Chapter 570: Embrace Evolution! (2)

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Soon, a priest dressed in a silky black robe emerged from one of the passages and walked to the front of the hall.

Jon lifted his gaze slightly to get a better look. The priest, who had received more blessings from the Lord, had neck scales of a deep blue hue and grayish skin on his face. Compared to the middle-aged man who had introduced him to the faith, the priest possessed even greater power.

When Jon had first joined the faith, he found the scales and gray skin rather peculiar and unusual. But now, he saw a certain beauty in it, as if this was what humans were meant to transform into, the evolution they should undergo.

Being a fisherman, he had spent most of his life dealing with the ocean, understanding its dangers and its vast treasures.

He knew that before they could explore and excavate, a necessary evolution was indispensable.

Only by receiving the Lord’s blessings could people like them, born at the bottom rungs of society, gain enough capital to embrace the boundless ocean.

The priest surveyed the hundreds of believers before him and spoke in a raspy voice, “Thank you, my brothers and sisters, for gathering here for this biannual assembly. 1 am deeply honored.

But before we commence our gathering, there is something regrettable and infuriating that 1 must share with you all. We have a traitor among us!”

As these words were uttered, a murmur of surprise and discussion swept through the crowd.

The priest gazed at the bewildered and angry faces of the believers and firmly struck his staff on the ground.

The dull sound reverberated throughout the hall, silencing all voices.

“I can openly declare that one of our former brothers, Baron Bessos, who was also one of the five stewards of Tressburg City, has betrayed us!

He willingly disclosed to the enemy the type of poison the Lord Bishop bestowed upon us and even assisted the enemy in neutralizing the toxin!

Otherwise, the enemy would not have survived until now!”

Jon’s mind was shaken, his eyes filled with confusion.

Enemy?

Did the church he had joined have enemies?

At this moment, he heard a believer in the middle of the crowd asking, “Revered Priest, may 1 ask who our enemies are?”

The priest glanced at him, a glint of determination in his eyes, and spoke in a deep voice, “Our enemies… are the nobles who rule Lienhardt and the Valencia family!”

As this revelation unfolded, apart from a few believers who remained unfazed, the rest wore expressions of shock and disbelief.

Wait a moment, weren’t we gathered here to offer our faith to the Lord in exchange for power, so that we could help each other and improve our lives?

How did we suddenly jump to the point of being hostile to noble lords?

Most of the believers present were impoverished residents. In this strictly hierarchical world, commoners had no capital or thoughts of rebelling against the nobility, who possessed unlimited resources and absolute power.

They just wanted to gain strength to earn more money and support their families.

The priest, observing the reactions of the believers, couldn’t help but curl the corners of his mouth in a wry smile.

It was unfortunate that they had to reveal the church’s intentions so early. Baron Bessos was one of the five stewards of Tressburg City, and a few days ago, he was pursued for poisoning Duke Valencia.

According to the initial plan, the poisoned offerings, which had been bestowed by Lord Bishop, were supposed to be consumed by Duke Julius of Lienhardt. If Julius had died from the poison, it would have thrown the entire Lienhardt into chaos, and they could have openly recruited more believers to fulfill the Lord’s decree without the need for covert operations.

The idea was crude but effective enough.

The priest knew the potency of those toxins. They were odorless, tasteless, and nearly impossible to detect by ordinary means. Ingesting them would likely result in a near-death experience.

By having Baron Bessos, a noble, offer the tainted offerings, Duke Julius would have lowered his guard considerably.

However, according to reports from the court believers, the offerings meant for Julius was consumed by the Duke’s wife, leading to the failure of the plan. Baron Bessos was subsequently apprehended as well.

The priest believed that Baron Bessos, who had been in the faith for a long time and had gained the Lord’s attention, wouldn’t reveal everything about the church. However, the failure of the plan would undoubtedly have a significant impact on their missionary activities in Tressburg City.

In such a situation, they needed to accelerate their plans.

The captured Baron Bessos would most likely not survive, and they could use him as the spark to ignite the anger of the believers.

Watching the reactions of the believers, the priest was well-prepared for their response and continued to speak.

“Yes, our enemies are those nobles who control vast resources and exploit us, especially the Valencia family who rules this land!

We are ordinary citizens struggling to make ends meet. However, we are constantly exploited and humiliated by those nobles and their lackeys, making our lives even more miserable!

The money we earn from selling the fish we catch at sea is subject to a tax, and then the rotten and vile soldiers at the docks take another portion from what’s left. In the end, we are left with a pitiful half-silver coin!

Is this fair? Should we endure all of this?”

The persuasive words of the priest stirred up resentment on the faces of many believers.

“That’s right, those soldiers at the docks always extort from us because of their status. My one-year-old child starved to death because of this!”

“Those soldiers even protect the bullies.. After my poor wife was humiliated, there was nowhere for her to seek justice!”