Unknown Knight

The moon tonight is blood red. For the residents who have lived on the banks of the Blackwater River for generations, this is an ominous night, because they found that from this night on, all the gods that their ancestors had believed in disappeared, completely disappeared.

Aix ordered the killing of twenty-four so-called high priests on the spot. The remaining three hundred ordinary priests and more than six hundred other personnel were detained. The tribunal headed by the Supreme God High Priest Velen would try them separately. Those who were extremely guilty would be sentenced to death. The remaining people were rarely innocent. At Aix's instruction, they were sentenced to heavy sentences of at least ten years.

The entire trial lasted for more than a month. During this period, through investigation and evidence obtained, as well as complaints and revelations from the grassroots people, the court arrested nearly 1,200 people. Most of these people were diehards of the temple and members of related interest chains.

Together with those captured on the night of the banquet, excluding those sentenced to death, there were still nearly two thousand people left. The territory was initially established and there was a lot of need for workers. The hardest and most tiring work was just right for these two thousand people to do, as a way for them to atone for their sins.

For more than a month, there was at least one public trial almost every day in Berbera, Memphis and Lepero. The Inquisition led by High Priest Veron brought the most heinous temple personnel to trial, and avenged the oppressed people in the area, achieving very good results.

In addition to the personal testimony and related publicity organized by the public trial, the conference also released a large number of slaves and saints enslaved by the temple on the spot, and provided porridge and food to the poor people at the end of the conference. These and other measures made the Supreme God's religion quickly gain popularity.

Although the ignorant local people have been superstitious and numb for many years, they are not really confused. They have seen the priests of various temples who advised them or even forced them to be magnanimous, patient and submissive, but they have only seen the Church of the Supreme God to redress their grievances and help them to avenge their hatred.

Those who intimidated them in the name of religion, forced them to donate voluntarily, made them spend money to atone their sins, and levied taxes on them through various sacrificial activities had become an annual routine, not to mention those who mobilized them to provide various labors for the temple for free in the name of piety. They were simply exploiting them and were shameless enough to do anything.

On the other hand, the Supreme God Church not only did not ask for anything from the poor people, but also provided them with free porridge and medical treatment. When they were treated unfairly, they also upheld fairness and justice for them. In order to help them tide over the difficulties, they also provided job opportunities for the poor people who had no work. Not only did they pay much higher wages than the market price, but they also provided two extra meals.

In short, the Supreme God Church has taken countless measures to benefit the people. Under the popular support, as long as the person is not a fool, it is clear what choice to make. Soon the Supreme God Church spread in the local area and gained a broad mass base, which also made the theocratic Aix regime win the hearts of the people and quickly gain a foothold in this newly occupied area.

The trials and missionary activities were carried out vigorously under the auspices of the high priest Velen, but Aix rarely asked about these at this time and let Velen do it completely.

He also let James, Avanti and others take charge of government affairs. Their subordinates had experience and precedents, so he didn't need to worry too much. The same was true for military affairs. Niza, Bestur, Matilde and others also handled them in an orderly manner.

Every day he only needed to look at the briefings they sent and make some simple comments, and then he could easily handle his official duties.

However, this does not mean that he is idle now. On the contrary, he is very busy at this time. This is mainly because after eliminating the local religious forces, the things seized are so many and too precious.

The financial gains were enormous. Although the total amount was not as much as that collected from the lord of Humamu City and local nobles, it was not much less. In total, the coins obtained included more than 80,000 gold coins, more than 200,000 silver coins, and more than 1.5 million copper coins.

Other gold and silver jewelry and products, treasures and antiques are even more than what they got from the Lord of Humamu. Obviously, as cultural people, the priests prefer such things. There are also many precious spices, rare medicines and other good things, which are difficult to value at the moment.

There were also a large number of religious utensils, icons and other objects made of precious metals. Except for some exquisite ones with artistic value, which were approved to be preserved by Aix, the rest were melted into gold and silver ingots and prepared to be processed into coins.

In addition to these things seized from the temples in Berbera, there were also many temples in other places. It took nearly a week to transport them from other places to Berbera, and it took a lot of time to count and identify them.

In addition, as the local "cultural class", the priests stored a large number of books and documents they collected and compiled in various temples. After these books and documents were confiscated, they were all transported back to the city lord's palace in Aix, which had occupied the city.

At first, Axe did not realize the value of these things until James, who was responsible for organizing these books and documents, reported to him that during the process of organizing these books and documents, an important record was found in a volume of documents.

According to the contents of this document, there is an isthmus about ten miles wide near the delta area where the Blackwater River flows into the sea. Starting from the bay at the other end of the isthmus and sailing along the coastline, it only takes less than a month to reach the city of Shariz, the capital of the Sarand Emirate.

This important information attracted Aix's high attention. You know, his original plan was to lead more than 20 camels across the Death Desert to reach the city of Barie, then cross the Sarand Emirate, and then pass through the Khergit Khanate, and finally arrive at his territory in the Kingdom of Vikia.

Although this route is a trekked route, it is full of various dangers, even dangers that endanger the entire team, and the team may be wiped out at any time.

As for specific dangers, two are the greatest and most difficult to overcome:

One is the harsh natural environment. Taking this route, one has to cross the Death Desert. Most of the route is uninhabited and there are very few water sources. Bringing more people and camels means greater logistical pressure.

Aix had calculated that a team with more than twenty camels would mean a geometric increase in logistical supplies, which was why Aix could only bring more than twenty camels. If the number exceeded this, the water they found along the way would not be enough to drink, and the team would most likely die of heat and thirst on the way.

Secondly, there are many hostile forces along the way, and they are all must-pass places that cannot be avoided. For example, in the city of Barie, no matter who the lord there is now, he will definitely not let Aix and his party go. The chiefs of other Sarand Emirate will definitely not let them go either.

They also have to pass through the territory of the Blood Sand Desert Bandits, where Niza's good brother Sharif is entrenched and is also an irreconcilable enemy.

In addition, even if they could successfully break through the territory of the Sarand Emirate and enter the territory of the Khergit Khanate, it would still be unsafe. The two sides have been in a state of hostility, and it would be difficult not to encounter the hostile Nayan leader along the way. Saiga Khan has always offered a huge reward for him, and this reward is very tempting.