Teer stood on the chair as if he were about to step onto a stage and control the entire crowd. Inside, he was incredibly quiet, but on the outside, he appeared completely normal, as if he were absorbing the entire crowd's expectations. His emotions and body language were completely unthreatening.
The first guard stood in front of the crowd, next to Teer. He spoke in a loud voice, bringing the entire crowd to a standstill.
First Guard: No one will say anything until this new guard in front of you asks something. And he is my very special friend.
Hearing this, the brothers started talking among themselves; their whispers were quite loud.
First Guard (shouted angrily): Shut up! Not a single word will come out of your mouths right now.
When the entire crowd became quiet, Teer took a deep breath.
Teer (excitedly): There's a good reason you're all standing here. I'm a new guard whose only job is to entertain you with my exciting stories and make you feel good, so that all of you can give this prisoner your full attention.
The first guard was thinking many things to himself: See how he's telling lie after lie! I'm forced to believe him. After all, how could a man like that ever tell the truth? I was quite powerful from the beginning, and I was very proud of this power. But perhaps, from the time I joined here until now, I've knowingly or unknowingly used this power like a servant. This was the first prisoner who made me realize this. That is why I am afraid that if something goes wrong, then I will be finished. But my heart is completely lost in the hope of getting out of here; that is the only hope I do not want to lose in any way.
Teer (with great enthusiasm): Once upon a time, there were two villages. Two different kings ruled both villages. These villages were separated only by a border.
First Guard (thinking): Oh, me! I didn't even ask him about the Holy Dictator. I just saw hope, so I started believing blindly. I should ask him about the Holy Dictator after he finishes the story. Who knows, after escaping here, I might end up licking that Dictator's feet.
Teer (starting calmly): The name of one king was Shadow Emperor... and the name of the other king was... Holy Dictator!
The first guard found something strange.
First Guard (thinking): Is he really going to tell them the story of the Holy Dictator? But what is there in his story that will drive them all crazy?
Teer (in a low voice): People were very happy under the Shadow Emperor, and those under the Holy Dictator were even happier. So the Shadow Emperor wondered why, despite his hard work, the people of the Holy Dictator's village were so happy. One day, he went to the Holy Dictator's village as a general administrator. The villagers welcomed him happily, treating him like a guest for several months—a service he couldn't receive even as a king. After several months, the villagers completely abandoned him and began ignoring him more and more. Then he remembered that he had his own village, which he had abandoned to come here. When the Shadow Emperor returned, he was stunned. What had been his village yesterday had now completely fallen under the control of the Holy Dictator. The Shadow Emperor's villagers had made the Holy Dictator their king, because while the Holy Dictator's villagers had been serving and distracting him, at the same time the Holy Dictator had infuriated the Shadow Emperor's villagers by saying, "Your king sold you out of service. How can such a careless king take care of you?"
Teer (in a suspicious voice): Now, all of you together, tell me—who was the villain in this story?
The crowd offered a variety of answers: some said the Holy Dictator was the villain, some said the Shadow Emperor, and some didn't answer at all.
Teer (with his eyes closed, a wide smile): Those who said Shadow Emperor should come forward. Those who didn't say anything should stand behind them, and those who said Holy Dictator should stand at the back.
All the staff members hesitated, looking at each other's faces.
First Guard (angrily): Do as he says.
Teer raised his hand, signaling the first guard to calm down. This signal also indicated that the first guard was losing his grip on dominance.
Teer (in a gently pleasant voice): Why are you all worrying so much? After all, my job is to entertain you. I will just ask you a few questions. If you don't like my questions, don't come tomorrow. But right now, everyone must answer at least once.
All the guards and cooks slowly stood as Teer had instructed.
Teer (quietly, calmly): Those standing in front called the Shadow Emperor the villain of the story—but why?
The crowd responded, "The Shadow Emperor abandoned his responsibilities and started enjoying himself so much that for months he forgot he even had a village."
Teer smiled.
Teer: But what he thought was good—he wanted to understand why people were so happy under the Holy Dictator and use the same methods to keep his own people happy.
