Chapter 457: Aftermath and Prologue

Setting aside what dream Ji Jue has behind him.

But suddenly overnight, in the entire Yellow Millet, everyone felt that a nightmare was chasing them.

There was no way, it was too scary.

Without any movement, the central city of such a large diocese was struck by heaven's punishment for no reason!

Even a month ago, their archbishop was shouting every day about "thriving and prosperous," but before it could even flourish and everything could compete, the process wasn't even followed. Directly, all the high-level officials were gone, and one-third of the people in the city were gone, all cast into the Edge Prison.

Even all were sentenced to eternal burning, with no possibility of release.

The remaining two-thirds shouldn't expect to have it good either; all were demoted to sinners, slave laborers for a hundred years to repay the sin of blasphemy and impurity.

The first reaction of everyone who heard was to report to the church that the dog thing in front of them was farting, alarmist. How could such an outrageous thing happen? But after careful confirmation, in the face of iron-clad facts, they had already started to sweat...

What the hell. What exactly happened? How did the Sky City suddenly start turning with a sniper rifle?

At the same time, a severe reprimand stamped with the seal of the Sky City Pope had been sent to every sanctuary and every chief priest in the three dioceses of the west, south, and north.

The letter angrily criticized the phenomenon of laziness that had appeared in the Cult in recent years and

the phenomenon of many members not respecting divine affairs and neglecting the holy light, so that acts of blasphemy appeared repeatedly, the wind of depravity spread and was difficult to stop, so that the situation had deteriorated to the current degree. From today on, all sanctuaries must carry out self-inspection and self-correction, report regularly, and if there is any negligence or violation, they will be severely punished!

The minimum is fifty years of hard labor.

As for the ins and outs of the Eastern Diocese, it was also explained in the announcement—Sage Idra, in an investigation, discovered that the high-level officials of the entire Eastern District had completely degenerated, not only neglecting divine affairs and defiling the sacred, but also publicly conducting a large number of blasphemous rituals in the sanctuary, and even intending to intercept faith, comparing themselves to gods, and splitting the Cult.

Their acts of depravity made the merciful Holy God shed tears.

Therefore, the Sage performed the act of thunder, cutting off all tumors and hidden dangers to maintain the purity of the Cult. Because of this merit and honor, he was rewarded by the Holy God, promoted to an attendant under his seat, from then on transcending the mortal world, ascending to the heavenly kingdom, and living forever. From now on, all sanctuaries must erect his holy image next to the emblem of the Holy God.

The rebuilt Eastern Diocese will also be crowned with his name to show magnanimity and grace to this land that was once depraved.

And then, a new Sage was selected and crowned in Sky City...

In short, there was a small problem, but it doesn't matter, don't be afraid, everyone, it’s just a temporary adjustment.

Our God's Kingdom is thriving!

Anyway, it sounded quite like the real thing, and since there was no second media in this world, Ji Jue naturally couldn't stand up and refute that you were farting.

Under the absolute right to speak and credibility, the chaos stabilized rapidly.

Even, the acts of blasphemy in the Eastern Diocese and the absolute punishment suffered stimulated the motivation and faith of other dioceses. They all used their strength to suckle, and the expected faith gap was actually filled by the fanaticism of massive fanatics!

The wonderful asceticism and performance in it were truly Ether Eye-opening.

Under this wave of severe rectification, a large number of low-ranking chief priests fell and were eliminated, and the believers who were led to piety became even more determined.

Besides that, the defensive forces of all dioceses and important institutions were strengthened as never before. A large number of angel legions descended from Sky City to the Heavenly Human world. These walking miracles further stimulated the fanaticism and faith of the believers, and at the same time, they also prevented Ji Jue and the others from taking advantage of the fire and fishing in troubled waters to the greatest extent.

One resistance camp after another was uprooted, one heretic after another was tied to the stake in public trials... Right under the full operation of this faith machine of the Cult, the stability of the entire world went up a level, and even Ji Jue couldn't show his face.

There was no way, Sky City didn't know what it had started, observing the entire Yellow Millet dream 24 hours a day. After a "ding," it started to auto-aim.

Once Ji Jue stepped out from the cracks and showed his head, he would be met with massive encirclement and suppression and suicide attacks at all costs.

