance, and I'll give Percy to you."
Hearing this, Percy finally understood Ye Zheng's true purpose—she didn't come to kill Wen Jian at all; she came to seize the thing called [Mother of All Things]!
He stared fixedly at Ye Zheng's back, revealing an incredible expression and trembling anger. He regarded Ye Zheng as an ally for revenge, but Ye Zheng backhandedly treated him as a condition for benefit exchange.
Ha, he was really stupid. Starting from recruiting Zhao Mei into the Lingyun Squad, how many times did he have to be played by Ye Zheng to learn a lesson?
Opposite, Riley's facial nerves twitched, and he was also staring at Ye Zheng with resentment. Today was supposed to be his perfect Succession Ritual, but it was all ruined by Ye Zheng. She actually knew the existence of [Mother of All Things]. How many things did she actually know?
Riley calculated in his heart that at least it could be confirmed that Ye Zheng didn't know the specific method of inheritance. They could pretend to agree to Ye Zheng. She shouldn't be able to distinguish the truth of the method. Then, as long as they snatched Percy over...
"No need to be so troublesome."
Wen Jian spoke, interrupting the thoughts of everyone present. Ye Zheng's brows furrowed inadvertently.
"Wen Jian, what do you want to do?" Ye Zheng asked.
"The method of inheritance is very simple. [Mother of All Things] will choose its own successor."
"I will preside over the ritual and give the three of you—a chance to compete fairly to inherit [Mother of All Things]."
For a moment, the eyes of the three were glued to Wen Jian, looking at the calmly smiling Pope in shock.
Wen Jian's gaze swept over Riley and Percy, and finally stopped on Ye Zheng, admiring her heavy expression.
Initially, when Wen Xiaoxing disappeared, he first suspected that Wen Xiaoxing fled out of fear. But the series of events that followed made Wen Jian certain that Ye Zheng was behind Wen Xiaoxing's disappearance.
Wen Jian rarely gave trust, but for Ye Zheng, he trusted her like this. He trusted that she had a way to force him into a desperate situation, and trusted that she could break through layers of obstacles and finally stand here to stop them from carrying out the Succession Ritual.
Because of this trust, Wen Jian prepared a backup plan.
"You can participate or give up. But once you give up, you will lose the opportunity to be chosen by [Mother of All Things]. The ritual allows no mistakes."
"Ye Zheng, do you want to participate in the ritual? Maybe [Mother of All Things] likes you very much."
Wen Jian looked at Ye Zheng with a smile like an ordinary kind old man.
"...Good. As long as it is really [Mother of All Things]'s own choice."
Ye Zheng replied.
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