Chapter 412: Faith Without Fanaticism

"Th... thank you for your kindness!"

The child's mother thanked the dark-gray giant before her repeatedly, and just as she prepared to take her child away, that deep, resonant voice sounded once more.

"Do you need anything else?"

The mother slowly turned around, her tone trembling slightly as she spoke.

"I would like to know where the Workers Association is. Do you know?"

Looking at the dark-gray giant before her, the mother did not know for a moment what the other party intended to do at the Workers Association, and just then, Fang Yue suddenly spoke up.

"I am the representative of the Workers Association—Fang Yue. What business do you have with our Workers Association?"

The dark-gray giant's gaze turned toward two men in work clothes standing not far away, and one of them, who looked relatively young, spoke slowly.

"I am a warrior who came to provide support from the Ninth Defense Zone, and my name is Volgan Vulkan."

Upon learning that the dark-gray giant before him was a warrior from the Ninth Defense Zone, Fang Yue instantly thought of the Emperor who had saved him from the cage, the sunlight spilling over him; that Emperor was just as imposing.

"It just so happens we are going to the Workers Association to take an oath; I will take you there."

Seeing this, Vulkan revealed a faint smile to the mother before him and spoke slowly.

"I apologize, I know my appearance may be a bit frightening, but please believe me, I will not harm you."

Having said this, Vulkan slowly stood up and followed Fang Yue and Lao Li to the Workers Association.

After Vulkan followed Fang Yue away, the surrounding residents finally dared to come out of their homes and discuss it among themselves.

"My god, wasn't that too tall?"

"Exactly, even the Beast Race aren't that tall, right?"

"However, he said he came from the Ninth Defense Zone. The Emperor also seems to be from the Ninth Defense Zone; could it be that he has some connection to the Emperor?"

"That's actually possible! I think I just heard him say something like... father... yes! That's it, father!"

"Could he be the Emperor's heir?"

"Stop discussing it. When Fang Yue comes next time, won't we know if we just ask them?"

Inside the spacious and bright Workers Association hall, heads were moving and it was bustling with noise, as many fellow workers had already gathered there.

They were each wearing work uniforms, lined up in orderly, uniform rows, everyone with a solemn expression and grave demeanor, waiting for the oath-taking to begin.

Fang Yue and Lao Li stood side by side, standing quietly at the end of the line.

Just then, a burst of light footsteps came from afar, drawing everyone's attention.

A tall woman, her entire body covered by a black robe, was seen slowly walking onto the podium.

The woman slightly raised her head, and after scanning the entire hall with her gaze, she spoke in a solemn voice: "Dear fellow workers, the great Emperor has made us deeply realize that only unity and unwavering faith are the most powerful weapons for us to overcome all hardships and obstacles. Today, at this moment, please let us raise our hands together, cross them over our chests, and take a solemn oath to express our supreme loyalty to the Emperor, while also demonstrating our steadfast and unyielding faith in Human Civilization!"

As soon as the words fell, a deafening shout instantly rang out throughout the hall: "For the Emperor! For Human!"

This impassioned slogan was like a surging torrent, echoing and reverberating within the empty hall. Every person's face was filled with fervor and persistence.

Fang Yue clenched his fists tightly, his arms trembling slightly from excitement. He straightened his spine, held his head high, and shouted with all his might: "For the Emperor! For Human!"

Meanwhile, Vulkan stood at the very back of the hall; hearing these workers' oaths, he thought of his father's attitude toward workers and farmers. His father treated every laborer as an equal, without distinction of high or low status.

After the workers finished their oaths, they began to leave the hall in an orderly fashion, but their gazes would all drift toward the dark-gray giant standing at the very back of the hall, who was like a mountain.

Fang Yue went to the side of the black-robed woman and, after briefly explaining the situation to her, saw the black-robed woman pause, then walk toward the position where Vulkan was standing.

The woman in the black robe arrived before Vulkan, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a devout tone.

"Are you the Emperor's heir, Lord Volgan Vulkan?"

"Yes. I came here because I want to understand some things about my father's time here. Can you tell me about them in detail?"

"Of course, it is my honor."

The black-robed woman slowly stood up and led Vulkan to the podium of the Oath Hall. The interior space of the entire hall was very spacious; after entering, Vulkan did not feel any sense of confinement. The gate of the Oath Hall alone was 7 meters high, and the interior of the hall was likely 20 meters high. There were no overly luxurious decorations inside, but it was kept very clean.

"This Oath Hall was built for those laborers who believe in the Emperor's ideology. The purpose is to remind ourselves not to forget the pain that the old order of the Human Alliance once brought us, and that we cannot walk the same old path as them."

The black-robed woman explained to Vulkan in a calm voice, while Vulkan's gaze turned to the bright red flag behind the podium of the Oath Hall, which bore the very pattern his father liked most: a flag with two tools crossed together.

"This was a pattern the Emperor suggested to us at the time, but he clearly stated that this pattern did not originate from his own conception, but was something left behind by predecessors, carrying Faith." The black-robed woman tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the distance.

"Then do you think this pattern could have been my father's idea?"

The black-robed woman shook her head gently and responded in a steady tone: "I do not think so. Because I have always firmly believed that what the Emperor said is true, just as when the Emperor saved us, who had already fallen into the abyss of despair, from the cages of the Beast Race; he has never deceived us."

After hearing the black-robed woman's answer, Vulkan could not help but nod. A flash of subtle appreciation passed through his reddish eyes.

In his view, the answer from this black-robed woman was just right—Faith without fanaticism.

Extreme faith can sometimes turn into another disaster, a disaster invisible to the naked eye.

This attitude, where rationality and piety coexist, was exactly the scene his father hoped to see. After all, true Faith should be based on a conviction from the depths of the heart, not blind, fanatical following.

Thinking of this, Vulkan said approvingly.

"I think if my father heard your answer, he would certainly affirm it."