https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-279-Lanchi-the-Favored-One-Has-It-Easy/12584348/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-281-The-Arrival-of-Lanchi-the-Founding-Patriarch/12584350/
Chapter 280: Lanchi's Thoughts on the Demon King's Army
Chapter 280: Lanchi's Thoughts on the Demon King's Army
"..."
Cardinal Lanchi sensed that this woman, Gloria, wasn't an enemy.
She didn't harbor intense malevolence towards him but rather a mix of complex emotions—jealousy, doubt, and resentment, perhaps, but not hostility.
Lanchi quickly realized that she was likely an undercover agent within the Protoss Royal Academy, a member of their Batian branch.
His own authority was higher, and by using the '[Saint's Token - Batian]' to sense, he could subtly detect anyone bearing the '[Rebirth Token - Batian]'.
But she seemed a little unhappy.
Lanchi could only smile helplessly and express friendliness towards her.
His emerald eyes were naturally flawless, and his expression carried a hint of melancholy and concern.
"..."
This caused Gloria to clench her fists, her knuckles turning white.
In her eyes, Lanchi's expression seemed to be saying: "Xide likes me, and there's nothing you can do about it."
Gloria forcefully endured the throbbing vein on her forehead, turning her head away to avoid meeting Lanchi's gaze.
She really wanted to punch that smug matcha-boy!!
He didn't say a word, but it felt even worse than if he had directly called her stupid.
How could the Batian teachings favor such a guy?!
This jerk was nothing like the people of their Batian branch; instead, he resembled those from the Jiuxiao branch. If he happened to be a Seal Master as well, he would be a formidable competitor for the Jiuxiao Saint Child.
Gloria had no intention of continuing this conversation with the Batian Saint Child.
He was indeed the favored one, and she had no choice but to accept it.
Today, she had followed the Batian Saint Child here merely to see what was so great about him.
As the two stopped talking, students gradually filled the classroom, taking their seats without much conversation. The faint sounds of desks and thick books filled the room.
Every corner of the history classroom was bathed in the pale white light of the winter morning. Maps and timelines on the walls swayed gently in the breeze, and the vines and leaves outside the windows rustled, casting shifting shadows on the glass.
Footsteps increased, and the play of light and shadow outside the windows became busier.
A chill silence enveloped the classroom.
The room's din ceased as the clock struck the hour, and all students quietly awaited the start of the class.
By the door, a steady, swift pace of footsteps approached.
The door slowly opened, and a figure appeared in the doorway, outlined by the light.
A young man, standing at about 6'1", with hair as black as ink that occasionally obscured his eyes—eyes as deep as the starry sky and carrying a hint of profound melancholy, as if the mysteries of the universe lay within. He wore a black, unrestrained-looking long coat.
His handsome face was slightly haggard, bearing signs of severe sleep deprivation.
It was Professor Shido Arendale, associate professor of history at Protoss Royal Academy, who would be teaching this class.
"Alright, students," Shido began, "Although I usually prefer to maintain an interactive style for most history lessons, I'd like to deliver this lecture on 'Modern History of the Empire' without too many interruptions. Of course, you may still ask questions at any time, but I may not always answer them. Is that alright?"
Shido's voice wasn't deep at all; instead, it had a clear and casual tone.
The students didn't comment on Shido's blunt declaration; they responded with silence.
They, too, knew why Associate Professor Shido would say such a thing.
Currently, the Protoss Empire was at a critical juncture, and a form of 'Wilfordism' was gaining traction—
Once given the chance, they would label you as having an 'incorrect stance', forcing you to desperately prove your innocence. And if your defense wasn't convincing enough, they would rather wrongfully condemn you than let you go.
This ideology was resisted by many and embraced by many others.
Modern History of the Empire delved into the recent history of the Northern Continent, intimately linked to the Empire's current situation. Every time Shido lectured on holy wars, the present situation, causes, and connections, students would get worked up, leading to heated arguments that sometimes prevented him from continuing his lesson. Some students even began questioning Shido's stance.
Shido had requested an assistant teacher from the academy, but no suitable candidate could help him maintain discipline in the classroom.
After all, Protoss Royal Academy had its fair share of scions from powerful and influential families, and no one in their right mind would want to offend them.
Shido placed the yellowed book he was holding on the lectern and turned on the magical projection behind him.
He didn't start with a lecture but instead played a video clip.