The first time, Ji Jue thought it was an accident. The second time, he already felt something was wrong. The third time, he already understood that he had

been completely targeted by the Cult. At least three Sages were on standby every day, ready to go on stage to guard against him.

Thanks to the existence of the rabbit hole, otherwise, I don't know how much I would have suffered.

But after several times in a row, when Ji Jue went to find Bao Bao Dacai to stock up again, he was opposed by the old geezer—everything must leave a trace, and the rabbit hole is not omnipotent.

"Have you noticed that these few times, they have gathered a large army in groups every time, large-scale encirclement and blockade, but they didn't make many moves when they did it?"

Ji Jue realized: "You mean, they are specifically guiding our people to use the rabbit hole?"

"Exactly."

Bao Bao Dacai sighed and patted the cloth pocket that had already shown cracks: "The essence of the rabbit hole is also a kind of spirit, guiding people to freely cross dreams, imitating that supreme Heavenly Work of the Eternal Gate. In this Yellow Millet, although the effect has been enhanced, at the same time, it is not without ways to target it.

If I’m not mistaken, Sky City already has someone or something else specifically watching it. Every time the rabbit hole appears, it leaves a trace.

If this continues, I’m afraid that one day if they completely master the relevant traces, it is possible to directly seal it like a bug.

By then, everyone will be miserable."

Ji Jue thought for a long time: "How many more times can it be used?"

"If it wasn't discovered on the spot, about eight to nine times. If it’s being watched again..." The old geezer pondered for a moment: "Three, no, to be safe, two times is the most."

"I understand."

Ji Jue nodded without hesitation: "Then keep using it. No need to give it to me. Since I've been targeted, it's fine to let others take my place."

Bao Bao Dacai was stunned for a moment, but instead of scolding Ji Jue for not cherishing the opportunity, he asked curiously: "Who do you plan to dump the work on?"

"Yeah, who?"

Ji Jue's palm swept casually across the camp, ignoring the eager Yan Fei, and finally pointed at a bewildered face:

"You'll do."

"...Me?"

Yu Shu, covered in dust and currently working part-time as a mason, was dazed, pointing at his own face, completely confused.

Yan Fei also got anxious: "Why! I'm clearly much stronger than him!"

"Besides fighting when you're hot-headed, what else can you do?" Ji Jue was amused and asked bluntly: "Contact other resistance camps? Infiltrate the diocese to set up safe houses and underground organizations? Even communicate with the Church, or turn believers against them? Can you do that?

Alright, stop pulling a long face. There's still work for you later. Besides, if you leave, who will handle the security?"

"Me? Me?!"

Yan Fei, who had just been pulling a long face, was instantly overjoyed, his invisible tail wagging: "That's true, right, oh yeah, I'm supposed to protect Mr. Ji's safety..."

I tell you, kids are just too easy to handle!

"Me? Me?!"

While Yu Shu was complaining in his heart, he was already sweating profusely.

"Otherwise? Give it to Sister Wen? It's hard to imagine Sister Wen doing these things."

Ji Jue scratched his head, taking the opportunity to cue the former camp leader who, now that supplies were plentiful, spent every day soaking in a vat of wine under the guise of official business.

If he really let her do diplomacy and underground work, it's likely everyone would have a falling out on the first day, and the underground supply point would be burned to the ground on the second.

"Besides you, not many people can do this job, right? Just take the work experience you had in the Chongguang Cult and use it in reverse, won't that work? After all, you're not lacking in organizational skills or initiative, and your communication skills are top-notch. Although your combat power is a bit lacking, you can make up for it with some gear. Alright, stop making excuses, it's you."

After Ji Jue tossed the work away, he didn't wait for any further objections and looked at the old man: "Got time?"

"Ah, I'm old..." Bao Bao Dacai was preparing to slack off as usual, but noticing Ji Jue's dangerous gaze, he immediately changed his tune: "Being old means I have plenty of free time. What's up?"

"Lend me the workshop. Besides that, there's one more thing I need to talk to you about." Ji Jue walked toward the chicken-leg house, "Consider it a demonstration of Strange Tale Alchemy. Old man, let me see your limits!"

