Chapter 1848 - 510: Left Hand, Right Hand—Both Are the Demon King's Guns (Part 3)

Luo Yan was very pleased with their actions.

He really had to say a word on behalf of Duke Edward: this money was worth every coin.

The Campbell people hadn't spent a single soldier, yet they had already avenged the "Winter Moon Coup."

"...Everything has gone just as you planned."

Sarah walked up behind Luo Yan, like a shadow at his back, and said softly.

"Governor Ailarike used the forged 'New Testament' to persuade Chief Referee Ximenes, who had lost patience with the King. Although Heigmer was furious with Baron Elaric, he ultimately didn't have the courage to cut that baron down with a single stroke, and could only swallow his anger under the majesty of the Judicial Court."

"Meanwhile, the Salvation Army has launched an offensive under the guidance of the new 'Oracle.' Over the past week they have attacked seven different locations across the province at the same time, targeting supply convoys of the Lion Heart Knight Order, as well as villages where Kingdom Guards and theologians are stationed."

"At present, those theologians from the Holy City no longer dare to rely on the Kingdom Guards. Now they only dare preach in villages where a Judge is personally stationed, and the Salvation Army generally does not attack those places."

Luo Yan asked with interest.

"The Judicial Court hasn't grown suspicious of Elaric?"

Sarah shook her head lightly.

"So far, there's no sign of that. After all, the Nobles' private soldiers have not been entirely useless; under the leadership of the Parliament they've also won a few battles and seized quite a lot of blasphemous evidence... Far from suspecting them, the Judicial Court is extremely satisfied. The Kingdom's Knight Order cherishes its reputation, but the people of the Holy Light Council do not."

As she spoke, Sarah's index finger lightly tapped a main traffic route on the map, a point marked with a red cross.

"Heigmer's proud heavy Cavalry are now like a lion toyed with by a swarm of bees. Clad in plate armor weighing dozens of pounds, they're running themselves ragged on muddy country roads, often just reaching a post that has been attacked when smoke signals rise from the opposite direction... And now, stationed on the provincial frontier, they must also face the embarrassment of supply shortages."

"Oh? Elaric has cut off their rations?"

"He doesn't have the guts," Sarah said with a slight, pursed-lip smile, her voice low. "But he can let the Salvation Army's guerrillas rob those supplies that were originally destined for the Knight Order."

After her tempering in the Academic State and Twilight Province, Sarah had grown quite a bit.

In the past she only knew how to use a dagger, but now she had gradually learned how to use things other than a dagger to toy with her enemies in the palm of her hand.

Conspiracy is an invisible dagger!

Luo Yan was satisfied with her progress; he looked at her and nodded approvingly.

Receiving praise, Sarah's face also showed a shy smile. Although his delight was not very obvious, the cat ears swaying lightly before and behind her still betrayed the joy and pride in her heart.

"Not bad. It seems we won't have to wait long before we can draw in the net."

"It's all thanks to your guidance." Sarah bowed her head modestly.

Luo Yan's gaze passed over the red crosses on the map and turned toward the direction of Twilight City.

"And our Chief Referee? Has he shown any reaction to the Knight Order the King has assigned him?"

"The Chief Referee is very displeased, and has nearly reached the point of being unable to endure it any longer."

A mocking glint flashed in Sarah's eyes, as if she were looking at a rat fallen into a trap.

"According to information Theresa has picked up, Chief Referee Ximenes approved a special appropriation just this morning. The money did not go to the poorly clothed and hungry Lion Heart Knight Order, but was allocated directly to Baron 'Elaric''s Holy Light Council to expand the scale of his private soldiers."

"The Judicial Court already no longer trusts the Knight Order, and the fuse was a major recent incident. Count Little Ed Tully led the Parliament's militia to wipe out a Salvation Army stronghold in the Earl of Grey Marsh, and 'accidentally' uncovered several wagons of printed copies of the 'New Testament.'"

The Gray Swamp Territory was the main garrison of the Lion Heart Knight Order, right next door to the Jing Shui Beach Territory where the Campbell people were stationed.

Luo Yan's face once again showed an expression of interest. His gaze dropped to the map on the table, and sure enough, on the plot marked Earl of Grey Marsh he saw a blue flag standing tall.

Of course, beside it there fluttered a red flag as well; clearly the Parliament's influence had already seeped in.

"That really is quite an accident."

"Yes."

With a smile on her face, Sarah continued in a gentle voice.

"The Knight Order's dereliction of duty actually allowed heretical printed matter to pile up into a mountain right under their noses. If these New Testaments had been delivered to Twilight City or elsewhere, the consequences would have been simply unimaginable... Those are Elaric's exact words. Theresa personally saw him in the Central Cathedral of Twilight City, pointing at Vice Officer Heigmer's nose and cursing him out."

"Now, the Holy Light Council has been ordered to go to the Gray Swamp Territory to search for the workshops that printed these blasphemous publications. I imagine it won't be long before they have 'results.'"

Luo Yan smiled, utterly convinced.

Those "New Testaments" that were regarded as the source of all heresy were not printed by any underground workshop at all, but came from a printing house in the southern Campbell Duchy, controlled by Punk.

Incidentally, this printing house also happens to be the supplier that prints newspapers for the Thunder City Daily.

Few people know that the Thunder City Daily is actually something else concocted by Punk.

The paper made a name for itself in the Colin Group listing incident, occupying a substantial share of Thunder City's media industry. Later, in the "Winter Moon Coup," the paper, as one of Edward's die-hard supporters, rallied the reformist citizens of Thunder City.