The Great Merciful Tree King is the incarnation of the World Tree and controls the memory of the world. Few secrets remain hidden from her, and she doesn't need any words to convict everyone in Sumeru; she just needs to present the evidence.
The enemy of secrets and deceit is publicity.
At this moment, the void terminals of everyone in Sumeru are playing "The Original Sin of the Order Academy." In the picture, it shows the first generation of great sages finding the newly born Nahida.
Nahida's birthday was on the same day as the Flower Goddess' birthday festival. She was brought into the cold courtyard by the great sage amidst flowers and cheers. The great sage was addressing all the sages:
"We found the new god of Sumeru, who has just been born.
Although she has just been born, her strength is not as great as the Great Merciful Tree King, and her wisdom is far less than that. She is no different from an ordinary human child.
Her learning ability is very fast, and she has mastered the knowledge reserve of a normal Sumeru scholar in just one day.
Based on the calculations of the void device left by the Great Merciful Tree King, it will only take her three years to surpass the wisdom of everyone in Sumeru.
But at this moment, I saw her ignorant way of asking us questions, and an idea came to my mind.
Why should Sumeru be handed over to her?
Why should we hand over the Sumeru we built together with the Great Merciful Tree King to her?
This is the Sumeru of our sages and the Great Merciful Tree King. Since the Great Merciful Tree King died, Sumeru should belong to us sages.
Sumeru is not the Sumeru of the Sumeru people, nor is it the Sumeru of the Little Lucky Grass King. It is the Sumeru of our Order Academy and the Sumeru of us sages."
In the picture, the sages discussed a plan on how to brainwash the gods and imprison them, called the "God Imprisonment Plan." Everyone in Sumeru was shocked.
Imprisoning a god? How dare the Order Academy commit such an inhuman act? The last thing said by the great sage—that Sumeru was not for the Sumeru people but belonged to the Order Academy—immediately enraged everyone.
"So we Sumeru people are all slaves of the Order Academy, right?" someone yelled in the crowd, triggering an outpouring of anger against the oppression and exploitation by the Order.
Alhaitham looked at the angry and shouting people of Sumeru City with a calm expression. "It's madness to imprison a god…" he said.
He had always been skeptical about why the sages prohibited anyone from approaching the Palace of the Little Lucky Grass King, but it never seemed to concern him, so he hadn't looked into it. He never expected that this would be the reason—this was indeed the original sin of the Order Academy.
He understood that the Order Academy was finished. The legitimacy of the Order Academy came from the Great Merciful Tree King, and now that the Great Merciful Tree King disavowed them, the Order Academy became illegitimate.
The scene continued.
The crimes committed by the dignitaries of the Order over the past five hundred years were broadcast on the screen. Initially, the Order operated in accordance with the law, but as time passed and generations changed, the officials grew more corrupt. The second and third generations of dignitaries became arrogant and acted as if they were above everyone else.
The officials, with full control of power, began to confuse right and wrong, bully men and women, and tamper with laws as they pleased. The laws became mere tools for exploiting and plundering the people of Sumeru. They controlled businesses, manipulated food prices, suppressed and annexed enterprises, and even hired murderers. They traded humans, established agencies to steal children and use them for experiments, and fostered an adoption agency that trafficked abandoned children.
The children of Sumeru's rich and powerful could kill maids and commoners at will for entertainment. They secretly opened amusement parks where people were killed for amusement, and the rich would watch gladiator-style fights to the death.
The ugly side of humanity was on full display, and Sumeru City erupted into chaos. The people, armed with makeshift weapons, rallied for justice.
The Void Terminal marked to all the people of Sumeru that only the guilty would be affected, and no innocent person would be harmed. This was something only the Great Merciful Tree King, the creator of the Void Device, could do.
The residents of Sumeru City, armed with kitchen knives, sticks, and farming tools, rushed into the Order Academy with fire. The dignitaries were all pampered and lacked any real strength, making them no match for the angry citizens.
"Revenge! Revenge for my daughter! Kill them!"
"Kill! I'll take back everything they stole!"
"Charge, kill, ahh!"
The chaos spread as the people stormed the Order Academy, and the screams of the terrified officials echoed through the corridors. Sumeru's streets were filled with rage and retribution.
The Gilded Brigade from the desert, who were originally responsible for the defense of Sumeru City, joined in, taking up arms to arrest the high officials of the Order Academy. They wanted to prove their loyalty to the Great Merciful Tree King and remain in Sumeru City.
At the same time, Cyno led the disciplinary officers to storm the highest point of the Order Academy, the center of power in Sumeru. He smashed open the door, revealing the panicked sages inside.
"Cyno!" Azar, the great sage, yelled in a mix of fear and anger.
Without saying anything, Cyno raised his staff and charged at Azar. "Azar, your crimes have been exposed in front of all the people of Sumeru!" he roared.
The disciplinary officers continued to arrest the scholars and powerful figures. Cyno successfully captured all of the higher-ups of the Order Academy.
Meanwhile, Tighnari led the rangers of the rainforest to Sumeru City, arresting the officials trying to escape.
Takumi held Nahida in his arms, looking down at the chaotic city below. The air was filled with the metallic scent of blood.
"Nahida, have you learned from the Great Merciful Tree King how to solve the problems of a nation?" Takumi asked.
"To govern a country, gods do not need to intervene personally. They just need to listen to the voices of all their people, acknowledge their wishes, and allow their actions to define right and wrong."
A gentle voice spoke from behind Takumi.
"Yes, the will represented by all the people of Sumeru will lead everyone to make the right choice."