Prayer

Whether heaven existed above the clouds was something no one could say for sure, but the kingdom of heaven upon the earth lay right before everyone's eyes. In the Central City of the Eastern Parish, beneath the afternoon sun, marble spires gleamed with a crystalline brilliance, radiant as jewels. Speckles of light converged as though turning into stars beneath the blazing sun. One magnificent cathedral after another towered over the earth. Beneath a wealth of lavish, extravagant ornamentation, each stood solemn and majestic, each an exhaustively conceived masterpiece of unique beauty. Surrounding hundreds of these colossal cathedrals, yet more unfinished sanctuaries were under construction. Even the foundations and pillars were wiped spotless by devotees with painstaking care. Whenever the bells tolled, the sound of prayer and glorious hymns echoed from every cathedral. In every corner of the streets and alleys, whenever the hour of adoration arrived, pedestrians would devoutly fall to their knees, turning toward the Central Parish, offering their prayers up to Tiancheng. *Praise be to God for granting me a new life. Praise be to God for creating such a peaceful world. Praise be to God for granting me eternal life—* Upon face after distinct face was carved the exact same piety. Why not believe? How could anyone not sing praises?! *Brothers, sisters, are we not standing at this very moment within the kingdom of God? Have you not felt the Holy God's love and mercy in the gentle sunlight and tender moonlight? Were not your life and mine at this moment bestowed by that supreme, sacred, and wondrous divinity?* *So let us praise! Let us pray! Look upon Him for all eternity! Only in this way can we repay this benevolence of rebirth. Only in this way can humble mortals draw a fraction closer to that sacred throne...* Such was the so-called kingdom of heaven! "How wonderful." Standing in the street, Ji Jue gazed at everything before him, sighing from the bottom of his heart. Controlling countless tools like puppets, making them spontaneously offer up everything they had—even their egos and souls. Even extortionate exploitation was treated as divine favor, met with tears of gratitude. Why had he never thought of such an ingenious method? Could it be that his underground assembly line had taken a wrong turn? He had to study this. He must learn from it—it would definitely come in handy at Haian Industries! For reasons he couldn't explain, Yan Fei, following behind Ji Jue like a servant, suddenly hesitated. A chill ran down the boy's spine, but when he looked up at Ji Jue, he saw only that familiar smile. *An illusion, probably.* He shook his head, brushing away the thought, and fought to keep his expression calm. He kept his eyes cast downward, exactly like any humble pilgrim. Just stepping on the ground near the cathedrals made him want to vomit. However much he had once admired and worshiped all this was how much venomous hatred he felt now. *One day, Yan Fei. One day.* *You will burn all of this to ashes!* *Even if your teeth shatter, your fingernails peel away, your hands wear to the bone, and your blood runs dry...* *Smack!* Someone tapped his shoulder, causing his gradually contorting expression to twitch as he snapped out of his daze. It was Ji Jue. "Want some candy?" Ji Jue opened his hand, revealing a few chunks of malt sugar. Yan Fei instinctively shook his head to decline, but the sugar was already pressed into his palm. "Eat it. Kids ought to eat candy. Sugar is great—it washes away some of the bitterness and hate in your mouth." Ji Jue tossed a piece into his own mouth, speaking nonchalantly. "Whenever you feel pain, eat candy, Yan Fei. No matter how agonizing or desperate it gets, as long as you can still taste sweetness, it means they haven't taken everything from you." Yan Fei fell silent, clutching the candy in his hand. After a long moment, he popped the broken pieces into his mouth, lowered his head, and followed closely behind. To be fair, even the harshest critic would be hard-pressed to find fault upon seeing such a city and scene. People were kind and loving to one another. The streets were filled with a warm, gentle atmosphere, free of quarrels and hatred. Although the shops had limited goods, prices were dirt cheap. There was no need to work without food and sleep just to secure a foothold, nor any need for cutthroat struggles to win higher status. Here, even an ordinary person had no need to worry about an empty belly or the future. Just pray. All you had to do was pray. Those who managed to arrive here had already proven themselves to be the most devout believers. So long as they continued to demonstrate their piety, they could enjoy eternal peace. Except for those who knew the inner workings of this dream of Huangliang, all the souls trapped here were happy, spending each day in peaceful ignorance. To many among them, they had died long ago of the spiritus plague; having a second life was entirely a gift from God. What reason was there not to believe? Even if unbelievers were treated with horrific cruelty, wasn't that only natural? To receive God's grace and be reborn, only to treat God with hypocrisy, or worse, to harbor overambitious, blasphemous designs against the Holy God... they truly deserved death ten thousand times over! Devout, focused, smiling, happy. Continue to be devout, continue to be focused, continue to smile, continue to be happy. So much so that those within it never realized how long it had been since their expressions had changed, or whether any other emotion or vibrancy could ever appear on those hollow faces that bore nothing but a smile. Greed, hunger, envy, wrath... How long had it been since such emotions had surfaced? "So you're saying that only those who pray devoutly and gradually wash away original sin can become this pure, right?" Ji Jue