Chapter 1693: 461 Evidence of Murder and the Feast of Slaughter_2
Audacia responded in a soft voice:
“This is based on the fact that, apart from the essential working population, several nearby secondary planes are utterly devoid of inhabitants.”
“I once had the fortune of visiting the agriculturally developed Harvest Town, which originally was a populous secondary plane. Now, apart from a group of professional farrs who have obtained licenses from the Truth Sect, the only remaining population consists of the knight regint that resides in the town.”
“They’ve driven people to the material plane, leaving the empty secondary planes behind. Different secondary planes are used for extracting different resources, including human resources, which have beco one of the exploited.”
“After losing their land, a large number of residents from the secondary planes were forced to enter the cities, where they can only work for the affluent classes to get by. They are nominally free, but in reality, they aren’t much different from slaves.”
“This is not exclusive to Canning.”
...
“In fact, I’ve noticed that most of the well-developed cities in the north are either natural transportation hubs and trade ports or, like Canning, possess a large amount of land akin to colonies.”
“Without oppression from sowhere else, it would be quite difficult for the rulers to live comfortably.”
“It seems to be an inescapable law of this land.”
Matthew nodded gently.
Audacia’s choice of words was still very circumspect.
Not just in the north, isn’t it the sa in the south?
Exploitation and oppression objectively exist everywhere; only the objects of exploitation differ.
“Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I could hardly imagine that under the rule of the Seven Saint Alliance, such a profoundly influential religious organization could still thrive.”
Along the way.
Matthew had seen seven or eight devotees dressed in the garb of the Truth Sect explaining the Great Origin Stele thod to people along the street.
There were no traces of spellcaster rule to be seen here.
The flags of the Ingram family were set up and hung everywhere on the streets, and mbers of the Truth Sect were actively moving about.
Audacia answered calmly:
“That is not surprising either.”
“The Northern City States are nurous, and many of them, not part of the Hundred Cities Project, are ho to religious groups similar to the Truth Sect, though none as influential.”
“The spellcasters have no interest in directly ruling these small cities inhabited by mundane people, so they naturally ceded power.”
“And where there is power, there will not be a vacuum for long. If the spellcasters are unwilling to hold it, naturally, soone else will be happy to do so. It’s inevitable.”
“Besides, personally, I think these religions are less about belief and more like so sort of grass-roots mutual aid organization.”
“There is a widespread mutual assistance among the lower echelons of the Truth Sect believers. In everyone’s life, there are tis of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and tis when fortune does not favor us, especially for ordinary people, who sotis need a helping hand, and joining an organization like the Truth Sect can solve many problems.”
“At least for now, the mutual assistance among the lower mbers of the Sect seems to have more positive than negative effects.”
“Do you think so many people in the city believe in truth and order? I doubt it; it’s just that believing in it is more beneficial than detrintal for ordinary people…”
Matthew looked at her with interest:
“You seem to have done quite a bit of research on this topic?”
Audacia nodded without hesitation:
“The power of supernatural beings is top-down.”
“But the power of human groups is bottom-up.”
“A long ti ago, back at Thorny Flower Sword, when I was an ordinary person, I was involved in similar grass-roots organizations. However, after I gained the power of the Rootless River, everything changed.”
“Sotis I miss those days, weak as I was, yet content and at peace.”
Having said this.
She suddenly looked at Matthew with admiration:
“But the days now aren’t bad either.”
“Honestly, I never imagined that soone could be so bold as to parade the Ingrams through the city like this…”
Saying this, Audacia couldn’t help but glance back at the two black-cloaked figures following closely behind them.
Those were none other than the beheaded Ingram and the Hollowed Leon.
She whispered:
“If the Ingram family were to find out…”
Matthew smiled faintly:
“If they’re wise enough, they’ll never acknowledge that this is little Ingram.”
Audacia paused for a mont.
Then she nodded and said:
“You’re right!”
In the midst of speaking.
The two of them arrived at the end of Truth Avenue.
If they continued eastward, not far from there was the Eastern city gate. Leaving the city and heading northeast, they’d reach the recently erged fertile plains of the north—
Thorny Flower Sword.
“Having been away from Thorny Flower Sword for so long, I’m afraid your original territory and influence might have been taken over by others already, right?”
Matthew suddenly asked.
Audacia hesitated and then nodded:
“It’s highly likely.”
“Perhaps only those of my subordinates who are truly loyal to might still be holding on to so of my property.”
Matthew nodded.
Then.
He suddenly handed her the staff that emitted a brilliant starlight.
In Audacia’s astonished gaze.
Matthew spoke solemnly:
“Now, go reclaim what truly belongs to you.”
Audacia hesitated for just half a second before resolutely taking the staff!
She blinked, her gaze at Matthew seemingly coming to a realization.
“If this is your command, then I am willing to carry it out.”
She said.
Matthew nodded:
“Go ahead.”
“Do you need to send these two to assist you?”
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