It is said that as long as the Pale God is involved, even the most abstract operations can present a sense of righteousness.
However, if we were to focus our attention on the Northern Continent at this moment, probably no one would say that anymore.
Pale God Norton, and the royal families throughout history who have opposed him—who is right? Who is truly righteous?
This is a difficult question to answer.
The longer one follows that Pale God Norton, the more difficult this question becomes to answer.
Abraham, who was by Norton's side, could see the serious consequences of His Majesty's mental disorder, but just as Duoxia, who was in the Northern Continent, could see the extent to which the royal family had gone mad in their pursuit of that Pale God Norton.
The great god Norton was the greatest scourge to all mankind and even the Garden of Eden, yet under his rule, order prevailed, people's lives were promising, and they truly achieved a time of happiness unprecedented in history.
The Northern Continent Empire, which opposes Norton and is determined to destroy the Pale God Norton for humanity and all living beings in Garden of Eden, despite its slogans of justice and its continuous efforts, has degenerated its territory into a Hell hunting ground where people kill and eat each other, and even treat humans as mere resources.
Comparing these two situations, who truly embodies justice?
The longer this went on, the less clear-headed Duoxia felt about the issue.
Thick black smoke billowed from the towering chimneys, turning half the sky gray.
A foul stench of burning protein spread through the city along with the endless plumes of black smoke, making the nauseating smell linger and even covering the city in a layer of black, oily grime.
People who work at crematoriums might be very familiar with the acrid smell of this black smoke, and indeed it is; the billowing black smoke is the burning fumes emitted from the cremation of corpses.
Over the years, the black smoke mixed with human oil has shrouded the city in a perpetually lingering stench of burning human oil.
On a street not far away, a construction crew was filling in the road.
The dump trucks they were using to transport soil weren't carrying common building materials; instead, they were carrying a white, powdery substance, which even contained some small, unbroken pieces of bone.
These are human bones that can never be fully utilized.
The medical market in the Northern Continent cannot absorb the tens of millions of human bones accumulated over the past few decades, so these bones need to be used in other ways.
For example, human bone ornaments were used to fill roads.
I've heard that beneath the headquarters of the Holy Lord Church in the Gothic Empire, there is an underground ossuary covering an area of 21,000 square meters.
The total amount of human bones contained therein is countless, possibly reaching tens of millions.
Over the past few decades, the Gothic Empire has truly mastered the art of using people as resources and making the most of them.
Archbishop Duoxia, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, sat quietly in the tavern with his carefully trained Vampire companion, Jacob. Through the tavern's glass, they looked at the towering chimney that emitted black smoke 24 hours a day.
Both of them were covered by black robes, completely concealing their skeletal bodies in the shadows of the robes to conceal their Vampire identities.
The two sat at the most secluded table in the tavern, quietly listening to the noise from the tavern.
The only difference was that Duoxia's gaze was always fixed on the towering chimney, while his companion, the not-so-young Third-Generation Vampire Jacob, kept his eyes scanning the street.
"Hey Tom, lend me some money for a beer, buddy."
"Damn it, how many times have you lent me money now? Why can't you go find a job yourself?"
"Sorry, Tom, you know, the capture team's work has been really tough these past two years. Those damn black pigs have been almost all killed, and the rest have all hidden in the mountains. It's very difficult for me to catch them now!"
"Why don't you go and catch those illegal immigrants? I heard that the Southern Continent has undergone tremendous changes again, and the number of illegal immigrants along the coast has become countless. The Empire has already issued an arrest warrant. Why can't you make a little more effort to catch some illegal immigrants and earn some money?"
"You think I don't want to? Please, the priests of the Holy Lord Church have already surrounded the entire harbor. Think about it, white boys, oh damn, they're a million times better prey than those black pigs. Do you think they'd let this opportunity slip by?"
The tavern was filled with a noisy commotion. A cowboy wearing a human skin cowboy hat was arguing angrily with his friend. They were talking openly and honestly in the tavern, without causing any offense or shock to those around them. Instead, it was as if it were an extremely common daily occurrence.
Indeed, it is very common.
Over the years, a series of major events have occurred in the Southern Continent, and the Northern Continent, which has been preparing for a counterattack, has not remained indifferent.
Over the years, the royal family of the Northern Continent has learned from the methods of the Pale God, turning a very few important scientific researchers into Vampire for long-term research. To this day, they have accumulated quite a few professionals.
As the number of scholars increased, technological progress accelerated. Moreover, they were able to copy the technological development of the Southern Continent, which meant that they had the technologies that the Southern Continent possessed, and they also had technologies that the Southern Continent did not have.
In addition, the Gothic Empire was not as politically unstable as the Southern Continent, and it did not have the disturbance of the Pale God Norton, which allowed their industrialization process to proceed much faster than that of the Southern Continent.
