Chapter 646 Post-War Settlement
A massive net was gradually hoisted within the brain of the Land Whale Beast.
Positioned around the net were four deities, with the frenzied, rage-exuding God of Tree at the very center.
The deity leading the group, radiating golden light, observed the scene impassively and commanded succinctly, "Gather."
As the words of this 3rd-tier deity fell, the net was drawn tight.
The God of Tree, ensnared and fuming, could only glare helplessly at the four deities, as no human speech could escape its lips.
Despite the God of Tree's formidable destructive power, it proved powerless against the deity-crafted net and was promptly bundled up, ceasing its devastation of the Sinner Level 7 region.
Sarawood, hoisting the ensnared God of Tree, proceeded outdoors accompanied by the other three deities.
At this moment, all citizens of Sinner Level 7 had been congregated in the open space outside.
The air was abuzz with their chatter, which fell into a hushed awe at the sight of the exalted deity, stirring a wave of excitement.
A genuine deity, at a minimum of the 3rd tier, was an event not witnessed in the Sinner Level 7 realm for nearly a thousand years.
"The deity responsible for disrupting our peace in Sinner Level 7 has been apprehended," announced Sarawood to the gathered citizens.
"Peace shall henceforth be restored to our realm. Furthermore..."
He paused, massaging his temples with a hint of vexation before continuing, "The Deity Council will allocate a portion of merit points for the reconstruction of Sinner Level 7."
The announcement was met with jubilant cheers from the crowd.
However, Sarawood found no joy in their gratitude and celebration.
The extensive damage inflicted upon Sinner Level 7 necessitated a significant amount of merit points, the total of which could sustain a deity for a year. This spelled tighter times ahead for him.
With a sigh, Sarawood cast a slightly resentful glance at the officials of Sinner Level 7 and inquired, "Why did the God of Tree go berserk within your jurisdiction? And why was there no report when a 2nd-tier deity arrived in our midst?"
The officials, drenched in sweat under Sarawood's scolding, dared not move an inch.
"Our council has gathered intelligence that the God of Tree sought to leverage the crystals within the Land Whale Beast's brain to ascend to the 3rd-tier deity status."
"Now, not only has the God of Tree's plan to ascend failed, but those crystals have also gone missing. We suspect that someone might have taken them."
"Do any of you have any leads or information that could assist us in this matter?"
Sarawood's words immediately stirred confusion among the officials, who were previously unaware of the specifics of the incident.
Sarawood, lost in thought, muttered to himself, "Henry and Lune, it seems the Lord of Competition is making his move."
Monk Taro, seizing the silence, added fuel to the fire, "That Henry shows blatant disrespect towards the Deity Council. He must be apprehended and severely punished."
"So, you're suggesting that Henry and Lune conspired to steal these crystals as well as hundreds of mysterious items from your family?"
Sarawood finally spoke, looking at Monk Taro intently.
Overjoyed that Sarawood remembered the mention of the mysterious items, Monk Taro eagerly responded, "Yes, hundreds of precious items, no less. I'm sure you understand their immense value, all of which were taken by Henry and Lune."
"I hope you will seek justice for our family and bring these criminals to account," Monk Taro said, glaring at Sarawood with a mix of anger and desperation.
Instead of responding directly to Monk Taro's plea, Sarawood posed a question, "Considering the scale of your family's assets in Sinner Level 7, how were you able to amass such a collection of mysterious items?"
Caught off guard and sensing a looming threat, Monk Taro stumbled over his words, "These items were gifts from our ancestors, intended to bolster our defenses and contribute to the safeguarding of Sinner Level 7."
Sarawood offered a faint smile and said, "Your ancestor, being a 1st-tier deity with some standing in the Deity Council, certainly could not produce such a vast array of mysterious items all at once. It has come to my attention that your family oversees the taxation in Sinner Level 7. It might be worthwhile to investigate whether there has been any discrepancy involving hundreds of these mysterious items in the tax records."
As he continued, his tone turned increasingly frosty, "The tax revenue in Sinner Level 7 has been diminishing over the years. This region was once prosperous, and I've been puzzled by its decline. Now, it seems we're beginning to see the outline of the issue."
"Send out the notice—conduct a thorough examination of the tax system in Sinner Level 7. Should any misconduct by the Monks family come to light, they shall face severe punishment!"
Sarawood's words sent a chill through Monk Taro, his complexion turning ashen.
This could spell disaster for the Monks family in Sinner Level 7, possibly leading to the sale of family assets to cover the tax shortfall, not to mention the serious penalties Monk Taro himself might face.
Monk Taro was consumed with regret, wishing he could deliver a barrage of slaps to his own face for even mentioning Henry and Lune.
As for the scrutiny of Sinner Level 7's taxation, Sarawood faced no objections.
However, the mention of Lune by Monk Taro raised another issue.
One of the deities accompanying Sarawood interjected coldly, "What about the information concerning Lune mentioned by this Monk Taro?"
Sarawood glanced at the deity, noticing a subtle smirk in their eyes, and responded with a hint of frustration, "I will certainly dispatch someone to investigate. Should the Lord of Competition be deceased, those crystals would be considered public assets."
"I will ensure they are reclaimed."
"Moreover, not only did they embezzle public assets, but they also indirectly contributed to the devastation of the Sinner Level 7 region, leading to the madness of a 2nd-tier deity," the somewhat adversarial deity continued coldly.
"Such charges could easily warrant the death penalty for those individuals."
"I demand that you handle this matter with the utmost seriousness, or I will take this issue to the Deity Council."
Sarawood clenched his fists as he faced the deity, frustrated by their evident reluctance to see the Lord of Competition revived.