"What exactly are you planning to do?"
Facing the re-arrival of Benjamin and others, most of the local leaders showed doubts.
"Our goal has always been clear, to put His Majesty back on the throne, to pull the Church down from above and taste the consequences of their own crimes."
"Then... what exactly do you want us to do?"
"We have established a secret organization to plan to overthrow the church. We need your participation and, when necessary, use your voice to openly oppose the church."
"You want me to speak out against the church? No, no, no..."
This time the operation was not as smooth as last time. Although the church did not hold the officials responsible for the poster incident, it was obvious that they still harbored some fear in their hearts.
Only a few people said they would support the king unconditionally, even if they confronted the church head-on. Most of the remaining officials showed a lot of hesitation in their words. And when Benjamin invited them to join the Black Nightmare Club, they were pushy and hesitant, looking like "please spare me."
It seemed like someone from the royal capital must have beaten them.
Benjamin couldn't force this. It is impossible to expect the power of mind to control everyone, even if overseas sects are not destroyed. Therefore, after many officials paid a visit, they could only write down the names of their supporters and set off back to Koster.
In fact, it's pretty good to have a range of support.
During this period, Duke Colin also sent them several letters, saying that the current situation in the royal capital was complicated and he could not escape. No matter what plans Benjamin had, it was best not to take the king close to the royal capital.
It seems that... it is not just the kingdom's local administration that is in chaos, there are also many things happening in the royal capital.
Benjamin thought for a while and decided not to get close to Havenright yet. He had better go at his own pace first. If nothing else happened, Grant would definitely be back. It was best for them to avoid it for the time being.
"How is the situation here at Coster?"
A few days later, back at the academy's ANBU stronghold, Benjamin asked the person in charge.
The person in charge replied: "The strike seems to have to wait for time, but... many members of the Black Nightmare Society have recommended some new lists. It is said that these are also people who hate the church and want to join us."
As he spoke, he handed Benjamin the list, which was filled with dense information and numbered about a hundred people.
Benjamin nodded when he saw this.
Internal recommendations were indeed the main source of the Black Nightmare Society's expansion. He also believed that those members would not risk their own lives by recommending unreliable members. After all, if their information is exposed, everyone will be in danger and be hunted down by the church.
"Let's arrange it. These people will be divided into several groups. I will meet them on the ship." Therefore, he said, "In addition, you should try your best to provide more intelligence training to these members so that they can adapt as soon as possible."
The person in charge nodded immediately: "I understand!"
In this way, the large ship floating outside the port became the temporary stronghold of the Black Nightmare Society. Benjamin began to interview new members in batches, and this local underground organization in the Horli Kingdom finally began to grow.
And at the same time.
"Hurry up your movements! You're all dragging your feet. You can't finish the portion today. Do you still want your wages? Hey! Who is that! Don't look around with your eyes! What are you looking at? Why don't you hurry up? live!"
In a small, remote printing workshop in Coster City, the lights were dim and the atmosphere was depressing. A supervisor in black walked past a somewhat absent-minded worker, suddenly spoke, and cursed fiercely.
The worker was startled and came to his senses. He didn't dare to say anything and just nodded dully.
"Don't be in a daze here. I paid you so much money, but I didn't ask you to be in a daze here." The supervisor snorted coldly and said dissatisfiedly, "If you can't finish your portion before dinner, don't eat. "
When the worker heard this, he trembled, quickly lowered his head, and quickly operated the printing press, turning the pages of white paper into loose leaves filled with pictures and text.
However, he couldn't help but think about what a friend said to him a few days ago.
"What? They paid you so little? Let me tell you, you were deceived by them. That workshop was not printing books at all. They were actually printing indulgences for the church! One print out , you can earn five gold coins. You are obviously doing such a sacred job, why are you not even willing to give you a few copper coins?"
When he heard this, he was stunned.
Just like just now, he stared blankly at the printed loose leaf in his hand, looking at the words on it that he couldn't understand. He thought these things were used to bind books, but... he realized at this moment that the content of every page he printed was the same.
Moreover, after communicating with several other workers in the workshop, they found that everyone was printing exactly the same thing, and it was impossible to bind it into a book.
