From God of Lies to Lord of All Worlds

Chapter 255: We Told You to Bring the Money, and You Actually Did?

Bai Yang's words were naturally not aimless talk; he had given the matter genuine thought.

As mentioned before, no matter how fanatical, corrupt, or decadent the religions of this world had become, most of them were founded on good intentions.

This was dictated by humanity's simple core values. A religion could only spread widely and truly become a global faith when it taught people to be kind.

This instinct was carved into the very bones of humanity. While not everyone was inherently good, there would always be those drawn toward kindness.

After all, how did the saying go? Even the most unforgivable villain wanted to be friends with a good person. That was the general idea.

Therefore, Bai Yang was utilizing the original nature of these religions—their inherent goodness—to better reintroduce them to the world.

A villain's logic, no matter how internally consistent and reasonable, would always have infinite flaws. Good people were different; they could truly stand on the moral high ground and pass judgment.

Consequently, this was exactly what Bai Yang planned to do.

Letting goodness occupy this world and making Transcendent beings a little kinder was infinitely better than letting those who believed in the law of the jungle take power and create a chaotic, overly urbanized dystopia for their own amusement.

"Let His Holiness the Pope do something. That way, I can bestow the Holy Thorn Crown upon him, granting him the true claim of the Lord!"The Church certainly had the capacity to do this. They were already expanding continuously, reclaiming their rightful interests from those who were merely figureheads. Through the use of Transcendent Precepts, they were actively extending their power and achieving effective growth.

This was something no other religious sect could match, serving as an invisible benefit of being the world's number one religion.

Mario had obtained an implicit claim, and Angus was gaining a massive international reputation. This was especially true now, with his cleanse operations in America growing more intense and expansive with each passing day.

One particular trial and purge had even been exposed online by intrigued American netizens. This drew increasing public attention to the matter, to the point where people were specifically following Angus around to livestream his actions.

They broadcasted his trials, his sentencing, and his impartial and strict demeanor, simultaneously exposing the darkness and the harboring of filth within the Church of this era!

This naturally embarrassed the Holy See. Some officials wanted to save face by driving away these streamers, hoping to preserve whatever dignity the Church had left.

However, this proposal was strictly vetoed by both Mario and Angus.

These two were among the few remaining pure elements within the Church's system. They did not feel that this was a disgraceful matter; on the contrary, they both believed it was absolutely necessary.

"From today onward, the Holy See has nothing to hide from the public!" This was Mario's decree.

"Since this is a clean up, it should be done from the inside out. Let all the believers see our resolve!" These were Angus's words. His statement echoed across the world, allowing the public to witness the Church's determination.

Anyone who violated the latest Holy See regulations was immediately dismissed from their position. Those involved in severe offenses faced direct criminal sentencing.

The Religious Tribunal that Mario established through the Discipline Group was not the figurehead organization of history, nor was it the greedy, corrupt international syndicate of recent times. It was a formidable force composed entirely of pure believers!

Under Angus's leadership, this team was maturing rapidly, cleansing the entire Catholic Church system with an impartial and strict attitude.

The old Holy See would never have dared to do this, as they needed those corrupt officials to maintain their prestige and their massive organizational structure. But now, everything was different.

Setting everything else aside, they had a ready source to replace the lost priests, assistant priests, and monks: the omnipresent Protestants!

As Mario truly obtained the Lord's claim, most Protestant bishops and believers realized that the rise of the Catholic Church was inevitable.

Therefore, conversion became a routine choice for many.

The influx of fresh blood gave Mario the confidence to declare, "If you refuse to do the job, there are plenty of others who will!"

After all, the current Holy See was no longer the voiceless institution of the past. It was the true origin of Christianity, the world's number one religion, and now, the world's premier Transcendent faction.

Did people not understand the sheer value of having a Holy Maiden who could directly commune with the Lord to bestow Precepts, while other supernatural forces still required ritual sacrifices just to gain power?

(Of course, they had no idea that the Nordic region had a resident saint, or that Buddhism possessed a resident Bodhisattva.)

Once such a dominant Holy See learned of the situation here, they would undoubtedly choose to intervene. After all, this was the aggressive stance they had displayed all along.

In exchange, the Church gained ever-growing international prestige and an increasing number of devout believers.

