"In the Lower City, Laris has quite a number of supporters, and most of the taverns there are their strongholds."

If it were in the past, this small group wouldn't have stirred up any waves in Oasis City, but the present is not like the past. Somehow, they have acquired a fruit that can instantly transform people into monsters.

A hundred residents of the Lower City who harbor hatred for Oasis City could give rise to a hundred Marshalls.

"I can't change their minds."

Grave, who was invited to come, also shook his head in defeat. Distributing magic potions to treat fang disease was the extent of his ability. He was just an old man who had ridden the wave of the times to study in the Empire for a while, and at most, he only had a bit more knowledge than those around him.

This reform is truly aimed at those who still hold hope in their hearts.

Grave believes the reform Mary is undertaking upon her arrival is the true way out for this city and even the entire Far West.

He could dispel the doubts and confusion of the Lower City residents who were unsure, but he couldn't change those who harbored intense hatred from the very beginning.

This is why, upon learning of Laris's intentions, Grave immediately rushed to the Upper City overnight to request a meeting with Mary.

This was beyond his capabilities, and he could foresee that under Laris's instigation, Oasis City would face a massive upheaval in the future.

In Grave's view, perhaps only someone like Mary, the Church Saintess who descended from the heavens, could truly change the future of this city.

People like Marshall will inevitably appear again.

Perhaps even today, they could appear anywhere in Oasis City.

"Lady Mary."

Leon paused the discussion and looked at the silent Mary, "Are you hiding something from us?"

His gaze was sharp. The appearance of Marshall and the unknown fruit confirmed his suspicions.

For people like Laris now, the meaning of belief has changed.

It is no longer a channel for seeking spiritual release from suffering but a deadly weapon. As long as they have a strong obsession, as long as they possess these fruits, they can kill the officials who once terrified them.

This situation is eerily reminiscent.

"When I went to the Empire for exchange and learning, it was during the heyday of the Violet Commune movement. I learned some unpublished information from a member of the Commune."

Leon hesitated and said, "After Julius became the Pope, the number of Bazatous believers in the Empire increased day by day. Sacrificial rituals to the Evil God were happening all over the Empire because the greatest temptation for believers in the Evil God was that they could gain immense power in a short time through soul sacrifice rituals, almost exactly like Laris now."

What puzzled Leon the most was that Laris and his followers had not changed their faith.

They still believed in the Goddess of Life, even more fervently than ever.

This created a rather bizarre situation.

Mary, as the Church's Saintess and the Goddess's acknowledged representative in the Holy Scripture, found herself in great conflict with another group of devout believers of the Goddess of Life. The tense situation in Oasis City was actually caused by two groups of believers on the same path.

This seriously defies logic.

Leon had studied at the Truth Society, where believers of the God of Truth couldn't ignore phenomena that defied logic.

Therefore, he conducted a deeper investigation.

"I found out that Mayor Hafeez sent a letter to the Holy City a few days ago and has not yet received a reply. Neither has the Church Court sent anyone to Oasis City."

This was another issue.

The reappearance of the former Saintess should have prompted Pope Carlo to rush to Oasis City immediately—everyone knew Carlo was a control freak to the extreme.

"I have enough reason to suspect that the appearance of the red fruit and your arrival mean the Church is facing significant turmoil."

Leon's words left the special action team members stunned.

And Mary's response immediately confirmed Leon's suspicions, "Carlo is already dead."

"Wait! Carlo is dead?"

Sariman blurted out, "The newspapers didn't report this!"

Such a major event happened in the Holy City, yet not a word was spread. Not long ago, when a Church bishop was murdered in a border city, that news was published in every newspaper in the Far West.

But their shock didn't stop there.

Leon nodded, "Then, can I assume that the one providing the fruits to Laris is an entity within the Church equivalent to you? What's happening in Oasis City now stems from your differences."

Mary was somewhat surprised.

She didn't expect Leon to have roughly deduced the whole story without ever leaving Oasis City.

"No, Leon!"

Sariman immediately raised a question, "Who else in the Church has a status comparable to Lady Mary?"

This wasn't flattery. Even those outside the Church knew that in history, there had only been Mary, the Saintess. Even within the Church, there was a faction that considered her the reincarnation of the Goddess of Life, meant to help Third Epoch's people emerge from the plague.

Even the Pope's status couldn't compare to Mary's.

And since Mary mentioned that the power-holding Carlo was dead, there should be no one comparable to Mary's status.