Chapter 1 The Mistake

“——Was it wrong?”

“——What was wrong?”

“——Is God saying the judgment just now was wrong?”

“——Then the judgment just now was indeed wrong.”

Few people could understand Su Zhou's words.

When most of the residents of Twilight City heard the words uttered by their Lord on the execution platform, this was the thought that flashed through their minds.

——Since God says it’s wrong, then it’s wrong.

Why was it wrong? Not clear. But since God has said it’s wrong, then it really is wrong, perhaps a priest will come to explain it to us later.

In fact, those who had this kind of thinking were in the minority, because at least they were still thinking of getting an explanation.

But the residents who came to watch the trial were all believers of the Lord of Judgment. They were devout, and in awe of verdicts and judgments, especially those with the Judgment Blood manifesting, or those who had received help from believers of the Lord of Judgment in their past lives. Their devotion did not even need Su Zhou to explain right or wrong.

They revered the Lord of Judgment, so when Su Zhou appeared before their eyes, their hearts were filled only with joy and excitement.

——Ah, Lord, it's the Lord! He has descended!

——The divine descent a few days ago was indeed real! I missed it… If I had persisted, I might have been the first to meet the Lord!

——I must remember this scene, go home and paint it, and leave it to future generations!

These were their true thoughts.

So, since the Lord of Judgment said that the judgment just now was wrong, then it must be wrong.

“That's right, this little girl is innocent!”

“Yes, she is innocent, we should pardon her!”

“Fool, since she is innocent, then we can't pardon her! She should be released on the spot, and then apologized to and compensated!”

For a time, such voices, such thoughts, spread throughout the square.

Some people had even begun to take action—they wanted to obey Su Zhou's words, ascend the execution platform, and gloriously release that Wind Folk girl, to prove their piety.

However, a gentle force blocked them, preventing these people from stepping forward.

Su Zhou stood on the execution platform, he silently gazed at all the people before him, his eyes full of disappointment—a disappointment in himself, and in the people before him.

“Why do you believe everything I say so easily?”

He murmured, but his voice echoed throughout the city, the sacred voice lingered in everyone's ears, with a tone of bewilderment and incomprehension: “Where is the doubt? Weren't you all praying before, praying for me to judge, for me to kill her with lightning?”

“Why, as soon as I open my mouth, do you all completely believe me?”

No one answered.

Everyone was as confused as Su Zhou.

——Otherwise what?

Even God has said so, so how could it be wrong?

They simply could not understand Su Zhou's thinking, because in the eyes of these residents of Twilight City... no, in the eyes of the residents of the Samsara World, God was the embodiment of absolute correctness.

Questioning God? Why? Wasn’t it God who allowed them to live and work in peace, and used the Covenant Codex to restrain the inherent evil of human nature, making the whole world advocate kindness and friendship?

Just like that, Su Zhou waited for a while, but still did not hear the voice he longed to hear.

The youth could hear the thoughts of the crowd below the stage—they still couldn't figure out why.

So Su Zhou knew that he probably wouldn't get an answer.

——Where there is rule, there is a masses. Where there is a masses, there is blind obedience. Where there is blind obedience, there will be no independent thinking.

And a religious rule by a True God, using morality, culture, and belief as standards and restraints, coupled with the great weapon of possible divine descents holding the ‘final interpretation right’, such rule is the most powerful.

So, Su Zhou could only let out a long sigh.

“Elias, you did something wrong… Although I still don't know how exactly you lead this world, but without a doubt, you're at least half wrong.”

“Such rule may make them happy, make them equal, make them love each other… but equally, it will only turn them into a group of ignoramuses who only know how to worship gods.”

“If the gods are always right, perhaps there won't be any major problems—but, if the gods make a mistake, there will be no power in this world to restrain the gods, to advise the gods!”

So, he took a step forward.

Su Zhou stood on the judgment platform, facing tens of thousands of people before him, and an even greater number of other Twilight City residents who were rushing over because of the ‘divine descent’, lowered his voice, and solemnly said: “To kill without teaching is tyranny. To eliminate a person with violent means without trying to educate and change them, such behavior is brutal and wrong."