Alvin nodded slowly. "Then, Crown, the Church's matters can be resolved, but how should we handle the situation with Buddhism?"

"Buddhism..." Bai Yang drawled. "Since Zanluo is currently unavailable, wouldn't it be fine to just let the real Buddhist Order make an appearance?"

"Yubao Daoren is definitely going to spread the word. And although the Buddha is the master of Mount Sumeru, in the mythology of the Daoist Sect, he is also one of the Five Elders of Five Directions. Isn't it perfectly normal for them to interact?"

Bai Yang smiled brightly. "So, if the World-Honored Tathagata dispatches his direct disciples to this Mortal Realm, wouldn't that seem completely natural as well?"

"With so many divine pantheons making their move, the gods of Buddhism will surely want to get a share!"

"This also fits our original design: Wutian's Buddhist Order and Mount Sumeru's Buddhist Order are not a single entity; rather, they are in absolute opposition!" Bai Yang chuckled. "If Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism can oppose each other, then Zen Buddhism and the Extinction Sect can be at odds too... That Maitreya Buddha achieved enlightenment through Zen Buddhism, after all!"

This kind of opposition was akin to finding a rival, or creating a schism in faith. Bai Yang had actually planned to do the same with Christianity. However, considering Christianity already had its own major nemesis, he figured it probably wasn't necessary.

"So, let us find an ascetic within this Buddhist nation right before our eyes!"

This was standard procedure. A devout person might not necessarily emerge from those grand temples, but one could definitely be found among the ascetics.

The agony of ascetic practice was far beyond what an ordinary person could endure. Only the most devout believers could truly withstand it.

Such individuals were the ones who truly had nothing left to lose. They had only their faith; faith was all that remained to them. Because of this, their devotion was absolute, and their souls were flawlessly pure, making them Bai Yang's optimal candidates.

"However, being an ascetic doesn't guarantee a righteous worldview, nor does it mean they'll follow the path we set for them. Therefore... we should prioritize finding an opening for the Church to intervene!"

Bai Yang still had time; he wasn't in much of a rush. The threat and reaction speed of the Dylan Continent were far slower than he had anticipated, which meant he was on the verge of completing his first global layout!

"Let's first allow our Mr. Maomindang to discover the cruel truth of this world. That will provide the perfect excuse for the Church to step in, won't it?"

The two entities halted their steps, watching the dark-skinned man carry the wealth he had risked his life to gather, marching deep into the heart of Myanmar.

As expected, the unfortunate shared the same tragedies. He probably believed that walking this path would lead him back to his long-lost brother. Regrettably, he would find no such reunion. The only thing waiting for him was the news of his brother's death...

Bai Yang simply watched as the man traversed the entire country. It took him three days to return to Kachin State. Then, over the next two days, he paid the ransom and obtained permission to collect his brother. Just when he thought everything was going perfectly, he was seized and thrown into a cell, becoming a prisoner himself.

"Paying ransom is something meant for wealthy nobles. We told you to bring the money, and you actually did?"

An arrogant military officer tapped his gun against Maomindang's cheek and sneered. "For a lowly peasant like you to scrape together this much cash, you must have either stolen it or robbed someone. So, we're confiscating it!"

"Tell your family to bring the money to ransom you! And remember, this time we want double the price!"

The Kachin Independence Army executed this entire charade with practiced ease, casually tossing Maomindang into a prison.

Inside the dark cell, a terrifying warning was scrawled on the wall in dried blood: "Do not believe their lies about ransom. They never intended to release anyone! They just want to lure more people here so they can snatch both the bodies and the cash!"

No one had even bothered to wipe the words away. It was a blatant display of the warlords' absolute lack of restraint, and it shattered the last remnants of Maomindang's hope.

He leaned against the damp prison wall in a daze, utterly speechless. He didn't even need to think hard to guess what had happened to his brother. He had probably been chopped into pieces and scattered everywhere by now.

In the end, he placed his final thread of hope in his faith. The greatest harvest from his perilous trip to Calcutta was perhaps learning of the current glory of the Catholic Church. And so, he knelt on the filthy prison floor and began to pray softly:

"Oh Lord! Do you see this? I am willing to offer my life as a sacrifice, just so this land may once again be bathed in Your holy light..."