Truth

The referendum's content... should the Execute Lyra God?

When Ao Li Wei uttered those words, the Lyra People, who had been in an uproar just a moment before, fell completely silent.

Whether they were inside the conference hall, waiting outside for the outcome, or even the Devil Squad and Skeleton Corps about to clash, all had already drawn their swords and knives, but they stopped at this moment.

All eyes were on Ao Li Wei, wondering if he was joking.

But clearly, Ao Li Wei wouldn't joke at a time like this. He had anticipated everyone's reaction and once again scanned the representatives in the conference hall, ensuring that Lyra could hear his voice.

"I know all of this may sound incomprehensible, even unacceptable, at first," Ao Li Wei said calmly. "But please think about it, is it really that hard to accept?"

"Lyra is a place that pursues progress."

"Our city is always full of new blood, always vibrant, and always the most creative place in the world."

"It is precisely because we have done the following two things."

"Outdated limbs are eliminated."

"We use emerging technologies."

"Since that's the case..."

Ao Li Wei said slowly.

"Why can't we eliminate outdated gods?"

"Prosthetics can be replaced, and technology can be iterated."

"Then why can't the gods do it?"

"Tsk, so that's why?" Bai Wei's voice slowly echoed in Jie La Er's mind. "You Lyra People have been frantically pursuing technological updates and iterations all these years, just so that one day you can replace the gods as well, marginalize them, turn them into parts, and then you can link the execution of gods with the replacement of parts... Hmm, from this perspective, you Lyra People are indeed very creative, even managing to come up with something different in the area of god-slaying."

Jie La Er had no interest in paying attention to Bai Wei's teasing; his face was unusually gloomy.

Clearly, he hadn't expected Ao Li Wei to so quickly and publicly reveal the aspect of god-killing, and in a way that all Lyra People already knew about it, which greatly surprised him.

Moreover, just as Bai Wei said, they marginalized and reduced the Lyra God to accessories for the sake of the present.

This may sound like an absurd reason at first, but in reality...

When Jie La Er saw that the skeletal Knight guarding the meeting hall, and the Devil Knight beside him, only showed a slightly bewildered expression after listening to Ao Li Wei's arguments, rather than anger and excitement, he knew that the other party had succeeded.

Killing a god is undoubtedly the greatest blasphemy.

Even the Imperial Guards of the capital couldn't react much to such blasphemy, so the reaction of the general public was predictable.

"It seems you were right." Fortunately, not everyone was unresponsive. You Li drew the Blazing Fire Sword completely. "He dares to say such things now, I don't even dare to think about what he will say later... But it's not all bad. At least he has convinced me that I didn't make a mistake coming here. Don't you agree, Jie La Er?"

"...yes."

Jie La Er took a deep breath, looked at Cha Mo Si, who had been his comrade just a few days ago, and gripped his sword tightly.

It was thought that a bloody conflict was inevitable, but to Jie La Er's surprise, a struggle flashed across Cha Mo Si's face.

At the critical moment, Cha Mo Si issued the order.

"Step back."

This retreat was not directed at Jie La Er, but at his Skeleton Squad.

The skeletal Knight looked at Cha Mo Si in surprise. "Captain?"

"I said, step back," Cha Mo Si repeated.

The skeletal Knight exchanged glances, then finally put away their weapons and stepped aside to make room for Jie La Er and You Li.

"It seems there are still some conscious people here." You Li didn't know much about the situation. Seeing that Cha Mo Si had given up his spot, he didn't hesitate any longer and immediately ordered his men to prepare to bring the Purification Source Crystal and the equipment inside.

Jie La Er looked at Cha Mo Si, eager to know what had happened, but there was no time for that now.

You Li slammed open the door to the conference hall, and Jie La Er had no choice but to follow.

Just as he was walking past Cha Mo Si, he heard Cha Mo Si say "I'm sorry" in a very low voice. When he turned around, Cha Mo Si had already instructed his subordinates to close the meeting room door again and then stood in front of another group of skeleton Knight who were coming to reinforce them.

Inside the conference hall,

Ao Li Wei looked calmly at the Devil Knight who rushed in, clearly not very surprised.

His gaze swept across everyone's faces, finally settling on Jie La Er's.

"Ah, Jie La Er," he said slowly, "It has been many years since we last saw each other."

Jie La Er.

The moment the name was mentioned, the conference room erupted in commotion.

Not only in the conference hall, but Ao Li Wei's voice was still audible to Lyra People.

Ten years ago, Jie La Er was already quite famous as the Evening Star Knight and was a hero in the eyes of many. Now, Jie La Er is even more well-known than he was ten years ago.

However, it is infamous.

"Jie La Er? Isn't that the Wanted Criminal?"

"Damn it, it's that guy!"

"Are the skeleton Knight all just sitting around doing nothing?!"

Outside the Tower of Babel, countless people who had gathered began to discuss the matter. Jie La Er's appearance even made them temporarily forget Ao Li Wei's earlier shocking remarks.

As Ao Li Wei looked at Jie La Er was also looking at him.

Similarly, it was an old friend whom I hadn't seen for ten years.

But Ao Li Wei's condition was completely different from Huo Er Man's at the time.

He still looked so solemn and dignified, his spirit not at all like someone who had been immersed in the Thought Amber for ten years.

All of this made Jie La Er feel somewhat uneasy.

But he had no way out now, so he simply nodded slightly. "Yes, it has been ten years, Bishop Ao Li Wei."

"You look much older than you did ten years ago." Ao Li Wei spoke to Jie La Er without any hesitation, letting everyone in Lyra hear his conversation. His tone was relaxed, as if he were speaking to an old friend rather than Lyra's most Wanted Criminal. "Of course, I know what you've been through, and I regret it... You should have been a hero of Lyra, but you've been burdened with too much infamy."

