Chapter 300 – Seal

Chapter 300 - Seal

The man hastily conveyed Wen Ying’s message to the remaining high-ranking officials in the church headquarters.

This matter was soon known to the government officials of Asafa, who promptly rushed to the church headquarters to persuade the remaining leaders to accept the change.

Second Generation Angels were not true angels; they had demonic blood, and it was possible for them to collaborate with demons to cleanse the church in a bloodbath.

The church had been deeply rooted for many years, and Asafa, where its headquarters was located, was inseparable from it. If the church were to disappear, Asafa's economy would suffer significant losses, and many citizens would be left unemployed.

With spies from various countries lurking around, it was impossible to keep the incident in Qupesi hidden from those who were paying attention. The spirits of the church members who had been oppressed by the Pope's faction worldwide were lifted, and the church members in Zhonghua Country, facilitated by the Disaster Department's secret connections, directly rebelled against their domestic church leadership. The three Holy Sons and Holy Daughters were caught off guard when they were ambushed.

The headquarters was already struggling to manage itself and lacked the energy to assist the regional churches. Within less than twenty-four hours, under the guidance of those with ulterior motives, the small flames of support for the Second Generation Angel faction in various countries burst into a raging inferno that could no longer be ignored by the headquarters.

Although Wen Ying had said he would "come later," he didn't actually arrive until the next day.

After stabilizing Wu Mixiu's law fragments, Wen Ying landed confidently alone at the entrance of the church headquarters.

The church headquarters was situated in the outskirts of Asafa's capital, occupying an enormous area. It resembled a miniature city, surrounded by walls, with a straight road leading from the gate all the way to the towering European-style cathedral in the depths.

From afar, the church stood on elevated ground, at the end of a straight boulevard that led to a grand staircase. Rows of uniform buildings lined both sides of the road, serving as both residences and street-side shops. The blend of modernity and medieval charm was surreal. Wen Ying flew over the wall and landed on the final step of the church's staircase. He gazed up at the ancient and majestic structure. The swinging bell echoed, sending flocks of startled doves into flight. A crowd soon emerged from within the church, filing out in an orderly manner. Among them, a few individuals kept their distance from the rest, and the others dared not approach too closely. Wen Ying understood that these were his main targets for the day. Adopting the principle of "civility before force" to embody the demeanor of a civilized being, he offered them a smile that hinted at impending reckoning. "Have you made your decision, gentlemen?" The angel stood with his back to the light, his outline illuminated by golden rays like a divine statue. Tall and serene, but his face, shrouded in shadows, contradicted the angelic image. His smile bore a hint of devilish charm. Though prepared, their hearts still skipped a beat or two under his menacing presence. Only two elders remained in the council, and a single vice-captain in the knight order. Today, these three were the key figures. They hesitated for a few seconds, fearing that Wen Ying, a half-angel, might draw his sword if they didn't respond promptly. In a hurried exchange, they conveyed their message. "There is no need for deliberation. I mean, there is no need to consider refusal. The very foundation of the Church of the Archangel is to serve angels."

"I've always tried to advise the Pope and his associates, but they wouldn't listen. I was quite worried as well."

"Everyone is now very glad to have you here." "Clap, clap, clap—" The elder finished speaking and applauded, followed by the crowd with enthusiastic applause.

"Welcome!"

Those who weren't welcoming had already been ejected.

Smart people adapt to the situation. They were not the stubborn type to begin with. If they were the ones who died in Quipsey Town and the Pope survived, he would have made the same choice.

Everyone forced cheerful smiles, their lips slightly stiff from the pretense, yet warmly welcoming.

Wen Ying swept his gaze over the crowd. They parted automatically, revealing a path leading into the church.

Elder Carien, behaving like an unassuming old man, respectfully and attentively led Wen Ying inside. If it weren't for the fact that there were many people around and they couldn't lose face too much, these three decision-makers would probably be even more fawning.

This was the person who could kill Wu Mixiu!

The Church was now universally despised. If Wen Ying took action, the world would only cheer instead of condemning the angel for murder.

