hunting light

When Ian walked into the cigar club listlessly, he immediately received sympathy from many people.

"Archbishop Xiali has indeed become more and more difficult to communicate with recently." One of the archbishops said, "Do you know that his recent decrees all use the imperial seal of the Pope?"

"The Pope's seal?" Someone whispered, "He is just a proxy, he can only use his own seal."

"He is the Chief Cardinal Secretary. He keeps the Pope's seal, and he can take it at will." The archbishop sneered, "Obviously, he thinks he is qualified to use the Pope's imperial seal. Mitchell, you know this too, right? ?”

Ian lowered his eyes and expressed his acquiescence with a embarrassed expression.

Of course he would not explain to the other party that Xiali would use the Pope's seal because he had been calculated by him.

Ian had reported to Xiali that several high-level documents required the seal of the Pope before the other department could execute them.

Xiali had used his imperial seal for the pope more than once in the past, so this time, he took it for granted and stamped Ian's documents.

This matter was widely circulated in the Holy See, but Xia Li's secretary and assistants were all newcomers who were not familiar with his temperament, so they did not dare to tell him about it.

Carol once asked Ian about this matter: "Should we remind the archbishop about the imperial seal?"

"I thought this was his original intention." Ian was surprised, "Isn't he showing his authority to those who disobey him? Or, you go to find out what the archbishop means?"

Of course Carol didn't want to do such a bad thing.So the matter was left alone, which only made Xiali's reputation for arrogance even better.

"You seem to have endured Xiali's temper, Mitchell." The archbishop was full of sympathy for Ian, "You are the future son of God, but you can't always treat Xiali like this."

Ian smiled wryly: "He is my foster person after all, my lord. I must be grateful for his kindness."

"Your Excellency is indeed a warm-hearted person." The archbishop smiled meaningfully.

really.When Xiali became more and more unpopular, Archbishop Mitchell gained more and more unanimous favor.

The middle-level cadres saw Ian as a reasonable man who was very nice to work with, but who had the misfortune of having to work for Xiali.

Although the high-level elders felt that Ian was a bit cowardly and uninitiated, his character was something that those who tried to control him could only wish for.

In this turbulent situation, Ian stepped on every step and walked up steadily.

His ambition is hidden under the drooping eyebrows and thick robes, and his nervous heartbeat is suppressed in his thin chest.

Step by step, he was getting closer and closer to that tower.

The time has entered the beginning of July, and the rainy season has reached the most lively and noisy period.

The heavy rain caused many floods in the ancient city of Xilin and its surrounding areas.Waterlogging in the old city, landslides in the suburbs... These are not news because they happen once or twice a year.

This year, in a beautiful forest lake area in the southern suburbs of Xilin Central City, a summer resort belonging to the Holy See was hit by a mudslide and severely damaged.

This is a trivial matter.This summer resort is only a drop in the bucket of the Holy See's property.When Ian reported this matter to Xiali, he even scolded Ian for being disturbed by such an insignificant matter.

At that time, Xiali was still having all kinds of nightmares every day, but he never dreamed that the mudslide destroyed not only a small villa, but also a fig leaf he used to cover up his corruption evidence.It wasn't just a villa that collapsed, but the first of the dominoes that formed Xiali's road to the Pope.

After the monks who were in charge of surveying the damage to the villa came back from the location, they rushed out a detailed report overnight and submitted it.

This report was supposed to reach the desk of Ian, who was in charge of the administration, but Ian deliberately pushed it away, leaving it in the hands of Archbishop Ronning.

Who is Archbishop Ronning?

He was the archbishop who fought against Xiali for the Pope more than ten years ago, but was killed by Xiali and Alfonso behind his ears.

Alfonso II has a generous heart. After he took the throne, he did not mean to Ronning.But after Xiali came to power strongly, he almost squeezed Ronning like a lemon, and drove him out of the Holy See power center.

Ronning, full of resentment, got this report by accident.When he finished reading the contents of the report and summoned the investigators for detailed questioning, he felt his blood was burning—the chance for revenge finally came!

The last storm of summer brewed for four full days, and finally released its power enough to destroy the world.

At the weekly executive meeting, Ronning made a sudden attack, announcing the evidence of Xiali's embezzlement of public funds to all the senior executives present, and knocked down the second domino.

In the Holy See, almost no high-ranking person has clean hands and feet.Buying and selling priesthood, corruption and bribery have almost become the norm.But there is an unwritten rule among these senior priests: you cannot touch the interests of the collective.

According to the evidence released by Ronning, Xiali had misappropriated the pension and medical reserves within the Holy See for a long time for private investment, and there was a huge deficit in the account!

"The collapsed mountain villa was supposed to be a group sanatorium for the high-level Holy See. But its construction funds were taken away by Xiali, which led to its rather poor construction... In the same year, Xiali purchased a third-class spaceship and used it to A dowry for his illegitimate daughter!"

"The batches of treatment cabins he was ordered to manufacture all had serious quality problems. The entrusted manufacturer admitted that they gave Xiali a huge kickback..."

"Wait!" An archbishop yelled, "The treatment cabins assigned to us?"

"Yes, adults." Ronning shouted, "These treatment cabins are not even as easy to use as the ordinary treatment cabins in private clinics! You'd better go to have a new medical examination immediately..."

The meeting room became a scene of serial explosions.

As Ronning brought out Xiali's financial violations one by one, all the high-level attendees were angry.Although they are all rich in private property, they still do not allow their own interests to be damaged in the slightest.

The thought that they had not only put up with Xiali's arrogance for months, but were preparing to put him on the Pope's throne, enraged the top brass.

Xiali could hardly argue.He didn't last long, and was escorted out of the meeting room by Carol.

