Chapter 188: Monopoly by Three Makes People Grateful

Chapter 188 – The Triple Monopoly, a Blessing of Gratitude

The Fifteenth Regiment of the Cathedral Guard?

Chen Jian had never even known what the Fifteenth Regiment was, let alone imagined any intersection.

Yet his intuition whispered that anyone who came to visit at such a moment was unlikely to be idle.

Coupled with the drone’s sight of troops gathering toward the heart of Jinling, Chen Jian sensed that something out of the ordinary might unfold within the city.

Resolute, he accepted the request for a meeting, and minutes later he stood before the so‑called regiment commander, Zhang Tao.

And beside him, Jin Zhong.

Both men had shed their armor, dressed in ordinary garments.

To the casual eye, aside from being sturdier and taller than most, they bore no remarkable traits.

Their features were unremarkable—no sharper than the pale scholar Shen Yue, nor as stern as the ever‑serious He Shuo, lacking a hint of resolute bearing.

Especially Zhang Tao, who, standing beside Jin Zhong, seemed to acquire a slicker expression by contrast.

He did not look like a commander; he resembled a merchant more.

——

And the first words he uttered almost cemented his “merchant” persona.

He said:

“Esteemed officers of the Huaxia army, besides admiring the visage of the hero who rescued Jinling, I come with a proposal for a trade.”

“You? Trade with me?”

Chen Jian was taken aback, and Jin Zhong beside him stared in disbelief.

He furrowed his brow toward Zhang Tao, as if to speak, but was silenced by a subtle gesture from the other.

Then Zhang Tao continued:

“Indeed, merely a modest exchange, representing only myself, not the Mechanical Cult.”

“Tell me what you have in mind.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Chen Jian’s interest was piqued.

What does it mean to act only on one’s own behalf?

Within such a religious order, uttering that is tantamount to rebellion.

Yet Zhang Tao seemed accustomed to such defiance.

That was intriguing.

Chen Jian could not wait to hear the nature of this so‑called trade.

If he sought equipment or skills, Chen Jian would never concede them.

But if he desired resources or wealth,

Chen Jian would not mind striking such a deal.

After all, division is a gradual process.

A good start might later ease the assimilation of the Mechanical Cult.

Chen Jian waited in silence, but Zhang Tao’s next sentence left him dumbfounded.

“I wish to exchange intelligence on the Pope‑Saints’ negotiation tactics for the honor of you remembering my name.”

“Huh?”

What does that mean?

Chen Jian stared at Zhang Tao, bewildered for several seconds before realizing the man was extending a courtesy to him, to the Huaxia forces.

Trading a piece of intelligence for the mere remembrance of his name?

What a high‑EQ proclamation!

You damn well must be eager to advance, huh?!

Chen Jian could only laugh and weep as he watched Zhang Tao, then glanced at the flustered Jin Zhong beside him, and asked:

“Have you two conspired? Are you planning to betray the Mechanical Cult?”

“Such a monumental act cannot be achieved in this manner, can it?”

“I am not betraying the Church.”

Zhang Tao spread his hands, answering without a hint of fear:

“I merely wish, based on the information I possess, to give you a friendly warning.”

“The warning is that the Pope‑Saints have mobilized four regiments of Cathedral Guard stationed in other regions to reinforce Jinling’s sanctuary, and the first three regiments are expected to arrive today.”

“Thus the Saints will inevitably stall the negotiation process.”

“I think you should prepare in advance, or devise a wiser strategy.”

“Understood.”

Chen Jian gave a slight nod, then replied:

“We do not fear the pressure of the Mechanical Cult; frankly, if they overstep, the misfortune will be theirs—no, yours.”

“That is precisely why I am here.”

Zhang Tao sighed softly, then said:

“Regardless, the civilians of Jinling are innocent.”

“They have only just fled the clutches of the Flower Capital’s minions, and I truly wish not to see this centuries‑old citadel bathed in blood.”

“Thus my warning carries a selfish motive.”

“If you can prepare beforehand, perhaps you may resolve the negotiations more decisively and at a lower cost.”

“That would benefit both you and the people of Jinling.”

“The only one to suffer would likely be the Church itself.”

