How… how dare you talk about me like that!
Kironlo was quivering to his knees. His aged face was ashen. He pointed and roared at Han Shuo like a crazed ghoul.
The matter that Han Shuo brought up was Kironlo’s sore point. No one ever dared to speak of it in front of him because of his identity. Given Kironlo’s temperament, it would be a wonder if he didn’t fly into a fit rage after Han Shuo spoke of the incident so harshly in front of all the cardinals.
But, of course, Han Shuo wasn’t afraid of him.
Ahahah, what’s wrong? Do you feel humiliated? Serves you right!
Han Shuo sneered and turned a blind eye to Kironlo’s bellow of rage. He carried on with his cutting remarks,
If it wasn’t for that disastrous mistake you made then, the Church wouldn’t have to operate in the dark for all those hundreds of years, and most certainly wouldn’t have become a target of scorn, detested by everyone on the continent. With the mental capacity that you have, you are only going to bring the Church even more ruins by staying. If I were you, I would surely be too embarrassed to see anyone or even show my face in the public.
You, you…
Kironlo pointed at Han Shuo. He was so enraged by those words that he couldn’t even form a sentence.
Han Shuo took a glance at the Calamity Pope and saw that he had no intention of stopping him. Han Shuo deduced that the Pope wanted him to take this opportunity to disgrace Kironlo. This boldened Han Shuo even further,
I don’t like people pointing their fingers at me. Try pointing at me again. I dare you,
Young man, you are too insolent!
Kironlo was flustered and exasperated. But as he still held misgivings towards Han Shuo, he restrained himself as best he could from attacking Han Shuo.
Han Shuo squinted his eyes and let out a cold groan before he whooshed towards Kironlo. The Domain of Divinity of the avatar of destruction inside his body suddenly unfolded. In an instant, the entire Cardinals’ Hall turned into a hair-raising region where only a disordered edict of destruction was left. Elements that were normally present everywhere were suddenly all gone.
The cardinals of the Calamity Church who cultivated in all kinds of elemental energies suddenly found themselves in a region devoid of the energies they were most familiar with. All of them started to panic as they stared at Han Shuo standing at the center with aghast.
All they saw was Han Shuo suddenly standing before Kironlo. Then, one of his big hands grabbed Kironlo’s neck and lifted him high in the air. He wore a frigid cold face as he stared at Kironlo struggling to free himself.
Han Shuo’s straightforward and blunt conduct of immediately attacking once someone showed noncompliance to him caused the crowd’s hearts to shiver.
Kironlo, whose face was red through and through, looked no different from a clown. His frail legs as thin as bamboo were kicking and his two hands were desperately beating Han Shuo’s hand. He tried all he could to free himself from this humiliating and demeaning posture, but his actions were futile.
As a mere basegod, once Han Shuo unfolded his Domain of Divinity, Kironlo would have absolutely no way of attacking Han Shuo using elemental energy.
After losing access to the elemental energy of death that he had been relying upon for survival, all the strength left in him was the raw power of his frail physical body. Against Han Shuo’s physical body which was in the Nine Changes realm, Kironlo was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. He had exerted all his energy and yet was unable to free himself from Han Shuo who was binding him with just one hand. Suspended in midair, Kironlo found it more and more strenuous to breathe. His face reddened and looked as though it was smeared with blood.
Kironlo, this grand cardinal of the Calamity Church had been revered by most for hundreds of years. He was struggling like a bird on a leash without any power to resist. A few of those cardinals who had good relations with Kironlo had intended to assist him, but were now frozen in terror. Every last one of them had flickering eyes that could not turn away from the cruel scene. They timidly lowered their heads as they didn’t have to courage to look at Kironlo in the face while he slowly wilted away, as though he might die from suffocation at any moment.
The bizarre atmosphere devoid of any elemental energy to use all so suddenly left those in the room in panic. They gaped at Han Shuo at the center, who was callously grabbing Kironlo by the neck, like fools. Their lips were dry and their hands were cold. They thought they would lose their feeble lives at any moment.
I have the capability to be insolent!
Han Shuo said to Kironlo arrogantly as he stared at him. This was also a warning to the rest of the cardinals in the hall, telling them that they had better behave themselves.
Many of the high-level members of the Calamity Church had horrified expressions on their faces and were at a complete loss. They were afraid that Han Shuo would take his anger out on them too. Thoughts rushed through their minds on how best to draw a clear dividing line between themselves and Kironlo.
The plump Pope meanwhile appeared rather unperturbed although his heart was pounding. The Pope was unlike Kironlo in that he wasn’t as arrogant. From the rumors that Han Shuo had finished off the Light Pope along with several experts and the fact that he laid waste to several hundred thousand orc warriors, the Calamity Pope had a rough idea of Han Shuo’s power.
However, even in that case, the Pope was rather shocked to see Han Shuo restrain Kironlo so starkly, allowing him not the slightest ability to resist. If Han Shuo could do this so effortlessly, this also meant that Han Shuo could finish him off just as easily. This fact left him very uneasy but he did not reveal it.
The fat man saw Kironlo’s face getting redder and redder and figured he might stop breathing at any moment. Seeing that he had nearly accomplished his goal, he finally voiced out to mediate the situation,
Erm, Bryan, we are all on the same side. Kironlo had merely talked a little too much. That crime wasn’t severe enough for the death penalty. Why don’t you let him off this time?
