"Smile like a priest", as an ancient proverb, has been passed down since the day the Father God Church was born.
This sentence is usually used to describe people who ask you to borrow money, street vendors selling inferior goods, professional fraudsters, etc. who keep their eyes on your wallet.
People on the mainland generally agree that if a priest smiles at you kindly, there must be nothing good going on.
What's more, he is an upgraded version of the Priest Elite Cardinal.
When they smile, even colleagues within the Holy See must be careful to keep their spirits up.
Marino is also a seasoned veteran. Seeing the peaceful and bright smile of Archbishop Carrados, he suddenly became more vigilant in his heart, but on the surface he remained calm and had a sweet smile on his face.
, and exchanged a few perfunctory words with Karados.
Cardinal Carrados took Marino and talked about some familiar things, such as the weather is nice today, I heard that your disciple has been promoted again, the affairs at the headquarters are messy, but fortunately you are in charge, and other nonsense.
While Marino was dealing with Cardinal Karados, he was quickly thinking about what the other party was planning.
The two chatted warmly for a while like old friends they hadn't seen for a long time. Archbishop Carrados finally grabbed Marino's hand affectionately and walked to the conference table with Marino to sit down.
After Cardinal Karados sat down and saw that everyone was here, he chatted a few more words and even told a little joke, which made everyone present laugh, and then he
With a slight cough, the meeting was formally announced.
Under the auspices of Cardinal Carrados, everyone sat together and picked up various documents recently issued by the Holy See. They carefully studied His Majesty the Pope's recent speech on being diligent and caring for the people, and then carefully understood from it.
His Majesty the Pope’s noble spirit of selflessness and compassion.
Then everyone spoke freely, combined with their own surrounding situations, and talked about their experiences in the specific implementation process.
For example, due to the recent market depression and the impact of the economic crisis, the sales of indulgences have been declining. In the past, the monthly indulgence coupons for VIP members that used to be one gold coin can now only be sold for five silver coins at most.
Just jumping off the building and crying in tears, those damn people still think it’s too expensive. Those damn people are so ungrateful~!
It’s so bad that everyone can’t even divide it now. There’s a big pile left, so we can only use those indulgence coupons to wipe our butts.
You know, we in the Holy See also have targets and tasks, and indulgences are one of our main sources of income.
Our Holy See has a big business and a large population to support. How can a few acres of land and a little filial piety from believers be enough? Especially now that believers are not as good as before. The richer they are, the less they respect God the Father and the money they give.
There are also fewer and fewer.
The chief priest and bishop here have a big wife and a small wife to support and a large family to support. Instead of generating income, they ask everyone to use whatever they want to keep a mistress, find jobs for their children, open a company, and buy BMWs.
Indulgence quotas are all assigned according to job titles. The lower the clergy, the greater the task quotas. Of course, this is to train the work ability of grassroots employees.
If you fail to complete the task, you will be criticized by the notice. More importantly, if you fail to complete the task of indulgence, everyone will have no pocket money. Because of the purchase of land in Nai'an, everyone has been a little tight recently. How many people have
Looking at this bit of money eagerly.
Although the toilet paper... uh, I said it wrong, it was an indulgence. Everyone who bought the indulgence bought it in a roll, but those toilet paper... Bah, bah, the raw materials of those indulgences were all imported from the Flying Eagle Company.
of.
The quality is excellent, even after wiping my butt and blowing my nose, it doesn't matter.
And toilet paper...well, indulgences, indulgences are expensive for a reason.
For example, everyone has to tear it up neatly every time before selling it.
If nothing else, just look at how neatly the toilet paper is torn, and it is all done manually. Such a complicated job requires extremely advanced high-tech technology. The Holy See even hired a large number of high-tech workers for this purpose.
Although workers have solved the employment problems of many cheap brothers-in-law, the salary is also a huge expense.
Our material costs are high and labor costs are high, so our prices are a little higher, which is completely in line with the objective requirements of the market.
But those damn common people still dare to complain. You don’t want it as an indulgence, you can just buy it back and use it as toilet paper~!
They are really a bunch of unscrupulous people, and they must make great efforts to send out the madmen of the Inquisition...well, those loyal and true believers of the Inquisition to teach them a lesson...
Or, by the way, teach them the correct use of indulgences?