"I don't actually know if this child believes in me or not, but even if you really dislike non-believers, why not try to educate them, and make them become like you?"

"Perhaps her parents are pirates, but what about the child? Has she committed any other crimes, such as murder, robbery, or participated in any co-crimes?"

"I'm not letting her go just because she's a young child—if she murders, robs, abuses other people, and does great evil, then she's not a child, but a beast. You can judge and sentence her for these crimes, and I will only cheer. But why use the reason of disbelief?"

The Lord's voice echoed through the heavens and the earth.

Amon knelt in place, his mind still recalling the power of God that was like pausing time, and the great power of easily shattering the lightning tribulation, striking a hole in the sky.

"Too powerful, is this the Lord of Judgment? My Lord clearly has such great power, yet before He was still able to enjoy delicious food in a small shop with ordinary people… Is this the Lord's mercy and love?"

Although he thought so in his heart, for some reason, Amon still had some doubts in his heart.

He was the only one who saw the Lord respond to the prayer, exert power, descend lightning punishment, and punish the old man who spread the plague.

Therefore, it was difficult for Amon to understand why after this, the Lord clearly did not exert power, but yet there was still lightning punishment descending—and afterwards, the Lord shattered that lightning punishment, and proclaimed that the judgment was wrong.

Why? It was difficult for him to understand.

Why? In fact, there were still many whys in his heart. It's just that most of the time, he suppressed these whys in his heart, and applied one seal after another.

So, when the Lord confusedly asked everyone present, and asked one question after another.

For some reason, Amon suddenly stood up.

From the original kneeling position.

“My Lord!”

In the instant he stood up, the gray-haired priest felt that tens of thousands of people in the entire square were simultaneously staring at him—doubt, incomprehension, shock, fear, dissatisfaction... Many, many kinds of gazes converged on him.

He could even hear voices not far away scolding, ‘Kneel down! This is disrespect to God!’ ‘Amon, what are you doing?!’

For a time, Amon's heart was beating very fast, because of fear, and also because of an unsuppressible feeling… He himself knew that it was confusion, a confusion that had been hidden for a long, long time, ever since he first saw the Lord of Judgment, saw God.

So, even while enduring the faintly hostile gazes of tens of thousands of people, the priest still forced himself to calm his tone, and loudly said: “Why do you protect this non-believer?”

Saying this, Amon almost went all out, he loudly said: “I, I once received your grace! My family, almost lost their lives because of some non-believers, some who did not follow the Covenant Codex, it was you, it was your adjudicator who brought fair judgment to me, allowing me to survive from an unjust framing and persecution.”

“So when I learned that I also had Judgment Blood, I was extremely excited, that proved that I could get close to you—get close to your Dao! I firmly believe that your Dao can judge all evil, all disbelief, and make the world better!”

“And those non-believers, they framed and persecuted, deceived the good, they simply do not follow the Dao of good… When they abandon the covenant you made with us, they are already the embodiment of evil!”

“Good!”

Amon originally thought that he would be rebuked by God—how normal would that be, God had already said just now that the girl was innocent, which meant that she must believe in the Lord.

In that case, his accusations just now had no basis at all.

However, upon hearing that afterwards, the Lord said that He actually did not know whether the other party believed in Him or not, a strange feeling surged from his heart, making him want to speak out without restraint.

However, Amon did not expect that the Lord's immediate response was actually excitement, with encouraging approval.

“Well asked, Amon.”

The priest could hear that the Lord on the judgment platform was looking at him, it was a warm gaze, far surpassing the sun, it focused on him, as if making him the focus of the entire audience.

And afterwards, the Lord responded to his question.

“But, you still don't understand—punishment is not for destruction, but to allow people to live better!”

“The reason why I punish evildoers is because if I don't punish those evildoers, other good people will not be able to live—of course, the fact that I myself can't stand it is also a reason. But, if the evildoer is not so evil to the point that others cannot live without him dying, then I will not hate him to the point of having to kill him."

Saying this, the Lord stretched out his hand, He pointed to the Wind Folk girl who was still unconscious behind him: "You ask me, why protect this non-believer—but you're wrong, I'm not protecting ‘non-believers’. I'm just protecting someone who I don't know whether they have committed a crime or not."

