Chapter 165: You

He pushed the door open and went out; Ji Ming followed the corridor to the church hall.

Looking at the praying crowd around him, he recalled what had just happened and let out a faint sigh.

A gangster godfather, a demon bishop, and furthermore someone either rich or noble whose entry point is already as a priest—an ultra‑well‑connected household……

Flipping through history books, this is so abstract—could it be a legitimate power?

It seems we should still keep our distance from the Holy Light Church; limited cooperation is enough.

However, these two apothecary notebooks are actually quite good.

If I can fully digest the knowledge inside, then when I later advance to become an official professional, it should be as smooth as breaking through to apprentice level.

——Yali Masnei, the future is bright indeed.

But just then, a request suddenly came to his ears.

"Sorry, friend, could you help me move this?"

Turning his head, he saw it was an old man.

He had just been saying that respecting the elderly and loving the young is a traditional virtue—anyway, it's just a matter of lifting a finger……

"Sure, leave it to me."

So Ji Ming didn't think much more and reached out to take the box from his hand.

But when he first touched it, it was fine; for some reason, the box kept getting hotter.

!!!

Thus one let go, the other loosened his grip, and the box fell straight to the floor, its lid bursting open.

It turned out that, nestled in the soft fabric, was actually a small blazing sun sculpture.

And the moment it entered Ji Ming's view, it burst forth with a brilliant yet not blinding light.

I copied, no martial morality!

However, this light faded quickly, and Ji Ming, who was prepared, logged out of the game even faster.

He had no delay whatsoever; the next moment he was back in his own bedroom.

He wiped away a nonexistent cold sweat and hurriedly messaged the little boss.

【Quickly dispatch the Blue Space to hunt them down—the Holy Light Church is definitely traitorous!】

The little boss first sent a string of 【……】

【They didn't sneak‑attack you; they were showing you goodwill—if you don't believe me, look at the screen】

Once the time flow of the two worlds synchronized, even if Ji Ming returned to the game in the real world, it would no longer pause.

Therefore his presence does not appear on the screen, but in the spot where he had been standing, a white halo floats mid‑air.

Moreover, because the target had disappeared, the halo kept swaying left and right there, as if searching for someone.

【So how should this goodwill be interpreted?】

After waiting about three seconds, the little boss sent a string of text.

【You've always been worried about being insignificant in Sunlight City, haven't you?】

【This is the Divine Selection Certification of the Holy Light God; possessing it amounts to being labeled "Order Good."】

【The biggest benefit is that, as a Saint, all Holy Light believers worldwide are obliged to help and protect you when you need it.】

【Furthermore, because you are "Absolute Order Good," you will also gain basic favor from other forces or individuals.】

……

Actually I think if I could just scrape by as "Order Neutral," that would already show how primitive and morally low the society of Yangyue World is.

But if possible, who wouldn't want to be seen as a good person by everyone?

Moreover, according to the little boss's description, the Divine Chosen Saint itself requires no sacrifice.

On the contrary, because of this status, you can overdraw the church's—and even the god's own—credit to act.

In other words, this is the pledge of allegiance the Holy Light sent after sensing that I am a supreme deity.

【Good good good good good, any other benefits?】

【After hearing that you cannot learn normal skills, the Holy Light decided to send you a convenient, easy‑to‑use combat skill—please check for it when you return to Yangyue World.】

Wow, they even sent a combat skill?

I have to say, this little Light classmate is pretty smart—sending gifts according to others' needs, how clever!

【Then I must have misunderstood him.】

Ji Ming thought it over.

【If that's the case, why didn't he come talk to me himself instead of having you relay it?】

Yangyue sent a bowing emoticon.

【I have to chat with you through the Internet in real life, and he has a whole family—who would dare face a supreme deity head‑on?】

Indeed it is.

But since the other party not only lacks malice but is full of sincerity, Ji Ming also relaxed.

A tap of his finger, and he was back in Yangyue World.

Seeing the target reappear, the panicked halo hurriedly floated to the other's head.

Ji Ming looked up, yet found nothing appearing there.

……Well, how could anyone possibly see something above their own head?

Although the church had lit its lamps, because the space is so large it's still a bit dark.