Research on War Machine capable of withstanding Pressure can now be mass-produced, but the fundamental reason why the Northern Continent has remained inactive is that it feels unsafe to rely solely on these War Machine. Therefore, they are still trying to deploy and research in entirely new directions, hoping to increase their chances of victory against that Pale God.
And now, that's a good time.
The reason Duoxia and his subordinate Jacob are here today is because of the scientists who were smuggled into Abraham.
It is said that the nobles of the Holy Empire of the Southern Continent had already begun an experiment and research on a destructive weapon, but their invention was interrupted midway by the birth of that Pale God.
Fortunately, Abraham, that traitor, preserved all the scientists and smuggled them to the Northern Continent Northern Continent to fund the conquest plan.
Although Duoxia came over, he didn't actually agree with Abraham's actions.
"I have heard that everyone in the Southern Continent now has food to eat, clothes to wear, houses and land, jobs and families. Just like in the past Royal Court of Blood the Holy Age, the cruel and tyrannical Pale God, after taking power, gave the people at the bottom a truly good life."
I heard that they leave their doors unlocked at night, and no one picks up lost items on the road. All evil forces have been destroyed, and all lawless people have become dead.
In contrast, the Gothic Empire of the Northern Continent was plagued by widespread suffering, rampant thieves, and rampant exploitation by capitalists, with its rulers utterly devoid of humanity. Even the air was thick with the stench of corpses, and even breathing required a hefty air purification tax.
One, who calls himself the Pale God, is hailed as licentious and tyrannical, yet his rule brings wealth and prosperity to the land. The other, who claims to be moving towards the liberation of Garden of Eden, commits massacres, using the blood and flesh of his own people as a foundation, and acts of Hell evil.
Was it the Pale God, feared by all, who brought disaster to the Garden of Eden, or was it the Gothic Empire rulers who forged weapons from their own people while spouting righteous indignation?
Why is it that the longer time goes by, the harder it is for me to distinguish between them?
Why is it that I, Duoxia, have lost the will to uphold the principles I have followed throughout my life?
The wickedness of the Pale God filled me with inexplicable fear. The grotesqueness of humanity, however, also terrified me.
Jacob, the principles we have followed throughout our lives do not seem to be the path to salvation we hoped for, nor can they allow the holiness of our Holy Lord Church to envelop the entire Garden of Eden. Instead, it seems that you and I have stepped into that quagmire, struggling and sinking deeper and deeper.
Smelling the stench of human oil roasting that constantly floated in the air, looking through the tavern's glass at the walls outside that had begun to turn black and were stained with oil after years of exposure, and faintly hearing the agonizing screams and screams of humans dying in the distant concentration camp, Duoxia's will, which had weakened over the years, was now cracked with cracks.
Although he Duoxia witnessed no shortage of cruelty during the Old Faith era, the current madness of the Northern Continent royal family still terrified this old man who had been influenced by the Papal State.
But this also prompted him to think more deeply—what is the difference between the autocratic ruler of a vast empire and that cruel and tyrannical Pale God?
He suppressed a Pale God, yet many more rulers similar to that Pale God will still appear!
"To this day, I have begun to doubt whether our persistence from the beginning was truly correct. Even if that Pale God is brought to justice, countless powerful and influential people will be able to take his place, and some will be even more ruthless than him."
Just like the Southern Continent today, when there was no Pale God, various capitalists and powerful figures exploited and oppressed the people, causing them to suffer. But when there was a Pale God Pale God, he was the only true oppressor!
Is sealing away that Pale God sealing away demons, or is it opening a breach in Hell?
Jacob, was our choice right or wrong?
Duoxia sighed deeply; in thousands of years, he had never felt so helpless and lost as he did now.
It is unbearable that he suddenly discovers that what he pursued, believed in, and practiced was wrong.
Compared to him, Jacob, the young Vampire, seemed a bit naive.
Jacob looked at his teacher with incomprehension, listening to his seemingly bewildered words, and felt particularly indignant. "Teacher, why are you saying such things now?"
All the deaths in this Northern Continent now are merely necessary sacrifices!
Even though the current rulers of the Northern Continent disregard human life, anyone can take their place. The people can fight against them through their own efforts and even establish a completely new order!
But the Pale God is completely different. With the existence of the Pale God, no matter how cruel he is, we can only swallow our anger and suffer his endless oppression!
This is the fundamental difference between the two!
Teacher, this is what you once taught me, so why are you now feeling lost yourself?
The young Vampire's crimson eyes were filled with disbelief and pain.
He is now thin and bony, and he only tastes blood a few times a year, just to learn from his teacher how to suppress his bloodthirsty nature so as not to completely lose his humanity.
As a result, the very ideas that had enabled him to resist his nature were now being shaken by the very teacher who had imparted them to him, which was a huge blow to his beliefs!
