Chapter Eighteen: Ambitions to Expand the Faith

At last, under the gaze of the entire crowd, Dubai placed half a foot inside the Grand Cathedral of Holy Light. Yet in that instant, his expression changed dramatically, his lips turning pale.

Dubai felt an unprecedented pressure, as if something heavy was bearing down upon him. At the same time, a strange voice echoed in his mind—a language he could not understand—giving him the unsettling feeling that his soul was being peered into, as though every secret he held was suddenly known.

This sensation of being utterly exposed sent Dubai into a panic verging on madness. He let out a terrified scream and stumbled backward, only to slip on the steps and tumble down, blood streaming from his head.

The onlookers were dumbfounded. Members of the Church of the War God hurried to help Dubai to his feet, asking what had happened. But Dubai, still shaken, merely clasped his hands and muttered softly, as if confessing his sins to a deity.

The followers of the War God were stunned. One of them glared at Link and demanded, “Neil Night, what did you do to Father Dubai?”

Link glanced at him calmly and replied, “I did nothing. As I said, this cathedral is formed from the Father’s divine power; all sins will be laid bare. Perhaps you should ask what Father Dubai has done wrong. Only those burdened with guilt will suffer the Father’s punishment upon entering the cathedral. Father Dubai, how many sins weigh upon your heart?”

He fixed his gaze on Dubai as he spoke these words. Dubai trembled violently, glanced at Link in terror, let out another horrified scream, and fled, ignoring all calls to stop him.

To the people, this was nothing less than fleeing in fear of one’s own guilt. Many looked on with contempt and disdain, but more were shocked and frightened; having one's soul scrutinized for sins was no trivial matter, and no one could be certain of their innocence. In the face of the great deity, they had no defense.

For a moment, many were hesitant, unwilling to step into the majestic and solemn cathedral.

Link had anticipated this reaction. He adopted a devout, priestly expression and declared, “The Father is merciful. Even the guilty, so long as they harbor kindness in their hearts, will be forgiven after sincere prayer in the cathedral. The Father told me—everyone has a chance to repent, even a demon.”

This statement caused the crowd’s eyes to brighten. Those who had hesitated now reconsidered; if there was an opportunity for redemption, even guilt was less daunting.

Soon, a wealthy merchant stepped forward, knelt devoutly before the cathedral, and said, “Father, I am guilty. Please allow me to enter the cathedral and pray for the Father’s forgiveness!”

“Father, me too! I wish to confess my sins to the Father!” another rich man cried out.

“Father, and me!” The mayor, Tony Sparrow, was not to be left behind and stepped forward.

“Father, I am also…”

In no time, the most prominent figures of Qinke Town came forward. They had come merely to witness the spectacle, using their status to secure the best seats, but after witnessing the miracle, they became devout followers of the Father. There were three high-level believers, though none were fanatics.

With these ‘big shots’ leading the way, the rest of the townspeople followed suit, beseeching Link for entry to the cathedral to confess their sins. Link observed their fervor, maintaining his calm, priestly smile, though inwardly he was jubilant, nearly shouting with joy.

Link knew he had succeeded. From this day forth, Qinke Town would belong to the Church of the Father, and no other religion could challenge its dominance.

He felt fortunate to have drawn the Grand Cathedral of Holy Light. The cathedral could indeed dispel all negative conditions, but only for his followers. Its other function was not to peer into sins, but to suppress enemies—anyone hostile to Link or the Church of the Father, upon entering, would have their abilities reduced by thirty percent and suffer ongoing mental suppression of moderate intensity.

Dubai had actually suffered from this mental suppression, but since Link had emphasized the idea of soul scrutiny beforehand, Dubai was primed for psychological suggestion. Thus, upon entering, he felt as if all his secrets were laid bare.

Seeing everyone turn wholeheartedly towards the Church of the Father, the representatives of other religions were grim-faced. They understood the implications and had no intention of staying; one after another, they departed.

Link was aware that they wouldn’t simply sit back and watch the Church of the Father grow stronger. He was certain that trouble would soon follow, but he had anticipated this from the moment he decided to stage a “miracle.”