Han Shuo glanced all around. Wherever his cold eyes passed, the cardinals would lower their heads in timidity. They dared not to look Han Shuo in the eyes.
Han Shuo nodded contently and said in a cold voice,
Fine. I will give you face and spare his lowly life this time, but his middle finger that kept on pointing at me still has to go!
Snap!
As soon as Han Shuo finished those words, a clear snap and crackle sounded from that middle finger which Kironlo had used to point at Han Shuo.
Han Shuo then casually flung him away and sent Kironlo flying. He made a loud thud when his body smashed into the solid wall. Kironlo, who could finally breathe properly again, let out a stifled groan then a blood-curdling screech as he held on to his severed middle finger.
After doing so, Han Shuo’s figure suddenly blurred. He flew in reverse and returned to his seat as though he had never moved an inch at all. Simultaneously, the Domain of Divinity that shrouded the entire hall abruptly disappeared. That pressure that had made people so frightened felt as though nothing more than an illusion.
You… You…
After shrieking miserably, Kironlo glared at Han Shuo with his resentful eyes but remained stationary.
Han Shuo’s performance just then was too terrifying. From the ordeal, Kironlo came to realize that even if everyone in the hall joined forces against Han Shuo, it would take Han Shuo less than a minute to finish all of them. It was also at this point that he was truly convinced of the words of the six-horned tribal king. He finally figured out why the merciless and cruel six-horned tribal king would be so well-behaved before Han Shuo.
You don’t even have the qualifications to take vengeance on me. You better give up on that thought. Otherwise, you are merely digging your own grave!
Han Shuo said disdainfully as he looked at Kironlo arrogantly.
Kironlo fixed his resentful eyes at Han Shuo without saying a word even as his heart was brimming over with agony. This was all that he could do in showing that he had yet to yield. He understood that against such a powerful enemy, he truly wasn’t even fit to exact vengeance. He felt utterly helpless.
Alright, alright, how about we forget whatever happened here and just let it pass. We are all on the same side. Let’s not make it like we are opposing forces on the battlefield!
the big fatty hastily mediated. He could foresee that after this incident, there wouldn’t be a single opposition to be found in the whole of the Calamity Church and Han Shuo would become a member of the Church without the slightest resistance. Even if there were objections, they would just keep it in their hearts and not speak out.
I have shown you courtesy, but you insisted on not taking it. What for?
the corners of Han Shuo’s mouth pulled to make a grin as he talked to himself. However, all those in the room could hear his ‘soliloquy’. They all forced smiles and did not say a word as they inwardly thought that Kironlo was truly unfortunate to have met his nemesis.
Of all the remaining matters to discuss, Han Shuo indeed was met with absolutely no resistance whatsoever. Whenever the Pope brought up anything remotely related to Han Shuo, the cardinals, who would usually engage in constant debate and stalemate, all had identically favorable views during this meeting. Furthermore, they even scrambled to express their stance of endorsing Han Shuo, fearing that Han Shuo would be displeased otherwise.
The big fatty, having observed it all, was taken aback and in awe. For all the years he presided over the meetings, every time he raised any matter, those cardinals would always stand by their own positions and argue with each other dismissively. It would always be heated and chaotic, just short of having a brawl on the spot. Who would have expected that after Han Shuo’s arrival, these cardinals would transform into different people altogether. Not only did they all share unanimous views and opinions, but they also declared their positions quicker than the last.
Indeed, sometimes, brute force is the best tool in resolving disorder and chaos!
the Calamity Pope thought to himself.
Han Shuo, at the young age that he was, became one of the honorable cardinals of the Calamity Church without meeting the slightest resistance, and took up an important role in the Calamity Church. Every single operation of the Calamity Church within Lancelot Empire and Brettel City was now being transferred fully under Han Shuo’s management. Information about every member of the Calamity Church in those locations and the distribution of power were delivered to Han Shuo by the Pope.
Wolf and Burt Zili, members of the Calamity Church who originally operated in the Lancelot Empire, were reassigned to be Han Shuo’s direct subordinates and they would report solely to Han Shuo.
In addition to this, all the agreements that the Calamity Church had discreetly reached with countries on Profound Continent, the contact locations and methods, as well as the methods of activating the military forces, were all revealed to Han Shuo by the big fatty as Han Shuo had gained the privilege to utilize those forces. After briefing Han Shuo about some other minor matters, the fat Pope finally told Han Shuo about the most important affair of this meeting – in five days, they would begin the ceremony to pray to their evil god, and Han Shuo needed be present at that time.
Paying particular attention to the offerings required was the least of their problems; the ceremony had to also take place during suitable timings. Five days was enough time for the Calamity Church to make all the necessary preparations and Han Shuo could rest during this time.
After the meeting was over, all the cardinals rushed to exit the hall in fear and trepidation. It was after they got far away from Han Shuo that those cardinals, Kironlo included, heaved a heavy sigh of relief. That six-horned tribal king of the Soul Race, however, remained cold and indifferent all along. But before he left, he took a glance at Han Shuo. It appeared that he still felt sorrow about those energy stones.
When only the big, fat Pope and Han Shuo were left in the hall, the Pope suddenly burst into a tumultuous laughter. The fats in his cheeks were bouncing up and down from the laughter. He then said in a cheerful tone,
Bryan, you really are quite something! For so many years, I’ve never seen that expression on Kironlo’s face before! That is truly amusing!
It was apparent that the Pope was in a great mood.