"Amon, you said that you once suffered persecution from non-believers, but you also know very well, compared to ‘punishing evildoers, but good people also die’, is it not better if ‘good people return to normal, but evildoers have not yet been caught’?"

“This, indeed…” Amon nodded subconsciously, but then he realized that something was not right: “But, if evildoers are not punished, then there will be even more good…”

And Su Zhou on the platform simply responded: “Of course I won't let evildoers go unpunished, I just want to tell you that compared to punishment, the most important thing is protection, to make the world better.”

“The purpose of punishment is to make those who drag civilization down die, to make those who have not yet committed crimes fear committing crimes, and then to walk the path of good—this is a power that needs to be controlled! Not to say that when you encounter something you don't like, you don't even think about it, and use the violence of the majority to destroy it!”

“The purpose of punishment and judgment is never destruction! Things that are destroyed have no way to turn towards good!”

And after saying these words, Su Zhou himself was stunned.

“——Yes.” He thought: “The reason why I have always taken it as my responsibility to eliminate evil is just because I am willing.”

“The magic empire master of the Godwood World, the Water God of the Samsara World, and the leaders of the Descending Spirit Society, the Beast God King of the Beast God World… those monsters, no matter what their reasons, are all existences that others cannot live if they live.”

“The Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign divine power, originates from this—I think a existence is evil, then it is evil, I kill the other party, and I will be very happy.”

But… such a line of thinking is actually very direct and simple.

If it is purely for one's own happiness to kill ‘the evildoers I recognize’, then in the end, what is the difference between me and the group before my eyes, who are just asking the Lord of Judgment to punish a ‘non-believer’ just for their own happiness?

In this world, with the existence of the Lord of Judgment, everyone is a Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign.

Everyone is using their own heart to judge the good and evil of another person.

To put it bluntly, for the Fire Folk and the Wind Folk, non-believers are absolute evil! Even if the Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign divine power is given to them, they will definitely be able to get evil souls by killing non-believers!

Moreover, the quality of the evil souls will be very high, because the resentment of many believers against non-believers is so strong that there is no need for the other party to do evil at all, they can determine that the other party is indeed evil.

“The core of the Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign divine power… is based on these. The essence of these people's thinking is actually no different from the previous me, no wonder they would be my believers.”

“So, if I now, deny them here… Wouldn't that mean that I, before, was…”

“Was, wrong?”

In the personal space.

The scarlet little snake coiled on the Tree of Wisdom, its gaze seemed to be able to travel through space, staring at Su Zhou, who was now looking confused and bewildered.

The snake spirit chuckled, laughing heartily.

——How is it, my covenantor? Have you tasted the flavor of realizing that your ‘path’ is ‘wrong’?

Is it delicious? Confused? Painful? Do you feel like everything you did before has been denied?

But, this is precisely your unique privilege as a ‘strong person’!

“Losers, do not have the qualification to admit that they are ‘wrong’. A failed person can improve his correctness, but cannot admit his mistakes, because if he admits it, he will lose the courage to face reality, and he will also lose the strength to fight against suffering, as a result he will suffer even greater suffering.”

“Su Zhou, my covenantor, precisely because you have been victorious all the way, precisely because you have defeated all the enemies, so now, you have this extremely extravagant qualification, to admit that you are ‘wrong’.”

“You may fall now, but you are still above the losers. You may be in pain now, but it is just the struggle before breaking out of the cocoon.”

And this, is your trial!

At the same time.

Twilight City, square.

"This…"

Hearing Su Zhou's words, Amon was immediately plunged into bewilderment.

He looked helplessly at the non-believer little girl behind Su Zhou—to tell the truth, he still felt disgusted by her.

As long as he thought that the other party might not keep the covenant, not believe in God, the priest had a kind of instinctual destructive desire, like wanting to stomp on cockroaches, swat mosquitoes, to sweep away dirty things, he just hated that point.

However, if he emptied his mind, and looked over seriously, purely… the other party was just a little girl in her teens, of his granddaughter's generation.

