Chapter 39: Fists

Chapter 39 The Fist

“After all, what on earth do they even amount to?”

Those words,

Struck Karen’s heart with tremendous force.

No,

It could almost be said... to have upended it.

Ever since his awakening, he had been constructing his understanding of this world, and though he had revised it many times, he still hadn't completely shaken the influence of his past life's established perceptions;

This was a real world,

This was a world with a system, a society, and a framework,

But previously, he had only noticed the "small-time squabbles" of people like Alfred and Mrs. Molly,

Yet he had never profoundly realized that,

This,

Was a world governed by divine authority!

Therefore, once Alfred suspected him of being an "evil god," he had fallen straight to his knees, utterly discarding his dignity to offer up all manner of flattery and praise;

It wasn't because Alfred was being hyperbolic or theatrical;

The one in error was not Alfred,

But rather, him, Karen.

It was he who had never truly "understood" this world.

You thought his performance was ridiculous;

Yet he might well be laughing at you for standing on the stage in full clown makeup while still trying to look solemn.

And because of this,

Dis had asked him: Why did you think your grandfather would be afraid of these things?

Because he had always cast his grandfather in the mold of a reclusive master, quietly upholding a certain order yet bound to revere the rules.

But in reality,

That was not the case,

From the perspective of the Church of Order,

From the perspective of Dis,

From the perspective of one within the laws of Order,

The existences he truly needed to fear were few and far between.

The things he itself shrank from, the things he worried over, the things he involved himself in,

In Dis's eyes,

Were not even worth mentioning.

It wasn't that he didn't care; it was that he disdained them.

Karen's thoughts turned back to Uncle Mason, who had knelt on the first floor earlier, howling in agony,

Upon their return, his uncle had said: Father is just a priest, telling him these things will only bring him distress and pain.

At the time, he had denied it in his heart:

No,

Dis is not like ordinary priests.

Well,

As it turned out, his own understanding and Uncle Mason's were just two shades of the same ignorance.

You do not know your father, and I, in truth, do not know my grandfather either.

Karen stared blankly at Dis,

He did not think Dis was joking; a man like him simply did not make jokes.

The reason he was momentarily speechless,

Was that his mind was now completely blank, leaving him at a total loss for words.

“You may lead the way now,” Dis said.

“Oh, right.”

Karen stepped out of the study with Dis following behind him, and as he reached the landing of the stairs, about to go down, he turned back to look at Dis.

“What is it?” Dis asked.

“Where are we going?”

I am leading the way, but where to?

“To the residence of that mayoral candidate, Mr. Ford.”

Hearing this, Karen asked, “But, his house... where is it?”

Dis looked at Karen,

And Karen looked back at Dis.

The grandfather and grandson stood face-to-face at the turn of the stairs like that, and for a good while, neither uttered a word.

After a long pause,

Dis spoke to Karen with a hint of perplexity:

“Just now, it was you who knocked on the door and walked into my study, correct?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“It was you who told me this matter is very likely related to an aberrant demon, correct?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“And it was you who suggested to me that the one who benefits the most is the most likely suspect, meaning that mayoral candidate, Mr. Ford, correct?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Dis nodded,

Folded his hands before him,

And asked back with immense gravity:

“So, are you telling me now that you actually have no idea where his house is?”

“I...”

Countless roars erupted within Karen's soul:

Could anyone blame me?

Could anyone blame me!

How was I to know you would just take me straight to the mastermind's doorstep?

Normally when dealing with the powerful, shouldn't one start small with local clues, gather evidence, catch the low-level thugs, track down the vine step by step, get threatened by the enemy, lose a few teammates to their silencing hits, and finally, after surviving immense peril, find that one fleeting chance to expose the truth to the public?

Even if you knew exactly who was behind it, they are nobility.

Even if they had already pre-ordered the funeral services, even if they smiled right at you, flashing their refined elegance, mocking you because even though you knew the truth you could do nothing about it, you still had to swallow your broken teeth and endure it;

After all, the rules are written by them.

And yet,

You tell me,

Come on,

Let's go to his house right now and have a chat?

It feels as though,

Just as the cameras are about to roll,

I come to read lines with you,

Only to realize that the two of us are holding completely different scripts.

