Chapter 451: Beneath the Tide

It seemed as if a fire were burning in some unseen place.

Throughout the entire Eastern Diocese, the undercurrents that had previously remained hidden from sight seemed to be gradually coming to a boil. Bubbles rose with a gurgling sound, and faint, fragmented whispers began to echo in everyone's ears—at first barely perceptible, but soon, impossible to ignore.

The idle gossip circulating in the cathedrals, the secretly isolated mutual-aid societies, those companions who were once unremarkable or even teetering on the edge of danger but had suddenly risen above everyone else with profound faith, the mysterious smiles on the faces of the priests, the clandestine deals in the alleys, and even the legendary goods in the black market that were priced but unavailable...

The inexplicable words blurted out after getting drunk, the smug smiles or mocking sneers, and even the subtle hints and sharing between friends and family.

At first, it was just rumors, but the rumors seemed to be growing clearer and clearer.

Until, through a stroke of luck or active seeking, the final veil of mist was pushed aside, and they finally touched the magical power that was spreading ever more widely.

"Have you heard? It's good stuff."

"A Holy Seal? Aren't Holy Seals everywhere? Do you want one? I'll give you two... They're different? Why..."

"I heard from the Chief Priest that these were just developed recently from the Heavenly City."

"Good stuff. As long as you carry this, you can..."

"Is this *that* Holy Seal?"

"You've got it wrong. I heard that a young believer with firm faith suddenly saw his faith wane for years, and his eyes were even gouged out... Right, and guess what? Inside the Holy Seal he carried, there was actually a wisp of the Holy Spirit's consciousness residing. After accepting his offerings for several years, it finally awakened. Otherwise, how could he have suddenly returned to the Holy Choir overnight?"

"Bullshit! That's heresy. I—I will absolutely not use it!"

"Is that it? It doesn't look any different from other Holy Seals."

"You'll know once you wear it!"

"This is too expensive, no... Wait, let me think about it... I've got it, give me... give me... give me two, no, three!"

"No rush, let's see how the wind blows first."

"How can it be so expensive?! It was only..."

"Supply is limited! It won't be this price tomorrow!"

"Hey, has everyone heard? They've already started distributing them at the Sacrifice Cathedral. Right, hurry up, let's go, let's go! Old believers who join the prayer meeting can even get one for free!"

In just a few short days, the wind that had been barely perceptible had blown from the darkness across the entire Eastern Diocese, and it was only intensifying.

No matter how firm one was at the beginning, once people started competing, their bottom lines began to gradually break.

Especially with the increase in sunk costs, the progress of peers, the wavering of one's own status, and even the temptation brought by the growth of faith... they were gradually heating up.

From the leisurely pace that felt like a post-meal stroll, it turned into a frantic sprint like a marathon.

Besides, everyone else was using it, so why shouldn't I?

The believers thought, *The Chief Priest gave it to me, so how could it be fake? * The Chief Priests thought, *If others dare to use it like this, it must be fine, right? *

Besides, I'm using less of it anyway; even if something happens, it won't fall on my head! Perhaps there are risks, right, you're right, but why not enjoy a wave of it before the bubble bursts?

Trapped in fanaticism, harboring luck, or having prepared from the start to push others into the abyss, everyone couldn't wait to join this feast.

Some Chief Priests, in order to compete for an advantage, had already begun to let their confidants secretly and actively distribute this mysterious gift to the believers worshiping in the cathedrals.

They even provided techniques—if you feel your prayers aren't fast enough, then you can carry a few more!

Pray, child, pray!

Pray day, pray night, pray every day! You pray, I pray, let's pray together!

In prayer, there is beauty; in prayer, there is a house of gold! The more you pray, the closer the Heavenly Kingdom; the more you pray, the more divine grace you receive!

Starting today, become a full-time prayer-hand, pray across the continent, pray through the firmament!

Look, the holy day is near, the intimate service is near!

As long as you pray, just pray; prayer is the only truth in this world. Prayer is the most precious offering a believer can give to the gods.

Prayer...

... is the only value you cattle and sheep possess!

Amidst the fanatical joy, the entire Eastern Diocese was gradually filled with a fanatical atmosphere. Twenty-four hours a day, the sound of prayer was incessant.

The prostrate believers covered the earth, and the chanting of hymns shrouded the firmament.

Points of light like stars rose from the cathedrals, drifting between heaven and earth, turning into a gradually rushing torrent, drifting toward the Heavenly City...

