ATAPOW Chapter 73
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Chapter 73: Scapegoat
In the south city wall.
Snow was falling heavily in the Border Town.
The frosty wind that came with the twelfth lunar month was whipping at Landi’s cheek, and yet, it wasn’t enough to prevail over the chillness in his heart.
“During this unusual wartime period, you had mobilized military power without authorization. As the severity of this offense is no different than disobeying orders, you will be detained and transported into the border town’s prison, where you will wait for your sentence to be meted out to you. Do you wish to examine the order or object to this decision, Squad Leader Landi?” A knight clad in catalpa-metal plate armor shove the writ of mandate back into his armor as traces of mockery appeared in his eyes.
“There’s no need. This humble self listens and obeys the sentence given.” Landi quietly replied.
“All will be fine as long as you comply with our instructions. Shall we depart then? As a rich kid from a prestigious family, Squad Leader Landi must have never experienced prison life before, right? This may perhaps be a good experience for you, you know? Haha!”
“Hold on a moment. This humble self has something that he doesn’t understand.” Landi didn’t have any intentions of getting up from his spot yet.
“Oh? May I ask what comments or advice Young Master Landi still has in his mind? Do you feel that you are being unjustly treated?” The high-ranking knight turned his body towards Landi with ridicule in his gaze.
“This humble self doesn’t have any opinion if the branch wishes to punish him, but… why? What have the frontline knights done wrong? They have scrupulously abided by the knight’s creed and executed their duties until the last drop of blood flowed from their bodies… The Chivalric Order of Radiant Knights had always been impartial and fair in meting out rewards and punishments. Since when did they aim their hatchet towards the warriors who had returned with glory? Are all of you trying to persecute the faithful and upright people in this order?”
“How audacious of you, traitor! The crime of you protecting and covering up the deeds those group of traitors had done is one thing, but you would even dare to blaspheme the Chivalric Order?! From how I see it, you must be thinking that a jail cell is too comfortable and want to head straight down to hell instead?!”
“Sigh, there’s no need to stoop down to his level.” The high-ranking knight held onto the sword hilt of his adjutant, signaling the latter to remain calm.
“Sure, Young Master Landi. If we go by your interpretations, wouldn’t you be the only person who’s faithful and upright in the chivalric order? In that case, shouldn’t those at the top, like Bishop Enzo, and all the way down to your fellow knights, be expunged from the order then? I’m guessing that a few days later, even our Lord, the Radiant Knight, would be classified as someone unimportant as well, right? That works. Adjutant, remember to add another count inside Young Master Landi’s charges later.”
“If our Lord were still around… would you still be so arrogant?” Landi lowered his voice to the lowest and said so.
“Haha…” The high-ranking knight laughed and softly made his way towards Landi’s ears.
“I wouldn’t have done such a thing if I were you. Rather, I would have tailored my words and manners in accordance with the people I meet. Only a fool would involve himself in a high-risk, low-reward matter.”
“…Esteemed bailiff, you’re certainly not worthy of becoming a knight. Have you considered changing your career and becoming a You*uber instead?” Landi said bluntly.
“What a sharp-tongued bastard!” The adjutant spat out a mouthful of spit.
“All right, stop arguing with him. Why do you bother talking to someone on death’s door anyway? Just allow this young master to fully enjoy what the rotting jail has to offer. Men, take him away.”
“There’s no need for your help, I can walk alone.” Landi stood up.
“What about my team members?”
“The ruined army below the city gates? Relax, they’re all fine. Although, not many of them were in good condition… It’s indeed a shame, the reason why they carried the same offense as you is all because they picked a good squad leader. Hahaha…!”
………………
Within the border town branch of the Chivalric Order of Radiant Knights.
Lan Yu closed his eyes in relaxation while slowly tapping the tabletop with his finger.
The sound of the door handle turning resounded.
“How’s the progress with the situation?”
“It was a success, Esteemed Section Head.” Gorm’s expression was deferential as he said this.
“Very good.” Lan Yu opened his eyes and smiled slightly. “I already handed your promotion documents to headquarters. I believe it will be very quick before these golden flowers you’ve had inlaid on your robes for three years are washed out and replaced by something else.”
“Thank you, Esteemed Section Head!” Gorm forcefully suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and gratefully replied.
As a knight who possessed sacred abilities, Gorm naturally possessed the qualification to break through from his golden knight rank. However, he was unable to receive the recognition of any branches as time passed by.
Gorm was depressed. While his interactions with his squad mates were harmonious on the surface, he felt extremely haughty inside. The fact that these knights, who possessed no sacred ability whatsoever, were on equal footing with him, made him feel a tremendous amount of shame.
Until that day, when he obtained an opportunity and got to know the section head of the Border Town division, Lan Yu.
As his innermost self desired the feeling of being greatly revered and to be someone of importance, Gorm had decided to faithfully follow Lan Yu all the way till the end.
“However, this lowly self has a question.”
“Speak.” Lan Yu was currently in quite a good mood.
“Why didn’t you immediately execute the frontline knights and the guy who disobeyed orders and bring his own squad? Wouldn’t the truth be completely kept that way?”
“Haha.” Lan Yu was all smiles while he stood up and walked towards Gorm.
“An explanation. No matter what it may be, everything requires an explanation, doesn’t it?”
“An explanation?’
“That’s right, an explanation. Whether it’s our superiors going through the formalities, or the unruly citizens making a din, all of them want an explanation from us. And all we have to do is to find this ‘explanation’ for them, even if it’s fabricated. Whether it is the truth or not is unimportant. ”
“The day after tomorrow, I will personally make the final judgment on those ‘traitors’. Their ending is already set in stone no matter what they do, what’s the point in having them live a little longer? There will always be a risk in all things, and a scapegoat is inevitable once something goes wrong. Wouldn’t it be fine as long as that scapegoat isn’t us?” Lan Yu smiled meaningfully.
“However, will there be any complications from the delay if we do things this way? Those guys are still alive, and they could easily spread the truth.”
“No, no, no. Believe me, those raucous and uneducated commoners can be easily incited. The only eyewitnesses in this matter were a bunch of untrustworthy heretics. To us, these conditions couldn’t have been any more advantageous.
“So Gorm, just wait and see. There will definitely be a day I will ascend into the throne of the great church!” Lan Yu spread his arms. The corners of his mouth formed an evil smile as he looked at the Chivalric Order of Radiant Knights’s coat of arms that was suspended high above the wall.