Zhan was sitting in his study when Darian came in, he looked tense, "What is it?
 Zhan asked.

Darian replied, "Few people have come here to ask for help."

"Who are they?"

"They are people from a small village situated at the outskirts of Nolani.

"Nolani? that comes under the jurisdiction of the duke of South Callum, why are they here?"

"Because duke of Nolani is incompetent..."Darian said and Zhan raised an eyebrow because if the tone that he used so Darian closed his eyes and said again, "Commander you have to see them...yo, and the duke both...at this point the duke of the south is just too much."

Zhan did not waste any more time and got up from his place when he reached the garden where Yanli was already seated and with her was Yibo.

When reached there he saw four people, and he stopped for a moment because of what he saw those four people were scared, bruised, and burned, currently being treated and being taken away.

"What was that all about?"

Yanli had a firm face and her fists were clenched, while Yibo was shivering with what seemed like rage.

"what's going on?" Zhan asked again with a hard voice.

Yanli replied, "Those four people were the only people left of the village."

Zhan's eyes widened, "What?! then shouldn't;t they go to the duke of the south?"

Yibo spoke, "They did but he did nothing to help them...because they are from the lower caste."

Zhan was in disbelief, "You are saying that an entire village, consisting of men women, children, old, pregnant women were destroyed?"

Yibo spoke again, "Slaughtered, burned, the people were kidnapped and the rest were killed..."

"By bandits?"

"It's unclear....the villagers were attacked at night, and they don't know how to recognize bandits as well...so...these four people are the only survivors...when they went to the duke of the south he imprisoned them and tortured them before releasing them..."

Zhan had his head in his hand, "These people can't go to the royalty now can they?"

Yibo answered, "They can, however, the duke of the south can kill them while they are on their way, or there is a high chance that the royalty will do nothing because the duke of south supports them."

Yanli spoke after some time, "Duke you will take them to the royal court right?"

Yibo nodded, "I will."

Suddenly the chair between them was moved back and Cheng sat on it, "Do you really think that something will change if you take those four half-dead lower caste people to the royal court?

Those people won't be able to utter a word under those intimidating stares, and you are just talking about one village..." Cheng said and threw a file on the table, "Here you go."

"What's this?" Yanli asked, feeling a little delighted that her brother was outside of his room.

Cheng's face was serious, "reports...about several similar incidents."

Yibo took the report and went through it, and Cheng spoke, "Several other villages have been burned and communities have been killed and guess which  communities and people they are."

Zhan spoke, "Lower caste."

Cheng nodded and added, "These four people were able to make it here, many people must have tried before, but they must have been killed on the way..."

Yibo was enraged, "why...just why would they do this?"

Zhan leaned back on his seat, "Human trafficking that's the only thing that comes to my mind. and from the latest information may be for the sacrifices."

Yanli spoke, "Sacrificial rituals are not that easy to perform why would they take so many people."

Yibo answered with a firm voice, "Maybe to practice."

Their blood ran cold at the thought normal priest will have taken years and years to learn by observing then assisting a ritual but there is always another way and that is to kill and practice.

"This is messed up." Zhan spoke, "As bitter as it sounds our nation is making the wrong use of the power it possesses, all of this is wrong."

Yibo replied, "Conquering neighboring nations would be fine but forcefully converting them to our religion and destroying their culture and making their citizen-slaves is getting a little out of hand. And the majority of the nobles support this and even the bloody temple support this, as much as the three hate each other and want to be the sole power.

In reality temple, nobility and the royalty are actually dependent on each other..."

Cheng smirked, "You are the perfect example duke, the three wants you to be don't their side, or you can be neutral because if you side with one the other two will be hell-bent on killing you."

Zhan spoke after some time, "Even the citizens of upper caste...they enjoy living like this...they are the major problems."

Cheng leaned back on his chair and sipped the tea given to him, "I wish I can be like them as well greedy how great life would have been.

What's the point in serving these bastards,  in all honesty, aren't you three working for the corrupt? doesn't that makes you corrupt as well?"

Zhan smiled bitterly, "You are right Cheng, we are serving the corrupt and fighting for the corrupt because the innocents are still dying...we can fight outer danger but what about these termites?" 

"Father!" Simon came running to them with a big smile on his face and behind him was Haoxuan.

Simon came to him and sat on the ground, "Father I am sorry I won't do it again..." he said as he was breathing heavily Yibo had given him to run ten rounds of the ground.

Yibo picked him up and made him sit on his lap, "How many laps did you take?"

Simon spoke, "Four."

"I thought I said ten."

"Father please I am sorry, I will never do it again."

"What you will never do again?"

"I will never reveal my secret without your permission or till I become an adult."

"Hm..." Yibo said and gave him some water that he drank all.

Cheng spoke, "How many people know about him?"

Yibo understood what he mean so he told them, "You three siblings, Haoxuan and his nanny."

"Wait." Zhan spoke, "Elder sister knew since when?"

Yibo answered, "Aurelia took Simon to the temple  when he was born and I knew the temple was going to do some kinds of stuff." Yibo spoke vaguely because Simon was there.

Zhan asked, "How were you able to trick the temple they always examine a child."

Yibo nodded, "I had a hunch that they might do the test blood test...and so I replaced him with another child and that was due to the help of Yanli...while his nanny took his away with Haoxuan."

There was silence before Yibo spoke again, "I have seen what they do...many years before my parents had taken me there and I had sneaked around and that's when I saw what those priests do in the name of blessing the child...I had also heard their plans about what they would if one day they did find the one...before my mom came and took me away I was a child then but I always remembered that day and felt dread when Simon was born because I was scared from him"

Zhan asked, "What did they do?"

"They make a small wound on themselves and then they make a small wound on the child before they suck the...liquid...from the wound..." Yibo looked at Simon who had closed his eyes and he thought that Simon was not hearing this, but he was.

Yibo continued, "I was very scared when Simon was born and the temple wanted to see him to 'bless' him, what if Simon turned out to be the one so I did the test myself I inflicted a wound on myself and then on Simon before I tested his blood Simon's wound healed on it's own and so did mine after I took...the blood.

I freaked out after that...and I had to make quick arrangements that's when I asked your sister's help." 

Zhan sighed, "You did a great job."

Simon also smiled, his father really did a good job in keeping him safe, because if the temple head found out that he was the chosen one, they would have taken him away when he was just a child, and then his life would have been different and just the thought makes him shiver.

After some time Simon got up and went to Cheng, "Brother let's go and meet that kitten, Brother I also want you to teach me to swear to fight please..."

Cheng looked at him and patted his head, "master..."

Simon's eyes widened and he shook his head and said quickly, "No, no I cannot be your master."

The other laughed and so did cheng before he lightly tapped his head, "You are not my master I will be your master."

Simon's eyes widened and he jumped with joy before hugging Cheng, "Thank you, master."

The other laughed as they aw Simon, Cheng wanted to touch him away but seeing how happy the little monkey was he let him be.

Haoxuan asked, "Why the sudden change?"

Cheng shrugged, "I believe that there must be a good reason why goddess has sent her loved one in this disgusting world I would like see this favored one grow and see what changes he brings to this nation."

Yibo smiled as he looked at Zhan both made eye contact before they looked away.