When Guo Kang came to the balcony, others had tied Sergey to a log, but he was still struggling.
Facing soldiers with blood on their swords and a large number of murderous residents around him, Sergei clearly realized that the situation was not good and showed a strong desire to survive.
However, his speaking skills were not very high. At one moment he threatened that he was working for a big shot, and no one would be able to protect anyone who dared to touch him in the future. At the next moment, he begged everyone to spare him, saying that he was working for others. Why bother making things difficult for each other. After what he said, not only the onlookers became angrier, but even the guards who were performing official duties found this man very annoying.
Guo Kang walked out quickly and motioned for everyone to be quiet.
He had briefly thought about how to talk to the people before, but considering that most of these people were illiterate, they might not be able to understand what they said too deeply, so it was better to be more frank and straightforward.
"I can understand your feelings, but I have something to tell you today." He came up and said bluntly: "And it's not just me, I also want him to tell you the truth. In this way, you guys will know, Why did I do this today?"
If nothing else, Sergei's gang was indeed wiped out by him in one fell swoop. No matter what happens in the future, at least everyone can relax and celebrate now. Even because of the destruction of the accounts, it would take a lot of effort to re-establish a system for collecting money. Everyone can at least be safe for a few days before the new gang arrives to complete the work.
Therefore, everyone is still willing to listen to what he has to say.
The people present gradually became quiet. Guo Kang then turned to the gang leader and said loudly: "Time is limited, I only have a few questions."
"The first question is, who asked you to arrest him, and what was his purpose?"
"It's all because of the Great Elder who forced me!" Sergey immediately shirks his responsibility: "He wants to enjoy it and bribe other people. All the benefits are given to him, and we can only lick the blood with our swords and work desperately for him... …”
"You are a gang leader and have so many thugs under you. Why are you afraid of him?" Guo Kang continued to question.
"He is more powerful!" Sergey glanced at Guo Kang unexpectedly, obviously doubting that he really didn't know or was pretending not to know: "Although he doesn't directly manage this place, all our gangs have to give him Save face."
"What if I don't give it?" Guo Kang started to remind him to continue.
"Then it's over!" Sergei argued: "Our gang, and the entire city, must constantly attract new people in order to maintain and expand. But most of the Rus' people came through Alexander's channels. Came here."
"If we don't give him face, nothing else, we won't even be able to replenish our manpower. As long as he does something, other gangs will have greater power and kill us. As a leader, I have to provide advice to my brothers. How can I resist his demands in my life?"
"Don't make excuses!" the military judge couldn't help but shouted: "When you register to join the army, you must abide by military discipline. Didn't your captain tell you? Did you run here and get his consent?"
"What happened before you joined the army is covered by civil law, so we don't care about it for now. How long did it take after you registered in the camp? You left the camp without permission, killing, robbing, raping, and engaging in cult activities among the people. So many Can you bear the responsibility for your life?"
Sergey looked even more panicked and said incoherently: "But, didn't they say... that after entering the military camp, if you commit a crime, the punishment will be reduced?"
"Who told you?" the military judge asked speechlessly.
"Elder Alexander and Elder Jacob said it." Sergei immediately confessed: "They asked me and some other brothers to join the army, saying there were many benefits..."
"Who is Jacob?" Guo Kang asked.
"He's the elder in charge of our district." Sergey hurriedly said in a low voice, "The boys and girls here are the ones he designated. I'm really just a worker."
"Then where did you send these people?" Guo Kang asked.
"Elder Alexander brought a few guests to my place to play for a while, and then left." Sergey replied: "Their big shots have their own affairs, so how can I get involved. Elder Alexander asked me to Stay here and wait for them to finish, then you will come.”
"What part did you participate in?" Guo Kang continued to cross-examine: "Who killed the corpse that was thrown out of your home? Who deliberately cut up the corpse after killing the person? Don't you know that this is a common practice in cult rituals? What’s the content that appears?”
This time, Sergey was actually timid and his answer was not so straightforward.
"I...I don't know." He replied intermittently: "They are the foreign gods offered by the elders. Maybe they are similar to those in Seris?"
"What nonsense!" Guo Kang scolded: "So many of you here have seen that scene. You probably don't bother to cover up, right? So you just threw it on the garbage heap openly, thinking that even if it was so blatant, you would not be punished. This Is this the first time for this kind of thing? Don’t you know? I will not believe such a stupid lie. "
"He, they forced me to swear, swear not to tell..." Sergey became even more panicked.
"You don't need to tell me what you did at that time, we can already guess it." Guo Kang pulled out his sword and leaned on the ground: "Alexander and the others used this place as a den, so there must be a place for sacrifice. Tell me where it is. That’s fine, I’ll go check out the situation myself and confront Alexander and the others—of course, if you don’t tell me, others will tell me. Make your own choice.”
"Well...their altar is over there in the hall." Sergey hesitated and confessed: "There is a secret door near the white Persian tapestry. Just push it open."
Guo Kang waved his hand to Guo Ponu and others to follow him and returned to the previous hall. According to his description, he found a door. As soon as I opened a crack, I smelled a rotten smell.
