The coldness and silence at the core of the steel dome stood in stark contrast to the increasingly clear and passionate blueprint in Linde's mind.
After the grand ambition of becoming a god took root in his soul, his vision seemed to be refreshed, and he began to examine all the resources and potential threats around him with a more meticulous and strategic eye.
One of the forces involved cannot be ignored.
The Holy Church—once the largest faith authority in the human world—represents not just an empty shell of a fallen god, but a vast entity containing immense energy legacy, possessing a broad organizational structure and potential influence.
“Lucios… Lord of the Light Veins…” Lind murmured the true name of this god who had long since fallen from his throne.
The truth revealed through the [Deconstruction of the Halo]—that the Holy One had already been slain by the God-Slaying Metal, and the divine blood of the Light Veins used to strengthen the [Bright Halo]—all indicate that his karmic ties with this church were already deeply intertwined.
“I am still their priest in name only, Judge Priest…”
Linde recalled the judge who had mistaken him for an oracle because of the bright halo, and who had treated him with utmost respect and even obedience.
Since the Battle of Oak, Blackrock Territory has gained great prestige, but the Holy Church has remained unusually silent, never taking the initiative to contact them again, and even Pris has disappeared without a trace.
This is very unusual.
Did the church somehow discover the truth about his "usurpation" and the fall of the Holy Spirit, and thus regard him as an enemy?
Or was it simply because his power had swelled to the point that the church felt fear and apprehension, and thus chose to keep its distance?
Or... is the church experiencing a crisis more severe than its external communication?
In either case, a large, unstable organization that possesses sensitive substances like "God-Slaying Metal" and "Light Vein Divine Blood" is a variable that Lind, who is working to build his own divine kingdom, must figure out.
Beneath that silence may lie risks, or perhaps... opportunities.
"Aster".
Lind's voice rang out in the command room.
"My Lord." Aster's projection instantly materialized.
"Retrieve all recent public intelligence and rumors about the Holy Church, including but not limited to the movements of its army, the Holy Knights of Punishment, changes in positions above bishop in various regions, whether important religious events are held, and any unusual personnel movements or procurement of supplies. The scope covers the entire Kree Empire and its main areas of influence."
“Okay, I will give the intelligence network the highest priority.” Astaire replied meticulously.
“Furthermore,” Lindlü hesitated for a moment, “send a confidential letter in my own name to Chief Judge Presley. The wording should maintain the priestly courtesy to his superior, inquire about the church’s current situation, and express Blackrock’s concern for the stability of its allies. Probe their reaction.”
"Understood. I will make sure that only Pris himself can accept it."
After the order was given, Lind did not wait.
He was well aware of the inefficiency of bureaucracies, especially religious organizations, whose responses could be very slow or simply disappear without a trace.
He needs more proactive and direct observation.
He once again immersed his mind in the magic net.
This time, he no longer searched for traces of "silence," but instead adjusted the perception precision of the [Deconstruction Halo] to the extreme, like an invisible giant radar, specifically scanning energy gathering points related to concepts such as "holy light," "faith," and "sacredness," especially those large churches, monasteries, and holy sites belonging to the Holy Church.
The feedback presented a peculiar sense of contradiction.
On the one hand, churches in many regions still emanate stable (even somewhat rigid) waves of sacred energy, and the prayers of believers converge into a weak but continuous flow of energy, indicating that basic religious activities are still in operation.
On the other hand, at some key junctures—such as several regional cathedrals and famous pilgrimage sites—the “sacred energy pools” that should be at their most intense and vibrant exhibit a sense of weakness and dissipation.
Like oil lamps, the oil (faith) seems to be steadily added, but the wicks seem damp or suppressed by something, unable to burn fully, and the light appears dim and weak.
Even more subtly, within the energy flow at these nodes, Lind keenly detected a faint trace of anxiety and unease, completely out of place with the Holy Light itself.
This emotional undertone is subtly intertwined with the energy of faith, and is almost imperceptible unless one performs an extreme analysis of the essence of the energy using the "Deconstructing the Halo" technique.
This is by no means the state a healthy and confident belief system should be in.
"There's still a problem..."
Lind is almost certain.
It seems that the fall of the Holy Spirit has begun to disrupt the normal operation of the church.
Just then, Aster's voice rang out again, bringing a preliminary intelligence summary:
"My lord, preliminary intelligence analysis complete. Based on information from various sources, the Holy Church has recently exhibited the following unusual behavior:"
First, the Pope has not made a public appearance for over a year, and even the most important Mass, the 'Feast of the Holy Spirit', is presided over by the chief cardinal, with the reason always being 'seclusion and asceticism'.
Second, at least three powerful cardinals have been on frequent trips and held several secret meetings recently, and there are signs of unusual mobilization within their direct order of the Knights Templar.
Third, churches in various regions have become extremely strict in their review of reports involving 'miracles' and 'oracles,' even to the point of suppression, which is completely opposite to their previous attitude of actively promoting them.
Fourth, the frequency of the court's activities increased significantly, but the targets no longer seemed to be limited to heretics, but also included some... "radicals" or "skeptics" within the church.
Linde listened quietly, his purple eyes flashing silently with the flow of data.
The Pope's long-term retirement, secret high-level activities, suppression of reports of miracles, and the Inquisition's shift towards internal affairs...
All of this points to one possibility:
The higher-ups of the Holy Spirit Church may already know or have strong suspicions about the truth behind the fall of the Holy Spirit!
The church today is in a huge power and faith vacuum that is being desperately concealed!
Those at the top may be busy vying for dominance, dividing into factions, and trying to seize as much power and resources as possible before the foundation of their beliefs collapses.
Meanwhile, the middle and lower classes may be immersed in confusion, anxiety, and a false peace that is forcibly maintained.
Price's situation is unclear, but his recent disappearance likely means he has lost power in this internal struggle, or that he has been implicated because he had been too close to Lind, the "oracle."
“I see…” A cold smile curled at the corner of Lin De’s lips.
Fear of his power may be part of the reason, but a deeper reason is that the church itself is in dire straits and has no time to spare. It may even be that too much contact with him, this "oracle," will hasten the exposure of the truth.
This is not a bad thing for him.
A chaotic, internally divided, and God-deprived Holy Spirit Church is far more “valuable” than a monolithic and steadfast church.
Those faith resources accumulated over thousands of years, those vast church networks, those well-trained clergy and priests, even those research materials on light veins and divine energy... these are all excellent "materials".
Perhaps he doesn't need a hostile or distant Holy Spirit Church.
Perhaps, he could... take over it.
Not in the name of Lucius, but in the name of Lind Truk.
The Bright Halo originates from the blood of the Light Vein God and possesses inherent divine attributes, enough to simulate or even surpass many holy "miracles".
This held an irresistible appeal for lower-class believers and clergy who longed for miracles to stabilize their hearts.
For those high-ranking officials who know the truth, crave new sources of power, or simply desire power... Linde's strength, technology, and the "new order" he might offer are equally irresistible bargaining chips.
"It seems I need to make a trip to the heart of the Holy Church myself."
Lind made a decision.
Instead of launching a direct attack as the Lord of Blackrock, he went to "visit" the church headquarters, which was in turmoil, and to meet with the overwhelmed high-ranking officials, under the identity of "Priest Lind".
Go and bring them a glimmer of "light"—the light that belongs to him, Lind Truk.
The plan quickly took shape in his mind.
Next target: the holy city, Van Rahil.
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