Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?
Chapter 202: Volume 2 Finale Special Issue No. 535 of Truth Newspaper

Chapter 202: Volume 2 Finale Special Issue No. 535 of Truth Newspaper

Special Correspondent: Orelliano

Just yesterday, the internet in Solomon City was finally restored.

This also means that the three major disasters brought about by the rise of the Magic Tide to Solomon City: water outages, power outages, and internet outages, have now all been resolved.

On the day the internet returned, a netizen from Aquilae messaged me, asking why God still chose to punish him despite his daily fervent prayers, letting him suffer thirst from water shortages, disconnecting him from the internet, leaving him without electricity, and idly watching as demons attacked his town, harming his compatriots.

Here, I would like to share a story with everyone, hoping believers will understand the allegory within:

Once upon a time, humans walked freely and proliferated happily upon this land.

One day, all the angels gathered before God, and the Devil mingled among them.

God asked, "Devil, where do you come from?"

The Devil replied, "I come from Purgatory."

God asked, "Did you pass through the Main Plane? Did you see the humans I created? Do they still love me, respect me, and glorify me?"

The Devil replied, "Why would humans believe in God without reason? It is only because you protect them and their families, safeguard all that they have, and bless them with happiness. I bet that if you were to destroy everything they have, they would instantly curse you in return."

God said, "Of course. You may proceed as you please, but if you lose, I will punish you."

After receiving God’s permission, the Devil began to weave its conspiracies. It released all sorts of fearsome transcendent demons from the plane, letting them freely invade humanity.

In the blink of an eye, countless people lost their families, loved ones, and property.

Thus, under God’s guidance, Angel Leader Michael descended to the human world. He found the current Emperor, Constantine I, and told him how to set up factories, how to organize armies, and how to fight against the transcendent demons.

The faithful, under the organization of the Emperor of Solomon and his officials, began to diligently build walls, arrange weapons, and defend against the invasion of the transcendent demons while ceaselessly seeking God’s protection day and night.

God said, "Look, despite the calamities you’ve brought upon them, they still revere me."

The Devil replied, "Of course, they’re just following inertia, like sheep blindly following the leader. Without the Emperor and the Empire, would they still worship you as they always have?"

God said, "You may proceed as you please, but if you lose, I will punish you."

After receiving God’s permission, the Devil began to bring disasters to the Solomon Empire.

Consequently, the will of Emperor Constantine was clouded. He disbanded the loyal Imperial Guard of Solomon and instead recruited cheaper, godless foreign mercenaries, filling the army with all sorts of wicked thoughts.

He further expanded the bureaucratic system, causing them to be greedy and oppressive towards the people. Groups of people, to escape taxation, even abandoned their homelands and fled to the wilderness.

Thus, the Solomon Empire gradually weakened, but the Devil’s tricks did not stop there; cunningly, it realized the great strength of the Empire lay in its advanced technology and industrial might.

It opened the entrances to three sub-planes, allowing the evil Magic Tides within to spread out and destroy nearly all of the Empire’s scientific research data and production materials.

Finally, a hundred years later, the weakened West Solomon Empire collapsed. It perished at the hands of rebellious foreign mercenaries and died from the rupture of its industrial production chain and the loss of its technological civilization.

Churches were destroyed in swathes, and believers were slaughtered. The gasping survivors could only sit atop the ruins, digging into the mud for wild vegetables and earthworms to eat.

"Lord, why have you abandoned us..." Wails of despair were incessant atop the ruins of the Empire, echoing endlessly.

At that time, Angel Leader Gabriel descended upon the world. It guided the few remaining scholars to form the Church Court and keep the spark of civilization alive, using God’s teachings to enlighten the non-believers, converting Barbarians to civilization and allowing God’s radiance to be scattered across the world once more.

Despite the once-glorious Empire having been destroyed, countless nations were established on top of its ruins. More churches were built, stretching from the southern parts of the continent all the way to the far North, spreading God’s will far and wide.

God said, "You see, even if you destroy human states, decimate churches and faith, humans can still rebuild them, keeping the glory of faith and civilization unextinguished."

The Devil said, "Of course, because under a Heavenly Disaster they will instinctively come together, like a scattered herd of zebras, they will eventually select a new leader and establish a new nation. If I make them suspect and betray each other, will they still maintain their faith?"

God said, "This is your last chance. If you lose, I will punish you."

So the Devil played its trump card: it spread the sinister Hidden knowledge among humans, teaching them how to collect Spiritual Materials from extraordinary demonic beings, how to make Magic Potions, and how to consume them to gain Extraordinary Abilities.

As a result, a large number of Transcendents were born. They first began exterminating extraordinary demons; however, it wasn’t long before these creatures were eradicated.

The desire for strength and the craving for Extraordinary Powers dominated their will. They began to slaughter each other, plundering the Extraordinary Power and Extraordinary Traits from one another.

Suspicion grew among people. Ordinary humans feared the power of the Transcendents, who in turn considered ordinary people as worthless. To acquire power and status that matched their strength, Transcendents started meddling in the politics of nations, resulting in considerable upheaval and a reshuffling of power.

This dominance built on extraordinary strength was unstable because the rise of Transcendents was too rapid. Often, a Transcendent would be assassinated by an even more powerful newcomer, having usurped the local Lord’s rule just the previous month.

Thus, wars raged on without end, dynasties fell, crowns tumbled to the ground, towns were slaughtered, and bones littered the fields.

At this time, Angel Leader Raphael descended upon the world. It taught the Church Court how to use Anti-Demon Magnetic Fields to restrain the exercise of Extraordinary Abilities. It led the Church Court to educate the public, letting them know that Extraordinary Powers are harmful and evil.

It told the monarchs and Nobles of various countries how Transcendents were destroying our current world:

Transcendents do not engage in production, only in plunder. They pursue endless upgrades and greater strength—desiring to become stronger and stronger, a process consuming massive human and material resources, wasted when they one day die, contributing nothing back to the people.

Their every action is destructive, obliterating towns and leveling villages, without a shred of mercy. They have lost human empathy, even consider themselves no longer human but a part of Demons, indulging in their downfall without repentance.

Under God’s instruction, the Church Court began to forbid Extraordinary Powers. Temple Knights and Demon Hunters roamed among nations, capturing disruptive Transcendents, trying them, and eliminating them. Nations also began to control their citizens with order, teaching them to reject evil and embrace the light.

So, the Devil’s three tricks all failed. It hung its head low beneath God’s radiance, still attempting to argue its case when Angel Leader Uriel, wielding the Flame Sword, descended and cast the Devil down into Purgatory, never to rise again.

Dear readers, please consider patiently: which of life’s trials is not a test bestowed upon you by God?

If you succumb under adversity, then the will of the Devil prevails; but if you persist in self-strengthening, then God will bless you and allow you to escape the sea of suffering. Whatever you have lost will be returned to you a hundredfold.