Volume Four: Fading from the World of Men - Chapter 287: Verbal Warfare (?)

The Leader Jili.

The power to bring things of the past back to life.

An ultimate superpower that is virtually omnipotent and intolerable to the world.

Then there are the existing senior executives.

Either one could easily turn a continent upside down.

Having witnessed their power, after the initial shock subsided, a strong desire arose in my heart.

I need strength.

The more the better, the stronger the better.

I need more than just fighting power; I also need financial resources, power, influence, and all sorts of other forms of strength.

And now, an opportunity that cannot be described as a once-in-a-lifetime chance has been presented to me.

The Revolutionary Army known as the Blood Blade Knights is undoubtedly a powerful force.

My predecessor Blood Fiend —who was then called Ai Kasser —was regarded as a goddess, a spiritual leader, and a symbol of rebellion two hundred years ago, and was wildly worshipped by the Revolutionary Army. Although Blood Fiend was forcibly absorbed by the organization and disappeared not long after, leaving the Revolutionary Army forever, her majesty was still sung about from generation to generation (probably at the behest of the first Grand Master). Coupled with the deliberate embellishment in history books, the Blood Emperor Empress of that time is still revered to this day.

And I am considered (and indeed am) her successor, and now I have been invited to the Revolutionary Army. As long as I can gain everyone's approval and be recognized as the successor of the first "Blood Emperor", then this powerful force known as the Blood Blade Knights can be used by me!

--Of course, it's not that simple.

"Gaining everyone's approval and being recognized as the successor of the first Blood Emperor"—this is the fundamental premise, but it's far from enough. The Revolutionary Army isn't stupid. Who knows if this so-called successor is an ally of the Revolutionary Army? Who knows if she's aligned with the Revolutionary Army or the Papacy? Who knows if she's as powerful as the Blood Emperor? Who knows if she has the revolutionary ideology and awareness worthy of her status? The Blood Emperor is sung about by generations of warriors, but this successor is a complete stranger to the Revolutionary Army. Willingly becoming a force of a stranger? Are you kidding me?

So something has to be done.

I need to do something to gain the Revolutionary Army's approval. And I can't think about using the Revolutionary Army; it has to be based on mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Of course, "mutual benefit and win-win cooperation" is just empty diplomatic rhetoric. Just talking isn't enough; I must produce considerable achievements.

--That's why we had such a grand spectacle.

Thousands of flying Blood Beast covered the sky, their dazzling crystalline light dancing like elves, and hundreds of millions of bright red blood droplets suspended in the air—a magnificent sight that would be unforgettable for anyone who saw it.

Moreover, this extravagance must reflect the identity of the "Blood Emperor".

In this space filled with special effects, I gracefully jumped off the back of the flying beast, stepping on drops of blood suspended in the air as I descended, trying my best to appear elegant and poised—and it seemed to work quite well; my keen hearing could probably catch the low murmurs of admiration from the Revolutionary Army below—then, I glared angrily at the girl who appeared to be Templar Knight with a very righteous look.

Well, so far everything is fine.

Then comes the power of words.

Before I transmigrated, I was the kind of person who would get nervous even if I only spoke a few words on the podium. Although I experienced all sorts of big and small things in this other world, I still couldn't completely overcome this problem.

That is who I am, and now I must use words to demonstrate my superior revolutionary ideological awareness.

It sounds like something people would do in the early days of the People's Republic of China; I never dreamed I'd be doing this.

The political science class, which I've always hated, has actually come in handy now.

Of course, this is another world, so directly bringing in the likes of the Great Ancestor or the Father of the Nation wouldn't work.

Then I'll have to draw inspiration from the works I've already read.

I choose you, V! I've watched all the V movies countless times! I'll borrow a few of your classic lines!

"..."← Alan

"...(accompanied by a Shaw Brothers-style gaze with a zengzengzeng sound effect)" ← Me

"... Who are you? Are you one of these Blasphemers?"

"Blasphemers? If you want to find Blasphemers, just look in the mirror."

"What did you say?"

Is there something wrong with it?

I carefully controlled my facial muscles, striking a pose that was both "righteous indignation" and slightly "mocking," with my arms naturally outstretched. Hmm, perfect.

"If the Revolutionary Army that wants to change this corrupt society is 'Blasphemers,' then what are you, who kills indiscriminately under the banner of God?"

"I am Alan, the fifth Templar Knight! I am the sword and shield of God! I carry out only God's will! What a pitiful woman, possessing only a beautiful face, yet unaware of—"

"Face? Face, clothing, flesh—they are all, in the end, vessels of thought. We, the Revolutionary Army, are strong because of our thoughts. We firmly believe in freedom and equality, and our shared aspirations drive us together to change this world! As for your so-called Templar Knight, they are merely tools used by the Papacy to maintain its corrupt rule!"

I could hear the commotion coming from the Revolutionary Army behind me; my borrowed rhetoric had successfully resonated with them.

"You... this..."

"People often use a sincere appearance and pious actions to conceal a devilish heart! The Vatican has long been corrupt. Don't tell me you're in a high position and can't see anything! The Vatican oppresses the people under the banner of God, and you, who call yourself 'God's sword and shield,' are nothing but its lackey! You are guilty of the same sins as it!"

