Chapter 24: The Origin of the Sect
To some extent, the Death Equality Sect didn't pick the wrong target.
Lungmen's role in the Columbian Civil War was definitely not glorious. Rather, the whole world was an accomplice in this civil war. Columbia, which had been rapidly developing, ended its civil war, letting the whole world witness their strength and technological capabilities. And its tolerant social policies also allowed its national strength to grow rapidly.
No matter from which angle one looked, it was the appearance of a rising new great power. And a new great power was bound to seize the position of other original great powers. Although they wouldn't directly launch a hot war to stop Columbia's progress, they absolutely wouldn't give up the opportunity to kick them when they were down. And this civil war, allowing Umbrella and Raythean Industries to take over the war, one couldn't say there wasn't the shadow of other large world powers in it.
And similarly, Lungmen, as a trading city, naturally had to make a huge profit from this rapidly collapsing country through financial means.
What financial extortion, bad debts, various messy scams, and strange financial methods—Lungmen, as a specialized trading city, was of course well versed in these. In fact, Columbia's rapid destruction also had a certain inseparable relationship with Lungmen's financial extortion.
But from a positional perspective, Lungmen wasn't the real culprit. From beginning to end, the only culprits were those crazed higher-ups. They betrayed the entire Columbian people to ensure their own safety and interests, ultimately dragging the entire region into the flames of war. And they did indeed get what they wanted. For these people, it was a suitable deal. But for the people in the flames of war, it was undoubtedly a cruel betrayal.
So they turned their targets to great powers like Victoria, hating Lungmen and later Eden, which supported a protracted war, the most.
In their propaganda, Lungmen and Eden, as organizations from the same origin, were undoubtedly the biggest masterminds. Eden made a fortune, and Lungmen similarly made huge profits from Columbia's destruction. How much of this involved being a white glove intermediary for illicit activities for other great powers is unknown, but Lungmen itself being evil was unquestionable.
As for why not antagonize Umbrella and Raythean Industries… of course, it was because they couldn't beat them. It wasn't that they hadn't fought, but the organized groups of Originium Arts users and Casters didn't seem so powerful under the enemy's strength. Umbrella and Raythean Industries weren't complete madmen either; they were also recruiting various professional talents and had made countless promises, guaranteeing the interests of the people under the mobile cities they controlled.
Actually, they did achieve it. In the areas they each controlled, talented people lived quite well.
So, unable to win in a fight, unable to win in an argument, the remnants of the defeated army could only flee everywhere, reminiscing about the beautiful past, while their anger towards other countries and organizations became increasingly extreme. It was not surprising that eventually, the Death Equality Sect, or as officially called, the Death Worshipping Cult , an extremist organization, emerged.
They were a group of desperate, pitiful people, struggling between shattered hopes and cruel reality; facing no hope and continuous despair, it was a matter of course for them to fall into complete madness. Looking at the incidents and harm created by the Death Worshipping Cult members in various places recorded in the file, Ch'en nodded somewhat absentmindedly. And the Lupo male opposite, looking at the data, also clicked his tongue and sighed with emotion.
"They were just a group of homeless people at first, with no abilities and no skills. All old, young, sick, and disabled."
"Raythean Industries doesn't need such people, Umbrella likewise doesn't need them; they can only wander in the wild, then watch their homeland be destroyed. And similarly, their relatives and friends aren't particularly educated or capable of saving them; you know, a social class isn't so easily transcended."
"So a group of illiterate madmen began to panic in extreme natural environments, becoming numb in the face of death. Finally, they crazily occupied an Originium mine, actively infected themselves with Originium, turning themselves into Oripathy patients. Most of them awakened some strange Originium Arts in this process, then used such crude Arts to announce to the world that death is equal; how should I put it, an unexpected yet natural course of events."
"…"
"…Ch'en, are you listening?"
"Ah, mm, I'm listening. It's just, did we really do these things?"
Looking at the shocking data in the file, Ch'en suddenly felt it wasn't abnormal for Lungmen to be targeted.
Previously, she naively thought Lungmen was just a trading city, but how could an area undertaking the role of a trading city not have a financial center? And since a financial center already existed, then being somewhat aware of various financial roars manipulations appearing worldwide, even actively initiating such things, wasn't incomprehensible.
It's just, how should I put it, understanding is one thing, but seeing the things done by Lungmen's major foundations listed, 'kicking them when they're down' wasn't enough to describe it. Calling it live burial was more like it. Artificially creating regional economic collapse, using the collapsed social structure to unscrupulously plunder local industries. Ch'en still wondered why Lungmen, which hadn't even been willing to add more personnel to the Guard Bureau in recent years, suddenly whipped up two new departments, each with its own building; looking at the numbers above, one knew the problem here.
What was given to the Lungmen Guard Bureau was probably just a drop in the ocean, while other massive profits had already been distributed to other areas.
Rather than calling this some data, it was more like an unfurled scroll of hell.
"We didn't do it, but the higher-ups did, and we are also vested interest holders, nothing much to say. 'Their hero, my enemy' , that's what this is about. But speaking of which, Ch'en, you really are a girl." Looking at Ch'en, whose face looked somewhat unsightly, the Lupo male stroked his chin subtly and revealed a smile.
"…What do you mean?"
"Generally speaking, only those sentimental girls would notice these problems. I originally thought an iron person like you wouldn't waver; greatly changed my opinion. Want a drink? My treat tonight."
"Sorry, I have an appointment. I'll take this file first."
"Eh? Ah, oh…"
Wait, this iron maiden has a date?
Watching Ch'en leave carrying the file and documents, the somewhat bewildered Lupo suddenly jolted, looking at Ch'en's back with astonishment, unsure which warrior had managed to touch this beautiful woman before him.