Could it be...are they really printing indulgences
With their family background and background, they have never even seen a real indulgence. However, everyone in the Kingdom of Hori has long known about that sacred summons - only specialized priests are qualified to sell it, regardless of anyone, as long as it is Buy one, the gold coins jingle on the bottom of the box, and your soul can go straight to heaven in the future.
The workers felt unbelievable that the rough loose leaves they printed every day... were the legendary indulgences. They even feel like their faith is crumbling a little bit.
Therefore, probably yesterday, he secretly hid a piece of printed matter, copied some of the words on it on another piece of paper, and showed it to his literate neighbor. And the feedback he got from his neighbors... he didn't even dare to think about it.
"This word means 'sin', and this word means 'heaven'. By the way... why do you suddenly ask about this?"
At that time, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He was stunned for a while, silently took the piece of paper back, went home without saying a word, and then came to work in a daze early this morning.
Yes, that is the indulgence.
He hadn't had time to tell his co-workers about this discovery, but someone else had secretly brought something back yesterday, so he might have discovered the truth long ago. When he came to work today, he also noticed that many people's eyes looked wrong.
Everyone is a little distracted…
The supervisor also noticed this, and even took the whip out of the office, held it in his hand, and walked back and forth in the workshop with a ferocious look on his face, scaring them so much that they did not dare to say a word.
But... he still couldn't help but think of what that friend said.
"Why don't you protest against him? You are doing such an important job, but you get less money than the people who move cargo at the port, and you are treated like a fool! I tell you, you should collectively protest against that supervisor and not Money, you won’t do it anymore!”
No, quit
Thinking of the fierce look on the overseer's face, his legs couldn't help but tremble for some reason, but when those curse words rang in his ears, he couldn't help but feel angry.
The weather was hot and the entire workshop was sealed tightly with no windows open. Everyone was busy working, and the atmosphere was dead silent. Sweat was pouring down from their foreheads, and their vision was even a little blurry.
Snapped!
"I want to die! I told you not to sweat on the paper. Your sweat will be wasted on the printing just now. Can you afford this money... this money?"
The worker seemed to have let sweat drip onto the printed indulgences without paying attention. In an instant, the nightmare-like voice sounded from behind him, accompanied by burning pain on his back.
He almost fell to the ground with the whip.
"me… "
After barely maintaining his balance, he turned around and looked at the supervisor behind him who was gritting his teeth through the haze of sweat. On the dark cheeks, there seemed to be bloodshot eyes in the narrowed eyes.
"What are you? You dare to talk back? Do you know what you just ruined? Do you know how much money our customers will lose with that drop of your sweat? If you can't finish today's quota, you will be responsible for it?" you… "
"roll!"
With an angry roar, the worker suddenly raised his fist and hit the supervisor hard on the face. At that moment, like a cock being strangled, all the chatter suddenly disappeared.
The overseer fell to the ground, covering his face with an expression of disbelief.
The entire workshop fell silent at that moment, and the sound of the printing press suddenly stopped. Others turned their heads and looked at the workers and supervisors who stood up, but their eyes were not surprised.
It's like... they've been waiting for this signal.
"Do you think we are fools?" The worker clenched his fists and trembled slightly. He walked up to the supervisor and looked at him condescendingly. "Indulgences, a five-gold coin, this is what we have always printed. You But they didn’t even want to pay two copper coins to send us away.”
At that moment, the supervisor's entire face froze.
More than a dozen workers in the entire workshop also stood up at this moment, and everyone stared at the supervisor coldly. The expression on the supervisor's face changed again and again, from shock to shock to anger and fear... In the end, he just choked out one sentence: "You... what are you talking about? I don't understand what you mean."
When the worker heard this, he turned around, picked up a large stack of indulgence notes on the workbench, and threw them all in the face of the overseer.
"You don't know what I mean?" He took a deep breath and cursed as if he had exhausted all his strength, "We... we don't fucking quit!"
The overseer fell to the ground, among the pile of indulgences, and for a moment was unable to even react. Under his shocked gaze, the workers did not look at him again, but kicked open the door of the workshop and walked out one by one.
Each tall figure finally straightened up and disappeared into the dazzling sunlight outside the door.