novelThe Unassailable Man (2)
| ← Ch.020 | Ch.022 → |
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric
Before someone's shameless expansion of the Public Council's scale, Sulfur Mountain City's councilor was once a well-respected job.
They were the representatives of the interests of different trades and races and through socializing with the Bureau of Internal Affairs, the legal system and the city lord, they are able bring up certain proposals or opinions. If their view was supported by the entire Public Council, then even the city lord would have to take it seriously.
When Adam, as the lucky charm, refused to interfere in city affairs and the legal system is only interested in security issues and the judging of criminals, on many occasions, the council was able to make the solitary Bureau of Internal Affair give in, even if the head of the Bureau was the Great Saint Margaret.
Of course, authority also brings along benefits with it. By simply changing the tax of a good or approving the import of a good, it could bring in countless shining gold coins and as the councilors start to understand the advantages that come with the power in their hands, how could they still be satisfied with just being a normal merchant.
After all, in this world, there are nobles that are born 'born great' and even royalty who views 'country as private property'. The human heart can never be satisfied. In a stable and peaceful city, they naturally strive for greater heights.
Now, when normal workers, farmers, community aunties and fishmongers become councilors, when 'Is morning dancing exercise considered bothering the civilian"Can the council provide free lunch' replaced 'Should we purchase the black gold mines from Chrome city' kind of debate, the value of the identity as a councilor for big merchants, tribal heads and elder have been pulled down, making them incredibly displeased.
When the Public Council have been swollen to the point that it was incredibly inefficient, councilors of opposite stands spit on each other and the council had become the place for citizens to watch a good fight, the original councilors were heartbroken and carved on their hearts the name of the seeming friendly suggester — The devil-like cunning evil Wumianzhe.
"Council Head Grant, please make up your mind!!" Right now, in Council Head Grant's office, a bunch of young and overbearing Alliance Faction councilor had the old and ordinary council head surrounded. They were forcing him to make up his mind now.
"Right now, the escapees are all around the city and chaos is spreading. We must protest against the idle city lord and remove the foolish masked man who failed his job and interrogate him! Also, we must push for the dissolution of those dark elf bitches!"
"Yeah, the city lord's successor Annie is still too young and inexperienced, she is incapable of leading the people. That is why such chaos is happening, she must also be removed from her position and punished!"
Pah pah, the office desk made of high-grade redwood was slammed repeatedly by the agitated councilors. Yet, the old council head turns his head to look outside the window. It is already time to get off work. On other days, there would be a crowd of people returning home, elderly bringing their grandchildren for a walk, young couples strolling in the flower gardens while the shops by road advertising meals unique to different kind of races, the aroma of the food travelling far and wide...
But right now, only thick smoke could be seen. The road that was filled with laughter on other days, other than screams and fire, there was nothing else!!
"Enough." Taking a deep breath, the renowned ordinary Council Head quietly took off his glasses and looked at his well-dressed colleagues.
"What?" The one leading the pack, Councilor Karn, didn't expect the Council Head to have such a reaction.
"Pah! I said, enough!"
The old man's shout shocked all of the councilors. Those blood-red eyes are like a ferocious beast looking at its prey. Even though they were used to the noisy council meetings, but they are still surprised how the monotonous and ordinary council head of the past, the old man who drinks tea and sleep during meetings would have such an angry look on his face.
"Other than the escapees outside, there should be some of your private armies mixed within. Do you know what you are doing, this is rebellion!!"
The rage of the old Council Head made the other councilors subconsciously retreat. But Karn, who was well looked upon to be the next council head, stood out.
"Sulfur Mountain City belongs to everyone, so how can this be considered a rebellion? We are just asking City Lord Adam to make a comeback to calm down the situation, as well as punish those officials who failed at their job. After everything calms down, we will invite him to remain as our permanent honorary city lord."
Looking at this luxuriously clothed middle-aged councilor looking at him with a calm look on his face, Council Head Grant was stunned for a moment. Then, he smiles.
"Ho, you aren't that foolish. I understand, you all are scared. You all fear that after the old city lord steps down, the new city lord is unable to protect you all in the chaotic underground world. You all want to force Annie to step down, then install the old city lord as the so-called honorary city lord and continue serve as your guardian deity?"
"It is best that you understand. At that time, you would be our future Head of Internal Affairs..."
"Shameless!!"
A mouthful of spit was spat on Karn's face. The face of the big boss of a jewelry instantly distorts.
"You all wish to chase away other people's god daughter, yet you all still expect him to protect you all to his death, you bunch of shameless people! To think that you all dare to harbor such a thought, to think that you all have the cheek to say such words, I feel ashamed being in the same organization as the rest of you!!"
The councilors seemed to want to speak, but the incensed old council head didn't stop his reprimand. His fingers are pointed towards a lively old gentleman.
