Armor-Piercing Munition: Face Me, Carbon-Based Monster!
Chapter 264 - 111 Counterattack_2

Chapter 264: Chapter 111 Counterattack_2

"Go, go and list the evidence of the traitors."

"I think you know what to do."

"I know."

The Archbishop slightly bowed, and after straightening up, he asked again:

"But I want to confirm one more thing..."

"Sir, the evidence we need... does it need to include those Huaxia Army members?"

"No."

Jin Cheng said firmly:

"Quite the opposite, we need to let all the citizens of Jinling City know that those ’Supreme Saint Eight One’ are also victims."

"They too were deceived by the traitors, they too are unaware of the truth."

"This is not just for our own safety, more importantly, I want the Huaxia Army to know who the true ruler is."

"I want them to know that the things they need, only I can give them."

"Want stability? I can bestow it upon them."

"But when I’m not willing to give, they absolutely cannot take it by force!"

"Otherwise... even if it means mutual destruction, I would make them... get nothing!"

.....

After Jin Cheng’s plan was formulated, the Archbishop quickly convened the core church members to convey his instructions.

And soon, the counterattack from the Mechanical God Sect came swiftly.

The Archbishop’s strategy was identical to the one set by He Shuo.

They likewise did not use any "official channels" of the church, instead spreading rumors about the "unrighteous" in secret.

Perhaps they also knew that in this world, among the ignorant civilians, rumors often carry more credibility than top-down "testimonies."

Thus, a piece of news quietly spread throughout Jinling City.

When the sun rose the next day, merchants, civilians, mercenaries, and even prostitutes were discussing the same topic.

"Did you hear? The sinner has been found."

"He is an unrighteous person who betrayed the Mechanical God Sect."

"What kind of unrighteous person? How would I know?"

"I heard that pure blood no longer flows through his veins."

"No, I heard he desecrated the Mechanical Soul, causing it to leave us."

"Now, the Supreme Saint Eight One has returned with the Mechanical Soul, and the returned Mechanical Soul has pointed out the sins of the unrighteous."

"Who is it? Who exactly is the unrighteous?"

"I don’t know, but perhaps the commander of the 15th Guard Brigade is the chosen adjudicator."

"Him? What gives him the right...."

...

The truth and falsehood blend together, yet no piece of news has a clear direction.

And this is precisely the brilliance of Jin Cheng.

From the start, he did not directly oppose the "visions" created by He Shuo, but instead used them to judge the "unrighteous."

Clearly, the people who were already brainwashed by religious ideology bought into this.

But that alone wasn’t enough.

Their motivation was still far from adequate.

The church had to give them more reasons.

More reasons to "continue exploring."

So, the news about the unrighteous causing disasters gradually spread as well.

Those secret records that had never left the Great Book Collection seemed to be spreading as bedtime stories on this day.

In just one morning, many people in Jinling City were thoroughly familiar with the story of the "unrighteous bringing down Divine Punishment and involving Chuansha City in destruction."

Of course, there were also stories like "The unrighteous Zhang He was shot to death by the Saint with the sacred Spear of Fate" and "The unrighteous betrayed the Saint and was buried by the most loyal Holy Trinity Knight."

Some of these stories originated from doctrines and scriptures, while others appeared out of thin air.

But no one ever questioned the authenticity of these stories.

Even the most devout believers only doubted their grasp of doctrines and their familiarity with the complex history.

After all, how could anything related to the church be false?

Moreover, everything circulated so far completely aligns with the doctrines...

Thus, in a very short time, everyone firmly believed that the unrighteous had indeed appeared.

He just hadn’t been found and punished yet.

But who exactly is he?

Their attention once again focused on Zhang Tao.

He became the legendary "adjudicator," and everyone pinned their hopes on his swift action, eagerly waiting for him to bring the unrighteous to the Holy Trinity, to put an end in order to avoid the potential "Divine Punishment."

However, the more they focused on him, the more everything about him was exposed.

His career, his identity, his experiences during childhood, the battles he organized...

Gradually, different voices began to emerge.

No one knew where the first problem came from, but indeed someone asked the first crucial question:

"Is he really... worthy of being the adjudicator?"

Perhaps, he’s not.

Some said that he once lost over a hundred elite Guard Brigade soldiers in Jinghai due to command errors, but that seemed not to be a mistake, but rather a sacrifice to heretics.

Some said his blood had already been contaminated by monsters, and even his mind had become unstable.

Others said the crisis of the Huadu siege was related to him; otherwise, how could he have arrived at that "coincidental" time?

An increasing number of people began to doubt Zhang Tao, yet no one questioned the origins of these rumors.

Unknowingly, public opinion about Zhang Tao took a radical turn.

Compared to previous speculations, the "truth" after the reversal seemed more convincing.

He was solidified as the "unrighteous."

He became the sinner who deceived the Holy Trinity, the church, the Saint, and the God of All Mechanisms.

No one knows why.

The fervent believers simply blamed all their suffering on him, demanding he explain and prove his innocence.

And as such voices grew, explanations seemed unnecessary.

The believers put down their work and gathered in front of the Holy Hall, chanting slogans like their voices being small would instantly bring about the apocalypse.

"Judge the unrighteous! Quell the wrath of the God of All Mechanisms!"

"The unrighteous must be punished! Let the Holy Trinity hear the wishes of the believers!"

"Saint! Pray to the God of All Mechanisms!"

"Let the Holy Trinity and the Supreme Saint Eight One uphold justice for the loyal subjects of the God of All Mechanisms!"

"Unrighteous one, show yourself! Accept your fate!"

...

The noisy voices echoed throughout Jinling City, and unrest had already occurred.

But at this moment, the Mechanical Holy Temple made no response.

The Saint only dispatched his most loyal Guard Brigade and Imperial Guard to maintain order on the streets, suppressing the angry residents.

But faced with the gathering of more than a thousand believers, the Church Protection Army, unable to use weapons, was finally starting to feel overwhelmed.

The situation was about to spiral out of control, like a building on the brink of collapse.

At this moment, the Holy Hall was finally "forced" to respond.

Dressed in black, the Archbishop walked out of the grand hall of the Mechanical Holy Temple with a solemn expression, raising his hands high, standing before the crowd.

Then, his voice was amplified countless times through a mysterious mechanical device that the public could not comprehend.

"The teachings of Holy Trinity, no believer should slander good people, nor forgive the wicked."

"Before the Judgement Court’s ruling, no private arbitration shall take place."

"Regarding the suspicion of the commander of the 15th Guard Brigade being an unrighteous person, the Judgement Court is still investigating."

"Before the Judgement Court renders a verdict, faithful believers should be at peace, pray, and await news."

"The Judgement Court, following the true words of the Holy Trinity, will combat all heresies, abominations, and evils until everything returns to the divine kingdom."

"At this moment, though the investigation has faced indescribable obstacles, the Judgement Court will continue its efforts."

"Moreover, all the warriors of the Guard Brigade are faithful believers with excellent character and blessed by the gods."

"I believe they would not hesitate to step forward and prove their steadfast faith and untainted integrity..."

After speaking, the Archbishop turned and returned to the Holy Hall.

And the next moment, a tsunami of cries surged toward the 15th Guard Brigade’s garrison where Zhang Tao was located.

"Prove your faith!"

"Prove your innocence!"