Chapter 138

Chapter 138

"Look, I told you this was the gods' punishment upon us—now it’s been fulfilled. According to the inscription, if we continue like this, death will be our only end."

When the first person took the words on the stele seriously, others seemed to receive some kind of signal and began murmuring about the retribution they might face. The fates they envisioned were far more gruesome than the words Ning Chan had left on the stone.

One shock after another had sapped their will to resist. Now, they only felt as though a blade dangled above them, unsure when it would fall.

As the scholar recited the laws one by one, they compared them to their own actions. The more they heard, the more despair they felt. Their sins weighed heavily—was there even a chance for redemption?

They didn’t believe death was the end—otherwise, how else would hell exist?

Before, without witnessing divine wrath firsthand, they could deceive themselves, indulging in momentary indulgences and ignoring thoughts of the afterlife. But now, with the palace collapsed, the city gates destroyed, and the sacred flower ruined, how could they still deny it?

At this moment, not only did they feel no urge to resist, but they also desperately awaited the prophesied successor mentioned on the stele. Since they hadn’t died on the spot like the royal family, perhaps there was still a chance for salvation?

While these nobles and merchants anxiously awaited the arrival of their new rulers, news of the capital’s fate spread rapidly to other cities.

Those city governors who had once relied on their military strength now pondered whether they should open their gates and surrender outright. After all, the previous resisting lords and soldiers had all perished, and the royal family they were supposed to protect had been obliterated. What purpose would resistance serve now?

The king had been a hedonist, and the entire nation had festered in corruption—who could expect backbone from such lords? Their earlier resistance had only been to protect their power and status. But now, with their lives at stake, they dared not cling to such hopes. Their only plea was for mercy—to be spared their lives and some of their wealth in exchange for surrender.

Moreover, with the sacred flower nearly eradicated, its thralls might shake free at any moment. Those addicted to the drug were capable of anything—either they had to kill them all now or brace for knives in their backs.

Rather than live in constant fear, it was better to flee with whatever they could salvage.

Once they realized escape was the safer option, many nobles and merchants fled with hoarded wealth, leaving their subordinates to scatter like headless ants.

On his way back, Ning Chan encountered several such groups. He trailed them briefly to assess their situation—the irredeemably wicked were executed on the spot, their wealth confiscated.

Better it fund charities back home than let these monsters indulge further.

Or, at the very least, raise a few more schoolhouses.

But his spatial pouch could hold only so much. He took only the most valuable items, hiding the rest for later retrieval by his allies.

By the time his space was full, the battle had turned decisively in their favor. Ning Chan informed the General and prepared to return.

Over these days, he had traversed every corner of Babylonia, charting its lay. Now, he needed to bring the records back for study—how should this land be rebuilt?

They’d crossed a line, justifying war, and the conflict served as a warning to neighboring nations. But no matter how wretched its people might be, they were still lives—not all of them wicked. They deserved a chance at renewal.

They say, "If you cut the weeds but not the roots, they’ll sprout again with the spring breeze." But slaughtering everyone wasn’t an option. Even in madness, if they killed them all, who could guarantee no vengeful survivors lurked in the shadows, plotting revenge? Or that neighboring nations wouldn’t seize the opportunity for mischief?

Instead, why not transform this poisoned land? Let crops and flowers reclaim the soil. Let its people serve as a warning—a lesson in what was good, what was evil, and what kind of life was worth pursuing.

With events unfolding as planned, Ning Chan stepped back. The specifics of battle and governance were for others to handle. His focus was on restoring the tainted land—or perhaps developing a draught to purge the blight, allowing them no chance of regeneration.

Returning home with the supply convoy, Ning Chan handed his sketchbook to the propaganda bureau, instructing them to turn the drawings into large posters for nationwide display. Let all witness the ruin of those who trafficked with the cursed bloom.

"Is... is this still the human world? Even hell couldn’t be worse!" The propaganda minister shuddered at the sketches. Their lives had nearly spiraled into this.

"Exactly. Each page’s back has a description. When you display them, include the explanations—let people understand *why* they ended up like this." Ning Chan didn’t know how long their current peace would last. He only wanted to drive home the blessing of their peace.

It's difficult to build a good life—it requires effort in every aspect. But destroying it? That's all too easy.

They may seek thrills and indulgence, but they must not cross the line or lose reverence for life. Some things have been clearly warned against, yet if they cannot restrain themselves, then the law must come down hard.

After arranging all this, Ning Chan met with Kane, handed him some materials, gave him a quick rundown of the situation, and then ducked into the lab to study soil and reagents.

Meanwhile, the propaganda bureau, having received its task, immediately organized teams to design posters and whip up stories based on the booklet—stories they would later narrate or even dramatize.

The scenes in these posters were indeed shocking, but to leave a lasting impression and achieve wider dissemination, they had to hit it from all angles.

So by the time Ning Chan handed over his research findings to his subordinates, he finally heard from Kane that a new play had hit the city—*Nina’s Adventure: Don’t Breathe*.