### Chapter 6: Church of Light (10)
In front of the grand entrance of the Imperial Palace, the square was packed with people, a veritable sea of heads bobbing up and down.
As nearly all the Church of Light’s followers flocked to the spot, the square and the winding roads leading to it overflowed with people.
The onlookers were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Messenger of the God of Light, with a few buzzing thoughts swirling in their minds:
Could the miracles shown by the Messenger of the God of Light outshine those of the Messenger of the Goddess of Destiny? Was the Church of Light dead set on completely swallowing the influence of the other deities at this critical moment?
The Lord Messenger had been in the palace for a while, and word had it that His Majesty the Emperor was meeting him as a brother and having a private discussion.
If even the Emperor showed such respect, it meant the Lord Messenger’s identity was no mere pretense. The Church of Light was about to strut its stuff in the Imperial Capital, and those blockheads from the other religious factions better brace themselves for the wrath of the Church of Light!
As the crowd grew increasingly restless and their anticipation heightened, a thunderous BOOM erupted.
With a bang from ceremonial cannons, dozens of them shot deafening blasts into the sky.
At the same time, a platform began to slowly extend from the Imperial Palace’s side facing the square, courtesy of its mechanical contraptions.
“Oh my goodness, I never thought I’d witness this in my lifetime!” an elderly man cried out, almost shaking with excitement.
“What, what? What’s happening?” someone else asked, bewildered.
“The last time that platform appeared was when our current Emperor took the throne so that the people of the Imperial Capital could see his majestic figure. Besides the Emperor, I doubt anyone else gets to stand on that high stage.”
Just as the old man predicted, once the platform stretched over the square from the towering palace, a figure cloaked in golden light appeared.
The crowd erupted into a chorus of ear-splitting cheers.
This was the first time Morris faced waves of people, his body stiff as he awkwardly climbed the high stage. With every step forward, he battled the primal urge to turn around and run away.
Yes, in the midst of all this deafening noise, the Messenger of the God of Light felt his mind going blank.
He had never imagined that pretending to be the Messenger of the God of Light to dodge punishment could lead to such an uncontrollable situation.
Once just a count with only a couple hundred followers at most, he now stood before a crowd numbering in the tens of thousands—almost as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of thousands of people tilted their heads skyward, eager to glean his teachings.
If he had known the situation would get this messy, he should’ve begged the Lord Lin for another way to save his skin.
He knew full well that if this performance didn’t satisfy the crowd and the Emperor, he could very well be torn apart by enraged cultists or tied to a burning stake. Neither sounded like a pleasant end.
“Lord Messenger! Please teach us, Lord Messenger! Grant us your guidance, Lord Messenger!”
As the golden light radiating from the Messenger intensified—creating an illusion as if they were gazing into the sun—the prayers of the believers pulsated like a wave.
At this moment, they were most concerned about the Church of Light’s prophesies of the end times.
As followers, would they truly find salvation?
The Messenger of Light’s arrival in the Empire must be for this very purpose.
Unexpectedly, at that moment, Morris’s fear began to fade.
Yes, that’s right! At least in the eyes of these followers, he was the actual Messenger of Light, and all he had to do was reinforce their faith, leaving no room for doubt about the God of Light whatsoever.
“Believers! The God of Light is always watching over you!
Whether you were good or bad before joining, once you embrace the God of Light, you are His children.
Children of the God must confide everything to Him. Only by adhering to the doctrine will all evil come to an end.
For all who sincerely devote themselves to God and offer everything without hesitation, the God of Light will open for you the path to divinity.
No matter what trials we face in the future, even if floods rage and the earth crumbles beneath us, we shall persevere. When peace returns to the land, we will go back home and restart our wonderful and prosperous lives.”
As Morris finished speaking, beams of golden holy light descended from the heavens, enveloping the kneeling believers near the high stage.
Among them, several gray-haired old folks seemed revitalized, black hair sprouting in place of white, and their wrinkles smoothing out.
And as the holy light bathed the younger ones, the men’s muscles bulked up, and the women’s skin blemishes vanished.
A gasp of disbelief echoed through the crowd, followed by excited cries.
“Ah! This is unbelievable!”
“Thank you for your blessings, Lord Messenger! Long live the God of Light! We are grateful for your grace!”
“Long live the God of Light! We shall devote our lives to Him, loyal and unwavering!”
The envy from the rest of the crowd surged, each casting longing glances at the figure of the Messenger on the high stage.
“So, have you all realized?”
“Believing in the God of Light not only saves your soul but can even physically transform you!
And I’ve simply sped up this process, showcasing it to you in an almost miraculous manner.
Believe me, as long as each of you is devout to God, you will ultimately attain divinity, escape disasters, and even longevity to pray for all the extra time you need.”
Morris, like a salesman pitching aging supplements, put on his most persuasive tone.
Let’s be honest, even modern elders can’t resist a salesperson’s silver tongue, so imagine how these illiterate peasants with a literacy rate below 40% would fall for it!
With his words, not just the followers of the Church of Light, but even many onlookers erupted into the kind of cheers you hear when brainwashing is a success.
“Believers, return to your churches and pray sincerely! The God of Light will bless you!”
The golden figure slowly faded from the high stage.
But even after the Lord Messenger had long departed, the believers still gazed longingly at the platform, dreaming he might return to them.
BANG!
The doors leading to the high stage slammed shut.
Once he was sure the followers below could no longer see his back, Morris crumpled to the ground.
Only then did he realize the black gown he wore was soaked through with cold sweat.
“The performance was a resounding success. I planned to take you out with one swift blow, but it seems you still hold a bit of value.”
A cold voice echoed, making Morris jump and immediately start banging his head against the floor.
“Your Majesty, I swear loyalty to you! I promise!”