——What if this little girl, was not a non-believer from the bottom of her heart, but simply because she had never come into contact with God's grace, so she didn't know that there was such a thing as believing in God?

Just like infants, infants also have no faith at the beginning, not because they are born with original sin, but because they do not yet know what is evil and what is good.

Somewhat similar. He suddenly thought so.

Just like his own wronged family in the past…

At that time, he who had clearly done nothing, was presumed to be a renegade, and almost had to accept judgment and die—if it weren't for an adjudicator who insisted on finding out the truth, he was afraid that his end would be no different from this little girl.

Perhaps, indeed—we should determine whether the other party is evil, whether they believe in the Lord, before carrying out judgment and sentencing…

Amon fell into thought.

And Su Zhou exhaled with some irritability, he turned his head, and turned his head to look at the others.

Su Zhou could sense that Amon's heart was still entangled in the meaningless point of believing or not believing.

However, being able to start reflecting, and being able to dare to stand up and question himself, was already not bad.

But unfortunately, in the hearts of other people, he did not feel any thing that could be called ‘thoughts’.

Everyone was still kneeling on the ground, constantly worshiping him.

Su Zhou could see that in the distance, ordinary people who were rushing over from all parts of the city, priests and high priests who were rushing over from the port temple, and fishermen who were rushing over from the docks, were all frantically approaching the square where he was, and then began to worship him.

They couldn't hear what he said, they just defaulted that he was right, without thinking about why it was right.

Even if he said that there was no need to take medicine when a malignant plague was spreading, because ‘this is just a common cold’, they would probably believe it.

“…Why is it like this…”

Because he had realized his mistake, he clenched his fists with some disappointment.

And the blind faith of all the believers present made the youth even more unbearable.

Su Zhou waited for several minutes, he waited for someone to stand up like Amon to ask himself questions, to question why he was doing this—

But still no one.

Compared to these, they were more willing to continue kneeling, to show that they were more devout than others.

“Stop kneeling! Stand up!”

On the judgment platform, Su Zhou once again announced to everyone, his tone carrying sternness.

The usual Su Zhou was not such an impatient person, but now, perhaps because of the fact that he had realized his mistake, he felt particularly impatient at this time.

And most people, just raised their heads blankly—they didn't know why God was asking them to do this, and still didn't dare to stand up.

So in the end, Su Zhou gave up explaining.

He was also tired of others kneeling to him—kneeling to the wrong self.

——Buzz——

Su Zhou closed his eyes, and then, an invisible soul fluctuation began with him as the center, like water ripples, began to spread in all directions.

Everyone who was touched by this fluctuation, except for Amon, all fainted.

For a time, the entire square, more than 50,000 people, all fainted in an instant.

No one was injured, Su Zhou's power ensured that everyone fainted safely in place—after ten minutes, they could wake up, and by then Su Zhou would have already left.

And at this instant, Su Zhou suddenly sensed that a chain that bound his personal space, just like that, shattered.

The golden chain condensed from the power of vows dissipated, it crumbled, turning into light scraps in the soul space, and finally dissolved into the void, turning into nothingness.

Just like before, when Su Zhou refused to provide the power of vows to that power that demanded judgment, this chain of the power of vows was not really disappearing, but it was transferring the direction of the link, linking to the other end of the spirit world, another huge existence.

Perhaps, it was the location of the real ‘Lord of Judgment’.

Without a doubt, the current Su Zhou, had already found a way to clear these chains of the power of vows—as long as he continued to walk in this world, ignored the prayers and expectations of the many believers of the Lord of Judgment in this world, and allowed everyone to entrust the power of vows to that Lord of Judgment, he could easily gain freedom.

——But, can he give up?

Su Zhou opened his eyes, he silently looked at the rows of people who had fainted before him… Yes, the blind obedience of these people was indeed infuriating, and it was even difficult to communicate with them.

But to ask Su Zhou to give up on them? To allow these people to continue this kind of judgment, to continue this kind of tyranny of the majority, to continue living a life bound by precepts under countless commandments?

How was that possible!

“I will not give up on you, you are all people with my blood.”

Muttering so, Su Zhou turned around, he prepared to take the Wind Folk girl down from the cross, and then take her away, his tone was somewhat low: “But what should I do?”