All those guards were very thoughtful in giving answers. One of them said that it was fine if he wanted to do good but failed. If he had been tempted again in the future, he might have abandoned his village again. This is what he depicted about himself through this story.
Teer (with a mischievous look on his face): And what about the Holy Dictator? Do you consider him a hero?
They refused to accept him as a hero, but one of the guards changed everyone's perception.
That guard: Sir, the Shadow Emperor was quite good, but he wasn't fit to be a king because he lost his focus for a small pleasure. But the Holy Dictator took advantage of his weakness and conquered his kingdom. The Holy Dictator, understanding the value of time, conquered everything without bloodshed, and this also benefited his subjects. Because of this, his subjects were very happy with him and always helped him in his work. And that is why the Holy Dictator is a real king, and it would not be wrong to consider him a hero.
Then another guard said that this was a dirty trick played by the Holy Dictator.
Teer: I'll give you 10 minutes. You all can discuss it among yourselves. All of you are in the same group who consider the Shadow Emperor a villain, so whoever the hero is, that should be everyone's answer. Those who give answers different from their group may be considered traitors by the majority and may become losers of this teamwork thinking challenge.
A lot of debate took place between them in these ten minutes, but finally, they discussed and gave the answer together—which was the Holy Dictator. Teer was watching them all carefully and was making sure that everyone uttered "Holy Dictator" at least once.
Teer then asked the group that believed the Shadow Emperor was a villain to go to the back, and called those who were neutral to the front.
Teer to the group of neutral people: I am giving you five minutes. Discuss among yourselves and tell me one reason why you are neutral.
The group discussed it thoroughly and then told Teer that they were neutral because most of them couldn't understand the morality of the story. Most of them found both characters senseless.
Teer made a worried face upon hearing this.
Teer: Half of you should join the group that considers the Holy Dictator a villain, and the other half should join the group that considers the Shadow Emperor a villain. Hurry up!
Teer asked the group who considered the Holy Dictator a villain who they thought the villain was and asked everyone to answer. Then he asked the group who considered the Holy Dictator a hero who their hero was. Even at this time, Teer was making sure everyone said "Holy Dictator."
All the people in that crowd were just wondering what they had to do.
The first guard couldn't understand how this story would drive the entire crowd crazy, but from this it became clear to him that this was a fabricated story.
Teer had said all he had to say to the crowd, and now he got down from the chair with utmost composure. Then he reached near the first guard and said, "Now you go to the first floor." Hearing this, the first guard's anger reached the seventh sky. With a furious expression, he was about to hit Teer with a strong slap, but Teer, smiling, blocked his hand and then grabbed it very tightly.
First Guard (confused, thinking): He just blocked it perfectly… who is this guy?
The guard had now realized that Teer was no ordinary man.
Teer's voice had calmed down considerably, but now this calmness was much more suffocating. Teer glared at the guard in such a way that he felt the presence of a deadly killer. The guard was now completely paralyzed.
Teer: You just go to the first floor for five minutes, then come back.
Teer's behavior forced the guard to finally go downstairs.
{**read chapters 2 and 3 to revise about holy dictator's power}
Teer moved back towards the chair and kept thinking with every step.
Teer (thinking): It was clearly mentioned on that website that I had to keep the victim's face or approximate location in mind… Now, it's not really possible to keep so many people's faces in mind at once, so maybe I could kill them all by thinking of the approximate location… Now, will there be a limit to this, or will it be limitless… And if the approximate location is specified, like here on the 4th floor, then maybe these people will be killed… or else the first guard will also be killed. Let's see!
Teer stood back up on his chair. The crowd had dispersed by this point. Teer spoke loudly, drawing the crowd's attention back to himself.
Teer (speaks loudly): I've talked to you so much today, but I haven't shown you my face even once. Talking to you made me feel so safe… now I'm going to show you my face!
[Chapter 11: A death plan ends]
Note: If this {**something in brackets} bothers you, then ignore it.