The information Linde gathered about the Holy Church pieced together in his mind like a jigsaw puzzle, creating a clear outline of this behemoth.

Its influence is deeply rooted in every inch of human civilization, whether in the towns and villages of the Kree Empire or in the former lands of the Grand Duchy of Orc before it fled overseas, the holy symbols and churches of the Holy Spirit are everywhere.

And at the very core of this network of faiths is the holy city known as the "abode of God"—Van Rahir.

Centered on V. Rashid, what radiated outwards was not an ordinary diocese, but a de facto theocratic state—the Bodhidharma.

This vast land occupies most of the eastern human territory of the continent, where the authority of the Church is above all secular royal power.

The Pope is the monarch, the College of Cardinals is like a cabinet, holy law replaces the legal code, and priests and paladins manage everything from taxation to defense.

Its influence and strength can be seen from the fact that it was able to force the once-powerful Grand Duchy of Oak to flee across the sea.

Linde had personally witnessed the power of the Holy Church manifest itself—the ultimate divine magic known as "Divine Punishment".

Recall the scene of Bishop Saen's destruction: a huge concentric band of light appeared in the sky, the radiance of the hymn connected heaven and earth, forming a barrier of light that isolated all things. The seemingly gentle holy light that descended from within contained the terrifying power to purify everything, instantly turning the conspiracy of the blasphemous church and its bishop into nothingness.

That was not an ordinary force, but a sacred judgment that touched upon the level of rules.

Now, this vast organization is experiencing undercurrents due to the fall of the gods, and may even be embroiled in internal strife.

For Lind, this is both a potentially huge risk and an unprecedented opportunity.

"Aster".

Linde's voice broke the silence in the control room.

"Yes, my lord."

"Prepare for the 'Starry Sky Apostle'. Target: Eastern continent, the Bodhoven, the outskirts of the holy city of Van Rahil. I'm going on a long journey."

"Yes, ma'am."

Moments later, the disguised "Starry Sky Apostle" silently slid out of the launch pod of the steel sky, transforming into a phantom that almost blended into the horizon, and sped off towards the east.

…………

Even the "Starry Sky Apostles" spent several days traversing vast oceans and continents.

When the sensors detected more and more buildings with a distinctly Holy Church style and intense fluctuations of divine energy appearing on the distant horizon, Lind knew that he was approaching the territory of the Bald Kingdom.

Instead of storming into Van Rahil, he landed the "Starry Sky Apostle" in a remote mountain range hundreds of miles from the Holy City and hid it completely.

He then disguised himself.

The power of the [Bright Halo] was mobilized with extreme restraint, simulating a gentle and pure "holy" aura. Although not strong, it was extremely pure, enough to make any church member who sensed it feel goodwill and trust.

He changed into a white robe that looked ordinary but was actually made of exquisite materials, in a style similar to that of a scholar or hermit in the church.

At this moment, he looked like a devout and somewhat unassuming believer in the Holy Spirit, or a priest who had returned from asceticism.

He walked out of the mountains and followed the path often taken by pilgrims toward the direction of Van Rahir.

The closer you get to the holy city, the more different the atmosphere becomes. The air seems to be filled with a solemn and dignified atmosphere, and exquisite holy statues and prayer pavilions begin to appear on both sides of the road.

Among the passersby, the proportion of priests, monks, and knights of the Holy Order increased significantly, along with many devout pilgrims.

Most of them wore a calm and peaceful expression, but Lind's keen "Deconstruction Aura" could detect a barely perceptible anxiety and confusion beneath that peace, especially in the eyes of the lower-ranking priests and knights, who seemed to feel a sense of uncertainty about the future.

Finally, the outline of the holy city of Valhalla came into view.

It was not a cold, hard steel fortress like Blackrock City, but a giant city that radiated a milky white glow and consisted of countless tall churches, bell towers, monasteries, and seminaries.