... Should have been a hero of Lyra?

This short sentence also shocked countless people present, including Jie La Er himself.

He had imagined countless things Ao Li Wei would say when he met him, but he never expected it to be like this.

"What do you mean by that?" Jie La Er asked.

"It means exactly what it says. I know you're not a sinner; you're a hero," Ao Li Wei said slowly. "No one knows this better than me, because it was when I sent you to the Contamination Zone to carry out that mission with the Evening Star Squad ..."

He paused.

"It's me."

"I asked Huo Er Man to find you."

"I personally selected your general."

As he said this, Ao Li Wei's eyes softened.

"You and your Night Star have really suffered these years, Jie La Er."

"But it doesn't matter, I will make sure the truth comes out."

"You are still the heroes of Lyra."

At this point, Ao Li Wei suddenly clapped.

"Xiaoxing, please allow me, in the name of the Archbishop, to offer you and your team the highest respect."

He spoke solemnly, and the applause in the conference hall erupted like a tidal wave.

Ina gripped the hilt of the Blazing Fire Sword tightly, her body trembling as she listened to the voice that seemed to come from nowhere.

The truth... the truth she has been chasing for ten years.

She had always wanted to seek justice for her brother.

It was actually completed at this moment?

In this way?!

Ina felt a great sense of unreality.

At Rim Station, a woman who looked insane suddenly knelt down and burst into tears.

She was crying and screaming at the same time.

"I said it! I said it! My husband is not a traitor, he is not a traitor!"

But there was no one around her.

Ju, outside the Tower of Babel, gripped her collar tightly once more.

But there was a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Jie La Er, inside the conference hall, felt somewhat bewildered as he listened to the thunderous applause around him.

What's this?

The truth has come out?

Has the injustice been redressed?

He actually did what he had been trying to do for the past ten years?

Is this... the result of his perseverance until now?

But why?

But he couldn't be happy at all.

You Li saw all of this and was about to remind Jie La Er, but Jie La Er had already responded first.

The next second, the huge Chainsaw Sword was already at Ao Li Wei's neck.

The applause stopped abruptly.

People's expressions turned to fear once again.

The cheers immediately turned into curses.

"You bastard! What do you think you're doing to His Bishop?!"

"Devil Knight over there, what are you doing just standing there? Are you plotting a rebellion?!"

Only Ao Li Wei remained calm.

"Are you underestimating me?" Jie La Er's voice was as cold as a sharpened sword. "Do you think I'll back down like this?"

Ao Li Wei sighed softly.

"You've misunderstood, Jie La Er. I didn't mean that at all... Besides, I know why you've come." He slowly raised his head, looking at the Purification Source Crystal surrounded by the Devil Knight, and said with a light laugh, "You just think I've been corrupted, don't you? Otherwise, why would I do such a blasphemous thing? And you want to expose me in front of Lyra People, is that it?"

Jie La Er didn't say anything, he just stared coldly at Ao Li Wei.

"I really understand you," Ao Li Wei said, "Especially after what happened... Ah, words are useless. If you just want to prove something, I can definitely prove it to you."

Hearing this, Jie La Er's unease was amplified several times over.

He watched as Ao Li Wei calmly stepped down from the main seat and, under everyone's gaze, walked to the Purification Source Crystal.

Then he slowly raised his hand and reached towards the Purification Source Crystal.

At that moment, Jie La Er held his breath.

Many images flashed through his mind like Life Review, finally settling on what the dying Ian had said to him that night.

Then, Ao Li Wei's hand landed perfectly on it.

But nothing happened.

The Purification Source Crystal showed no reaction whatsoever, as if it were dead.

Jie La Er was stunned.

"See, Jie La Er?" Ao Li Wei said with a smile. "I'm not infected... never."

How could that be?

How could this be?!

How could he not be infected?!

There must be something wrong!

Jie La Er didn't speak. He silently stepped forward and began to examine the Purification Source Crystal under the watchful eyes of hundreds of people in the conference hall.

You Li didn't just watch; he also directed his men to inspect the Purification Source Crystal.

However, no matter how they checked, the Purification Source Crystal was flawless; it could still Purification the pollutants carried by the Devil Knight, but it could not react to Ao Li Wei.

"...Why is this happening?" Jie La Er murmured.

At that moment, Bai Wei's voice finally rang out.

"He was indeed not contaminated."

Even Bai Wei said so.

Jie La Er swayed slightly.

"Then why is that?" Jie La Er asked. "Ian was corrupted, so why wasn't he?"

"Don't you understand?" Bai Wei sighed softly. "He's not like your son."

"Your son wanted to kill Lyra because he was corrupted."

"And him."

"They just wanted to kill Lyra."

Jie La Er froze. He slowly turned his head to look at Ao Li Wei, who was smiling beside him, and suddenly felt an overwhelming chill from that seemingly kind smile.

"Why?"

This time, Jie La Er wasn't asking Bai Wei, but Ao Li Wei.

He stared intently at Ao Li Wei, his eyes seeming to want to kill.

"You're not insane, and you're not corrupted!" He moved closer to Ao Li Wei, his undisguised anger palpable to everyone in Lyra. "Then why did you do such a thing?"

"It's very simple," Ao Li Wei said calmly. "I've already given you the reason: this city needs a better tomorrow."

"The weak and incomplete God can no longer satisfy our innovation; we need a stronger and more complete God."

"That's why He should die," Ao Li Wei said without hesitation. "Everything I've done in the last ten years has been for this, for Lyra, for... a better future."

"... And what about those who died because of this?"

Ao Li Wei answered calmly.

"We should praise and remember it forever."

I've been revising and editing for ages and I'm still not satisfied, so I'll leave it at that for now. Almost done, almost done, there are only a few chapters left in this volume.