Chapter 462: Heresy Within Heresy?

"Find another chance; we must get that gun."

"Since we can kill him once, there will be a second time!"

In North America, far from the bustling cities, a desolate suburb holds a rather antiquated, seemingly abandoned church.

Inside the church, the light is dim, and the air is filled with the smell of dust and old wood.

A middle‑aged man in a black bishop's robe, his expression solemn, stands with his back to the doorway, staring at the crucifix of Jesus on the altar.

They have a typical Asian face, with deep eyes.

Behind them, a row of believers quietly stands, also dressed in clerical robes.

At first glance, their attire seems similar to that of Christian clergy, but a closer look reveals a stark difference.

The color scheme is completely reversed: the parts that should be pure white have become deep black, while the black parts have turned white.

This deliberate "inversion" exudes an unsettling sense of desecration and opposition.

Among the crowd, a slightly youthful voice tinged with doubt speaks up:

"Grand Archbishop… can we really succeed? They… they not only have the most believers in the world, but also an existence like a 'Saint'…"

"The six Grand Archbishops we sent last time didn't even send back any news; they… simply vanished completely!"

Listening to the subordinate's self‑doubting words, the middle‑aged man known as the Grand Archbishop slowly turns around.

He does not answer immediately, but walks straight to the questioning young believer, stops, and fixes his gaze on them in an unblinking instant.

The silent pressure feels tangible.

The young believer's heart pounds like a drum, cold sweat beads on the forehead, regret floods their mind, cursing themselves for speaking out!

Just as the believer's tension peaks, nearly collapsing, the Grand Archbishop finally speaks:

"You, what are you doubting?"

He pauses, his gaze sweeping over every bowed‑head or flickering‑eyed believer present, his voice suddenly rising, filled with fervent conviction:

"Remember! Back then we were just one step away! Just that little bit, and we would have succeeded!"

He refocuses his gaze on the young believer's face and commands:

"Answer me loudly! What is my surname?"

The young believer, cowed by the aura, instinctively straightens their back and shouts with all their might:

"Hong!"

"Continue answering me!" Grand Archbishop Hong's voice becomes even harsher:

"Who are my ancestors?!"

"It is the Heavenly King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom! It is God's second son! It is Hong Xiuquan!!"

"Very good!"

Grand Archbishop Hong's expression softens a bit, and he reaches out to firmly pat the young believer's shoulder:

"I need you, I need each of us, to arm ourselves with our invincible, true 'Heavenly Father' mindset!"

"Dispel the weakness and doubt in our hearts!"

"Remember, we are only one step away; we should have become the 'orthodox' today! The world's faith should be guided by us!"

He withdraws his hand, turns, and strides back to the altar, facing all the believers.

In the dim light, his silhouette appears especially towering, his voice echoing beneath the church dome, full of incitement:

"Brothers and sisters! Look at our current state! We huddle in this forgotten corner, we are slandered as a 'cult', our scriptures are altered, our divine name stolen, our glory trampled! Why?!"

He throws his arms wide: "Because we failed! Because our Heavenly King could not completely clear those false‑faith obstacles back then, could not bring the true Kingdom of Heaven to this land!"

"Thus the Vatican does not recognize us, and the Lutherans, Baptists, and Presbyterians also deem our Worship of God Sect to contradict the Holy Bible, not belonging to Christianity!"

"They call us the heresy among heresies!"

"But!" He shifts his tone, his eyes flashing with fervent light:

"Failure is not the end! Humiliation will not last forever! The spirit of the Heavenly King is with us, the true Heavenly Father has never abandoned us!"

He takes a deep breath and delivers a startling revelation:

"Although now God seems silent, Heaven is governed by that Jesus… but! Just last month! While I prayed day and night, beseeching the heavens… I received instruction! True instruction!"

He scans the crowd, looking at their startled and uncertain eyes, and speaks each word deliberately:

"He is dissatisfied with Jesus' 'weakness' and 'deviation'! He will establish a new Holy Son! A new, true emissary!"

He suddenly turns, thrusting both hands forcefully toward the weathered crucifix of Jesus on the altar!

"And this new Holy Son—" he growls low, the statue being pushed aside with a harsh scraping sound, revealing what was hidden within:

"It is the one who, in a dream, revealed truth and guided the path to my ancestor, Heavenly King Hong, back then!"

"It is also—"

His voice reaches a peak, pointing at the newly revealed statue:

"The only one we truly worship—"

"God!"

On the wall behind the altar stands a stone statue, comparable in size to the Jesus statue but with a markedly different visage and demeanor.

It bears facial features similar to Jesus, yet lacks any compassion or mercy; instead it exudes supreme authority and a detached contempt for all beings!

The statue's pose is neither suffering nor blessing, but a slight raised hand, palm down, as if suppressing, yet also… drawing!

The church falls into dead silence; all believers stare wide‑eyed, holding their breath, gazing at the never‑before‑shown 'god statue'.

Grand Archbishop Hong looks at the statue and continues: "God should always be lofty, filled with Divinity, distinct from the myriad of beings."

"Only those false, power‑stealing pseudo‑gods possess humanity and show that… pitiful, weak, merciful expression!"

"What kind of god is that?"

He shifts his gaze from the statue, once again casting it down upon the believers below, each bearing a different expression.

"The past belongs to them—those ancient false gods and their ignorant lambs!"

Hong Grand Archbishop flung his arms wide:

"And the future belongs to us—those who discern truth, dare to rebel, and follow the true god! Belonging to the imminent, eternal true god Kingdom!"

"Everyone!"

"Let us tear apart the false god's tender veil with our own hands! Let us greet the true god's arrival with action! Slay the false god, welcome the true god! This is the meaning of our existence, this is the true path of salvation!"

"The darkness of today…"

Suddenly.

The silent statue behind him suddenly burst forth a darkness light deeper and purer than the surrounding environment!

It did not spread, but instead, like countless rivers returning to the sea, surged together toward Hong Grand Archbishop standing before the altar!

Hong Grand Archbishop calmly embraced this darkness Baptism.

The ink‑thick Black Light instantly enveloped and permeated him; his robe, originally a black‑and‑white inverted vestment, under the darkness's dye quickly shed all hues, becoming a pure "No Light Black" that seemed able to absorb all light.

Behind him, the surge of Black Light and the completion of the Ritual.

A portal emitting soft pure WhiteLight slowly opened!

Beyond the portal, it was neither Hell nor abyss.

But a scene of the Kingdom of Heaven filled with Holy purity, tranquility, and eternal brilliance!

White clouds swirled, Holy chants could be faintly heard, the aura of light even dispelled the slight darkness near the doorway, forming a stark contrast with the absolute darkness on Hong Grand Archbishop and his surroundings!

Hong Grand Archbishop stood at the boundary of darkness and light, clad in a pure black robe, with a pure white Kingdom of Heaven portal behind him.

He slowly turned, facing the bewildered believers whose thoughts were nearly halted by this contradictory sight, and said:

"It is merely the inevitable path to welcoming the eternal Kingdom of Heaven!"