“In any case, first go find Elias, this Lord of Fire is dutiful, but he's probably a bit too dutiful…”

But at this moment, Amon's voice came.

“Wait a moment, my Lord!”

That was a rare voice, carrying a trace of astonishment, and also carrying a trace of anger and questioning: “My Lord, why?!”

Su Zhou turned his head, he looked at this only priest who had not been knocked out by him, and was also the only one who had questioned him, the youth's tone was gentle: “What why, Amon? If you have any questions, you can ask them.”

And facing his Lord, his God, Amon first opened his mouth, he took a step forward, and then, said with some difficulty: “My Lord, if you are not my God…”

“No, precisely because you are my God, that's why I feel astonished!”

Saying this, the gray-haired priest stretched out his hand, he used a trembling finger to point at everyone who had fainted in the audience, and then looked at Su Zhou, Amon made eye contact with Su Zhou.

The azure dragon pupils and the bluish-purple dragon pupils made eye contact, the inheritor of the Judgment Blood, and the originator of the Judgment Blood made eye contact.

And then, questioned.

“My Lord, you can clearly spend time, to persuade everyone—you are God, you are our Lord, our protection, you are our truth, if you want to tell us a profound concept, then we will seriously learn.”

Saying this, Amon put down his hand, he lowered his head somewhat weakly, and muttered to himself: “Why do you have to give up on teaching us… Are we really that disappointing to you?”

“We have clearly always been following your Dao, wanting to walk on the path of righteousness… If you are dissatisfied, why not point it out?”

“You clearly just said, ‘to kill without teaching is tyranny’, then why not choose to educate us, but instead directly strike, and make everyone faint?”

“Why?”

The priest muttered to himself, but did not get an answer, and then fell into great dejection.

He put his hands together, bent his knees, as if wanting to kneel down to Su Zhou, just like in the past, when confused, praying to God.

However, just like every time.

When Amon wanted to kneel down, an invisible force supported him, making him only able to stand.

“Why…”

And then, he heard the Lord's calm, somewhat apologetic answer: “Because I was wrong.”

Amon raised his head with some astonishment, looking at Su Zhou at this time, he saw that the youth was now lowering his head, he looked around at everyone present apologetically, and then let out a long sigh: “Sorry, Amon, I was wrong.”

“I really shouldn't have been so impatient… Yes, I clearly just said myself, to kill without teaching is tyranny, but in the next instant, I myself did not do it.”

“Although it was because my emotions were not very stable at that time, but you're right, I shouldn't have done this.”

Saying this, Su Zhou shook his head slightly, he looked at Amon, who didn't know how to answer, and said in a low voice: "So, my apostle, must learn to question, isn't that right?"

"Anyone can be wrong… even God, is the same.”

And when saying this, Su Zhou was silent for a moment, he did not notice the shocked expression that the priest before him was showing because he had admitted that he was wrong.

He fell into thought.

And then, the youth suddenly laughed.

"Haha, yes. Even God, can make mistakes."

At first, Su Zhou first chuckled softly, a mockery towards himself.

But soon, his laughter became louder and louder, so much so that it was full of pleasure: “Haha, indeed, even Great Existences can make mistakes—the entire multiverse is the seal of these existences!”

“In that case, why should I pretend to be a gentleman, pretend to be a philosopher king who never makes mistakes?”

“Made a mistake then made a mistake, what's there to be depressed about, what's there to be anxious about—I'll just improve next time, won't I?”

Slowly putting away his laughter, Su Zhou's expression became solemn, he raised his hand, stared at his palm, and then clenched his fist, and said in a deep voice to himself: “Now I'm wrong, and I will still be wrong in the future.”

“That's right, I will always be wrong, always make mistakes. At the same time, always improving, always progressing!”

——Surpass oneself, constantly surpass oneself.

——Find out one's own mistakes, explore one's own possibilities, explore the boundaries ahead.

And then, he raised his head, Su Zhou looked around at this new era Samsara World, this beautiful world, but with too many fallacies, too many distortions.

And then, he looked up at the sky, his gaze seemed to be able to travel through the spirit world, to see the God of Judgment on the other side.