In addition, it is said that some places are already unstable. Therefore, I would like to ask the General Assembly to consider whether to send some Templar Knights when the indulgences are forcibly distributed next time.
If there is any bastard who dares not to pay during the apportionment, he will be labeled as a heretic and his head will be chopped off on the spot to scare those dead people.
…
This meeting went on in a haphazard manner for more than an hour.
Marino discovered with some sadness that he was indeed old.
If it were in the past, when I was still a young low-level priest, I would have noticed that these benevolent shepherds, patron saints of the people, and the elites of the human world would actually use words such as "kill the common people" and "trick the people".
, to describe the people under his rule, he might even raise objections on the spot.
Later, after hearing more, he became silent and just frowned slightly.
And now, he heard again that the elites of the human world were trying their best to scrape the last copper from the common people and take away their last grain of food.
They are even forced to sell iron, sons, daughters, and kidneys to pay tribute to these greedy wolves so that they can maintain their luxurious life of wine, meat, BMW, and luxurious houses.
but……
But his heart was as calm as water and he didn't react at all. To be precise, he was numbly collaborating with those despicable and dirty pigs.
Marino even laughed at himself secretly: Compared with us, the vampires who fell into darkness are really pure!
He raised his head and looked at the gold foil inlaid on the opposite wall, covering the entire wall. Through the reflection of the shiny gold foil, he could vaguely see his old face with white hair.
Marino couldn't help but smile. He found that from this angle, he actually looked more like a jackal and a pig than those guys who made such nonsense.
Since everyone was a gangster, they climbed to where they are today through a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Which bastard has not unjustly killed a few people at his hands? He is too embarrassed to say hello to others, and even if he goes out, people will look down on him.
They have become accustomed to all kinds of ugliness under the cover of glory, and even the big shots here have no doubt that they will go to hell after death.
Although everyone spoke with murderous intent during the meeting, everyone in the meeting could not lift their spirits at all, and they all dozed off, even though it was in front of Cardinal Carados, a high-ranking figure.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Marino continued to doze off.
He knew clearly in his heart: In fact, all these meetings are for the same purpose. It doesn't matter what is held or what is said.
who the fuck cares?
What matters is who is hosting the meeting.
In fact, this is the same as a yellow dog running to the roots of a tree to urinate. It is all to show its presence to everyone.
I, Misthan Sanhu, am back~! Everyone must be more honest with me.
This is also true for the so-called three things a new official should do when he takes office.
No matter what you are doing, no matter how nonsense it is, you have to do it in the end.
Why?
Isn't it just to show what kind of person the new official is, a product caught between cow A and cow C?
The meeting went on and on. Finally, seeing that it was almost time for dinner, Carrados saw everyone looking drowsy. He coughed lightly and then said: "This meeting will begin today."
Come here. Let’s continue tomorrow.”
After everyone heard this, they all felt as if they had just woken up from a dream. They suddenly became energetic again and started chatting with each other.
Marino also let out a long breath, thinking he was out of trouble.
When he was about to get up, Carrados stopped him and said: "My dear Bishop Marino, please wait a moment."
Marino froze immediately, as if his old face, which had remained unchanged for thousands of years, couldn't help showing an expression of surprise.
Someone next to him immediately gave him looks with various meanings, including envy, jealousy, hatred, ridicule, contempt, and contempt.
But Marino sighed secretly in his heart: I would rather listen to the impolite speech of the low-level priest who just turned his nostrils to the sky than hear this big man calling me politely with his sweet voice.
name.
But he immediately calmed down his expression, turned around respectfully, and said, "I'm here to listen to your orders."
"My dear Marino." Carrados played with the scepter in his hand and said in a very casual manner: "I wonder if you have heard of it. There are rumors that a close disciple of Archbishop Orbham,
Hilmeria, the cardinal of the province of Naian and the daughter of God, is pregnant."
Marino froze there in shock, thinking to himself: This is impossible, the most talented saint...is pregnant? Oh my god, she doesn't look like that kind of person.
Marino finally understood why the young priests in the Holy See were whispering among themselves.
Marino shook his head slightly, then straightened his face and said calmly: "No, sir, I haven't heard of it. This may be another rumor concocted by the darkness."
Kalados tapped his palms with his scepter and said with a smile: "I think so, so the Cardinal Archbishop Council decided to form an investigation team to go over and see which bastard dared to spread such rumors. It is really shameful.