"Rulus! Fifty years ago, due to the sin your father committed, your entire family ended up as slaves and was about to be sold to Chrome City as tributes for cults. It is the kind old city lord who risked falling out with Chrome city to save you personally. I still remembered that you were a kid then and you cried while kowtowing to him, saying 'I will never forget your grace'. Is this how you repay him?"
"Tuine! Your father once died in work for Sulfur Mountain City and you always appear before the citizen using your identity as the son of a hero. Hmph! Son of a hero? A soldier who was killed by a stray bullet while escaping! Do you still have any shame? Lord Margaret only gave him an honorable death because she knows that your family requires the pension to survive! Is that how you repay the lord's gracious heart?"
"Suedna! You, we were once the three musketeers of the Public Council. You had suffered a great tragedy, your entire family of 13 was killed by someone and you were the sole survivor. Let me ask you, who was the one who personally stood out and spent more than half a year to trace the culprit a few thousand miles away to capture him back for judgement, so as to avenge your family? Who was the one who paid for the tuition fee until you matured? You can't answer? I thought you were a speaker with great oratory skills, specialized in inciting the public's will? Let me answer that for you then, it is Lord Wumianzhe who you condemned as a devil!"
"Kart! Your cursed family bloodline, if it wasn't for the Great Saint..."
"Lunaris! You..."
"And you! Karn! let me ask you, when your family went bankrupt after you were duped, who was the one who helped you retrieve back part of your family's assets? If it wasn't for the Bureau of Internal Affairs acting as a guarantor, you think with that old face of yours, those goblins will provide you a loan without increasing interest rates? You owe both Lord Margaret and Lord Wumianzhe a favor, and yet you still have the cheek to rebel against them?"
One councilor after another were severely reprimanded and yet no one dared to raise their heads. After all, sometimes, in front of an old man who was aware of everything, the guilty would find it hard to raise their heads. Sometimes, even sinners understand that justice lives on in the heart.
"You bunch of shameless fools, have you forgotten where you all are? This is Sulfur Mountain City, it is in the cursed underground world! Without the protection of the city lord and the others throughout the last hundred years, you powerless fools would have long become the slaves and food of others..."
"Enough, we don't need the most ordinary council head in history to step up to the task. We will do it ourselves!"
The embarrassed and angry red-faced Karn turns around and leaves.
The other councilors follow Karn with their heads lowered, not daring to look at the face of their comrades. To them who had their masks ripped off, every second in this office was as painful as being stabbed by a knife.
But the sarcasm of the old man resounds from their back.
"Ordinary? Indeed, I am ordinary and foolish but do you know that I created a new record for the council?"
No one replies him, but hearing a new record for the council, all the councilors stopped in their tracks.
"I, Grant. Bart, this ordinary old fellow, had been on the seat of the council head for more than 13 years. I am the second longest serving council head of the council. I still intend to try breaking my father Bart's record of 16 years. But a pity, you all messed it up.
This council head who was well-known to be foolish throughout the city, at this moment, his red-face was spirited without a trace of foolishness. His gaze towards his colleagues had an additional weird emotion, that is... pity?
"Hmph, you just had a long life. What is there to be proud about!"
"Hah, of course it is something to be proud about. The previous Council Head, Li Wensi, he was from the East, skilled in both academics and martial arts. Against all pressure, he intended to reduce the number of council members. Everyone was expecting great things from him but in the end?... Dead, in the third year as council head, he was turned into a zombie by a passing necromancer."
"The previous previous Council Head Cloven, he is well looked upon by the citizens. He organized multiple mass protests to force the Head of Internal Affairs Lord Margaret to give in on several occasions, giving him the nickname as Sulfur Mountain City's Uncrowned King but in the end?... Also in the third year as council head, he died. He was stabbed by a pickpocket in his stomach, his intestines spilling out on the floor of an unfrequented alley
Karn and the other councilors had an impatient look on their face previously but now, they were sweating profusely and their hands were cold.
"The previous previous Council Vice-Head Ben, hehe, the council head Karya then was sided towards the city lord. Thus, he fabricated rumors of him having illicit relationships, causing him to commit suicide. Ben was indeed talented, he committed everything perfectly. Even the fierce dogs of the legal system weren't able to find any evidence but in the end?... After being involved in a fight in a bar, he went missing for 20 years. But every year on Karya's death anniversary, there would be a part of a male body on her grave as an offering. Last year, it was a finger on the right hand, and on it was the copper ring belonging on that old fellow Ben. Hehe."
In this instant, all of the councilors turned around with fear on their face. They no longer dare to underestimate this old fellow who seemed on the verge of dying.
"Don't tell me it was done by Adam and the others!! I thought they were good people..."
"Lord Margaret and the old City Lord are good people, you aren't wrong about that. But do you know, the one who was scolded by you all as devil-like cunning, what his first nickname is?"
"What?"
"The laws of hand that is even stronger and evil than the devils. This is used to describe his intangible hands. No matter who it is, as long as he crosses the line and steps on the codex of law, kacha, the blade would slice down on them. You think that only you all are skilled in inciting, controlling the opinions and will of the citizens? That lord can even alter memories. What difficulty is it to him to make rumors develop the direction which he hopes to see?"