“And that outcome should be acceptable to you, correct?”

“Indeed.”

Chen Jian nodded again, then said:

“You need not worry; even in the most extreme scenario, we can ensure the civilians of Jinling remain unharmed.”

“In our eyes, the power of the Mechanical Cult is, frankly, rather laughable.”

“You pose no threat to us, nor can you quickly endanger the city’s populace.”

“That puts my mind at ease.”

A smile spread across Zhang Tao’s face, and he continued:

“My name is Zhang Tao; as you know, I am the commander of the Fifteenth Regiment of the Cathedral Guard.”

“I command close to six hundred holy cathedral guard warriors, and they stand with me in the garrison of Silent Sea City.”

“Perhaps our paths will cross little thereafter, yet I still hope you will remember my name.”

“Why?”

Chen Jian asked, curiosity flickering in his voice.

He yearned for a definitive answer from Zhang Tao, for in truth he could already glimpse the other's intent.

The man was decidedly unstable, his views on the Mechanist Church—and even on religion itself—seemed far from firm.

And now, having come of his own accord, he extended an invitation to dialogue, leaving no doubt that only a handful of motives could lie behind it.

Either he intends to betray.

Or he seeks to purge the corrupt.

Or he wishes to collude in secret.

Yet whatever the purpose, at its core he seeks to leverage power.

And to borrow strength, a price must inevitably be paid.

Chen Jian wondered what price he was prepared to surrender.

Though Zhang Tao appeared reckless, his mind was remarkably subtle.

He did not furnish the answer Chen Jian sought; instead, he bowed respectfully and said:

“You and your troops are undeniably the mightiest on this land; like heroes of legend you descended from the heavens, rescuing the whole city of Jinling and sparing the lives of tens of thousands of civilians.”

“That alone is enough to command reverence.”

“Thus it is only natural that I wish you to know my name.”

“After all, it is a kind of honor, is it not?”

“.Are you the guard brigade tasked solely with flattery?”

Chen Jian asked with a hint of sarcasm.

“It depends on the recipient,”

Zhang Tao replied solemnly:

“Of course I will not fawn over everyone; I must first see whether it is worth it.”

“Very well,”

Chen Jian waved his hand and said:

“I have taken your name to heart; you may depart now.”

“As you command.”

Zhang Tao bowed deeply, then seized Jin Zhong by the arm and slipped toward the exit.

Watching their silhouettes recede, Chen Jian shook his head and muttered:

“What kind of affair is this?”

And as soon as they stepped out of the manor into the desolate stretch, Jin Zhong almost instantly cornered Zhang Tao, then thundered:

“Do you know what you are doing?” “Do you realize what awaits you should all you said today reach the Saint?”

“Zhang Tao, what exactly has befallen you??”

“How could you become so reckless, so disloyal, so blasphemous!”

“You have exposed the Saint’s intent before outsiders!”

“Even if such intent is not hard to discern, it is certainly no bargaining chip!”

“You should not—”

“Silence!”

Zhang Tao exhaled heavily, offering no reply to Jin Zhong’s accusations, but turning the question back:

“Brother, do you know why you are still alive?”

Those words froze Jin Zhong in his tracks.

After a few seconds of silence, he finally answered:

“I know—it is because of the Huaxia army.”

“But—”

“There is no ‘but’ left.”

Zhang Tao cut him off once more and said:

“The Saint wishes you dead, yet the Huaxia army keeps you breathing.”

“Do you not see? Compared to the Saint, compared to the Church, perhaps they are the allies truly worth courting.”

“Do you truly intend to betray??”

Jin Zhong’s tone grew fierce, but Zhang Tao remained unruffled.

“I have never claimed I would betray, nor do I intend to.”

“There is only one thing I can tell you.”

“Having lingered in Silent Sea for so long, I must now seek a new path for myself and the warriors under my command.”

“And that path lies with the Huaxia army.”

“Do not dance around the truth with me!”

Jin Zhong stared into Zhang Tao’s eyes, each word deliberate, and asked:

“Are you truly about to renounce the faith? Answer me—yes or no!”

“No.”

Zhang Tao, unflinching, replied in the same measured cadence:

“I will never renounce the faith.”