Therefore the appearance of this round daylight fluorescent tube immediately caught everyone's gaze,

"Good heavens, what's happened?"

"Holy Light above, what does this halo mean?"

"I feel my body warm and cozy—could it be that I'm manifesting a divine presence?"

No, I think it's because you're standing next to the fireplace, and the flames are about to scorch your collar.

It's hard to expect them to give a clear explanation, so it wasn't until Priest Stirling slowly descended from the pulpit.

"According to the records of divine history, this is the sign of a God‑chosen Saint. Brothers, the Lord's glory has already spread to Sunlight City."

Only then did piety rise on the believers' faces, and they bowed to Ji Ming.

Stirling also cupped the scripture with both hands, his words tinged with envy.

"Being invited by the Lord to the Divine Realm is truly a rare blessing; I imagine the Almighty must especially favor you."

Great, they can even voluntarily explain the unsolved mystery of 'how Mr. Ji Ming abruptly vanished for a moment.'

And.

Forget it—if I really went to Little Light classmate's Divine Realm, he'd probably start emitting a sharp, booming scream right away!

But it doesn't matter; Ji Ming is kind, and no matter how many inner snark he has, he won't maliciously interrupt others' positive imagination.

Instead, he awkwardly makes a circular gesture with both hands.

"Right, that's how it is."

He opens his own panel.

Originally, under the 【Combat Skills】 tab there were only three categories: 【Magic】, 【Spellcraft】, and 【Special】.

But now, before everything else, a golden‑bordered 【Divine Art】 appears.

【Judgment of the Saint: You can release a high‑heat beam by "glaring," and its power increases with the amount of your own Divine Power invested.】

【Intro: Clever youngster, do you know what other function this skill has?】

【Note: Divine Art does not consume mana; instead it consumes the "Divine Power" of a saint.】

【Note: Because you are of the Upper God, this skill is effectively cost‑free.】

???

It's crowded here; let's wait until night when we explore the underground plain to test the skill's effect.

The commotion in the hall gradually spread, soon alerting more clergy in the church.

Although no one dares to raise their voice here, the murmurs among them continue unabated.

But when Te Nisi arrived on the scene and waved a calming technique, the surrounding crowd settled down again.

"Beloved believers, I am the bishop of the Hei Sen Territory under the Holy Light Church, Te Nisi Du Ying."

Churches tend to emphasize solemnity and reverence; as a succubus, she is especially adept at human nature and hearts.

Thus, with just a slight gesture, she already diverted everyone's attention.

"I have received a message from the Lord; He has found in our church a youth with a holy soul."

No matter the specific subject, the Light Nun‑themed computer already contains several gigabytes of youths in their thirties: truly drenched in sweat, grandma.

Speaking, Te Nisi unfurled a parchment bearing glowing characters and read it aloud.

The content was nothing but a set of platitudes: first praising herself, then Ji Ming, then praising everyone.

Finally.

"Therefore I proclaim. From today onward, Ji Ming shall be the God‑chosen Saint certified by the Holy Light Church."

As she made a circular gesture with both hands and respectfully offered words of praise, the believers all began to pray.

"Praise the Lord."

"Holy and glorious."

"I haven't read any books… then let's just boast about being awesome!"

Ji Ming can only close his eyes and feign devotion along with them, while thinking to himself.

Damn it, it feels a bit like Luo Ji being chosen as a wall‑facer, but at least they didn't give me a title like 'Saint Ji Ming'; otherwise today would have been completely abstracted!

But that's not all.

Priest Stirling, Bishop Te Nisi, and Eleanor, who quietly rejoiced at having acted early and considered herself an excellent investor…

"Please, Saint, don the holy robe to confirm your God‑chosen status."

"According to doctrine, wherever you go you are qualified to serve as a priest, so this is your lapel pin."

"I didn't expect you could become God‑chosen; don't forget our agreement."

Of course, there's also Ms. Buluowa.

She fell silent for a moment and sighed.

"…Come to think of it, it's also a good thing."

"The Holy Light Church places few restrictions on the God‑chosen; now that today is over, do whatever you need to do."