Be responsible~!”
He frowned angrily, then looked at Marino, and continued: "I hope that you will lead this investigation."
Marino's face suddenly turned pale.
The rest of the people present were packing their things and discussing where to go to have fun. When they heard Carrados' words, they all tensed up and closed their mouths tightly.
Even though Cardinal Karados says it's nice, everyone is smart. Who doesn't know what's going on here?
If the last time the patrolling Bishop Fordo was sent to Naian to look for trouble was a tentative attack, then this investigation means that the struggle between the two factions has officially begun.
The struggles within the Holy See are often several times, even dozens of times more cruel than the struggle with the undead.
This is not surprising. It is everyone's job to fight against the undead. And it is in name only, used to deceive the common people into giving them money.
As for working more or less, doing well or doing badly, it's all the same, and of course there's no need to work so hard.
Just like the Japanese Self-Defense Forces said that they are here to protect all Japanese people. They usually say it nicely, but when the nuclear power plant really explodes and these imperial warriors need to fight hard, everyone will wet their pants and fight desperately.
Shrink back?
What's more, the conscience of heaven and earth is that since the undead fled in panic during the last war, in the past thousand years, the Holy See has not really encountered the demons as many times as they have fought with their mistresses.
The fight against one's own people is to destroy the opponent's job, or to keep one's own job, to keep the car, house, horse, money...etc. This series of things were obtained after years of struggle.
In this kind of matter, it is natural that we will fight to the death, and we will live and die.
Marino wanted to shirk it, but when he looked around, he found that everyone around him was maintaining a strange silence and looking at him sinisterly. The red archbishop of Carrados, who was sitting opposite, seemed to be playing absentmindedly.
That scepter, but the cold light that flashed through his eyes was full of murderous intent.
Marino's heart suddenly thumped slightly.
He was keenly aware of the mystery involved. If he refused, he would be considered a member of the Obachm faction in the next moment, and would be ruthlessly retaliated against.
He knew the cruel methods of this Karados. It was very likely that after going to bed tonight and waking up the next morning, he would find that he had peacefully returned to the embrace of Father God.
Even on a crooked-neck tree outside, it is not impossible to find yourself swinging on your neck.
This terrible consequence immediately made his hair stand on end.
Therefore, Marino made a decision in an instant.
He bowed slightly and said softly: "As you wish, my lord."
Karados immediately grinned, patted his shoulder heavily, and said: "Okay, very good."
He paused, and then said: "If you have any demands this time, just ask for them. If you want people, give them soldiers, and if you want soldiers, give them soldiers. We can't make the same mistake as last time, and make that fool Fordo's mistake.
"
After hearing his words, Marino trembled involuntarily as if hearing an ominous prophecy.
He knew that when Fordo went to Naian, he wanted to cause trouble for Hilmeria, and then took the opportunity to kick Hilmeria away, and then take control of Naian's Holy See. However, he did not act secretly, and was betrayed by the other party.
Cleaned up. A dead and incomplete body was left behind.
Moreover, the other party used carrots and sticks for the senior officials who had arrived in Nai'an. As a result, they all were pulled over, making the people of the Obachm family suddenly become powerful.
As things go on and on, Karados's power gradually weakens. Maybe this is the reason why he is jumping up and down like this?
Only by showing his presence, making some achievements, and suppressing Obachm can he regain the support of everyone and stabilize his unshakable position.
Thinking of this, Marino forced a smile and said: "Yes, sir."
Carrados saw the look on his face, smiled immediately, and said: "My dear Marino, don't worry. All of us here will do our best to help."
He turned his head, looked at everyone present, and asked with a smile: "Isn't that right, everyone?"
Everyone looked at each other, with joy on their faces, and then nodded.
They are not fools. The so-called full help actually means that they can get a share of the pie when the time comes.
Naian.
What was once a barren land is now a fat, oily piece of meat~!
Who would have thought that after that young man arrived and managed it for a short period of time, he would achieve such great results.
Naian now is simply, uh, no, in fact, it is a huge gold mine~!
The snow-white salt, the huge merchant ships, the transparent glass, the huge mirror that can illuminate every hair. The convenient, fast, and extremely stable carriage, and the vast and fertile land...