“So, my plan has succeeded. Even if they try to cause trouble, it will take time to prepare, and the longer they delay, the stronger I and the Church of the Father will become!” Link mused, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.

For now, this was not the time to dwell on such matters; Link quickly refocused and continued his act as the devout priest.

Moments later, amid the eager anticipation of the crowd, Link finally announced that entry to the cathedral was permitted, sending everyone into a frenzy of joy.

Under the guidance of the Church’s officials, thousands of believers formed long queues, entering the cathedral in batches. Despite their excitement and anticipation, no one dared to cut in line or vie for position before the divine presence. Each behaved with reverence and order, even giving priority to the sick and infirm.

At this moment, social status was irrelevant. Everyone shared a single desire: to step into the cathedral, cleanse their hearts and souls under the Father’s gaze, and confess their sins.

Such was the power of religion, the force of faith. Though many in the Celestial Empire might scoff at such things as superstition, one could not deny that, at times, faith’s hold over people far exceeded that of morality or law.

As many repented and prayed, negative conditions were dispelled, and lingering doubts vanished. Some even felt that their souls had been purified and redeemed, as if their past sins had been washed away.

To Link, this was merely self-induced psychological suggestion, but to the believers it was indescribable healing and salvation. As these experiences were spread, those still waiting in line grew ever more eager, longing to enter and pray.

Faced with this enthusiasm, Link had to accelerate the rotation; each group could spend no more than twenty minutes inside before giving way to others.

Though many were reluctant to leave, their hearts filled with awe for the Father after prayer and repentance. They accepted the Church’s arrangements without complaint, leaving the cathedral with expressions of devotion and unwillingness.

Many wealthy individuals, feeling that mere participation was insufficient to demonstrate their devotion, generously donated to the Church of the Father. By five in the afternoon, after everyone had prayed, more than ninety thousand Sola had been collected.

Ninety thousand Sola—equivalent to over nine hundred thousand dollars on Earth. It might seem modest to some, but Qinke Town had only six thousand impoverished residents; raising that sum in a single day was a miracle.

A month ago, Link would have indulged himself with such wealth, but now, as the Church flourished, he felt the weight of responsibility alongside his joy.

Though he had successfully staged the descent of a miracle today, seeing the devout believers, Link felt a trace of terror. He knew full well that the so-called Father did not exist, and the miracles were a sham. If the truth ever came out, his fate would be grim.

Yet alongside the terror, Link felt an irrepressible ambition—if the Church of the Father could dominate Qinke Town’s faith, why not aim higher? All the great religions had grown slowly; if they could do it, why couldn’t the Church of the Father?

Indeed, the Church currently had no deity, but isn’t a god just a product of human belief? Link no longer believed in the existence of gods; even if they did exist, he would not worship them. He believed only in himself, for he was the god of the Church of the Father!

“The True God System said that with enough faith and devotion, I could become a god. Right now, perhaps I am a god who has yet to ascend. Since I am a god, there is nothing wrong with people worshipping me. I don’t expect the Church of the Father to become one of the great religions spread across the Sola Sky World, but surely it shouldn’t be smaller than the Star God Church or the War God Church? Otherwise, I’d be letting down my identity as a transmigrator.”

Link pondered, his ambition swelling. It was, indeed, a case of the more one has, the more one wants. Since the Church had already grown, further expansion could only be good.

With this in mind, Link knew he needed a new plan. That night, he took up his pen and began to lay out his ideas.

In this, Link had many advantages over others; there were countless successful religions on Earth, and he could learn from them, keeping their essence and discarding their flaws—in short, he could copy the best elements.

Thinking of this, Link chuckled to himself. “Once again, imitation. Looks like I’m destined to be the king of knockoffs in another world.”

Unbeknownst to him, midnight struck, and the system’s voice sounded.

As soon as the system finished speaking, a violet halo shimmered in the air, and a fingernail-sized violet crystal appeared out of thin air, floating before Link.