Only God-Chapter 584 - 496: The Riot that Shocked the Kingdom (Two-in-One) _2

Chapter 584: Chapter 496: The Riot that Shocked the Kingdom (Two-in-One) _2

Ever since the advent of steam technology, the Gold Silver Clans had been uneasy, and the Kingdom was experiencing chaos to varying degrees.

Behind Kafu the Sixth’s strong promotion of steam technology, eager to enhance the might of the Kingdom, was the old order gradually falling apart, and a new era approaching step by step amidst disarray.

The construction of steam trains and tracks across the Kingdom was bound to involve the inherited lands of the major Clans, as well as raise issues concerning vast distributions of interests.

Against such a backdrop, ambitious figures, schemers, sages, heroes, and defenders of tradition all began to slowly emerge onto the historical stage.

The determination of Kafu the Sixth allowed the Gold Silver Clans to unleash the resentment they had been harboring; they organized as one, with formidable momentum and waves demanding that Kafu the Sixth withdraw his decree.

A riot seemed to stand on the brink of a precipice, poised and ready to break out at any moment.

The entire Kingdom had come to a crossroads of fate; what remained was how to choose the path ahead.

...

...

Later, Dwarf historians sorting through various materials would be astonished to find that the causes were trivial compared to the subsequent consequences.

Those who lived through that historical period could never have imagined that a seemingly minor friction could affect the destiny of the entire Kingdom.

To trace back the origins, one would have to start with the Craftsmen Temple in the Royal City.

As is well known, the Dwarves regarded the "Mechanical Book" as a gift from the Mountain and Artisan God Hiris, treating it as a Holy Artifact and considering its dense recordings as the wisdom of Hiris. Over the years, everyone in Kaelonde revered this "Mechanical Book"; its reputation spread so far that even other Dwarf Kingdoms sent emissaries to venerate this Divine-granted Holy Artifact.

Also, because of the "Mechanical Book", there had been many more Dwarves coming to worship at the Craftsmen Temple in recent years. From the Gold Silver Clans to ordinary citizens, everyone offered their own tribute at the Craftsmen Temple, and those Dwarf Craftsmen inspired by the "Mechanical Book" visited the Craftsmen Temple to worship even more diligently, seeking the blessing of Hiris.

Yet, when those Dwarf Nobles and commoners, whose interests were affected or who lost their means of livelihood due to the inventions and innovations of these Dwarf Craftsmen, came into frequent contact with them, frictions naturally arose.

The craftsmen often had their own cliques and would loudly discuss matters with no regard for the weight of their words, which was characteristic of Dwarves and thus provoked this disaster.

After worshipping, the craftsmen who relied on the "Mechanical Book" or were inspired by it to use steam technology, would gather in the corner of the Temple and loudly debate the King’s policies. In their eyes, Kafu the Sixth was so wise and sagacious, frequently bestowing rewards and not shying away from inquiries about new technologies; undoubtedly, he was a paragon of a benevolent ruler, and of course, they fully supported Kafu the Sixth’s decisions.

But the Dwarves of the Gold Silver Clans overheard their conversations. A Dwarf Noble on the spot scolded the craftsmen for their shortsightedness and ignorance and furiously condemned Kafu the Sixth for favoring the craftsmen, causing the Dwarves to abandon the sacred tradition they had forged over a long time.

The argument thus erupted, the two sides initially maintaining a semblance of rational discourse, but the temper of Dwarves drove them to raise their voices, turning it into a contest of who could shout louder, and eventually, it developed into a physical altercation within the Temple.

The sacred worship place of the Dwarves had devolved into a battleground of poured-out rage, with both sides throwing punches and kicks, sparing no one; at last, in an accident, a craftsman struck and killed a noble Dwarf who was trying to break up the fight, instantly triggering an even more intense conflict.

The brawl at the Temple was naturally reported to Kafu the Sixth, who, though often decisive, found himself in a difficult situation at this moment.

"The Gold Silver Clans all expect me to execute all those craftsmen, while the craftsmen claim it was the Gold Silver Clans who struck first and demand the release of those involved in the fight as innocent..."

