From God of Lies to Lord of All Worlds

Chapter 259: The Two Religions Mobilize

The alleyway remained as quiet as before. The only difference was that the monk was now slowly pushing himself off the ground.

The phantom of Ananda and the radiant golden illumination seemed as though they had never appeared at all. The only lingering trace of their presence was the faint golden glimmer flickering within Min Aung's eyes.

Yes, after being personally ordained with the "Great Enlightenment" by Ananda, he had awakened!

This was not a resurrection, but rather a unique form of temporal regression. Min Aung could still feel the lingering ache in his body, but he no longer cared.

Certain profound abilities began to manifest within him, mending his broken flesh and reinvigorating his spirit to a powerful new height!

In truth, within the philosophies of Theravada Buddhism, otherwise known as Hinayana Buddhism, there was no such concept as a direct Bestowal or Divine Grace.

They believed that everything was the fruit of Cultivation Gains. Even if one were to encounter an Arhat or the Buddha himself, they would only be granted a Dharma Gate, never raw power.

An Arhat was a perfected Sravaka disciple, a sage who strictly adhered to the Buddha's teachings, severed all worldly attachments through their own arduous efforts, and attained Nirvana. They stood as paragons and living proof for ascetic cultivators, not as divine deities wielding God Power to hand out favors.

Therefore, Min Aung remained a mortal of flesh and blood. The only thing he had truly received was Right Enlightenment.

But that was enough!A master who had found Right Enlightenment was already walking the path toward becoming an Arhat. They did not actively seek out Divine Abilities, yet those Divine Abilities naturally manifested all the same.

However, the final words Ananda left behind carried a profound underlying meaning: "I hope you can find the true essence, walk the earth, and practice Dana with the Dharma, rather than subjugating others through force!"

Min Aung could not entirely grasp the depth of that statement, but he was trying his hardest to comprehend it while contemplating his next course of action.

He was finally no longer the helpless monk who could barely manage his own life. He had been completely reborn, wielding the power of the Dharma known as Right Enlightenment!

With his original aspirations entirely unchanged, it was time for him to fulfill the grand vows he had previously failed to achieve!

He would fight to bring this nation, its Populace, and all its believers a better, more hopeful future, tearing them away from the boundless despair that suffocated them today!

When ordinary monks looked at this country, they saw endless prayer pillars, grand temples, and majestic Pagodas. But when Min Aung looked, all he saw was a skeletal, malnourished Populace struggling to survive.

This nation had long been tormented to the point where its people could scarcely live. And Buddhism had degraded from a guiding hand that encouraged goodness into an accomplice that suppressed the minds of the masses, allowing their thoughts to rot!

This was fundamentally wrong. This had to be changed!

The Min Aung of the past had been deeply dissatisfied and unwilling to accept this reality, yet he had been completely at his wit's end.

But now, everything was different. He had earned the acknowledgement of a Perfectly Enlightened One and possessed the indisputable mandate of the Buddha. He was now a true ascetic walking the mortal path, no longer a powerless beggar uttering empty prayers.

"This country needs to change. These Warlords need to change!" Min Aung murmured.

He pressed his palms together, standing rooted to the spot as he contemplated his course of action.

"First, the War must stop. War is the catalyst for Suffering, and the Mastermind that caused this country to fall into the abyss!" Min Aung whispered. "Then... I shall start with this very region. I will halt the conflict, end the preferential treatment of the monastic order, and return to the original Buddhist precepts, discarding these twisted rules that plague us today!"

This country in its current state was twisted, deformed, and deeply diseased. He knew this sickness stemmed from the endless warfare, as well as from the temples that produced nothing yet monopolized the vast majority of the nation's resources!

In reality, this nation was co-ruled by high monks and Warlords. This was a glaring violation of the Theravada doctrines!

In ancient times, those devout Buddhist Followers and Bhikkhus who refused to touch gold and silver even chose to splinter their own order to maintain their purity. If they could see that their disciples and grand-disciples were now reveling in such lavish extravagance, how would they feel?

As the elderly monk walked down the road, his outward appearance had not changed in the slightest, yet the very air around him seemed to take on a Sacred quality!

A Perfectly Enlightened One was on the move!

...

Just as Min Aung confidently strode out of the city and headed north, over at the Yangon International Airport, George Stacey sat in a chair with his eyes closed in quiet rest, a Greatsword resting firmly in his grip.

Beside him stood the current CIA Deputy Director, briefing him on the local situation.