“I merely must act to correct the errors that have already taken root here.”

“What errors?”

Jin Zhong pressed further.

“Do not tell me you have yet to perceive where the error lies.”

“Have you not noticed that over these past decades the Pope’s authority has swollen beyond reason?”

“Have you not seen that the people’s veneration of the Almighty Machine and the Holy Trinity has been eclipsed by reverence for the Saint?”

“Even the poorest, who scrape by in misery, now give thanks to the Saint, have you not observed?”

“Do you fail to grasp what this signifies?”

“I do not know.”

Jin Zhong answered with words that contradicted his heart, while Zhang Tao spoke without any concealment:

“The Mechanical Cult has run into a grave problem.”

“The monopoly of power makes people cowardly, the monopoly of resources makes people impoverished, the monopoly of information makes people ignorant.”

“And when all three are monopolized together, it breeds gratitude.”

“The doctrine of the Supreme Trinity is not like that.”

“It is wrong, and someone must set it right.”

“But not now.”

“.Why do you tell me all this?”

Jin Zhong drew a deep breath, then said:

“A single sentence from me could send you plummeting into the abyss.”

“You won’t.”

Zhang Tao smiled confidently, then said:

“After all, you are the only one who has truly witnessed the mightiest face of the Huaxia army, and the sole person to have set foot in their base.”

“How could you not feel stirred?”

“Right, brother?”

Meanwhile, within the sanctuary of the Mechanical Cult.

The Saint still sat imperiously upon his “throne,” and the black‑clad Grand Bishop, who had personally led the great expedition only to flee in disgrace, remained at his side in close service.

Sunlight streamed through the dome onto the Saint, the glare so fierce that he could not help but close his eyes.

After a long while, he spoke:

“There are less than three hours left before the deadline set by the Huaxia army, and the main force of the Guard Brigade has yet to reach Jinling.”

“We have no chance left; perhaps we must make some concessions to buy more time.”

“Let us comply with their third demand.”

“First, send them a portion of the information we have about ourselves, to stall them.”

“Then, prepare the ‘bargaining chips’ we will need in the negotiations.”

“Especially the chips concerning the mineral resources they have already requested from the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce, the very resources they wish to procure.”

“Saltpeter, coal, iron ore, mercury, and other rare metals.”

“All of these we can give them.”

“With our current technology, the vast majority of those resources cannot be utilized anyway.”

“Rather than letting them sit in warehouses to oxidize, decay, and rust, we might as well hand them over and have them help us forge what we need.”

“After all, whatever is built, no matter by whom, ultimately belongs to us.”

“.Is this perhaps a bit too reckless?”

The Grand Bishop asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice:

“Even for us, rare metals are scarce; if we wish to forge more advanced cannons or replicate colossal guns, those rare metals are indispensable as special‑steel raw material.”

“If we give them away, we will fall even further behind.”

“It matters not; we are already lagging.”

The Saint shook his head gently, then said:

“We no longer stand a chance of defeating them; only monsters can overcome them.”

“They have caused such a stir; monsters cannot simply turn a blind eye.”

“The beast tide is about to break, and with their present strength, how could they possibly hold it back?”

“All we need to do is add another spark to the already rising beast tide.”

“When those invincible monsters trample them flat, everything they leave behind will be ours.”

“Understood.”

The Grand Bishop nodded gravely, then asked:

“So, shall the negotiations proceed as usual?”

“Yes, proceed as usual.”

A faint smile curled at the Saint’s mouth, and he continued:

“Not only must we proceed as usual, we must also satisfy them.”

“Except for their first condition, which we must never fulfill, we should meet their other demands as fully as possible.”

“What resources, what supplies, what information—none of it matters.”

“As long as our foundation remains unshaken, there is still room for redemption.”

“Go, arrange the venue for the negotiations.”

“Then we set out at once.”

“This time, we must display our sincerity to the fullest.”

“After all, their days are numbered.”

At this, the Saint paused, reflected for a moment, and then spoke again:

“Inform the other Guard Brigades that they need not enter Jinling any longer.”

“They have a new mission.”

“A mission of utmost importance!”

(End of Chapter)