Bao Bao Dacai's expression twitched; he finally understood why his fists would itch sometimes when he saw this dog of a person, Ji Jue.

The way he dumps work on people is exactly the same as the Great Commander of Nirvana!

The old man was barely holding back his curses.

But he was certain that if he didn't satisfy Ji Jue's request, this dog of a person would definitely find a way to make his life miserable...

Thus, he had no choice but to follow along helplessly.

When I'm awake, I work overtime for Nirvana, and when I'm asleep, I have to work overtime for you, Factory Manager Ji, damn it.

I'm really being treated well!

With Ji Jue's disappearance, the Cult that had been watching day and night seemed to have gradually relaxed, but while they were relaxed on the surface, they were becoming increasingly tense in secret.

It's just a pity that their fishing skills weren't up to par; no matter how they baited the hook, this dog of a person never showed his face.

Logically speaking, the resistance camp should have quieted down.

But the Instrument of Heavenly Eyes kept sounding alarms from time to time, and traces of the rabbit hole's existence appeared every few days.

And within the various dioceses, the magic-modified versions of the Holy Seals also began to once again

run rampant...

Even among the Ten Great Sins listed by the Cult, the charge of abusing Holy Seals and distorting divine grace was still hanging on the gallows, but once people take a shortcut, it's very hard to return to the right path.

Especially... when the Cult itself couldn't distinguish the difference between the faith offered through ascetic prayer and the results of an automatic prayer machine.

No matter how strictly they guarded such secrets and how much they publicized their dangers, it was still difficult to ban them.

Fanatics are, after all, a minority, and no matter how many pious believers there are, it still cannot hide the remaining rotten wood and dung...

There's no helping it; as the foundation for this dream of the Yellow Millet, the source of its countless souls is uneven.

In the Thousand Islands, the Central Plains, and even the wilderness of the Federation and the Empire, one can't say it's a dance of demons, but one can say everyone has their own unique skills. Everyone was already in a state of living while waiting to die, dabbling in all sorts of bad habits. To say everyone is mean, low, and rotten to the core is a bit of a stereotype, but to say they are kind and compassionate would be talking in one's sleep with eyes closed.

The "stubborn people" raised in poor mountains and treacherous waters perhaps just never had the chance to be good people, but there are even more who are simply used to rotting away or habitually finding the simplest way to solve problems.

Laziness is Heavenly Human nature; no amount of effort in indoctrination can solve it, let alone such crude brainwashing.

Perhaps out of fear of the Cult's power, perhaps out of boredom with the monotonous day-to-day, countless believers who were already tired of it all now repeated their prayers every day,

just to ensure their survival at a minimum level; not being thrown into Limbo counts as a success.

Even if the Land of Ultimate Bliss is placed right in front of them and they are told about delayed gratification, those who can actually do it are still a minority.

Before, everyone had no choice, but now they just want an easy prayer... although I can't go tell the High Priest, how could I not know whether this Holy Seal is easy to use or not?

What's more, behind the scenes, there is Ji Jue's "buy one get one free" regardless of cost, and he even publicized the production method and simple alternative methods for this thing...

There was no need to take action personally.

Small booklets along with free Holy Seal experience kits began to appear in every diocese in a rampant manner, and some people had even started to innovate after successfully trying it out.

Can't find the remnant spirits of angels? No problem, we have substitutes—the remains of the Faceless Ones who went mad from prayer can also work!

There are too many of these things; after all these years, which sanctuary doesn't have a hundred or so to decorate the facade? If a single hair is missing from the remains, who would notice?

So much so that when the Cult cracked down on the groups producing blasphemous Holy Seals, they discovered that the Faceless Ones in one sanctuary were about to be plucked bald!

The many priests of the Department of Faith had no idea how many times they had suffered cerebral hemorrhages; they couldn't catch them all, and some sanctuary High Priests would even pretend not to know when they knew believers were using Holy Seals.

After all, everyone has performance quotas to meet!

As long as you don't go too far, you can get by.

But the chain reaction this brought about had already left all the investigators overwhelmed... the evil consequences had already begun to manifest.

A tiny Holy Seal is like a magnifying glass, inducing believers to start paying attention to everything they had previously taken for granted.