Such a sensitive period of conflict left Kafu the Sixth feeling extremely vexed.

A Maid walked slowly to Kafu the Sixth, massaging his shoulders to ease the King’s discomfort.

"Kade, what should I do?" Kafu the Sixth asked absently.

The Maid naturally did not dare to make a decision for the King,

"I am unable to decide on any political matter. All I can do is ask Your Majesty to seek the guidance of the Gods."

At this challenging and trying time for the King, the Maid suggested appropriately that the King seek counsel from the Gods.

Kafu the Sixth found the idea sensible and called for the Priest of Hiris to consult with God but received no answer from Hiris. Thus, Kafu the Sixth summoned several other Priests of Divine figures, such as the Storm God, Forest God, Dream God, and so on.

Finally, those Priests provided an answer through simple sacrificial and divinatory rituals: Punish the chief culprit, spare the innocent bystanders.

It was such a reasonable and justified answer that even Kafu the Sixth couldn’t fault it, though he felt vaguely uneasy about it.

That night, Kafu the Sixth suddenly had a dream.

It was a beautiful dream, one so pleasant that it cheered him up; Kafu the Sixth felt he had never before had such a comforting dream. The dream seemed to assure him that his decision would lead the Kingdom onto a path of a bright future.

The next morning, Kafu the Sixth made his judgment. He ordered the arrested Craftsmen and Nobles to be executed by hanging. Such a decision would ordinarily be considered fair.

But a riot broke out just as the ropes were being fastened to the gallows.

Firstly, those from the Gold Silver Clan among the Nobles rushed onto the gallows, snatching the condemned from the platform, and the Craftsmen studying steam technology, provoked by the event, swarmed onto the platform like a tide, wrestling the condemned Craftsmen from the Executioner. Both factions erupted into a fierce conflict in the square, each side demanding the release of their condemned to face the King’s judgment while refusing to accept their own people be hung.

Neither faction would give in, escalating the argument toward the Palace. They mounted the long steps of the Palace, chanting "Innocent!" in unison, neither side yielding. The crowd of protesters surrounded the entire Palace tightly, but before the King appeared, they only exchanged verbal jabs, avoiding further conflict. However, to those who could see, the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

The riot of the protesters alarmed the royal guards. The Imperial Guard, charged with defending the Palace, attempted to disperse the crowd but caused many injuries in the process. Their loyalty provoked the anger of the people, who charged up the Palace steps, incessantly demanding the King come out and punish the opposing condemned.

Kafu the Sixth had never seen such an uprising. Even he panicked, and after the fear set in, anger flared within him. His judgment was clearly just, yet it had triggered this unreasonable outcome.

"Rabble! These ignorant rabble! I show no favoritism, yet they trample my justice!"

Surrounded by his guards, the King stepped outside the Palace. Once again, in front of the people, he reiterated his judgment and thunderously denounced the crowd’s foolishness and ignorance, asserting that his decision was witnessed by the Gods and immutable.

The King’s firm stance pleased neither side. The already divided and hostile people redirected their anger toward the King, and the ill-tempered Dwarves loudly insulted the King as a "tyrant," "hypocrite," and "scum." The surging crowd pressed toward the Palace, intent on toppling the magnificent stone structure. The Imperial Guard valiantly resisted, securing the King’s safety, and sent out pigeons to summon other legions from the Royal City.

The people besieged the Royal City for nearly a day. Because the Imperial Guard was fully armed and the people unarmed, they never managed to break into the Palace. Yet the steps were soaked in blood, and this riot nearly caused the symbol of royal authority to crumble.

Meanwhile, King Kafu the Sixth’s attitude remained unyielding. Once hailed as a paragon among Dwarves, he was determined to defend his ancestors’ legacy to the death, while constantly denouncing and cursing the rioting populace.

When night fell, the legions completed their mobilization. Giant armored figures appeared in the streets, casting long shadows, fully armed soldiers surrounded the rioting populace, and a bloody massacre ensued.