Chapter 714 - 703: Judgment and Value
Chapter 714: Chapter 703: Judgment and Value
In the central square of Fungus Castle, under the giant statue of Puki stepping on a dragon horn, there was no feast today, yet the Fungus People still filled the place.
The Dwarves leaned against stone pillars with crossed arms, the Mushroom Race stood on tiptoe with their recently allocated Delicious Mushrooms, human women lifted their children above their heads, and the Lizardmen’s tails swayed calmly through the crowd, not getting upset even if stepped on.
Even those Imperial citizens who had surrendered not long ago were crowded in the corners, watching the stone platform in the center with complex gazes.
On the stone platform, a Blood Race member was kneeling.
His robe was still made from exquisite enchanted shimmering fabric, the golden lining on the cuffs was glaring in the sunlight, yet the robe was torn in several places and the gemstone at the collar was missing.
Xing Huo held the sheepskin scroll, reading out this Earl’s crimes.
"Crime three, organizing slave trade for over a hundred and fifty years, handling more than a hundred thousand slaves, among them countless executed for entertainment. Recorded methods include but are not limited to: burying alive, starving, feeding them to pet Magic Beasts."
"Crime four, funding and participating in Hand of Death cult activities, providing living sacrifices in exchange for assassination services from the cult."
"Crime six..."
Line by line, word by word, Xing Huo recited in the Fungal Network for a full eight minutes.
When he finished the last crime, sitting in the center, with a white mushroom hat and white mycelium curling on both sides, Puki the judge raised his small hammer.
Thud!
"I declare, Forrest Reid, Guilty! Sentence: Eternal Sunlight!"
Lin Jun didn’t ask if the Blood Race member had any last words, nor did anyone below think it necessary to ask, only he whimpered pleading for a chance to swear allegiance.
His answer, however, was the cheers from the Fungus People that echoed throughout the square.
The Blood Race Earl was quickly taken away, but the trial continued with the next defendant being a Horned Demon Lord.
Judge Puki jumped on the table and banged the hammer! Leaning back and banging the hammer! Inverted tentacles and banging the hammer!
"Guilty!"
"Guilty!!"
"Guilty!!!"
Amidst the crowd’s jubilation, Xing Huo quietly reminded his overly excited boss through private message in the Fungal Network: "Ahem, boss, this last Blood Race... is innocent..."
Lin Jun paused, observing the fearful young Blood Race member: "Huh? Oh! He’s innocent, let him go then."
It’s rare to see a good person among the Empire’s nobles.
This mere Viscount of the Blood Race became the only innocent defendant of the trial, nervously escorted away by the Pukis.
Once the trial concluded, the square below was filled with praise not only from original Fungus Castle residents but even those new Empire slaves and Demon Race members joining the Fungus Castle.
In the Empire, a powerful noble is valued far above the countless cannon fodder Demon Race members.
Punishing the strong for the sake of commoners and slaves is completely unreasonable.
This principle applies even in the United Kingdom and the Mountains, albeit more subtly than the Empire’s blatant survival of the fittest, humans and Dwarves handle similar incidents with more tact, employing gentle deterrence while maintaining superficial justice and decency.
Fungus Castle was the first to conduct batches of trials specifically against noble strongmen.
Furthermore, such trials took place in all cities occupied by Pukis, practically putting all ruling figures in the occupied zones on trial.
Unlike the new and old Fungus People below, who harbored hatred towards the nobles, Lin Jun from the bottom of his heart was thankful to these folks.
Thanks to their hundreds of years of ruthless barbaric dominion, hatred could be perfectly redirected onto himself.
Now, Lin Jun simply needed to eliminate them, combine it with the Ministry of Truth’s propaganda, and he could easily win over hearts and strengthen belief.
All great Demons, sacrificing for the mushroom, as gratitude, Lin Jun decided to let them stay a bit longer in the D Level Paradise, at least experience all the entertainment projects before their ends.
As for the loss of "elite" fighting strength?
Regrettably, in the Mushroom Garden, numbers are the essence of combat power.
As for individual strength, it’s irrelevant in the grand Puki tide, if required, Lin Jun could forcibly elevate it using the Water of Life.
These Empire strongmen, valued by other forces, get significantly devalued in the Mushroom Garden.
In comparison, the domestication progress of the Demon Race has slowed considerably.
Despite many unjust events within the Demon Race, they remain generally united under Dean’s leadership.
Currently, the Demon Race was defeated, not submitted.
Had Dean survived and led a surrender, it might have been easier, unfortunately, his prejudice against mycelium was deep-rooted, his Demon Core shot away by a subordinate’s arrow and remains missing.
However, the Demon Race’s population is quite small, not highly valuable.
Opportunities to synthesize Levelless Skills are limited too, Northern Territory’s Mushroom Race is fully sufficient.
Thus, Lin Jun saw little need to invest extensive effort in these stubborn stones, letting them naturally assimilate slowly was feasible too.
Post-war, the Mushroom Race gained two newborns with [Cold Immunity] and [Heat Immunity], Lin Jun named them Moon and Day respectively.
Unfortunately, [Swordsmanship Level 10] couldn’t stack into [Sword Master], otherwise Lin Jun could have mass-produced Sword Saint Mushrooms.
On another note, the whopping increase of D Level personnel far exceeded Mushroom Garden’s demand.
Lin Jun had to conduct appropriate downsizing.
For instance, letting some vampires, sunbathed for over six months or even a year, retire for newcomers, offering their cultivated Skill Proficiency.
Little Pig thus gained [Sunlight Resistance Level 7].
Now, although she still felt uncomfortable walking under sunlight, the damage from sunlight was nowhere near her Recovery Power, even the weakening effect was significantly reduced.
Once the skill reaches Level 10, could such a sun-resistant vampire be considered a true vampire?
One can imagine, sending her to fight Blood Race internal battles in broad daylight would become entirely plausible.
...
During Fungus Castle’s territorial digestion, other forces weren’t idle.
The Dwarves, with intent to kick a fallen enemy, relentlessly pursued Levi’s shrinking defenses, triumphantly advancing, then abruptly battered heads against Levi’s core territory, finally calming down.
However, Levi dared not counterattack, for not far to the west lay a stationed Fungus Castle army.
Though not like the main force, never attacking, spurned by Eugene and Dean’s precedents, Emperor Mortis had yet to react to the northern situation, leaving Levi cautious, prioritizing safety and prudence in all actions, naturally precluding any pursuit.
Humans received information through the Dwarves, surmising internal changes within the Empire, hoping to intervene.
Unfortunately, they faced the High Castle Fortress, guarded by Sigmund, fortified anew.
This once human-protecting sturdy fortress now reversed into an obstacle for the United Kingdom’s advance.
No one knew the fortress’s solidity better than its former custodian, Alama.
Thus, after a week of military standoff, he reluctantly opted to retreat to the new defense line.
However, passing Dragon’s Roar Valley, he found the Magic Power interference phenomenon intensifying yet couldn’t identify the cause.
Meanwhile, in the continent’s center, the Empire’s core region, the old and new kings’ confrontation, along with changes inside Dragon Cliff Dungeon, was counting down.