——Never did good deeds in my life, I only loved to kill and set fires.

The limit of the Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign, lies here.

It is a divine power that can only be used personally, a ‘demonic divine power’ of free conviction, replacing the heart of heaven with one's own heart.

An existence holding it, if it is a person, then naturally can quickly resolve enmities, and carry out the justice in his heart.

The strong use their blade to pare the world, to correct the evil in the world, this was Su Zhou's wish in the past.

However, if it is a society, a civilization, it is absolutely impossible to progress according to this concept.

Precisely because Su Zhou knew that he was just a Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign with free conviction, so he understood that if he really wanted to make all the evil in this world disappear, to make good and love, correctness and progress pervade every corner of the world, then everyone could not be a Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign, and everyone could not have free conviction.

There must be a standard, a criterion.

A… [Correctness].

“And what is my correctness?”

Muttering so to himself, and then Su Zhou shook his head indifferently: “It's not too late to slowly find this kind of thing, anyway, I have already realized my mistake now—failure is the mother of success, similarly, if I can't realize my mistake, I can't possibly find correctness.”

“Isn't that right, Yala?”

“Yes.”

And at this time, the scarlet snake spirit, did not know when, appeared on the youth's shoulder.

He was now nodding with relief, praising:

“Just like back then, when you first awakened the divine power of the Gluttonous Fiend Sovereign, and accepted that you were an evil person so quickly… you are still the same now, still able to accept your mistakes so quickly.”

Yala chuckled as she replied, He was filled with emotion: “Precisely because of this, precisely because of your nature, so, you will be stared at by many Great Existences. The Lord of Silence, Destiny, Pioneer, and even me, are all like this.”

“But they are all wrong, Yala, including you.”

To this, Su Zhou replied calmly: “At least they are not completely correct, and I am afraid that I will not be able to find a ‘completely correct’ path either.”

"Yes, and, I am different from them. They want you to become them.”

Saying this, coiled on Su Zhou's shoulder, Yala shook his head slightly: “And I, only want you to become you.”

“Very good, next, it's time to take action—the plan remains unchanged, I must first go find Elias, and ask what the situation is in this world, how he designed the order.”

“And then ask this kid, how exactly he came up with such a Lord of Judgment.”

At this moment, Amon had been in a state of bewilderment ever since hearing Su Zhou frankly admit ‘I was wrong’.

“God, admits that he is wrong?”

He was somewhat at a loss, as if he had heard something unbelievable.

“How could that be? If God is not correct, then the Covenant, faith, and even everything we possess, is it all wrong?”

He could not understand this concept. Believers have always found it difficult to understand this kind of thing.

So, Amon just blankly stared at the Lord laughing heartily, talking to himself, stared at a scarlet little snake suddenly appearing on the Lord's shoulder, stared at the Lord taking the Wind Folk girl down from the cross behind him, and then letting the other party float in mid-air, following behind him.

And finally, he saw that the Lord raised his hand to him, and made a gesture of ‘come over’.

“What are you waiting for, Amon.”

He heard the Lord say this: “Walk with me—if you are willing, willing to follow me, a God who makes mistakes.”

"Then come with me."

Did not speak.

The expression of the gray-haired priest, gradually changed from bewilderment to relief, and from relief to calmness.

Immediately afterwards, it changed from calmness to firmness.

And then, he raised his footsteps, took a step forward, and gradually accelerated his speed.

Amon followed behind that figure.

“The Lord is not correct.”

He thought so in his heart. As if something was shattering, like a pillar in his heart suddenly collapsing, suddenly disappearing.

However, another strange feeling, welled up spontaneously from the depths of his heart, turning into a brand new pillar.

“But… so what?”

At least, he could already confirm, the Lord's good, the Lord's strength, the Lord's belief, the Lord's will to admit his mistakes.

These were all real things.

And the questioner will always follow behind the incorrect.

The witness, is waiting.

For the day he becomes correct.

——At the same time, the coast along the Sea of Joy.

Just as the Judgment Day of Twilight City ended.

A pirate ship flying a strange flag, was slowly sailing in the wind and waves.