asked curiously. Yan Fei nodded in silence. Following Ji Jue's instructions, he suppressed the vicious words on the tip of his tongue, along with the hateful, resentful expressions that were entirely out of place here. It was like being dragged to the bottom of the ocean. In just a few short hours, he was already nearly suffocating. "Heh, even walking corpses get such an elegant title..." Ji Jue sighed with genuine admiration. "Human creativity truly knows no bounds." The bells tolled once more! A tide of prayers and hymns surged again, washing over everything from every street and alleyway. Everyone knelt reverently upon the ground. In a secluded corner, the two of them—wearing amulets that suppressed their presence and diverted attention—stood as inconspicuous as the saintly statues found everywhere. Curious, Ji Jue tapped the adjacent wall. High up on the towering cathedral, a tile suddenly came loose. It plunged, crossing a drop of over a hundred meters, and smashed down. *Splat!* The head of a believer kneeling in prayer was instantly crushed into a pulp of gore. The devotees beside him paid it no mind, as if they had perceived nothing at all, eyes lowered in adoration. Only after the prayer concluded did terrified screams echo from the street. Someone had finally noticed— At the very top of the cathedral, a radiant glazed tile had come loose! What an intolerable neglect! A crowd gathered, pooling their efforts to begin repairs. They stepped right over the headless corpse at their feet, while on the ground, the believer whose head was slowly regenerating scrambled back up. Bitterly regretful that he hadn't finished his prayer, he rolled up his sleeves and volunteered to climb up. Amidst the cheers and shouts of the crowd, the tile was put back in place. Ji Jue was truly amazed, nearly moved to tears. *Can human tools really be this handy?* *Incredible!* He silently witnessed the uncanny scene before him, along with the glints of crystal light rising from each cathedral. The light drifted upward. Though each wisp was faint and fluttering, countless specks converged into a mighty river, surging toward Tiancheng in the distant Central Parish. Such a magnificent spectacle unfolded every three hours, even more frequently late at night, with countless people praying around the clock without pause! No, rather than prayer, it was more like... paying taxes. Through the phantom insignia in his soul, Ji Jue could already see where the countless motes of light came from: every consciousness and soul trapped in this dream. God was so generous. He demanded no financial tribute, no grueling labor or sacrifice from mortals. All one had to do was pray. As long as one steadily paid taxes with their "ego," it was enough to please God and bring down generous boons. The so-called "prayer" was a process of peeling away the deepest core of the soul—the "self-nature" that constituted consciousness—thread by thread through concentrated meditation. Countless fragments of self-nature turned into motes of light, endlessly pouring into God's maw. Just like herding cattle and sheep. In this dreamlike slaughterhouse, lambs carved away at their own souls without knowing it, offering them up to the altar without the slightest resistance. Grains of dirt piled into mountains; drops of water gathered into oceans. Through this steady trickle and broad harvest, the value and yield of the believers were maximized. And throughout the process of severing the "ego" and peeling away "self-nature," a person would gradually lose their emotions, attachments, desires, and even the ability to think, step by step marching toward the fate of a walking corpse. In the end, they would completely forget their own appearance, turning into faceless praisers in the dream. Even when they no longer held any harvestable value, they could still serve as fulcrums of the dreamscape, making this dream of Huangliang ever more stable. Even at the very end, they would never know what they had lost. Perhaps, even if they knew, they wouldn't care. The ego? Was it useful? In the outside world, could it be traded for a piece of bread? Could it buy a single pill of emergency medicine? Even if one fell to their knees, discarded their dignity, and played the clown, would the warlords raise their gun barrels by an inch? Compared to harsh reality, was this dream not a mercy? In the end, people would willingly walk toward their chosen destination—regardless of whether hell or heaven lay ahead. Yet how much blood and tears went into building heaven? And who was it that created hell? "How pathetic..." Ji Jue murmured softly, continuing forward at an even pace. Yan Fei followed closely behind him. As they walked, he couldn't help but look up at the figure ahead. For some reason, he felt that Mr. Ji wasn't smiling anymore. *** "Oh, you two are finally back." Behind a gilded cathedral, outside an inconspicuous warehouse, Bao Dachai was smoking a hand-rolled cigarette, yawning lazily. "You've really kept an old man like me waiting. Don't young people nowadays have any respect for the elderly? Ah, my old arms and legs..." "Dear customer, if you can't wait, customer service recommends you proceed directly to your funeral," Ji Jue replied with a smile. *Can this old fossil stop playing the elder card?