Looking at the Fat Priest before him who was as dazed as a lump of dead flesh, Otto stroked his chin and fell into deep thought.
In fact, as long as he had a thought right now, or casually picked up a candlestick from the side, he could easily send this greedy fat pig to meet the almighty Lord in his mouth.
But upon second thought, killing him really wasn’t cost-effective.
After all, no matter what era it was, human greed was like a rolling stone on a high mountain; once it started, it couldn’t be stopped.
Killing this fatty would just result in the church sending a new skinny guy or tall guy tomorrow to continue milking money, treating the symptoms rather than the root cause.
Therefore, rather than physical elimination, it was better to give him a directive combo package of “social death” plus “physical anti-addiction.”
Otto cleared his throat, walked up to the glassy-eyed Fat Priest, and slowly began to speak:
“Listen well.
From now on, you are a good person, a truly pure and pious Christian who has transcended low tastes.
You suddenly find that your past self was far too greedy, which was practically a blasphemy against the Lord.
Now your conscience has awakened, and you are heartbroken!”
“Next, you will take all the money in your cash box, sell all the gold rings and valuable items on your body, walk to the center of the city, and distribute all this money free of charge to the ordinary people in the city.”
“After the distribution is complete, you will stand at the highest place and shout with tears streaming down your face: You heard the voice of the Lord!
The Lord told you to give all the money to the people!
Furthermore, you must take a vicious oath in public—if you ask believers for donations in the future, it means you have been possessed by a demon!
Absolutely do not believe it!”
“After doing all this, you will return to the church, sleep soundly, and then completely forget me, as well as why you did this when giving out money today.”
Finishing this long directive in one breath, Otto patted his hands in satisfaction.
Although this directive sounded quite nonsensical and even a bit like a prank, you had to know this was the fifth century!
In this era of universal illiteracy and extreme superstition, this move was a dimensional-strike level blow to the ordinary people.
Just think about it, a priest publicly admitting that he heard a divine oracle and declaring that “asking for money again means being possessed by a demon.”
Later on, when this fatty sobered up and wanted to milk money again, what would the commoners think?
“Oh heavens!
The priest has been possessed by a demon!
Everyone, quickly bring pitchforks and torches to help the priest exorcise the evil spirits!”
Many hands make light work [covering face]
As for the nobles?
That was even simpler.
What noble would be willing to donate gold coins to a priest who was “possessed by a demon”?
That would simply lower their own status.
If this fatty dared to go begging in the lord’s stronghold, there was a high probability he would be beaten up on the spot by the guards and thrown into the river to “cleanse his soul.”
“I really am a genius.
This anti-corruption bureau chief operation—out of a hundred points, I give myself one hundred and twenty points.
The extra twenty points count as a bonus question reward.”
Watching the Fat Priest blankly nod and turn around to start moving that heavy cash box, Otto smiled, hiding his achievements and fame, and turned to walk out of the grand cathedral.
Leaving the cathedral, Otto specifically found a deserted and secluded alley, planning to test the “agility enhancement” effect of the false face gloves.
He took a deep breath, exerted a slight force with his legs, and leaped forward fiercely.
Swish—!
Hearing the wind howling past his ears, Otto darted out like an arrow released from a string.
He tapped lightly twice against the narrow walls, his body executing a light somersault in mid-air, and landed steadily on a wooden barrel a few meters away.
“This speed is more than just a little bit faster than before!
It’s simply like playing Assassin’s Creed with cheats on!”
Having finished the test, Otto was in a great mood.
He took off the false face gloves and stuffed them back into his pocket, walking back to the caravan’s camp with his hands behind his back, humming an unknown cheerful tune and wearing a smiling face all the way.
At this moment, Philin was standing by the carriage tallying the supplies purchased in the city and the goods sold today.
Raising his head, he saw Otto walking back beaming with joy.
Seeing this Otto, who usually always had an unfathomable demeanor and acted as if nothing caught his eye, actually smiling like a child right now, Philin was naturally immensely puzzled.
“What is it, Lord Otto?” Philin stepped forward and asked with an ingratiating smile, “Did you encounter some monumental joyous event to make you so happy?”
Otto stopped in his tracks, raised his head to look at the gray sky of Tintagel Castle, put on an expression of compassion for the world, and gently shook his head:
“Oh, nothing, just that while taking a walk in the city earlier, I casually did a great good deed that benefits the country and the people.”
Hearing this, Philin was filled with immediate awe and respect.
Look at that!
What is called vision!
When other people go out strolling, they not only look at the scenery, but are also thinking of all living beings in the world!
This ideological realm was simply enough to move one to tears!
“My lord, you truly are the embodiment of mercy.
Being by your side is the greatest honor of my, Philin’s, life.” Philin’s flattery flowed as smoothly as flowing water and moving clouds.
Otto smiled, waved his hand, and turned to sit back in the carriage.
He wasn’t in a hurry to continue card-drawing right now.
After all, that “time bomb” planted in the church earlier should be exploding very soon, and he needed to save his energy to watch a good show.
Seeing that Otto wanted to rest, Philin tactfully greeted him, saying that there were still some cargo handovers in the city that weren’t finished yet, and then took two assistants and went out first.
Otto had only closed his eyes to rest in the carriage for about a few minutes when a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside.