Chapter 1114

Carissa remained silent, her eyes filled with a trace of regret. Every martial artist, at some point, likely dreams of roaming the world with a sword, righting wrongs, and being hailed as a hero. As a young girl, especially after beginning her martial arts training, Carissa had often entertained such dreams, brimming with pride and certainty of her destined greatness. In her fantasies, she was a peerless warrior, slaying countless evildoers. Even their pleas for mercy were met with, "This is for the sake of justice in the world."

As she matured, she realized the stark reality: being a self-appointed hero, dispensing justice unilaterally, was illegal. A heroine held no legal authority; she wasn't a judge, nor a government official. Moreover, lethal force required irrefutable evidence. Even witnessing a crime firsthand necessitated providing proof to the authorities. Even a death sentence, after thorough investigation and review, needed Supreme Court confirmation before execution.

This meticulous process, designed to prevent wrongful convictions, was also susceptible to manipulation by the powerful and influential. Carissa recalled Winona's words: even with irrefutable evidence, a wealthy criminal family could suppress evidence or discredit witnesses. The severity of the sentence, or even its dismissal, hinged entirely on the bribe offered.

This shattered Carissa's ideals. How could the world be so corrupted? Initially disbelieving, she argued vehemently with Winona. The law, she insisted, existed to punish the wicked; how could money subvert it? Officials were public servants, funded by taxpayer money, and should act in the people's best interests.

She even sought Adrian's perspective. He gently patted her head, saying, "Winona is right. But truthfully, the current system is the best we have."

Carissa was disheartened. "This is the best? That's a sad thing to hear."

Chapter 1115

Adrian sighed. "There's no such thing as a perfectly good world, because it's composed of human hearts. There's good, evil, selfishness, and hypocrisy. Everyone blames the world's state, but few consider their own contributions. The world is as it is because everyone plays a part."

Carissa then asked, "If this is the best world possible, what does a truly bad world look like?"

Adrian paused. "A bad world is one consumed by endless war, internal strife, and external threats. Natural and man-made disasters displace and scatter populations. The dead pile up in the streets; even the living resort to cannibalism."

Carissa was shocked. "Is that what war causes? But my father still goes to war..."

Adrian smiled gently. "Your father fights not for rebellion, land, or conquest. He fights to protect his homeland and reclaim what's rightfully the kingdom's. Sometimes, war prevents further war."

Carissa, once confused, now understood.

At Edgeview Estate, Yuvan's injuries were severe. His head and face were swollen, though the damage was superficial. However, he suffered broken ribs and a fractured leg. While the abdominal wound was shallow and bled minimally, it left him exceptionally weak.

Though treatable, several physicians, including his traveling companion, deemed his condition grave, believing he would never fully recover.

Dr. Rafael explained that Yuvan's injuries stemmed from an attempted assault. His condition was exacerbated by the intervention of an unknown hero, whose kick caused more severe damage and potential complications.

The physicians, while regretful that the injury was irreparable, expressed odd optimism. They assured Fiona and Wayne that his urinary function should remain largely unaffected. However, they offered no guarantees, suggesting potential discomfort or difficulty urinating, manageable through positional adjustments, such as squatting.