"Remember, do not become arrogant because of this, nor belittle yourself because of it."

With the holy robe on and the golden pin on his chest, Ji Ming stood before the mirror and inspected himself.

Coincidentally, although the cut and style differ, its color scheme is similar to the robe I designed for JiMiYin's vest.

Both have a white base with gold trim and red ornamentation; as long as the designer's mind remains within human bounds, they achieve a basic aesthetic.

Add his habitual "I have no idea, I'm a good person" expression, the daylight lamp tube perched on his head, and for other professions it's simply a lavish 23‑point charm…

—It looks like a master of firearms; as long as the class isn't a warlock, it's a guaranteed 100,000‑point C!

But these are just jokes; the so‑called "God‑chosen Saint" is merely a title.

If you want to achieve something, you still have to act.

For example, head to the dungeon now and continue preparing for the beta launch.

Just as he was about to leave, he saw a luxurious carriage parked in front of the church.

"Although believers keep arriving in droves, according to tradition you should dress splendidly for outings to showcase your presence."

"Ah?"

Ji Ming felt as if he had turned into some kind of protected animal overnight, and moreover the kind that needs to be paraded through the streets.

Attendants before and after, music playing, he walked from the southern district to the northern district, not missing even the eastern district controlled by mercenaries.

The believers continued their uproar until the sun set, only then returning Ji Ming to the clinic's entrance.

I don't even know if, when I die, there will be this much commotion...

Ji Ming walked forward with his head down and eyes closed, only to bump into AdaiEr, who wore a look of surprise.

Doctor, what is this...

Holding the Divine Words Book: 'Ah, this...'

All we can say is that human nature is to repeat, while the essence of history is copy-paste.

Dr. Ji, I heard you've been promoted to Saint!

Divine Chosen? Sounds impressive—how many gold coins can you earn in a month?

I heard the benefits within the faith are great; could you introduce a job for my child?

Alright, alright, you've gone from a wildlife park to an ordinary zoo, huh?

Ji Ming's blood pressure shot up, but the stream of people coming to greet him and bring gifts was endless, only finally dispersing after midnight.

He had wanted to rest a bit, but now he can't even get any sleep.

The Divine Chosen Saint isn't a monkey, so Ji Ming snatched the halo off his head in one grab and tossed it straight into the storeroom.

He also rubbed off his robes, tossed them into the wardrobe, changed back into his usual coat, and came to the Underground City.

Fortunately, it's no longer the startup stage; the departments together form a creative team of up to a hundred people, steadily advancing the work progress.

Moden's blacksmith shop has already fired the bricks, just waiting to erect a proper forge.

As the Chief Instructor of a Thousand Players, Hoke continually shares teaching experience with new teachers like Ston.

Moreover, if the dog-headed people's talent is mining, then the dog people's talent is digging.

In just a short day, they've swept through half the Underground City, truly digging three feet deep for bones.

Gresen further developed tree-spirit technology, performing prosthetic repairs on those damaged bones.

Thus the mortuary now holds piles of bones like a mountain, long exceeding the quota of 1,100 specimens.

Moreover, the storeroom has its own magic array, allowing them to stand suspended and be vertically layered, making quite a spectacular sight at a glance.

It feels like something out of 'I, Robot'.

Standing before countless bones, Ji Ming looked up the list.

Of these nearly two thousand bones, only about fifteen hundred were originally human; the rest all belonged to various beastfolk races.

In other words, as long as the numbers are controlled, when the internal test opens, players can choose not to play humans and instead experience other species.

Nice, you've done a great job!

If we keep this pace, tomorrow we can draw for internal test qualifications and begin renovating the Underground City.

Therefore tonight we must finish surveying the remaining half of the Underground Plains, or else we'll delay progress.

Go early, return early, rest early!

Resignedly feeding himself false hope, Ji Ming gulped down a few mouthfuls of SpiritGathering Liquid and came to the exit east of the Barracks.

Since yesterday we went south, today we head north.

Over that hill, fluorescent grass stretches far and wide all the way down to the valley floor.

And in the corner formed between the two mountains, there appeared a large structure made of stones and mud, resembling a termite nest.

Is this... a settlement?