Wen Ying strolled leisurely with them through the church, which perfectly matched the description of a medieval cathedral in fantasy novels. It was solemn, sacred, and clean, with the stained-glass ceiling casting a mystical aura with its colorful shadows.

The corridors connecting the rooms were adorned with murals depicting a war from thousands of years ago. Angels upheld justice, defeating the evil invaders, driving away demonic armies with three heads, six arms, and beast-like features.

"The plan is to place your statue at the entrance of the nave," said the Deputy Knight Commander, Gregor.

Wen Ying replied, "That's not necessary." It felt odd – he wasn't dead yet.

Misinterpreting Wen Ying's reluctance as a matter of pride, Gregor offered, "Everyone in the Church is eagerly anticipating the angel's return. Having your statue in the nave would surely bring joy to all."

Wen Ying insisted, "Really, it's not needed."

He then looked sideways at the Deputy Knight Commander and said, "Take me to the Pope's office or living quarters. I need the Church's seal."

Similar to an ancient imperial seal, the magical seal had been passed down through generations of Popes. All official Church decrees required the seal for validity.

Elder Epp and Kieran exchanged subtle, dark glances.

They desired an angel as a mascot, hoping that Wen Ying would merely make a brief appearance, giving casual instructions. That way, the true power within the Church would remain in their hands. However, judging by Wen Ying's demeanor and words, he seemed intent on becoming the "Pope."

"Is there a problem?"

"No, we'll take you there right away."

If not for the vast difference in strength, he would have loved to knock the newcomer out. The Deputy Knight Commander, Gerek, who walked at the back, secretly mused.

But the fact that he dared to come alone suggested that his power allowed him to disregard the threats here. Gerek sighed inwardly.

After Wen Ying received the Church's magical seal, his first order was to temporarily assume the position of Pope until a suitable candidate could be promoted later. The other vacant positions would soon be filled. The second order was to thoroughly investigate any internal collaboration with the extremist faction, promising promotions to those who reported such deeds.

The first order brightened many eyes. The Pope and his associates were removed, and now ordinary people had a chance to compete for positions previously monopolized by various factions.

For those few high-ranking individuals who survived because they didn't go to Chupse, it was like a bolt from the blue. They had hoped to seize the opportunity to promote their own people into key roles while the others were killed by demons. Now, that plan was ruined.

The second order also stirred up a significant upheaval within the Church. With the promise of promotions for reporting, various small cliques started accusing each other, leaving the demons short-handed trying to catch them all.

Amidst the chaos, Wen Ying found a few individuals within the Church whose values aligned with his to help him take control. Many who held important positions were in Chupse that day and lost their lives. Thus, Wen Ying promptly appointed his own people, making the Church seem to be under his command, at least on the surface.

He began by taking control of the headquarters and would gradually extend his influence to the churches in other countries.

Wen Ying, engrossed in his tasks, was reminded that he was still a student. Most of his grades this semester depended on his success in capturing the Extremists. Without even calculating, Wen Ying knew for sure that he would be topping the list.

Hahaha.

While Wen Ying was wielding his influence and implementing radical reforms in the Church, the Demon King, unable to sit still, took action after learning that Wen Ying had single-handedly defeated another angel and was now focusing on consolidating his control over the Church and nurturing his own power base in the human world. This was the first time he contacted Wen Ying since the latter's angelic identity was revealed.

Wen Ying's actions once again surpassed the Demon King's expectations, leading him to suspect that Wen Ying might be a creation of the Law, specifically designed to counter him.

Furious, he transformed into his true form, his face twisted with rage.

In the Pope's office, Wen Ying was buried in paperwork. The office was actually a massive space, covering over three hundred square meters, exuding luxurious elegance.

Lately, he had been so busy that he had no time to spend with Bellerophon. The initial thrill of taking over the Church had worn off, and Wen Ying now felt like a 996 employee, overwhelmed by an endless stream of work.

He still didn't fully trust anyone, so many tasks couldn't be delegated, and important matters had to be handled personally.

When the Demon King called, Wen Ying was still immersed in his work. Seeing the caller ID, he paused, unable to suppress the curve of his lips.

This time, he had the grounds and confidence to confront the Demon King!