As dusk deepened, the colorful sunset was obscured by thick clouds, casting an ominous shadow over the sky.
In the distance, something was slowly approaching—what seemed like bottomless black holes were, upon closer inspection, numerous figures clad in pitch-black heavy armor. But they weren't human; they were a group of hideous demons, each bearing deep scars and eyes burning with fanaticism. They were cruel, as if they had crawled straight out of hell.
And when this army arrived, everything changed.
The sky was consumed by a thick crimson mist, like an impending burst of a malevolent eye staring down at the land.
What used to be a peaceful town had now become a slaughterhouse of death. The lingering smoke and flames flickered amidst the ruins, and shattered corpses lay scattered under the debris of houses. The bloodstains had dried to a dark reddish hue, and the air was filled with a nauseating stench of blood that was more putrid than any rot.
This land had been cursed, transformed into a hellish realm where every breath was suffused with suffocating fear until the very essence of life was snuffed out.
Only the mountains of corpses remained, their faces frozen in agony, despair, and terror.
Those blood-colored shadows, like vengeful spirits, darted swiftly through every corner of the town, their broken flesh and hungry cravings leaving a trail of destruction.
"This footage was not taken a hundred years ago, but just a year ago. It is suspected that the ghost of the Demon King's special killing force has returned."
The images behind Shido flickered as he spoke in a flat, emotionless tone.
The people of the North were filled with dread.
They even longed for the protection of the Bishop of Oblivion, unwilling to face those cruel demons.
The other northern kingdoms denied that these demons originated from their lands.
However, even if this group of demons emerged from the depths of the Calamity of the Far North, they would have had to pass through the Northern Kingdoms and definitely needed a base of operations.
Later, more and more evidence pointed towards the Kingdom of Etheria as the source of the problem.
Investigation reports also indicated that the border towns near the Kingdom of Etheria had unusually high rates of missing people.
Eventually, the panic that started in the North spread to the imperial capital, leading to the expulsion of the Church of the Goddess of Fate, which had deep ties with the Kingdom of Etheria, and the embrace of the Church of Rebirth. Ironically, this turn of events seemed contrary to the schemes of the Church of Rebirth, as the northern bishops and branches were often at odds, making it challenging for them to unite, and even the imperial decision-makers had to compete to achieve a consensus.
"It seems that a war between the Protoss Empire and the Kingdom of Etheria is inevitable, and the other northern kingdoms will not stand idly by as the Kingdom of Etheria is annexed by the Protoss Empire. Regardless, this will be a..."
Shido's words trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.
This was a terrible war with no winners.
However, this war was simply a continuation of the historical foundations and trends that the Protoss Empire had laid over the past century, and going to war with the other races was inevitable.
Even without this catalyst, there would have been other triggers for the conflict.
Perhaps many students in the classroom had their own thoughts and questions, such as doubting the cause of the war, the authenticity of the evidence, including the footage, and the potential hidden conspiracies behind the war.
But no one in their right mind would dare to voice these concerns publicly, lest they be accused of having a strong anti-war stance.
"..."
Lanchi sat in the back of the classroom, his eyes fixed on the recorded images of the Demon King's army, deep in thought.
In the main story, about a year from now, the Northern Continent would be plunged into a prolonged war.
And the cause, as Shido narrated, was identical.
In fact, there were no issues.
From Lanchi's perspective, the only discrepancy was in the number of provinces.
Since arriving in the Northern Continent, Lanchi had repeatedly confirmed that the Protoss Empire currently consisted of 17 provinces.
However, a year later, the map of the Protoss Empire changed, leaving only 15 provinces in its homeland.
Lanchi cross-referenced the maps and realized that two provinces in the north had vanished without a trace.
This suggested that something unknown and catastrophic would occur during the war, leading to a massive tragedy in the northern provinces.
To inflict such devastation, the power of a failed eighth-tier Shadow World was insufficient, and a failed ninth-tier Shadow World was too small to be considered a natural disaster.
"What's with that expression?"
Gloria, a direct subordinate of the Dominating Pope, stared at Lanchi curiously.
She noticed that the usually gentle and harmless Lanchi had furrowed his brows.
Could it be that the revered Batian Saint Child would be startled by these demons?
"I just feel that these guys don't seem like demons," Lanchi mused, scratching his chin in confusion.
Compared to the Ikelite Five, who were trained in the orthodox teaching style of the Inferno Corridor Academy, this army fell somewhat short.
(End of Chapter)
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