"Insolence!!! This is the first time in my life I've ever seen such a pathetic person. You... you have so blasphemed against God! You have so blasphemed against the Holy See! You will surely be punished by the Supreme God!!!"

Hmm... very good.

This guy, though powerful, has a terrible mentality. I only needed a few words to push her to her limit. I guess she's just being used as pure combat power by the higher-ups of the Vatican... But then again, although she's quite morbid, her loyalty to the Divine Law Cult is terrifyingly strong. In a sense, she could probably be classified as a fanatic.

Let's try adding more fire.

"Divine punishment? What a joke! The supreme god is nothing but your delusional imagination, your self-deception! No one will fear a mere illusion!"

"How utterly, how utterly tragic! You, you, you--"

"Are you so angry you can't even speak properly? I've said it before, the sad thing is you're not me! Doesn't your doctrine teach you to love everyone equally and every life? So, oppressing the people, imposing heavy taxes, and controlling thought are what you do? So, it's only natural for the people to submit to, yield to, and fear you? That's truly pathetic! Let me tell you a truth, little sister Alan-- "

I took a deep breath, recalling those classic lines, and delivered the final blow—

"The people should not fear their rulers; the rulers should fear their people!!!"

After he shouted that last sentence, the air seemed to freeze.

I was panting heavily from my impassioned speech. Although I was still maintaining the expression of an "idealistic and passionate revolutionary," I was nearing my limit. My heart was pounding, my tongue was practically tied in knots, and my stomach was aching. To spout this nonsense in front of the Vatican and the real Revolutionary Army was far more difficult than I had imagined.

Then, we just have to wait for the results.

The silence continued, Alan was still too angry to speak, finally—

"Well said..."

--The first person broke the silence.

"Really... that's so well said!"

The second, third, and fourth people also spoke up.

"Isn't this precisely Bloodfang's creed?"

"Long live the revolution! Overthrow the corrupt Papacy!"

Mmm, it seems I really hit the jackpot, lucky me.

"People often use a sincere appearance and pious actions to conceal a devilish heart!"

"The Vatican is using God's name to oppress the people!!"

"You so-called Templar Knight are nothing more than tools used by the Papacy to maintain its corrupt rule!"

"The people should not fear their rulers; the rulers should fear their people!!!"

The shouts grew louder and louder. The revolutionary fighters, who had almost been wiped out just moments before, showed no signs of defeat. They were all shouting, roaring, and waving their weapons with great passion and fervor.

Well... the effect seems a bit too good.

"You..."

Alan's face was ashen, his lips moved, and it took him a long time to finally utter a single sentence.

"Who... exactly are you?"

Are you talking about me?

Hmph, you're quite cooperative; you've hit the nail on the head.

Before the remnants of the Revolutionary Army, I declare—

"I am the one who rules over the blood of all things!"

"I am the one who inherited the free will and rebellious spirit of the previous Blood Emperor!"

"I am the one who has traveled thousands of miles to the West Saint Continent to assist the Blood Blade Knights!"

"I am the one who will soon take your head!"

"My name is Ye, and I am the successor of the former Blood Emperor —the great Ai Kasser!!!"

(Author's note: Hmm, I give this one full marks.)

The Revolutionary Army's enthusiasm surged even higher. They were all astonished and bewildered, yet the pink-haired girl's confession was so convincing. Although they didn't know her true strength, her stunning beauty, unparalleled revolutionary consciousness, and most importantly, her ability to control blood—all of these perfectly matched the description of the Blood Emperor in the old records!

However... her bloodthirsty minions are really ugly, a far cry from the "powerful and beautiful familiars" described in the records...

Alan was stunned for a moment, then disbelief quickly spread across her face.

"You mean... Ai Kasser? The infamous, Twenty-three Saintess of the Kasser Province? You're the successor to that S-class sinner, the 'Bloodstained Saintess'?"

"Excellent! And I wouldn't mind using your blood to adorn my clothes!"

I thought she would be even angrier, but instead—she smiled.

"Haha... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, respectively,"

She, who had been crying in the corners of her eyes, was laughing so hard she was almost falling over, her face contorted in extreme pain.

"Hahahaha! This is fantastic, absolutely fantastic!! Ai Kasser is an eternal stain on our Divine Law Cult, an eternal wound! The mere fact that 'she existed' is enough to shame all believers of the future! Including me! Even burning her portraits, smashing her residence, and killing everyone who was close to her in the past would not be enough to erase this stain! And now... hahaha! Now! You, so pathetic that it makes one want to laugh, have appeared before me, Templar Knight! This stain can finally be eradicated! This—is it not divine guidance?"

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Note: Blood Fiend's original name was 'Ai', but her original surname was not "Kasser". Ordinary people who become Saintess of the Kasser Province are required to inherit the Kasser surname according to regulations, and the same applies to other dioceses.

By the way, "cancer" doesn't refer to cancer, it refers to the zodiac sign Cancer. Did anyone notice? The Twelve Saintesses" is actually a transliteration of the twelve zodiac signs. What? You think of Saintess Monastery? You've revealed your true colors!

Speaking of which, using the name of revolution to engage in empty rhetoric is really... well, is it really appropriate for Founding Fathers and Uncles to appear on light novel websites? And... wait a minute, I need to pick up a package...