And right there on the street, before the cathedral, an old man vomiting blood knelt on the ground, struggling to crawl toward the cathedral, his mouth still constantly praying and chanting, the Holy Seals on his neck flashing brightly.

Everyone passing by couldn't help but stop in their tracks, staring in shock, offering words of encouragement and shouting, praising this pious faith and asceticism.

Until, with a happy smile, the old man's final shred of self was burned away before the gate, his face dissolving, completely turning into an empty shell.

Everyone immediately swarmed forward, shouting in fanatical ecstasy, surrounding the area, reaching out to touch this respectable sacrifice and risk, sharing the divine grace, and even beginning to fight over the clothes on the old man's body.

"Are they crazy?"

In the distance, Yan Fei's expression twitched, again and again. He couldn't help but want to start a massacre, yet he couldn't understand the mastermind behind this ignorant fanaticism.

"Do they—do they really not care about the consequences?"

"Consequences? What consequences could there be?"

Ji Jue asked indifferently: "Since ancient times, believers have been like cattle and horses, and the priests are the shepherds. Would a shepherd ever feel sorry for the flock being led to slaughter?"

"Even if the livestock are hacked to pieces on an unseen assembly line, when the blood sprays out, everyone will only praise how plump and fatty the beef is this year, right?"

Yan Fei remained stunned for a long time, his voice trembling: "Then—then what about the Holy Seals..."

"A Holy Seal is just a Holy Seal. Could there possibly be any problem with it? I don't know, and I don't understand. It was all done by the people below me behind my back. I'm doing this for the sake of the sect, too. I'm striving for faith for the Holy God; what could I possibly have done wrong?!"

Ji Jue thought of a hundred thousand standard answers in a second: "Besides, everyone is using them, so wouldn't it be fine if I just use a little less?"

"Even if there is a problem, they wouldn't kill everyone, would they?"

"In fact... there are even some who can't wait for everyone to be killed."

Facing the incoming tide, the fools scrambled to jump into the water, fueling the waves and drifting with the current toward chaos. Heroes and brave souls would sacrifice themselves, standing before the tide and the wrath of the fools, trying to turn the tide, or becoming a stumbling block to be mocked and trampled upon.

The mastermind would decisively stop after reaping the greatest benefits, and the so-called 'smart people' had already figured out how to guide the tide toward whichever hell it was headed...

"Look, everyone is reveling, immersed in happiness. Who would come out to disturb the big picture if they didn't understand the atmosphere? Even if one is so far-sighted, besides seeking profit, it's at most just protecting oneself."

Ji Jue narrowed his eyes, looking toward the highest point of the Central City, the Sacrifice Cathedral, and grinned silently: "On the contrary, the people who really need to be responsible for all this..."

"Heh, they're still having a great time."

Everyone worked together to add bricks and tiles, blowing on the fire and adding fuel, lighting a roaring flame. And on the warmed-up pyre, the Archbishop at the very top was still admiring this scene of piety and fanaticism, rejoicing.

And just as he feigned ignorance, preparing how to use this miracle to grow further, enter the Privy Council, and then shed all responsibility, a whistleblowing letter from the Eastern Diocese had already been placed on the table of the Heavenly City's Privy Council.

"... Holy Seal?"

The Pope on duty stared at the report in his hand, his brow slowly furrowing: "Hu Nao! This is simply nonsense! If the Chief Priests below don't understand, surely an Archbishop should know better!"

"Presumptuously guessing the divine will, greedy for divine grace—he's simply gone mad!"

"A reprimand or a warning?"

The secretary picked up his pen knowingly, peeking at the Saint's expression, preparing to draft the document, "Or, dismissal, exile?"

"..."

The Pope lowered his eyes and remained silent. In the stillness, he stared at the record in the report, the existence of the bizarre Holy Seal, his expression growing increasingly severe: "No, the matters involved behind those Holy Seals are of great importance... Pass the order: Saint Idra, who is on a southern pilgrimage, shall suspend the pilgrimage and go to the Eastern Central City first, with full authority to handle everything involved."

"And also—"

He paused, a hint of blood-red appearing in his gloomy pupils: "Tell Idra, cut the weeds and dig up the roots, eradicate the evil completely. Never allow the acts of heresy to poison the Divine Kingdom!"

The secretary's hand holding the pen trembled, and a blot of ink stained the order in his hand, just like the blood about to flow from the East...

Winding and endless.