Dis looked at the speechless Karen,

Sighed,

And said:

"So, in truth, you haven't prepared anything at all?"

"I..."

"I thought you were entirely ready, which is why you came to the study to call for me."

"I..."

"Then what was your purpose in coming to find me just now?"

"I..."

"It couldn't possibly be because your inner conscience felt uneasy, so you came to my place to make one final, half-hearted attempt, while in reality, you never even considered what I could actually do if I stepped in?

To put it simply,

You just came to me to have a good cry and seek some peace of mind?"

"Yes... it is."

Karen admitted it.

Because it wasn't the Rote family who died, he hadn't completely lost his mind, but his heart was heavy, much like Uncle Mason, entirely crushed beneath another's shadow, paralyzed by fear and bound hand and foot, until finally... he could only accept his fate, shroud his conscience, and repeatedly murmur "this is the tragedy of the little guy" to comfort himself.

In truth, his own heart hadn't even prepared for the kind of struggle where a little guy tries to move an elephant.

"Karen."

"Yes."

"Take some time to properly re-read those books I had Lunt bring over to you, especially the Light of Order, which you claimed you had already finished.

It is written there as clear as day; did you actually read it?"

I thought that was just exaggerated promotional rhetoric...

I didn't expect it to be a literal, factual textbook.

Dis reached out,

Patted Karen on the shoulder,

And said with profound earnestness:

"A millennium ago, even a king's coronation required him to prostrate himself at the feet of the gods, requiring religion to bestow upon him his legitimate right to rule—the divine right of kings.

Over the past thousand years, such scenes have become rare.

But,

The reason is that the profession of kingship has declined,

The gods,

Have always stood firm right there."

After saying this, Dis looked down at the black briefcase he was holding, shook his head, turned, and walked back into his study, adding as he went:

"Do not learn from cowards, who merely lie on the ground to warm their bellies in the sun when their consciences are troubled.

Learn to take the initiative and do something,

At the very least,

Prepare the list of suspects who might be involved, along with their home addresses."

"Thud."

The study door closed.

Leaving Karen still standing at the top of the stairs, where there was no wind, yet his mind remained utterly disheveled.

"Meow~"

Purr's cry drifted over,

Walking with a feline strut, it paced steadily along the smooth staircase banister, turning its head to look at Karen with what seemed like a deliberate smirk:

"I told you, didn't I? Dis can always give you the coolest and most reliable advice."

As it spoke,

Purr wagged its tail with a hint of excitement.

"Are you satisfied with this advice?"

Karen looked at Purr,

Only now did he understand,

Why Alfred had taken the initiative to remind him when he saw his low spirits:

"Young Master, you might want to go ask your grandfather."

Therefore,

From Alfred's perspective,

He must have been somewhat perplexed,

Clearly, the other side had already resorted to using the power of aberrant demons, so why were you all still sighing and groaning inside the hearse?

Whew...

Fortunately, both Pu'er and Dis had said that his identity as an evil god was entirely flawless, and that during the initial stage of descent, an evil god would endure a prolonged period of vulnerability—a fragility that pertained not only to power... but also to a fragmented consciousness, transcending mere memory loss.

Thus, while Alfred was slightly perplexed, it never crossed his mind to harbor actual suspicion.

Karen took a deep breath,

reached out his arms,

and drew Pu'er into his embrace. The cat did not struggle; instead, seizing the moment upon realizing that the suffocating melancholy in Karen's heart had dissolved, she voiced her demand:

"The carp with baked noodles we talked about last time—when are you making it for me?"

Karen reached down to stroke her belly,

and just as Pu'er was truly on the verge of raising a claw to teach him a lesson:

"I will make it for you tonight."

"Splendid, meow~"

...

Everyone was gathered in the first-floor living room now, including Siso's family of four.

His uncle sat upon the sofa, head bowed low, while Aunt Mary offered whispered consolations at his side.

Aunt Winnie pressed a hand to her forehead,

while Ron wore a thoroughly miserable expression; even with Ron's intellect, it was glaringly obvious that this family of four had certainly not committed suicide.

Alfred stood beside Ms. Molly, looking like bystanders who had accidentally wandered into the rehearsal of a deeply depressing stage play.

