Laziness is the root of human nature; no matter how hard indoctrination tries, it can hardly solve it, let alone such crude brainwashing?

Perhaps it's the fear of the sect's power, or maybe the tedium of day after day that's become unbearable; how many believers have long grown weary and now repeat their daily prayers just to ensure the bare minimum for survival, considering it a success if they're not thrown into Border Prison.

Even if Paradise is placed right in front of them and they are told to practice delayed gratification, those who can manage it are still few and far between.

Before, everyone had no choice, but now they just want a light prayer... Although they can't voice this to the Main Priest, do I not know the effectiveness of this Holy Seal?

Furthermore, behind the scenes, Ji Jue offers a buy-one-get-one-free deal without counting the cost, and even publicly disclosed the crafting method and simple replacement techniques for this thing...

There's simply no need to get involved personally.

Booklets accompanied by free Holy Seal experience kits started to appear in various parishes in overwhelming numbers; some even began to innovate after successfully trying them out.

The residual spirit of Angels is hard to find, but that's okay, we have substitutes—those remains of prayer-mad Faceless will do as well!

There's just so many of them, over the years, which Holy Hall doesn't have a hundred or so for decoration? Who would notice if a hair is missing from the remains?

To the point that when the sect cracked down on gangs making blasphemous Holy Seals, they found that one Holy Hall's Faceless had almost been completely plucked clean!

Priests from the Department of Dogma have had countless cerebral hemorrhages over this, capturing perpetually; some Main Priests would feign ignorance even when they knew believers used Holy Seals.

After all, everyone needs to show performance, right?

As long as they don't go too far, a decent life is passable.

Yet the chain reaction caused by this has left all investigators harried... The evil consequence has begun to show.

A small Holy Seal, like a magnifying glass, induced believers to begin noticing things they used to take for granted.

When concepts like 'cost-effectiveness' are mixed into faith, all sacred meanings become completely distorted under a utilitarian structure.

Even if fervent believers can remain unmoved, and devout believers can persist day after day, once they realize others are leisurely enjoying their time while they must suffer meditative endurance, how can they not feel a sense of disparity?

In fact, even without using the Holy Seal, once people begin to question the point of daily persistence in tediousness, this measure and wavering is enough to become the cause of 'fall.'

So much so that, amid various conflicts and contradictions, an invisible storm has gradually stirred within the sect.

The cause was an utterly ordinary report.

—A mentally unbalanced believer accused their companion to the Main Priest of secretly using a Fallen Holy Seal. Personnel from the Department of Dogma were dispatched to investigate, finding the accusation baseless, yet the accused, seeing it as a cover-up, became increasingly angry, escalating the report to the Archbishop. As the incident snowballed, the reporting believer received a stern warning.

But the ripple effects of this have only grown larger.

Because the Department of Dogma is receiving an increasing number of reports.

More and more people began to suspect those around them of using Holy Seals, questioning the sincerity of others' faith.

Some accusations were unfounded; some were supported by evidence, while others... were purely malicious speculation.

An Assistant Priest was reported by colleagues, and a Fallen Holy Seal was found in their residence, unable to explain its origin. Even after it was proven to be a setup and false accusation, the Assistant Priest nonetheless suffered prolonged torture and interrogation, faith shaken, and lost an essential opportunity for promotion.

And the number of report letters kept rising, more and more.

When something comes into the hands of consumers, its method of use can hardly be dictated by the manufacturer—like when people discovered that not only is this item a divine tool for laziness, but also a valuable chance to frame others or eliminate obstacles... things became uncontrollably chaotic.

After the rectification campaign ended, various parishes didn't find peace; instead, a grand and spectacular witch-hunt movement began!

Yet the more witches were hunted, the more witches there seemed to be, bizarre and perplexing!

The once-hidden conflicts and disagreements beneath peace and smiles swiftly emerged, exacerbated by Holy Seals, and gradually evolved into life-and-death struggles.

If there's any experience, it can only be described as disgust, disgust to the extreme!

The Department of Dogma is close to vomiting.

Processing so many reports, they become the thorn in the eyes of many, seen as manic villains; yet if neglecting their duties, today's work dealing with heresies might be used against them tomorrow.

The changing situation, like the rising cold waters creeping in, made everyone difficult to breathe, chilled to the bone, yet fearful of the warmth of the pyre, tormented, and hesitating incessantly.

More believers, amidst accusations and arrests, once again started to reflect.

The meaning of faith, and the cost of faith.

One piece of mouse dung is spoiling the whole pot at a visible speed, the glorious dream turns in the shadow of Zhi Fu's creation under rot...

As the instigator of all this, the mastermind, Ji Jue suddenly felt his previous understanding of Zhi Fu was too superficial.

Sometimes, rot isn't due to external cause, stagnation isn't the result of evil deeds.

This terrifying and eerie force may have long existed, just unnoticed, needing only eyes that could see them, and hands that could guide them...

"It's getting more and more interesting."

In the workshop of the camp, Ji Jue lowered his head, looking over the summary reports coming from Yu Shu one after another, smiling, tossing them into the furnace, watching the flames rise.

In the stone pot, bubbling sounds rang, emitting an enticing aroma.

While the original owner here had already put on a gas mask, hiding in the corner, as Bao Dacai gruffly accused, "It's a shame you're not going to You Sui!"

"Who says it's not?"

Ji Jue tapped his finger on his knee, waiting nonchalantly.

It's almost time.

The fire is about to reach the right level...

.

.

On that day, emergency intelligence from the Rebel Suppression Army had been sent aloft to Sky City, arriving at the Pope Court, and finally, in the hand of the Pope through the Cardinals' relay.

Which included one piece of good news, one piece of bad news.

And a 'corpse.'

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