Chapter 235: The Church Leader Armed with Thought

This discovery, like a twelfth-level cosmic storm, instantly swept through the entire high echelon of the Star Sea Divine Church Civilization.

The Grand Archbishop commander who had come to support the Federal, upon receiving this report, immediately shut himself in the flagship's quiet contemplation room.

He dismissed all his attendants.

Alone, he faced the document named the Eastern Scripture by the Holy Word Master.

At first, he also held an attitude of scrutiny and doubt.

But soon he was completely immersed in it.

He neglected sleep and food, studying every article, every character.

His expression was exactly like those scholars in the Holy Light dome.

From shock to contemplation, then to conviction.

Especially when he read On Protracted War, he felt his soul tremble.

The fog of war with the Silicon-based Union that had troubled him for thousands of years was completely cleared away at this moment.

"Strategic stalemate... strategic stalemate..."

He repeatedly chewed on this word, his eyes blazing with light.

"We have always thought that our war with the Silicon-based civilization is a life-or-death decisive battle.

"We have continuously launched one holy war after another, trying to crush their steel torrent with our mighty Holy Hall warriors."

"But each time, we only gained tactical victories, while sinking deeper into strategic quagmire."

"We have consumed vast amounts of manpower, while they only need to press a button on the mechanical planet in the rear to replenish an endless fleet."

"We... we have always been using our own weaknesses to attack the enemy's strengths!"

"Foolish! How foolish!"

The Grand Archbishop painfully pounded his own head with his fists.

"And this great man of human civilization had already told us the answer centuries ago!"

"Our advantage lies in people! In our possession of countless thoughtful, faithful, independent individuals! Our war should be a people's war!"

"We should mobilize all vassal civilizations within our sphere of influence! Let them become our eyes, our ears, our guerrilla forces!"

"We should use the vast star fields that they deem useless to drag them down! To consume them!"

"We should abandon the unrealistic fantasy of a decisive frontal battle! And fight them in an invisible front protracted war!"

The Grand Archbishop grew more excited as he spoke, feeling that every cell in his body,

was cheering and leaping with joy because of this brand-new idea!

This, is the true art of war!

This, is the sole method to overcome the strong with weakness!

He immediately rushed out of the quiet contemplation room and summoned all fleet commanders.

"Convey my order! From today onward, our war with the Silicon-based Union enters a new stage!"

"All Holy Hall fleets shall be dispersed! Abandon the frontal battlefield in units of combat formations, and launch a comprehensive guerrilla sabotage deep behind enemy lines!"

"Our goal is no longer to annihilate the enemy's main force, but to destroy their resource collection points, cut off their energy supply lines, causing their massive war machine to completely paralyze from lack of fuel!"

"At the same time, issue a general mobilization order to all vassal civilizations!"

"Tell them, this war is no longer the church's war, but the war of all civilizations that love life and yearn for freedom!"

"Anyone who can provide intelligence on the Silicon-based Union or cause harassment to it shall receive the church's most generous rewards!"

Kaenti's series of orders left all the commanders present stunned.

"Is this... still the person they knew, who always advocated frontal crushing and purifying everything with Holy Light?"

"How does this tactic sound... so 'unreliable'?"

But, they dared not question.

Because they could clearly feel that the aura emanating from the Grand Archbishop had changed.

No longer the previous lofty "divine might".

But rather a more introverted aura.

……

Star Sea Divine Church Civilization homeworld, Supreme Holy Hall.

The current Church Leader of the Star Sea Divine Church, a being who has lived over fifteen thousand years, whose body is entirely composed of faith-powered light.

He also saw the document from the East, the "Scripture".

He remained silent for a full three days and three nights.

Three days later, he issued to the entire church a supreme divine edict capable of overturning the church civilization's history of hundreds of thousands of years.

"We are all lost lambs."

"The universal truth we believe in is nothing but a castle in the air, illusory and elusive."

"True truth comes from matter, from practice, from every sentient being!"

"From today onward, abolish the sole sacred status of the universal truth."

"The church shall henceforth take a brand-new ideology as its sole guide forward."

"This ideology is called—Serve the People!"

"We will no longer be lofty guides."

"We will become servants, serving each of our believers, each of our allies, each civilization that loves peace."

"We will unite all forces that can be united, establishing the broadest Star System United Front!"

"Our goal is to liberate the entire universe!"

Upon the issuance of this divine edict, the entire Star Sea Divine Church was shaken.

Countless believers felt lost and confused.

But even more so were the vassal civilizations that had been ruled by the Divine Church for countless years.

From this divine edict, they saw the dawn of equality and hope for the first time.

As for those high-ranking members of the Divine Church who had long been baptized by the "Scripture," they erupted with unprecedented fervor and passion.

Because of them, they found true "faith"!

……

Human Federal Command Center.

When Lao Luo, Zhang Xianzhong, Zhou Shaoqing, and others sent back news via the Intelligence Department about the inner workings of the Star Sea Divine Church,

Upon hearing a series of earth-shattering news, everyone was stunned.

"What... what the hell, have these charlatans taken the wrong medicine?"

Zhou Shaoqing rubbed his eyes and said in disbelief.

"How did they suddenly decide to liberate the whole universe?"

"It seems they've taken our great spiritual leader's ideas as their new doctrine."

Zhang Xianzhong's expression was also full of strangeness.

"It's not just the doctrine."

Intelligence Department Chief Kong Jie added from the side, "According to our analysis, they are comprehensively reforming their social structure, military system, and so on."

"They have disbanded the Inquisition and established the People's Discipline Oversight Committee."

"They have abolished the tithe on vassal civilizations and replaced it with a mutual development fund."

"Their fleet has also begun waging tunnel and guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines."

With each sentence Kong Jie spoke, the expressions of the Federal officials present grew stranger.

This style is getting weirder and weirder.

"I'm starting to not understand."

Lao Luo frowned slightly and asked, "What is their purpose in doing this? Are they plotting some conspiracy?"

Just then, Kane's communication came through again.

This time, there were no divine officials behind him.

but the supreme ruler of the Star Sea Divine Church Civilization—the Church Leader.

a divine-like being composed entirely of light.

His appearance instantly pushed the tension at the Federal Command Center to its peak.

Yet the first words spoken by the Church Leader turned everyone to stone on the spot.

"Esteemed comrades of the Human Federal!"

His tone was grand and solemn, yet filled with… a sense of intimacy.

"We are your most loyal students."

"We are your most reliable revolutionary comrades!"

"We hope to receive your criticism and guidance!"

"We wish to send a top‑spec study and exchange team to your holy land—Yanhuang Guo—to learn and grasp that great, immortal thought!"

"Please be sure to approve!"

……

Having said that, the being of light actually bowed slowly toward the screen.

That was a standard student bow!