"Are they sending us to mine?"
"The deity she mentioned, could it be that giant golden tree?"
"Wait a minute, why does this woman look so familiar?"
Dola's words stirred up a murmur among the soldiers.
She didn't care, and instead continued in that inflammatory tone, "Now, you have two choices."
"Should I return to General Muoro and continue as an ordinary soldier with no hope of promotion?"
"Or will you choose to seize the opportunity to change your destiny, and even gain power you can't even imagine?"
"For example----"
She began to confidently demonstrate the tangible benefits of working for the Erdtree.
"Physical abilities that surpass those of humans."
Dola casually grabbed the thick iron railing and twisted it into a spiral shape with a little force.
"A miraculous power beyond the comprehension of ordinary people."
She summoned the Order's Blade and easily severed the piece of twisted iron.
The dull thud of the iron block hitting the ground made the soldiers hold their breath.
Was it a magic trick? Or a magic show? But they couldn't see any signs of deception.
"And—" Dola threw out her most enticing bargaining chip, "Youth and lifespan."
"I bet you still don't recognize me." Dola smugly pulled out a wanted poster, showing her aged appearance from before. "My name is Dola, the space Dola you've all been so eager to catch!"
The soldiers were now in complete uproar.
How could they not recognize Dola? Her wanted poster with a bounty of several thousand gold coins was hanging right at the entrance of the military camp, and they saw it every day when they entered and left the camp!
"Impossible! She's lying!"
"Hey, it really does look a bit like it----"
"I recognize those two members of the air pirate gang behind her; they're Dola's sons!"
On the high platform, Dola calmly observed the soldiers, and the resulting discussion and shock were exactly the effects she wanted.
"You all know your place in the army. How much of your pay has been withheld? Will you receive proper medical treatment if you're wounded? What will happen if you offend an officer or a nobleman's son?"
"Does General Muoro, whom you serve, really care about your lives?"
Her questions were increasingly pointed, each word striking at the most painful spot for the lower-ranking soldiers.
The treatment of the Kingdom Army has been deteriorating, especially in recent years with no fighting on the border, these ordinary infantrymen have lost their channels for promotion.
If people had the means to make a living in big cities, no one would want to join the army; that's a well-known fact.
"And Lord Erdtree," Dola deliberately raised her voice, "Grants power based on contribution, not on birth or bribery."
"The nation he wanted to create was one where no one was born a noble, and where everyone had the opportunity to earn their rightful place through hard work and talent."
"Now, the opportunity is in front of you."
"Become secret followers of the Erdtree, return to the army, and you will not be required to do anything except spread the Erdtree's ideology."
These words caused an even greater uproar.
Even the lowest-ranking soldiers understood what it meant to have no nobles. To the kingdom's high-ranking officials, this idea was not only treasonous, but practically a declaration of war!
However, some argue that for a just and impartial deity according to dogma, the absence of nobles is the correct approach.
How many power struggles have there been between the royal family and the pope over the years?
Before the soldiers could even get a word in edgewise, Dola switched to her seductive tone. "In return, you can now gain superhuman physical abilities like mine, how about it?"
Someone was tempted.
Those soldiers who had their limbs severed or were seriously injured, after personally experiencing the power of the Erdtree, understood that it was truly an extraordinary power.
For example, one of them was a private named Thomas.
He initially refused to listen to Dola's words.
In Thomas's view, wasn't this blatant subversion? A naked act of defection!
Although he was not of noble birth, he considered himself loyal to General Muoro.
Just as he was about to utter the words of refusal, many images suddenly flashed through his mind.
He thought of his fellow villager who had broken his leg during training and was quickly discharged; he thought of the new recruits whose allowances were taken by veterans but who dared not speak out; he also thought of the captains feasting on meat and fish while he, the privates, could only eat pig swill—
The scales in my heart began to shake violently.
"Hey, you guys aren't really going to betray the general, are you?!"
"But those are gods—"
"How about we give it a try?"
Ultimately, Dola selected thirty soldiers from those who had expressed their willingness to accept the terms, including Thomas.
Since they weren't asked to do anything wrong, and they could get benefits for free, why not give it a try?
Of the remaining twenty-odd people, some voiced their opposition, while others were eliminated by Dola for unknown reasons.
"Hehe----Very good, you won't regret your choice today."
For some reason, Thomas felt a sudden unease when he heard Dola's words.
Soon, all the soldiers who agreed to surrender were escorted to the Erdtree by the Blessed Workers.
Looking up at the trees that were as tall as mountains, Thomas couldn't help but feel awe.
The only thing that troubled him was which deity this giant golden tree belonged to; it seemed there was no record of it in the church's doctrines.
Through the church's subtle and pervasive propaganda, almost everyone in the world believes that God truly exists.
This actually made Mu En's missionary plans easier.
"Lord Erdtree, they have agreed to your terms." Dola knelt on one knee facing the tree.
Loyalty in exchange for blessings is a fair trade.
The Blessed Dew descended, enveloping all the soldiers.
Thomas felt his body become incredibly light, and a magical power flowed through him.
Just as everyone was immersed in this novel experience, an accident occurred.
Using their newly acquired strength, the soldiers snapped the ropes binding them and fled into the distance.
It seems they had already decided to take the opportunity to escape; what they were doing just now was merely a pretense.
Thomas watched this unfold; the woman who called herself Dola and the miners seemed powerless to stop them.
Perhaps I should run away too, taking this newfound power with me and flying far away!
However, she soon realized that she was completely wrong.
A sudden pressure descended, instantly freezing all the soldiers in place.
Thomas stared in horror at the bulging veins beneath his skin, as if his blood were flowing backward.
Moreover, he could clearly feel that his soul seemed about to leave his body at any moment.
The excruciating pain made him want to scream, but he could only let out a gurgling, gasping sound.
A cold and authoritative will resonated in everyone's soul. "Those who keep their promises and perform meritorious deeds will receive greater blessings."
"Those who attempt to betray the contract or reveal secrets will be punished."
The choice is yours.
As the voice faded, the power that had been controlling every cell in their bodies vanished abruptly, and all the soldiers collapsed to the ground, their faces filled with terror.
Thomas felt his heart pounding; for a fleeting moment, he had a hallucination of himself exploding and dying.
That kind of soul-deep fear is a hundred times more terrifying than any beating or solitary confinement.
He vowed that even if he were to carry a bomb and perish together with General Muoro, he would never want to experience that feeling again.
but----
When the fear subsided and he recalled the incredibly pleasant and powerful feeling he had just received the blessing, a longing welled up in his heart again.
If I could receive another blessing—if I could become stronger—
Clearly, he was not alone in thinking this way; no one else considered running away.
Looking at the soldiers lined up neatly under Dola's command, Mu En couldn't help but marvel at the woman's remarkable abilities.
In just half a day, they were able to identify targets "suitable to become spies" through observation and speeches.
According to her, she could tell whether a soldier was loyal to the kingdom just by looking at his eyes.
Clearly, the Northern Kingdom's long-standing strategy of luring people into military service with meager pay and empty promises has not been very successful.
Next, these soldiers will work with the town's young people to learn the right ideas and how to spread his thoughts.
When the time is right, they will have the opportunity to shine.
And this opportunity came even sooner than expected.
"Lord Erdtree, I've received a radio signal, the Goliath is in operation!"