In the heart of the city, a colossal cathedral, seemingly reaching straight into the clouds, stands majestically. The enormous emblem atop it radiates a soft and eternal light, guiding believers in all directions like a beacon—that is the core of the Holy Church, the Radiant Cathedral.

The towering city walls were not used for military defense, but rather as a symbol of a sacred boundary, inscribed with countless sacred words and reliefs, telling of the teachings and miracles of the Holy Spirit.

The city gates were wide open to welcome visitors from all directions, but those guarding the gates were not ordinary soldiers, but holy knights in bright silver armor and white robes with gold trim, their eyes sharp. They scrutinized every person entering the city, not for interrogation, but more like a silent deterrent and purification.

Linde followed the flow of people into the city.

The city's streets are wide and clean, the buildings are magnificent and solemn, and the air is filled with the faint scent of sandalwood and the soft echoes of prayers.

Small shrines and pastors preaching can be seen everywhere. Everything appears orderly, devout, and prosperous.

However, Lind could sense more.

[Deconstructing the Halo] Silently fully open, scanning the city:

There are indeed vast veins of sacred energy (tributaries or nodes of light veins) buried beneath the city and beneath the cathedrals, but their flow does not seem as active and surging as one might imagine. Instead, there is a sense of "congestion," like a network of blood vessels that has lost its heart's blood supply.

He noticed that pastors' sermons increasingly emphasized "faith itself" rather than "miracles," and "inner light" rather than "God's gifts."

It seems that the higher-ups are intentionally guiding believers to turn to introspection and downplay their expectation of direct divine response.

The Templars patrolled with unusually high frequency, especially near the residences of major cardinals and the Inquisition.

Their gazes were not only fixed on ordinary people, but occasionally also swept over some low-ranking priests with scrutiny.

Linde even sensed several extremely faint mental scans sweeping across the city, clearly indicating that powerful figures within the church were monitoring the entire situation.

That invisible sense of tension and oppression is particularly noticeable in high-rise building areas.

Ordinary believers may not be able to feel it, but Lind can "hear" the "noise" that permeates the divine energy, which belongs to the power struggle and the exposure of the truth of fear.

Judge Price's whereabouts remain unknown.

Linde's messages seemed to disappear without a trace, either being intercepted or because Pris himself was unable to respond.

Linde checked into a quiet and clean hotel run by the church, with a window facing the distant Great Cathedral of Radiance.

He stood by the window, gazing at the magnificent building that symbolized divine authority.

"Outwardly strong but inwardly weak, with undercurrents surging..."

Linde commented in a low voice, "Losing God is like a colossus losing its soul. Although the skeleton is still there, the inside has begun to decay and become chaotic."

His earlier judgment was confirmed.

The Holy Spirit Church is in an extremely fragile and critical period of transformation (or on the eve of collapse).

The upper echelons tried to maintain the status quo, the lower-level believers were ignorant and confused, and the middle class was filled with confusion and unease.

This was an opportunity tailor-made for him.

A plan quickly took shape in his mind.

He doesn't need to start a war, as that would provoke a desperate resistance from the entire church system.

What he needs is infiltration, guidance, and... "gifting".

Don't they crave "miracles" to stabilize their hearts? Don't they need "divine pronouncements" to guide their direction? Don't they fear the collapse of their faith once the truth is revealed?

So, let him, Lind Truk, bring them "light".

He brought Lind's own "miracles" and "order"!

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Next, he needs to make deeper contact with the middle and upper echelons of the church, especially those factions that are dissatisfied with the status quo or have an extreme desire for "miracles".

Perhaps we should take a stroll around the vicinity of the Inquisition? Or maybe visit the seminary? Or perhaps we should wait for the right moment, so that a "perfectly timed" "miracle" can quietly unfold in this holy city?

Linde's gaze fell upon the enormous emblem of the Great Cathedral of Radiance, his eyes deep, as if he could already see the even greater waves that would soon be stirred up by him beneath that divine radiance.

His journey to the holy city has only just begun. The real battle is now officially underway.