"How can this banquet hall accommodate people?" Guo Kang muttered.
"I guess they used incense." Guo Ponu said.
Guo Kang smelled it carefully and found that there was indeed a slight smell of residual spices. It should be that the spices used at the previous banquet had not yet dissipated. However, the fishy smell was too strong. Not only could it not be covered up, it also mixed with the fishy smell and the smell of wine, forming a pungent smell that was sweet and rancid, making people feel a little dizzy.
Guo Kang simply pushed all the doors open, letting the breeze from outside blow into the room. The room must have been cleaned by them, and they didn't directly see the severed limbs or human internal organs, but just based on the smell and the layers of blood stains on the stone floor that couldn't be wiped clean, they knew what happened here.
At the end of the secret room is a shrine with a row of stands and empty plates in front of it, probably for ritual purposes. There are also some signs and hanging flags with the names of gods and incomprehensible spells written on them.
"Eternal life, long life... what is this? No pain or sorrow?" After reading half of the sentence, Guo Kang didn't recognize it anymore. He straightened up, thought for a while, and commented: "You want immortality and pleasure... This is quite in line with the desires of these silverfish."
On the seat of the shrine, there is a tall, ancient wooden statue with a dark surface and a ferocious face. It is wrapped in a wide silk robe that is embroidered with strange patterns and stained with blood. Guo Kang stepped forward and took a closer look. The blood spots were different in color. Some were old and some were new. They were probably splashed during the ceremony, and this type of ceremony had obviously been held many times.
Guo Kang was silent for a moment, then stepped forward, pushed all the signs aside, stepped on the edge of the shrine, hugged the statue, and used his waist and legs to lift the statue directly and put it on his shoulders.
Guo Ponu glanced at him curiously.
"Find me an axe." Guo Kang said.
Guo Ponu nodded.
Guo Kang carried the statue all the way back to the balcony. There, the onlookers were whispering, and everyone was a little surprised to see him suddenly come out carrying something. Sergey and several other captured male and female servants were even more shocked.
"How do you do it, put Him..."
Sergey wanted to ask hurriedly, but Guo Kang ignored him at all. At this time, Guo Ponu came out carrying a big ax for chopping firewood, so Guo Kang threw the statue on the table.
He took the ax and announced loudly to everyone.
"They call this thing a god!" He pointed at the statue.
"I don't know where this thing comes from or what its story is. And I don't care!"
"What I know is," he looked around at the crowd: "I am the Warmaster's envoy and a Roman public official!"
"This thing," he knocked on the statue: "Whether it works or not, I don't know, and I don't care. I don't care. What are the benefits of sacrificing it? What are the penalties for disobeying it? I don't know, and I don't care." care!"
"What I know is that in its name, some people oppress and even kill the Roman citizens I need to protect, poison the Roman society I need to maintain, and blaspheme the Roman spirit I need to respect. So, no matter what it is, I will treat it as It fights for its enemy, and with it and its followers, to the end!”
"Romans!" he shouted to the crowd: "You are the direct victims of this thing, so I give you the opportunity to choose and judge. You say that it should be let go and let it continue to be worshiped. Let’s kill these guys!”
"Cut it, chop it!" Several residents who had been following the team before were the most active and shouted loudly.
"Put your hands up!" Guo Kang also shouted: "If you want to let it go, put your thumb out and point it up! If you want to cut it, put your thumb down! Let me see what you think!"
The crowd roared, and their voices became louder and louder. People in the courtyard and surrounding rooftops gave thumbs up.
In the surrounding circle, and even farther outside the wall, where you can't see here, more people started shouting, and their voices became more and more uniform.
"Kill! Kill!"
Everyone shouted in unison.
Guo Kang waved his hand again, asking them to quiet down. Many people are still excited and unwilling to stop, and even want to push forward. But there were others who wanted to hear him speak more, so everyone advised, stopped, and then stopped again.
"We want to clarify the canonical punishment." Guo Kang told them.
"So, I declare," he turned his head and shouted to the statue: "Heavenly Father, Heavenly Brother, and Divine Ancestor are here to witness: In the name of Huliletai and the Roman people, I declare that you are the enemy of Rome! You Your party members and all those who dare to protect you will be severely punished!"
"As for you! You are a stubborn false god, you are an ugly lump of wood, you are a harmful monster, you are a hypocritical and despicable symbol, you are a rat lurking in the sewers and dark rooms! - I now declare that you are sentenced to death!"
Guo Kang said, took half a step back, picked up the ax with both hands without hesitation, and chopped off the head of the statue with the ax in the horrified eyes of Sergei and others.
He dropped the axe, picked up the head of the statue, held it high, and showed it to everyone.
The people around him cheered loudly, and the sound wave became louder and louder. Guo Kang even felt as if the balcony was shaking.
He picked up the rope that had been used to tie the prisoners on the ground and tied the head of the statue. Then let the aide carry the big cross made of spears and hang the "head" of the statue on it.
"Okay," he breathed amidst the cheers, turned around and said to the prisoners: "It's your turn."
(End of chapter)