"My old father, also the history longest serving Council Head old Bart, he only said one thing to me before his death. Do you all know what it is?"
Now, none of the terribly frightened councilors have the guts to reply him. Their faces are as white as corpses. The pack leader Karn bucks up his courage and shouts.
"Old fellow! I am not interested to know..."
But the old council head shakes his head, his face full of reminiscence as he continues talking.
"He said to me 'Sulfur Mountain City is a paradise in the underground world. But, that is due to a devil doing all the dirty jobs by himself. He gets rid of all the lesser evil and dirty things, thus on the surface, it would naturally look clean and beautiful like heaven. If you wish to become a council head in the future, it is actually quite easy. Just be a bit dumber and don't have ambitions that exceeds your own abilities. The fools in front of you will all die sooner or later. Then, you would be able to become the council head. ' Hah, to think he was actually right. The both of us, as the longest serving council head, we are probably the history's most ordinary council head."
At this moment, Karn have lost all the arrogance he had previously. His mouth was open wide as he breaths heavily uncontrollably, similar to a toad on shore. He seems to feel an intangible chain being placed on his neck. The icy-cold sensation that bears resemblance to death makes one feel suffocated.
"Right, you all liaised with Chrome City right. Do you all think that you all can defeat the three big heads just by colluding with the underground alliance? Become the next nobles and royalty? Hehe, you all have never seen true war, my naive children. No matter who wins or loses, the first one to be killed are you all, the petty traitors!"
"Old fool!!"
The impulsive Suedna punches the face of the old council head, Grant crashes into the table violently, his spectacles shattered. The edge of his mouth and eyes were bleeding, but he was still smiling, satisfied.
"Hehe, why do you all think I am talking so much without fear of it being spreading out? It is because I want to live, you fools! Am I right? Lord Wumianzhe, the dead won't reveal secrets. Since these dumb snakes have been lured out, it is about time to pull in the net."
"Pah, pah, pah." That was an eerie applause which bears resemblance to bones knocking into each other. But in the ears of the councilors, it was a music note that seemed to be counting down to their death.
A slender figure appears from the shadows. Under the silver mask is a pair of icy-cold red eyes. That eerie applause originated from the crystal ball on the hand of the enforcer.
"Silver Rose! The head of the intelligence team 'Observer'! The underground queen of Sulfur Mountain City!" The appearance of Wumianzhe's trusted underling, the infamous intelligence queen's sudden appearance destroyed the final line of defense in the councilor's hearts.
"You, you..."
Looking at the agitated councilors who were pointed a finger at herself rudely, Silver Rose frowns in displeasure. 'Pacha' With a snap of her fingers, the invisible wires set up in the room tightens.
In the next moment, all of the councilor's neck tightened as the invisible wires hang them up in the sky.
Yes, from the start, the intangible chain that Karn felt wasn't an illusion... As traitors, they were being sentenced to a verdict — Death penalty!
"Ke!!" After a few seconds, just like a fish which was caught, the struggling councilors started to quieten down one after another, eternal silence...
Seeing how his comrades were suddenly hanged to death, old Grant's face was full of anxiety.
But the voice from the crystal ball made him calm down once again.
"Looks like I underestimated your father and you. Forget it, I am still quite satisfied with you. If you don't want to end up holding a funeral, you better keep that grandson of yours who stirs up trouble using your name. Right, good luck for the next election. I am looking forward to you being re-elected."
The silent Silver Rose bows to Grant, then took a step back before disappearing in the shadows once again.
The old council head slumps down on the table, panting heavily. He has become the only survivor in the entire office...
"Haha, hahaha!! I survived! I survived!"
Even after Silver Rose has walked out of the building, the laughter of the old man who managed to survive could be heard even from a long distance away...
Sulfur Mountain City has totally descended into chaos. The escapees and the private armies of big merchants are busy stealing and destroying properties while outside the city, Dark Elves are preparing to blend in with the elite Town Security. Seems like, the paradise of the underground world has turn into a hell.
At the same time, in the tall tower, I looked with interest at the utter chaos below and behind me, the Head of the Hall of Enforcement Xueti, the Head of the Hall of Law Kale and the Head of the Hall of Judgement Kelvin were filled with rage looking at the tragedy occurring below.
"Alright, alright, don't look so bitter. The corrosion has already penetrated the bones. If we don't bleed a little, how can we get rid of the rotten flesh. If our heads do not bleed, then how else would we remember the pain. To put the craving for peace into the heads of those fools, for the stability and peace of Sulfur Mountain City in the next 3 decades, just have some patience. Besides, our men have started moving so the situation should improve soon."
Then, when Silver Rose, right, my head maid Elisa, appears before me once again, I immediately understood that there is a change in the situation.
"Hm? Those fools actually colluded with other underground cities and their armies are going to march into the city? Hehe, my four heavenly kings, looks like there's something fun going on. Let's go and play then."
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