Karen carried Pu'er down the stairs, his soles striking the wooden steps, sending out a succession of crisp, echoing footsteps.

Gradually,

every single gaze shifted toward him.

"The deposit has been accepted. Since we have taken their money, this business must be seen through to the end, no matter what.

Aunt, please take Molly and tend to the presentation of this family's remains. Though the weather is cold now and the memorial service is tomorrow, meaning embalming matters little, they should at least be permitted to depart with dignity.

Uncle, please take Ron and arrange the first floor. The client's request was for simplicity and solemnity, so we shall fulfill it exactly as desired.

Alfred, keep a close eye on the journalists and demonstrators outside. Tomorrow is the official day of mourning; I do not wish for my home to be disturbed today.

Furthermore,

I must trouble you, Auntie, to compile a list for me of the important figures attending the memorial tomorrow. We must ensure they leave their addresses during the service, so we can mail them an exquisite commemorative souvenir."

Having spoken his piece,

Karen's gaze once more swept across everyone present:

"This is Grandfather's will;

Grandfather said,

the Inmeles family does not harbor idlers,

get to work!"

Everyone began to busy themselves. Perhaps the previous gloom had merely been a necessary transition—a passage after which one still had to confront reality.

Aunt Mary and Ms. Molly joined forces, transporting the corpses of the family of four, one by one, down toward the basement workshop.

Uncle Mason took Ron to retrieve the decorative materials and began arranging the displays.

Alfred, holding a wooden stool, seated himself in the courtyard, fixing his gaze upon the journalists outside and the crowd of demonstrators sitting on the ground.

Within the courtyard sat an aberrant demon;

outside the courtyard sat a cluster of white roses.

The demon Alfred maintained an elegant posture, while that cluster of white roses looked as though they were being gnawed by a dog.

Aunt Winnie began compiling the list, standing beside the telephone, occasionally needing to dial out to make inquiries.

Everyone began to stir in an orderly, bustling fashion.

Karen carried Pu'er back upstairs.

What had once been an agonizing wait had now transformed into anticipation.

At tomorrow's memorial service, all those meant to perform on stage would arrive; who played the protagonist and who played the supporting role would be instantly clear.

Once the memorial service concluded,

he could take that list and accompany his grandfather to pay a visit to each of their homes, door by door.

The family of victims was already dead, and the dance of the perpetrators was about to begin, but he who laughed last would laugh best.

Karen did not mind thoroughly enjoying their smiles tomorrow,

much like a true hunter who delights in watching his prey dance before the slaughter.

It was a form of appreciation,

and an irresistible pleasure.

He knew not when such thoughts had begun to flood his mind,

yet Karen had no desire to resist or purge them.

Dis's attitude was his greatest reliance,

just as Dis had once spoken the words: the fist is the ultimate truth.

Karen cradled Pu'er with his left arm and raised his right hand, slowly clenching it into a fist.

Pu'er, a cat who seemed capable of peering through human hearts,

remained nestled in Karen's arms for the sake of the carp with baked noodles,

yet true to her nature, she could not resist teasing him:

"So, are you now beginning to intoxicate yourself with the fist of a deity as well?

A fist that can break free from the shackles of secular conventions and crush anyone who stands outside the rules into minced meat?"

The divine fist?

Or perhaps,

divine authority?

Karen spoke, "My understanding of this fist is quite different from yours."

"Heh heh heh, how else could it be? Only the will of a god can pierce through the filthy darkness engineered by humanity itself to deliver a bone-chilling retribution!"

"Actually, there is another kind of fist."

"Which kind?"

"Your feline brain cannot comprehend it."

"Are you despising me? Yet, I somehow feel that 'feline brain' sounds vastly superior to 'canine brain'."

"Yes, precisely."

"If one day, you wish to find faith, you can tell me."

"Why not Dis?"

"Why, why?

Heh.

Can that human brain of yours actually think for once?"

Purr broke free from Karen's embrace,

landed on the ground,

looked up at Karen,

and smiled:

"Because Dis, he does not believe."

————

There will be another chapter tonight, but it will be a bit late, so you can read it when you wake up during the day.

Also, I would like to recommend a book by an author I really like. I feel this book is the most brilliant one I have read in the past two years, titled "The Devil's Advent."