"But at least more people feel better sitting there with that Pale God on!"
Duoxia's skeletal face was deeply hidden in the shadows of his hood, his two scarlet eyes flickering like those of a true demon.
Yet the words he spoke revealed a rare kindness in this Garden of Eden.
"The more a time changes, the more people struggle and suffer within it. Kings and generals will indeed come and go, but the tragedies caused by these changes are countless!"
Perhaps the phrase "the changing of the ages" sounds simple and laughable, but when the calamities it brings upon an individual, it becomes a sorrow that no one can bear.
Over the years, the slave trade, organ trafficking, human bone selling, and the making of clothing from human skin have all been out in the open. Behind the scenes, the abuse of men and women, the forced prostitution, and the countless other evil deeds have been committed. How many lives have been ruined? How many families have been torn apart and destroyed by this so-called historical trend?
Compared to the seemingly prosperous and thriving empire of the Northern Continent, which is actually extremely dark and filled with oppression and death at all times, the Southern Continent, which is like a stagnant pool and is fundamentally oppressed by Pale God, is a place where the people live in peace, happiness and well-being!
In the past, I always thought that the Pale God was God of desire in Garden of Eden, and that sealing him off was the best outcome for the sake of Garden of Eden. But now I see that such a supreme being is actually able to achieve true social equality and world peace, without the slightest turmoil or oppression!
Thomas stated in his book *Sapiens: A A Brief History of Humankind *: "The tragedy of humanity's belief in God is that God is an illusion..."
"Enough!" Before Duoxia could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the furious Jacob.
His face, equally hunched and skeletal, was contorted like that of a demon from Hell. His two bloodshot eyes were fixed on Duoxia as he growled in a low voice, " Thomas again, and those damn philosophy books again!"
Teacher, your whole way of thinking has changed since you started reading!
Ever since you started reading those damn philosophy books, you've become indecisive and even self-pitying. You've been completely brainwashed; you've lost all your former determination! Even your vision has become less far-sighted!
You are fixated on the tragedy of the individual, but you never consider the tragedy of the collective!
That Pale God can make everyone live a good life, but from now on everyone is a slave to be slaughtered at his whim! You..."
"If it weren't for the control of that Pale God, would humanity not be slaughtered at will? Look at the black smoke still spreading outside, and smell the disgusting stench in the air! Whether that Pale God exists or not, humanity can hardly escape the fate of being slaughtered; it's just that the targets of slaughter are different!"
Does this mean that you consider it justifiable for the powerful and wealthy to slaughter ordinary people at will, while Pale God slaughtering the powerful and wealthy is considered an enemy of humanity?
Jacob, you are a good boy, and you have always stuck to our beliefs. But you are also too stubborn! As you said, times are constantly changing, and so are human thoughts!
You always look down on philosophy today, thinking they're just spouting nonsense, but what's wrong with their ideas? I, Duoxia, was raised by the Church, and the narrowness of my thinking is astonishing even to me now. It is precisely because I study these emerging philosophies every day that I can think more and more comprehensively.
But it is precisely because my thinking is more comprehensive that I become more confused about what we are doing.
Jacob, what difference is there between letting an autocratic emperor rule and letting that Pale God rule? In fact, the Pale God's rule is absolutely fair, without any other cliques or pyramid-like oppression. That's why I'm increasingly suspicious of what we're doing!
Duoxia felt like he was about to break apart. As he spoke, the already wavering belief in his heart almost vanished completely.
Upon hearing his words, Jacob flew into a rage, slamming his hand on the table and roaring, "Enough! You have no idea what racial justice is, no idea what collective sorrow is! Duoxia, teacher, you are too old, your convictions have wavered, some necessary sacrifices have softened your heart, you have even forgotten why Kuba sacrificed his own freedom to seal off the very foundation of God!"
"But the ugliness of human nature terrifies me even more." Duoxia was not angry at his student's anger; instead, he was deeply moved.
"Perhaps I am indeed getting old, or perhaps there is something wrong with my thinking."
But this time I will not stop any actions in the Northern Continent. The sacrifices have already reached such a level that a real result is inevitable.
Jacob, you've grown up. From now on, you will be in charge of all these matters.
I'm no longer suited to lead our team. Perhaps I should use the philosophical knowledge I've gained over the years to become a teacher and enjoy a few years of peaceful life."
Duoxia stood up from his chair, looking at Jacob with a mixture of relief and complicated emotions.
"No, no, no, teacher, that's not what I meant! I had no intention of taking over your leadership!" Upon hearing Duoxia's words, Jacob, who had just been furious, panicked and quickly stood up, looking helplessly at his mentor.
"Alright, child. I don't mean to blame you; I'm truly lost. I think I need more reflection and study to fill the emptiness in my heart." Duoxia smiled and patted Jacob's shoulder as he stood up, comforting him in his panic.