"The situation across the entire Myanmar region is incredibly complicated. We are not dealing with a single, unified military organization that we propped up. Instead, it is a fractured mess of Warlords who might be fighting each other today and completely replaced by someone else tomorrow!"

"They aren't exactly dependent on us either. In fact, these groups will take money from absolutely anyone and accomplish nothing for it. They might pocket a bribe today, only to be overthrown the very next morning!"

"Even independent forces like those in Shan State or Kachin State frequently swap leaders due to ongoing military campaigns, making the entire region exceptionally unstable." This was the harsh reality of a war-torn land. The rapid turnover of military regimes, combined with the Dominant influence of neighboring superpowers, had severely unbalanced the entire territory.

Even America's unrestrained, world-class intelligence agency found itself distinctly powerless here.

"I understand!" George nodded, speaking in a heavy tone. "So, has the location been confirmed?"

"Of course. We have pinpointed the exact location of the military camp. It belongs to a military organization leader under the Kachin Army named Dakan. According to our intelligence, he is a serious headache even within the Kachin Army itself. Ignoring direct orders is his standard operating procedure. He has long controlled several border telecom fraud parks as well as some special trades!"

Hearing this, George opened his eyes. "Special trades? You mean the drug trade and human trafficking, correct?"

"Yes, Your Excellency!" the Deputy Director nodded. "This is no secret in the Golden Triangle. They rely entirely on these illicit trades to fund their armies and oppose the Military Junta!"

Myanmar's Military Junta was currently at its lowest point. Their actual territory of control had plummeted from fifty percent down to less than thirty percent. The remaining lands were entirely monopolized by Warlords of varying sizes. Rather than calling it a sovereign country, it was more accurate to call it a chaotic wasteland.

"Even the dirtiest politics are far cleaner than the cleanest Warlord. It is no wonder The Lord handed down such a revelation!" George said softly. "I have heard enough. Give me a copy of the map. We are going to save them!"

"Your Excellency, we could try negotiating with the Military Junta and the Kachin Army. They would give us face!" the Deputy Director offered, a hint of worry in his voice. "You do not need to go there yourself..."

George shook his head. "No. This is not America's business, and you have no reason to speak on our behalf. This is a matter for the Church. The victim is a citizen of this country, but they are also one of The Faithful!"

"The Church will rely on its own strength to uphold this Divine Faith. The devotion upon every piece of land is profoundly precious, and we will protect every single one of our believers with our own hands!"

George was an immeasurably devout believer. He was also a Saint, handpicked by a mighty holy figure and an Angel, astonishing everyone in the process.

Every action he took was governed by the principle of doing what was best for the Church. It was for this reason that he helped the Church clean up Werewolves and Vampires in America, and why he assisted Angus in his Proselytizing efforts.

And now, he was going to march straight into the fires of War and military encampments to rescue their follower!

"Then, Your Excellency, is there anything we can do to assist?" The Deputy Director had no intention of stopping George. He held a high position within the Government and was privy to many secrets—including exactly why this man was revered as a Saint!

He had absolutely no right to lecture or order this man around, so his only option was to offer support.

"Pass a message to the Military Junta for me. Tell them not to obstruct our forces' advance. And send a word to the Kachin Army as well. Let them know we are coming!"

George spoke with absolute calm. Before leaving America, he had received a direct notification from Pope Mario. The message was incredibly simple, consisting of a single sentence: "Maximize the impact as much as possible, and let the entire world know exactly what happens to those who lay a hand on our believers!"

This was an inspiration Mario had drawn from Zanluo's incident in India. A massive, awe-inspiring display of blessings could certainly bolster the Church's Divine Nature, but only a catastrophic punishment descending like the wrath of heaven would truly strike fear into the hearts of the masses!

Therefore, George had not come here for peace negotiations. Quite the opposite. He was here for one singular purpose: to deliver a warning!

George fully understood this, and the Deputy Director beside him seemed to grasp the implication as well. Giving a slight nod, the official said, "I will notify Congress and The President's Office to issue a formal document!"

"In that case, Your Excellency George, I shall wait right here in Yangon for your triumphant return!"

George gave a slight nod, then turned to face the group assembled behind him. "Inquisition, move out!"

Behind him, a line of Clergymen clad entirely in pitch-black attire rose silently to their feet, trailing right behind him without making a single sound.

They held the Bible in their hands, but strapped across their backs were glaringly obvious weapons.

This was a specialized unit forged by Angus, trained and expanded through the combined efforts of George and Leon. They were the very foundation of the Church's confidence in coming here to set an example!

And so, two separate powers, entirely oblivious to one another's existence, steadily marched forward toward their respective destinations!