https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-265-Lanchi-s-Black-and-White-Dichotomy/12584333/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-267-Cardinal-Lanchi-s-Leisurely-Life-in-the-Imperial-Capital/12584335/
Chapter 266: Lanchi's Deadly Final Assessment
Chapter 266: Lanchi's Deadly Final Assessment
Caius' gaze shifted back and forth between Lanchi and the statue.
Even the clerics of the Church of Rebirth knew that the Goddess of Fate would never make such an obscene gesture.
But the sculptor in front of them seemed to be cursing the Church and the Extinction Branch in the name of the goddess!
Caius' fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a "tap tap" sound, as if weighing something or making a judgment.
Lanchi stood calmly, his face expressionless except for the hint of a smile in his eyes.
Caius' brows furrowed in confusion, his complex emotions rare on his usually cold and hard face.
It was only when he observed the young man up close that Caius realized that this person was as abstract as his artwork, and it was impossible to tell if he was simple-minded or unfathomably deep.
Caius hesitated for a moment, then, staring at the statue, he finally couldn't bring himself to discard it as a failed work. He placed it with the qualified ones instead.
He would be the owner of these qualified works.
They were originally intended for internal display.
But now he had decided to keep Lanchi's stone sculpture for himself.
This young man would undoubtedly become the most outstanding sculptor in the Protoss Empire.
By then, the value of this piece would be immeasurable.
He was certain that the young man's artistic prowess far exceeded his imagination, and his talent was as excellent as his written test results.
"You're quite remarkable."
Caius praised, slowly nodding, "You've passed."
Lanchi smiled faintly, knowing that Caius wouldn't destroy his work.
Then he walked down from the stage and returned to his seat, waiting for the end of the practical exam.
Many of the qualified candidates looked at Lanchi with various thoughts.
Some admired him, some were jealous and greedy, and still, others, like Xide, showed no signs of their inner thoughts, merely observing Lanchi quietly.
In a corner of the hall, the pile of discarded debris looked like a small hill.
The last submitter nervously approached Caius, his hands slightly trembling as he held the statue of the Goddess of Fate, which seemed to sense his tension.
If it weren't for the lack of time, he wouldn't have submitted this half-finished work. His face was pale, and his eyes pleaded with Caius to understand his intentions.
However, Caius' eyes seemed to dislike such weakness. He stared coldly at the submitter and then turned his gaze to the statue.
After a moment, he sighed and shook his head.
Immediately, two tall and heavily armored clerics grabbed the examinee's arms forcefully.
"My position is just! High Cleric Caius!"
The examinee struggled and begged for mercy, but to no avail. In the end, his screams faded as he was dragged out of the hall.
As the heavy door that led to nowhere slowly closed, the clock struck half past, indicating that half an hour had passed since the exam began on the hour.
"Congratulations on passing the interview and the practical exam. Regardless of whether you pass the final assessment or not, you are all qualified to become colleagues of the Extinction Branch. However, those who achieve excellent results in the final assessment will have the opportunity to receive a rapid promotion opportunity directly from the Bishop of Extinction."
Caius finally stood up, his eyes scanning each examinee's face as he spoke.
His voice was slightly more peaceful than before, yet still carried an air of intimidation.
The examinees looked at Caius, waiting for him to announce the content of the final assessment.
They knew that the final assessment was the most important part.
They longed to become more than just new clerics with ordinary white "Rebirth Certificates-Extinction." They hoped to quickly rise through the ranks, becoming elite clerics or high clerics, catching the eye of the Bishop of Extinction, and perhaps even becoming their direct subordinate or advancing further in the future.
"For the final assessment, let me see your worth, and this worth will be the best reflection of your comprehensive strength."
Caius lifted his hand and pointed to the crowd below,
"You have one day to challenge any cleric in the Extinction Branch who holds a blue precious or higher-level 'Rebirth Certificate-Extinction.' Use your wits and any means necessary, within the bounds of the law, to cause them as much trouble as possible. I want to see how effective your schemes are."