The moment a concept like "cost-effectiveness" is mixed into faith, all sacred meaning will be completely unrecognizable under the deconstruction of utilitarianism.

Even if fanatics can remain unmoved and pious believers can still persist day after day, when they notice that others can enjoy their time with ease while they have to spend a large amount of time every day in agonizing meditation, how can a sense of disparity not arise in their hearts?

In fact, one doesn't even need to use a Holy Seal; when a person starts to think about whether their daily persistence in boredom has any meaning, this measure of doubt is already enough to become an incentive for "falling."

So much so that, after various conflicts and contradictions, an invisible storm had gradually been stirred up within the Cult.

The cause lay in a completely ordinary report.

————A believer with a psychological imbalance complained to the High Priest that their companion was secretly using a fallen Holy Seal. The Department of Faith dispatched personnel to investigate and found the accusation to be baseless, but the person who was reported subsequently viewed this as shielding, became even more furious, and reported it to the Archbishop, bypassing the hierarchy. After the matter blew up, it ended in a mess, and finally concluded with the reporting believer being given a stern warning.

But the ripples generated by this were growing larger and larger.

Because the Department of Faith was receiving more and more reports.

More and more people began to suspect that those around them were using Holy Seals, questioning

whether the other party was pious.

Some were based on hearsay, some had solid evidence, and others... were simply malicious speculation.

There was also an assistant priest who was reported by a colleague, and a fallen Holy Seal was found in their residence, but they couldn't explain its origin. Even though it was later confirmed that this was a frame-up and a false accusation, they still suffered long-term torture and interrogation, their faith was shaken, and at the same time, they lost a crucial promotion opportunity.

And the reports were still increasing, more and more.

When something appears in the hands of consumers, its usage is probably no longer up to the manufacturer—for example, when everyone discovered that besides being a tool for slacking off, this thing was also a valuable opportunity to frame others or even get rid of an eyesore... things became completely uncontrollable.

With the end of the rectification movement, the various dioceses did not usher in peace, because immediately following it, a vigorous witch-hunt began!

But the more they hunted witches, the more witches there were; it was truly strange!

The contradictions and conflicts that had previously been hidden under peace and smiles rapidly surfaced under the intensification of the Holy Seal, gradually evolving into a life-or-death struggle.

As for the experience, it could only be described as disgusting, disgusting to the core!

The Department of Faith was about to vomit.

Because they had handled too many reports, they were instead viewed by more and more people as eyesores and neurotic villains, but if they left it alone, the work they used to deal with heretics today would be used on them tomorrow.

The change in the situation was like gradually spreading and rising ice water, starting to make it difficult for everyone to breathe; it was bone-chilling, yet they feared the warmth of the stake, suffering repeatedly, constantly wandering.

And in the repeated accusations and arrests, more and more believers began to think once again.

The meaning of faith and the price of faith.

A single rat dropping was fouling the entire soup at a visible speed, and the brilliant and magnificent dream was gradually deteriorating under the shadow of the spreading stagnation and rot...

And as the initiator of all this, the mastermind behind the scenes, Ji Jue suddenly felt that his previous understanding of stagnation and rot was also too shallow.

Sometimes, decay is not an external cause, and stagnation is not the result of evil creation.

This terrifying and strange power might have already existed, only no one noticed it; it just needed a pair of eyes that could see them, and a pair of hands that could guide them...

"It's getting more and more interesting."

In the camp's workshop, Ji Jue lowered his head to look through the summary of news gradually sent by Yu Shu, smiled, tossed them into the furnace fire, and stared at the rising flames.

Inside the stone pot, a bubbling sound arose, emitting an enticing fragrance.

And the original owner of this place had already put on a gas mask and hidden in the corner, Bao Bao Dacai complaining in a muffled voice: "It's a real pity you didn't go to the Deep!"

"Who's to say it isn't?"

Ji Jue tapped his fingers on his knees, waiting indifferently.

It's almost time.

The heat is about to be reached...

That day, urgent intelligence from the Anti-Rebellion Legion was sent to the Heavenly City above the clouds, arrived at the Papal Court, and finally, passed through the hands of the Cardinals, reached the Pope.

It included one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.

And a "corpse."