Chapter 1132: Weng Falos 3.2 (178)

Na Ke Xia sneered, "Hmph… transforming from the Defiler of Gods into a surrogate of lofty divinity, I should indeed feel honored."

"I will summon Kaines' faction to meet, and ask you to wait a moment; thereafter a heralded soldier will guide you. In the meantime you may wander nearby at will. But please do not leave the guards' sight, lest you delay urgent matters," Laigushi said.

"I know Kaines' ways well; no need to emphasize deliberately."

"I shall obey your instructions. Thank you for your cooperation."

Se Xisi chuckled beside him, "Ah… I thought you had some cunning plan, but it turns out you just moved from one cage to another."

Na Ke Xia, displeased, turned his face aside, "I have confidence; there's no need to waste extra effort."

"Heh, then I'll just take a walk around. Looking about… are there any murals depicting me here? I'm curious how mortals outside Shu Ting regard the other Titans."

"Go ahead, I won't accompany you."

Na Ke Xia thought: "These Titans are so leisurely… I'll first probe the Senate's recent movements."

Se Xisi's smile deepened, "I can hear it crystal clear."

Na Ke Xia, even more displeased, "Tsk…"

Na Ke Xia entered a nearby courtyard and heard a student calling his name from afar.

The student, serving as a scribe, upon seeing Na Ke Xia safe, let out a sigh of relief, "Teacher Na Ke Xia? I heard the scholars of Shu Ting bravely sacrificed themselves to resist Heichi; I didn't expect you to be unharmed… fate truly smiles!"

Na Ke Xia forced a smile and shook his head, "Better to say fate is playing tricks."

The student laughed, "Ha ha, only the Hanging Edge folk and Ai Diliya pursue glory through death; it's a good thing you escaped danger, good thing!" He paused, "So you're here to report the whole incident to the Senate? I heard not only Shu Ting was swallowed by Heichi, Aohema is not far either. Even if the Demigod of 'Conflict' sides with humanity…"

"Tell me, how much does the Senate know about Heichi?"

"Kaines' faction, having learned that Se Xisi and Olorinis fell one after another, began to loudly proclaim in the Senate that the Fire Pursuit faction was powerless against the calamity, a single tree cannot support… but when that prince ascended to divinity and repelled Heichi, she immediately switched her stance, claiming that aside from Aohema the overall situation was settled, and the only remaining threat was Aglaea and her followers. Probably at the next citizen assembly, they will make a move."

——

Attack on Titan.

"…these Senate vermin."

Levi sat by the window and let out a displeased "tsk".

"These wind‑following fellows only know how to manipulate such tricks behind the scenes; if they truly bring Aglaea down, do they really think they have the ability to deal with Heichi?"

Erwin sat at a desk not far away, listening to the student of Na Ke Xia's statement in the heavens; his face did not show the obvious disgust that Levi's did. "They don't care about Heichi's approach; Heichi is merely a bargaining chip for them to fight for rights. Such people are actually common, even within the city walls…" Erwin paused, a faint weariness flashing in his deep blue eyes, "…and there are many in the palace as well."

Levi slammed the tea can onto the heavy table, "Tsk… just thinking that lives are a bargaining chip in their eyes is unpleasant."

"Compared to Aglaea, Kaines is a more textbook 'political animal'. Heichi and the Titans are weapons they use to crush dissent; though the tactic is vile, it is undeniably effective. If she can persuade a majority at the citizen assembly… everything will be over."

"So we can only watch helplessly as she twists her lips and stirs trouble in the Senate?" Levi lowered his voice, his gaze sharp as a blade, "If Aglaea is willing to act…"

"Breaking the rules will only stir more citizens' fear, which is a net loss and will draw more opposition to the Fire Pursuit Journey." Erwin closed his eyes, "The urgent priority is that Aglaea probably needs to create more victories to satisfy people's emotions, thereby proving the Fire Pursuit Journey is correct. For example… successfully subduing the Death Titan or the Sky Titan, and obtaining those two flames, would more easily stabilize public sentiment."

"Honestly, the Fire Pursuit Journey has progressed very quickly lately; can that not prove Aglaea is right?"

"Probably not." Erwin shook his head regretfully, "…in the eyes of those who don't believe Aglaea, whatever she does cannot prove she's right. Unless… someone can show that the consequences of the Senate's Kaines faction holding power are worse than Aglaea's."

——

"Just as expected, wind‑following fellows… thank you for your candid confession, upright student."

Se Xisi stepped closer, "Heh, steering with the wind is not without its own argumentative wisdom…"

Na Ke Xia impatiently glanced at Se Xisi, "Aren't you going to find your own mural? Stop chattering beside my ear."

"I am truly curious how you manage to compromise under the spears of both sides, and thus sit as a by‑stander. But at first glance, this Kaines seems far more ruthless… why would you think of using her as a backing? Could it be that you sense death looming and simply hand over this body as a surrender?"

"Hmph, then you will probably be disappointed."

Na Ke Xia redirected his gaze to the others nearby, pondering whom to ask, when a mocking voice echoed from afar.

"Hmph, even a Defiler of Gods scholar can come here?"

Na Ke Xia was not angry; he was accustomed to such remarks filling his ears, and laughed self‑deprecatingly, "Seems I'm not welcome here either."

The insolent speaker was an elderly priest; seeing Na Ke Xia approach, his mocking tone deepened, "Ha, Anaxagoras? I thought you, like the other scholars, had perished in Heichi."

Na Ke Xia's gaze darkened, "As a KefaLe priest, you truly do not know how to respect the dead?"

"Joke! You lot of Defiler of Gods heretics are unworthy of the Supreme God's respect. A friendly reminder: this journey is at Dawn Cloud Cliff, so keep your delusional words to yourself. I'm no longer the auxiliary priest who could only read people's moods; I have plenty of means to deal with you now."

"The God of Creation could actually produce a follower like you; I don't know whether to find it laughable or pitiful." Na Ke Xia turned the conversation, "In my view, a dead Titan can't give you such confidence, can it? Who is it, Kaines?"

"Hmph, considering the favor the Kaines elders bestow, I'll spare you for now. Go, and stop hindering the Supreme God's blessings upon us."

Se Xisi watched with relish, "Ah… what a splendid clash, truly worthy of a KefaLe follower."

"…Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"It's a compliment. As a follower of the Savior God, one should hate evil as a foe."

The priest, not seeing Se Xisi and assuming Na Ke Xia was talking to thin air alone, angrily began to shoo him away, "I said, go, go far away! Don't babble like a madman, obstructing my meditation!"

Na Ke Xia couldn't help rolling his eyes and turned away, "I've had enough… can the fifteenth gate open faster?"