This was a process of adapting to the current situation and policies.
It would also help select the talent they needed the most during the Bishop selection process in the Protoss Empire.
If they couldn't handle even the existing elite clerics in the empire's environment, then they were not the talent the Church urgently needed.
"However, you must also choose your opponents carefully and be prepared for retaliation."
As Caius's voice faded, his figure slowly disappeared into the corridor inside the hall.
At the same time, the main door of the hall opened once more, signaling that the examinees could leave or that the formal final assessment was about to begin.
They would have 24 hours to choose and investigate their opponents, as well as devise, execute, and complete their plans.
"..."
Inside the hall, the flickering candlelight cast the shadows of the candidates onto the cold, stone mural-covered walls, creating distorted dark shapes that seemed like demons about to break free.
Each crystal in the wrought-iron ceiling reflected faint light, illuminating their varied expressions.
As they pondered Caius's words, the examinees began to exchange glances, their eyes conveying a clear understanding without any verbal communication.
Having understood the rules, they quickly grasped something crucial—
Compared to their competitive relationship, the candidates could collaborate with each other.
They could join forces to take on one elite cleric and then move on to another.
Perhaps this was what Caius wanted to convey—that the Extinction Branch was an organization that valued collaborative hunting of their enemies.
However.
As one of the more notable candidates, Lanchi stood up, stretched lazily, and then casually turned and walked out of the hall.
He seemed to have no intention of cooperating with anyone.
"Is he that proud?"
"I was thinking of calling him over to see if a few of us could take on one of the Grand Clerics."
As faint whispers filled the air, Lanchi's figure slowly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
The only one similar to him was Xide, who left the hall alone, not sparing anyone a second glance.
...
The Temple of the Extinction Knights loomed large and mysterious, its towering spires and frosted walls glistening in the sunlight.
Lanchi exited through the main entrance of the Extinction Knights' Temple, finding himself on the chilly town street.
The cold wind continued to blow in gusts.
He walked to the center of the road, where the sunlight shone diagonally from his left, casting his shadow to the right.
The cobblestone street stretched out from the front of the Extinction Knights' Temple, and the low buildings on either side were covered in frost.
After turning a few corners, Lanchi's little black cat emerged from his shadow again and jumped into his arms.
"Meow meow meow! Lanchi! You can't escape the Extinction Branch now!"
The cat boss had been terrified in that exam room where he almost didn't make it out.
This organization would destroy you even if they didn't let you pass! Having come this far, Lanchi had no choice but to see the third round through to the end.
"Now that I'm here, I'll definitely finish the exam."
Lanchi continued walking, gently stroking the little cat's head.
His posture was relaxed, his steps as soft as if walking on a carpet. In the wind, his hair gently brushed against his white shirt, revealing the trim of his vest. Leaving the Extinction Knights as he had arrived, he seemed untouched by the mud around him.
He knew what he wanted, and he seemed confident about the upcoming assessment.
"Then... who do you plan to target for the final assessment? What's your strategy?"
In the cat boss's opinion, Lanchi wasn't the type to scheme and harm others in secret.
He was always straightforward and aboveboard, and if anything, his style was more similar to the clerics of the Dominance Branch.
Working together, the two of them could easily subdue an elite cleric with force, but when it came to plotting and scheming, the cat couldn't imagine what Lanchi would do.
"It's already done."
Lanchi smiled as he replied.
Cat Boss: "????"
...
That evening, the Protoss Empire received an anonymous tip—Grand Cleric Caius of the Extinction Branch was accused of privately owning a statue of the Goddess of Fate, involving a substantial sum of money, and was suspected of being a heretic of the Church of the Goddess of Fate who had infiltrated the upper echelons of the Church of Rebirth, showing signs of unsteady and improper faith.
Although the Extinction Branch quickly held a press conference to clarify the matter, under the united criticism and suppression of the Dominance and Lament Branches, the Extinction Branch had no choice but to investigate the incident, resulting in Grand Cleric Caius being removed from his position.
(End of Chapter)
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