"Perhaps I will become a good teacher, or perhaps I will find the true path."
Jacob, I'm tired. I've already experienced this struggle between gods and humans that has continued since the old mythological era, and now I don't want to fight it a second time.
Duoxia chuckled and patted Jacob on the shoulder, then lowered his head, pulled his hood over his face, and turned to leave the tavern.
Jacob was left standing there, looking completely flustered.
However, not long after, a determined look appeared on his face again.
"Teacher, I will steadfastly uphold our will and forever imprison that damned, Pale God on the cross!"
"Cough cough... cough cough cough..."
An old man's cough echoed through the desolate palace.
Now over ninety-five and quite aged, Miles XIV, dressed in fine clothes, looked down at the map in his hand.
At the age of 95, Miles XIV still possesses such energy, demonstrating remarkable physical resilience.
He probably wouldn't have lived this long originally.
After all, he was suffering from syphilis, and his nose was so ulcerated that it emitted a foul odor with every breath.
If he hadn't been the emperor and didn't have such a good medical environment, he probably would have died of syphilis long ago.
Over the years, with the wars in the Southern Continent and the slaughter in the Northern Continent, the sun that symbolized death has become increasingly dim. This has ironically allowed Miles XIV to survive to this day, and although his body is not in good health, he is still able to move on his own.
This is far superior to the old popes of the Papal State era.
Over the years, the Southern Continent has flourished and been embroiled in various chaotic battles, while the Northern Continent has also been busy.
Of the former royal family, only Miles XIV truly holds power now. The emperors of the other empires have become mere figureheads, serving as the spiritual pillars of the empires, much like Queen Maria.
All of this stemmed from Miles XIV's desire to completely seize power, lest the historical record of the Papal State era, where several empires united but could not withstand the centralized Papal State, was repeated during the war. Another reason was his unwavering determination to confront the Pale God Norton.
Apart from him, most of the other royal family members of the empire secretly transformed into Vampire, an immortal species, in order to enjoy eternal life. This is the biggest reason why he consolidated his power.
The closer one gets to death, the more cowards there are.
Those emperors may have been filled with personal and national hatred in their youth, determined to kill that Pale God as soon as possible. But as they grew older and approached death, that firm will quickly decayed, and they eventually succumbed to the temptation of immortality.
Of the emperors of the great empires of the past, he is now the only one without immortality, which speaks volumes.
But he won't live much longer.
Whether it was the syphilis that had penetrated deep into his bones or his increasingly frail body, both indicated that he had reached the end of his life.
"Your Majesty, the scientific researchers from the Southern Continent have already begun their research. According to them, based on their progress, they may be able to truly develop that so-called super weapon—the nuclear fission bomb—within five years."
This is thanks to the help of Prince Abraham, a close follower of the Pale God. He not only sent all the scientific researchers from the Southern Continent to our country, but also sent them all the scientific equipment they used for research.
Abraham did a great job as a dog; he sold Norton to the extreme.
They not only sent people, but also equipment, for fear of delaying the research on nuclear weapons.
"Ahem... very good. How many War Machine have been made so far?" Miles XIV coughed slightly, but managed to suppress it.
"The quantity has reached three million, Your Majesty. However, our steel reserves are running out, and the people have run out of iron pots and utensils. The overall process has come to a standstill. Should we continue collecting steel...?" The waiter stood cautiously beside Miles XIV, bending low, enduring the stench emanating from Miles XIV's festering nostrils, and asked softly.
"It's already three million..." Miles XIV sighed softly.
Three million is not a large number; compared to the current population of 500 million in the Northern Continent, it is extremely small. The steel required for one tank could be used to research at least ten War Machine, so it is equivalent to the cost of 300,000 tanks.
However, for the overall development of the Northern Continent today, this is pretty much the limit.
In reality, the total number of tanks produced by all countries during World War II was roughly the same.
In other words, over the years, the Northern Continent has not only been engaged in rampant slaughter, but its industrial capacity has also been at an absolute peak, continuously producing troops and preparing for war.
"There's no need to continue developing War Machine. Begin gathering intelligence from spies, transmitting specific information about the Southern Continent, expanding the army, training soldiers, and awaiting nuclear weapons research."
"Yes!" The waiter nodded and carefully withdrew from the deserted palace.
Miles XIV removed the half of the exquisite silver mask he always wore, revealing a face beneath it with a nose that had been rotten into a large hole.
Finally, she exhausted all her strength, lying quietly on the back of the chair behind her, staring blankly at the palace dome, murmuring softly.
"War will inevitably begin, Father. I have fulfilled all the will you left behind... but is such a sacrifice worthwhile?"
The cold palace was silent and deserted. As the emperor of a country, Miles XIV could hardly find a single servant in his palace.