In less than a month, in just over ten days, the Miracle Holy Seal had already spread throughout the entire Eastern Diocese. No, not just the Eastern Diocese.

Carried by many pilgrims and pushed by many in the resistance camps, it had already spread across the four major dioceses, like a fire growing increasingly vigorous under paper, impossible to contain.

It didn't even wait for the end-of-month statistics.

And there was no need to wait.

In just these ten-plus days, the faith growth of the entire Eastern Diocese had already achieved a doubling compared to the past, and it was still increasing, intensifying!

And amidst the echoing hymns filled with joy and praise, thunder suddenly sounded from the firmament above the Central City. When countless believers looked up in astonishment, they saw the legendary miracle.

A massive gate opened from the firmament.

Behind the gorgeous and majestic reliefs, the magnificent scene of the Heavenly City was projected, blotting out the sky. And under the escort of angels, a brilliant light shone down, and a dazzling chariot pulled by heavenly horses slowly descended from the sky!

"A Saint! It's a Saint!!!"

"A Saint has descended!!!"

Who knows how many believers wept with joy, kneeling to pray, shouting in ecstasy.

It was indeed their prayers that had moved the Holy God; in their lifetime, they were actually able to witness the Holy God send down such a magnificent miracle. For a time, the sound of prayer reached a new climax.

And that dazzling chariot just passed coldly through the firmament, falling straight toward the Sacrifice Cathedral.

Soon, amidst the hasty and nervous ringing of bells, all the high-level members of the sect gathered, some shocked, some happy, some fearful, some suspicious—it was too fast, too hasty, without any notice at all!

When the Archbishop knelt to welcome him, he hadn't even had time to put on his clerical robes properly.

And the usually warm Saint just walked past him coldly, not even stopping for a moment, causing his heart to suddenly sink to the bottom.

Many angels entered as the vanguard, taking over the cathedral's defense. As the gate opened, Saint Idra had already stepped in, walked into the Pilgrimage Hall, and sat straight down in the main seat.

"Who else hasn't arrived?" Idra glanced at the meeting room that wasn't full and suddenly asked.

In the deathly silence, everyone looked at each other. Someone gathered the courage, wiping sweat: "There are still two peers; the matter was sudden, and the distance was too far, so they couldn't..."

"Neglecting divine matters is an unforgivable crime."

Idra said: "Cast them into the abyss."

The angels knelt to receive the order and turned to leave. Outside the window, brilliant light rose into the sky. Soon, they returned, raising their hands and slamming two heads that were screaming in terror and begging for mercy onto the ground.

In the heavy atmosphere, there was only wailing; no one dared to speak again.

And the Saint just waved his hand, throwing the whistleblowing letter onto the table.

"Speak."

Idra looked down coldly: "What is going on?"

The Archbishop was struck by lightning, sweating profusely, trembling as he tried to stand up but failing, kneeling on the ground and shouting: "It was all the people below acting on their own initiative. I—I really didn't know. Saint, be merciful, Saint—"

Before he could finish, someone decisively slapped the table and stood up.

It was a Chief Priest who had been sitting in the meeting.

He pointed at the Archbishop and shouted angrily: "—The subordinate wishes to report the Archbishop for harboring heresy, blaspheming the sacred, and corrupting the sect. His crimes are unforgivable!"

A series of righteous words, which could be called resounding, were uttered, like gold and iron, wanting to nail the Archbishop to the pillar of shame.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who wanted to hammer in the nails.

He wasn't the only one who suddenly slapped the table, stood up, and pointed at the Archbishop to shout—

—person...

Some were even slower, standing up only after the first person had finished half their sentence. In that moment of astonishment, they instinctively thought quickly and shouted aloud: "I—I am too!"

"Me too!"

"And me!"

For a time, face after face, prepared long ago, flushed red, uttering incoherent sounds, their eyes filled with shock and dullness as they looked at each other.

Why, inexplicably, had they completed a match and formed a team?

No, I—I didn't select solo, and I didn't click five-man match!

Well, indeed, there was no five-man match.

Because there were a full eight whistleblowing letters thrown out by the Saint!

A thick stack of whistleblowing letters was now spread out on the table, with the names of everyone who had stood up clearly written on the envelopes.

In this sudden embarrassment and deathly silence, the moment everyone who had stood up realized what was happening, they couldn't help but... feel a chill run through their entire bodies!

It's over! ===== CHAPTER 452 =====