When everyone thought about the huge wealth there, greed suddenly flashed in their eyes.
As long as you move Hilmeria down, charge her with a crime, and drive her away.
At that time, you can be the master of your own country.
With everyone's skills, they robbed openly and covertly, and those luxurious and valuable things did not fall into their own hands in the end. Then they could take advantage of the opportunity to continue to extort money and live a life of drunkenness, beauty, and dreams.
As for the Count of Lorraine?
Huh, just a young man~!
Even though he has some abilities, his political experience is absolutely insufficient in comparison. Otherwise, he would not show off his wealth like this.
Is this just for the sake of slaughtering his fat sheep?
There have been those brave generals and marshals in the past, but no matter how good they are at fighting, who can escape the hidden arrows of the Holy See?
No matter how talented you are, so what?
This is not the end of a cup of yellow sand~!
Someone laughed softly and said, "I can buy another pony for my son."
Some people even said excitedly: "Haha, my mistress has always asked me to give her a floor-length mirror from Nai'an. Now it seems that the money can be saved, because Nai'an will be ours soon. Hahaha..."
"I heard that the beauties around Lorraine are quite good. When the time comes, I can do some love work for them. Of course, in the dead of night."
"Hahaha……"
The high-ranking officials of the Holy See laughed knowingly. The laughter was obscene and despicable, as if this was not the residence of the holy Father God, but a gathering of shameless turtles in a despicable brothel.
This is understandable, because in a sense, these guys are not even as good as turtles, because turtles sell their own labor to make money, but what they sell is people's trust in them. Also
He is what is commonly known as a traitor~!
But they still have no scruples.
Because these people know that they all hold great power. Even though they are common people and levy excessive taxes, there are very few people in this world who can check and balance them.
They can do whatever they want and continue to be beasts.
Everyone in Kalados discussed a few more details with him and saw that it was indeed getting late, so they asked Marino to retreat and come back tomorrow to continue the discussion in order to come up with a complete solution.
When Marino withdrew, he saw that the waiter next to him had an impatient look on his face, and the table next to him was filled with all kinds of delicacies.
As he excused himself, he cursed in his mind: This damn stingy miser and son of a bitch~! He couldn't even bear to take care of a meal. He really wasn't worth old Marino's life for him.
Carrados watched Marino walk out the door, always with a smile on his face, a smile that would only be shown miserably when he sent the death squads out to charge, or when he tricked people into going to bed.
Therefore, once Marino disappeared, the smile on his face disappeared instantly, the corners of his mouth pulled down, and his eyes were fierce, revealing his true face as ferocious as a vulture.
The attendant next to him came over and respectfully laid out a white linen napkin for him. But Carrados waved his hand, threw the napkin aside, and then said calmly: "I won't eat, I have no appetite. It's all gone."
.”
The attendant was stunned for a moment, looking at the dishes that had been carefully prepared by the world's top chefs after selecting the best materials from all over the country and then transporting them as quickly as possible. Then he respectfully agreed and said again.
Backed away.
Karados looked down at the document in front of him. The snow-white and clean paper had a small golden Flying Eagle logo in the upper right corner, indicating that it was high-grade paper produced by the Flying Eagle Group.
But that piece of paper recorded all kinds of information collected by the priests and priests under Archbishop Carrados.
But this information was used to deal with the Flying Eagle Company that produced these papers.
How does this look like a vulgar and ridiculous joke~!
But the fluent handwriting on the paper shows that these are all real.
Carrados reached out and touched the golden Eagle label on the paper, with a faint smile on his lips. Perhaps soon, these industries that Lorraine worked so hard for will become his own industry, and the paper will soon be printed
It's your own badge.
Those wealth, companies, and beauties...
Thinking of this, he gave a stern order: "Notify me, the operation is about to begin, and we need active cooperation from all places. If there is any delay, we will kill you without mercy~"
Later, his voice had a hissing sound, like the sound of a poisonous snake spitting a message.
An indifferent voice in the darkness agreed, and then left quickly.
Carrados sat at the table and thought quietly for a while. Then he reached out, picked up a straight tube next to him, and blew gently into it.
The straight tube was made with exquisite workmanship, and a whistle sounded immediately from the other end of the connection.
Immediately afterwards, Karados heard a noise coming from inside, and he said in a sweet tone: "My dear, can you please come here?"