"Mitchell, do you know about this?" The angry archbishops turned their cannon fodder on Ian, who was too late to leave.

"I don't know at all, my lords." Ian panicked, "After all, I have only been back to Xilin for less than half a year, and I have been working for His Majesty the Pope..."

"It's useless to ask him." Ronning also said, "These are old issues. We still need to investigate thoroughly. Xiali is definitely not the only problem..."

Ian's wristband was vibrating crazily. It was Carol who was calling him, obviously wanting him to discuss countermeasures.

Ian hung up the bracelet expressionlessly, and continued to walk in the crowd silently, releasing his spiritual power.

He needs these people to be a little more angry, and even more angry.The long-standing dissatisfaction with Xiali can be released at this time.

It was raining heavily outside the window, and the world was dark.But the strange thing is that in the distant sky, a long and narrow gap was opened in the cloud, and the sunlight coated the cloud gap with a golden red edge.

It's like a ball of fire, eager to try, is about to fall from the sky to the earth.

On this day, the lights in Xiali's mansion were lit all night.The servants in the mansion were terrified when they heard the roaring and smashing sounds coming from the study.

The accountant disappeared, not to mention leaving behind a bad debt, and even transferred a large amount of money from me!

The hole that had obviously been filled, only now was it discovered that it had been empty for a long time.

The subordinate who was dismissed by Xiali also betrayed him without hesitation, and at this moment, he is probably spouting Xiali's old background in front of Lang Ning...

The study is full of mess.Xia Li sat on the sofa panting like a cow, his face was ferocious, his eye bags were shaking rapidly, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Carol and Ian stood aside with their heads bowed, neither speaking.

"I've been tricked..." The old man's voice seemed to have been ground by rough sandpaper, "Lonning...he didn't know how long he had been preparing. The accountant must be found..."

Carol couldn't help showing a look of embarrassment.

Everyone knows that this accountant may never be found again.

"At this time, the more you can't give up!" Xia Li stared at the two most reliable apprentices darkly, "We are still a few steps away from getting to that seat! Alfonso is only a few days away. ..."

As if in response to Xiali's words, Ian's and Carol's bracelets vibrated at the same time.

"His Majesty Alfonso is critically ill, and his secretary told everyone to go to the hospital immediately!"

On July 14755, 7 in the new calendar, His Majesty Leonardo III was presiding over a military meeting, discussing the next battle plan with his senior generals.

"Maybe the Holy See will organize another peace talk. This time, Elsa is probably willing to come over in person." The emperor all sneered.

The officers also burst into laughter.

"Sorry, Your Majesty." Adway, who was attending the meeting as chief of staff, received an urgent report at this time. He lowered his head and glanced at the photon board, his expression suddenly changed.

"I think the Holy See should have no time to facilitate our peace talks for the time being - Pope Alfonso II has passed away!"

Alfonso II had signed a no-rescue agreement.So when he was seriously ill, people were all worried, because they knew that if he fell down, he would almost die.

However, the pope survived for more than three months. Although his condition continued to worsen, he was lingering on his last breath.

He is like a classic car that is on the verge of falling apart. When you think it will stall the next moment, it can still rumble for two kilometers.

And on the day when the Xiali corruption incident broke out, Alfonso seemed to have completed the task. He suffered a cardiac arrest during sleep and never woke up again.

When people rushed to the Pope's Palace after receiving the news, only the Pope's peaceful body was waiting for them.And it was five o'clock in the morning, when the long night was over and the morning was coming.

Afterwards, Ian couldn't help but think that the old man might have persisted until the end just to help him get to this point.

Alfonso II was no saint.He also has lovers and illegitimate children, he also has private property that cannot withstand investigation, and he has also participated in the exchange game of money and power.

But on the night when he learned that his cancer had recurred again, he received a call from Ian from Eden Palace.The most primitive thing in his heart, the awe of gods and fate, was touched.

A letter left by Alfonso to Ian wrote: "We are all tiny components that make up this world, but you don't know how much one of your decisions can change the world. I have been proud all my life, but at least I finally found the real God before I died, and I can accept His judgment calmly."

The heads of the Holy See lost their religious leaders just after overthrowing their intended successor to the Pope.

The leaderless group of dragons not only means that everyone has the opportunity to aspire to the pope, but also means that this huge group is likely to fall into a chaotic fight.

As far as the latter is concerned, it can be regarded as a catastrophe for the Holy See, which is currently in the midst of the Holy Lord's out of control and human rebellion.Any rational person will temporarily put aside his selfish desires at this time, and first protect the overall situation.

Archbishops clustered around the Pope's bedside, kneeling in prayer.

At this moment, even without becoming a god, he could know what the red robes were thinking.

"We need to elect a new, undisputed Pope ASAP!"

"It's better for him not to have his own forces. That way he can better serve all forces."

"He better be manipulable and have a clean history."

"He must also have prestige, not someone unknown!"

"Xiali must be out of the question. Ronning is also out of the question. Then, who else?"

The humming of prayers was like a swarm of bees hovering around the room, making people even more confused.

While the archbishops were chanting absently, they exchanged rapid glances with each other.

Examining, suspicious, and dissatisfied eyes passed over each other's faces until Ian's fair and handsome face with a sad expression fell into sight.

More and more eyes suddenly lit up after seeing Ian kneeling at the end of the bed.

This young man who is like a snow pigeon is almost tailor-made by God for the Holy See.

He and his descendants can control the Holy Lord, he is a gentle and gentle Omega.Judging from his obedient attitude towards Xiali, he is obviously very easy to control...

The hanging hearts of the red-clothed archbishops faintly found a landing point.

They buried their heads again and prayed for the old pope intently.The mood in the bedroom was serious and mournful again.