NOVPUBIn the towering sanctuary, believers sitting in the church listened quietly to the preacher’s explanation.
The priest they revered as the Pioneer, illuminated by a radiant light and donned in a silver robe, was standing leisurely at the forefront of the sanctuary, unraveling mysteries before his fellow clergymen. His voice and every word seemed to be harmonious echoes echoing throughout the space, providing profound comfort.
During his lecture, he would occasionally raise his arm, driving the entire sanctuary to respond with uproarious acclaim. At times, he would gently place his finger on his lips, coaxing his followers to feel, rather than communicate verbally.
All throughout, his gaze was warm. Whenever he looked towards his disciples, he conveyed nothing but encouragement and support. Even those at the very back of the sanctuary could feel the compassion and concern imbued within his gaze.
The lecture ended in less than an hour.
The Pioneer slightly bowed, as if expressing gratitude to every colleague present.
The believers reciprocated the gesture, treating him with equal respect.
Leaving the pulpit, he descended the platform step by step, each stride seeming like praises unto the truth. His figure gradually disappeared in the colorful illumination, leaving a sense of emotional surges within his followers that lingered for a long while, their eyes glowing with infatuation.
After the Pioneer left the sanctuary, the Silver-armored Priest responsible for overseeing the town, hastily followed him.
"Master Pioneer, work on expanding the city by developing the forest behind it, establishing public service facilities, tourist attractions, and improvement and widening the roads connecting to neighboring towns are all underway," the Silver-armored Priest, while handing over a report document.
"Excellent. A temporary effort for an eternal effect. The Bishop of Hegemony’s name will not only soon be glorified but perhaps even commemorated as a deity a thousand years from now," Lanci received the file, saying with approval.
He is a private tutor at Viscount Francis’s residence during the day. In the afternoon, he heads to the Temple to provide guidance to the priests of the Hegemony Branch.
His days were packed and genuine.
In this town of fairly low status inhabitants, with the aid of the Little Black Cat’s telekinesis magic, he could easily come to the Temple undetected. Besides, there were hardly any townsfolk around the temple.
"For this great goal, we shall strive until death," the Silver-armored Priest said reverently.
Even though the civilians in town did not trust them, at least in terms of attitude, they were beginning to observe changes in the townsfolk.
From the initial hidden hatred and fear, their attitudes turned to cautious curiosity.
"Until death," Lanci returned the same gesture.
They believed in equality and struggled together towards the same goal and faith.
In Lilom City, fisheries were very mature, but many of the specialty fish species were only sold locally because transportation costs were too high.
However, the city itself had great scenery and unique features. It had potential for creating semi-natural hot springs, and the forest behind could be transformed into a natural park, which would make it a major tourist city.
The Silver-armored Priest presented Lanci’s plan for redesigning the city to Viscount Francis. After his initial amazement, Viscount Francis could do nothing else but agree and instructed the Silver-armored Priest to begin the work.
Now, many residents of the north were considering moving south. According to the fourth-quarter report from Xi Nan Province last year, there was indeed an upward trend in the population. As such, it was not only possible for Lilom City to attract tourists but also potential new residents.
Once the initial construction phase was completed, the most crucial step was to use the Hegemony Branch’s channels in Xi Nan Province to promote the dreamy coastal city widely. If anything goes well, they could further expand, creating a virtuous cycle.
"In the future, use less violence, learn more. Those who have a talent for art should focus on design, artisans and builders should practice their craft. And for those with the capacity, become versed in fields like economics, finance, statistics, marketing, management, and so on. The libraries at the capital of Xi Nan Province should have sufficient books," Lanci urged, patting the Silver-armored Priest’s shoulder.
Under the exceptional labor and execution of the Rebirth Priests, the town is changing rapidly.
A few days ago, Grand Priest Cain, who was in charge of Xi Nan Province, was invited by the Silver-armored Priest to visit Lilom City. After a private meeting with Lanci at the Temple, he willingly joined their group.
Now, the Grand Priest has returned to the main city of Xi Nan Province to spread this notion on a broader scale and even sent more Silver-robed Priests to Lilom City to learn.
"Yes, the Bishop of Hegemony possesses unparalleled power and also represents the true god of wisdom. To make the Bishop of Hegemony the master of the Rebirth Church in the Protoss Empire, we must become the smartest believers. Only then can we understand the Bishop of Hegemony and truly become a part of the Hegemony Branch," The Silver-armored Priest spoke with fervor in his eyes.
Now, in addition to building the city-state, they were studying vigorously each day. Inspired by the Pioneer, they had fully grasped the importance of wisdom.
They had even become intensely captivated by learning.
Power has its limits, but knowledge is limitless.
The two of them walked and chatted towards the entrance of the temple until Lanci was escorted out by the Silver-armored Priest and then waved him goodbye.
Subsequently, Lanci walked down a small path outside the temple.
When he emerged from the end of the path, he was back to his normal self.
The Little Black Cat jumped out from the shadows, climbing onto Lanci’s body.
"Lanci... What exactly are..." The Cat boss was finding it increasingly hard to understand Lanci’s intentions.
He seemed to be acting, but at times he seemed genuine, like he was torn between two worlds, but yet relishing it.
"Don’t worry, Cat Boss, all I did was instill in them a positive admiration and belief," Lanci picked up the Little Black Cat, smiling as he said,
"The reality is, the original structure of the Rebirth Church leaned towards being lax and had little cohesion. By further sanctifying their already revered Bishop of Hegemony and shaping him into the god of power and wisdom, believers with solid faiths will form a cognitive community and collective consciousness. This could weaken individualistic thinking, which is beneficial for efficient coordination and operation."
"..." The Cat boss was at a loss for words.
It sounded quite reasonable though.
Isn’t this just brainwashing?! The Cat boss watched as the believers turned into infatuated academics, not sure what to say.
Maybe it was because Lanci had told them that his secret to becoming powerful was through education.
Or perhaps he had excessively deified the Bishop of Hegemony, interpreting the will of the Bishop of Hegemony in his own way, and deeply ingrained the truth "knowledge is power" into the minds of the believers.
Of course, it could be possible that there was just something inherently wrong with Lanci himself. He was too good at arousing desire, deceiving people’s hearts, and even manipulating others. These were not skills a normal student would normally possess!
The Cat boss dared not imagine what Xi Nan Province would turn into a few months later under Lanci’s influence.
And when the Bishop of Hegemony discovered that all his men had transformed from desperadoes to intelligent strategists, he could only wonder what would go through his mind.
The Cat boss feared that the Bishop of Hegemony would put both Lanci and he on the wanted list!!