* Ji Jue would bet that if anything really went wrong, the old fossil would grab his bucket and run faster than a missile on those ancient legs of his. "Well now, two fresh faces this time." Beside Old Bao, an elegant, dignified middle-aged man beamed warmly and proactively extended his hand. "Youthful talents indeed. The resistance camp truly produces an endless stream of heroes." "You flatter us." Ji Jue took the man's hand with both of his, as clingy and affectionate as lovers reuniting. "The camp's growth relies heavily on the support of insightful gentlemen like yourself!" "Nonsense, just icing on the cake, merely icing on the cake." Stroking his beard, the middle-aged man laughed heartily. Just as traitors existed everywhere, there was never a shortage of two-faced conspirators willing to take risks for personal gain. Who would have guessed that this respected priest of the Eastern Parish was actually the resistance camp's biggest business partner? Living in the cathedrals wasn't easy. Without bribing superiors, how could one stand out among countless competitors? How else could one make those irritating eyesores and stumbling blocks march themselves into Limbo? It was all cooperation, all business. Good for you, good for me—why wouldn't anyone jump at the chance? Amidst an outpouring of warm pleasantries, they were soon ushered into the warehouse. Plain and ordinary from the outside, the interior was lavishly decorated, dripping with luxury that rivaled even the cathedrals. "Come, taste some fine tea, everyone." The middle-aged man picked up a cup of black tea and sipped it elegantly. Servants brought out an assortment of fresh fruits and pastries, and a hookah was lit, filling the air with a rich fragrance. Having shed his clerical vestments, the priest, now clad in silk and gold-threaded robes, reclined on a couch. Enjoying the massages and pampering of young maidens, he waved a generous hand, ordering the servants to bring forth more delicacies and fine wine. Ji Jue showed no hesitation. Calmly rolling up his sleeves, he dug right in, dispensing with all courtesy. He even tore off a tender, roasted leg of lamb, dusted it with spices, and handed it to the boy behind him. Seeing Ji Jue act so down-to-earth, unlike previous visitors who feigned restraint while drooling with envy, the priest's smile broadened with satisfaction. It looked like another handsome profit was in store today. Unfortunately, word was that the resistance camp was on its last legs. Opportunities for business like this would only grow scarcer. Once they were wine-sodden and full, the priest washed his hands and clapped. A servant promptly brought forward a prepared catalog, presenting a wide variety of supplies for them to choose from. Flour, fabric, steel, even medicine that accelerated regeneration, and holy water capable of restoring someone whole from a single knuckle bone—nearly everything one could think of was listed. The catch was that the prices were ten, even a hundred times higher than their true value! Such were the perks of running a monopoly. If you didn't want it, you were welcome to buy elsewhere. "A single panacea to accelerate recovery costs forty tons of hydro-jade extract essence?" Ji Jue rubbed his chin, looking troubled. "Isn't this... a bit excessive?" "Sigh, my hands are tied." The priest sighed with a rueful look. "This isn't a solo venture. Up and down the line, who doesn't need a cut? Besides, higher-ups have been tightening inspections lately, making it harder to tamper with the books." Though his face wore a look of woe, his heart... was genuinely a bit troubled. After all, it felt like there wasn't much grease left to skim from this resistance camp. Maybe he should just report them later and sell them out. There were other camps anyway, so business wouldn't dry up. Conveniently, his progress on recent sacrament evaluations was lacking; planting a few tracking marks in the supplies to trace them back to the source might even net a few big fish! Amidst his drifting thoughts, he heard Ji Jue's voice. "I want this, this, and this. These too." Pen in hand, Ji Jue made check marks across the sheet without pause, moving so fast that the priest was left dumbfounded in disbelief. Just looking at the items he was checking off and the total price to be paid made the priest's face flush red, his breath catching in his throat. *Holy shit, I thought they had nothing left, and now they're spewing phlogiston?* *Wait, brother, is your resistance camp really that rich?!* *Or did you loot another parish's storehouse reserves and come here to fence the loot?* His eyes lit up. If that was the case, he could drive the prices down hard! Watching Ji Jue practically mark up the entire catalog, the priest grinned from ear to ear, bubbling with delight. Only then did Ji Jue's final words register. "Oh, right. Besides purchasing goods, my main objective today is actually sales." Ji Jue paused, then broke into a warm, picture-perfect eight-toothed smile. "I wonder... do you accept barter?" *Sales...? Barter...?* In the brief silence, the priest stared blankly at him, then let out a sudden chuckle. He couldn't tell whether he was amused or infuriated. *Sales?* *What the hell can a bunch of paupers who can't even build a textile factory sell me? Oh, have the old geezers and grannies in your camp taken up arts and crafts out of boredom?* *Are you trying to sell me knitted wool sweaters or embroidered pictures?* *Clack.* At that moment, the object in Ji Jue's hand landed on the table and slid across. Its sharp edges carved two scratches into the polished lacquer surface, making the priest frown. But immediately after, he saw what lay before him. It looked so familiar. That was... "A sacred seal?" The priest pinched the object, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper until his entire face scrunched up. He tilted his head at Ji Jue as if looking at an idiot. *Wait, you, a representative of the resistance camp, came to the Church, came to me, to sell sacred seals that believers carry by the handful, which the Church hands out for free during holidays?* *Hold on, let me get this straight.* *Are you crazy, or am I crazy?* *Or are you just messing with me?!* "Yes, it is indeed a sacred seal." Under the priest's steadily darkening glare, Ji Jue maintained his genial, radiant smile. "However, I prefer its other name—" He paused, then said slowly: "—A fully automatic prayer machine!"