章 12: Chapter 11: The Style Doesn't Match

翻訳者: 549690339

(PS: Going to the hospital for a follow-up on depression today, the 4th, not sure if I'll be able to return by noon, so I've updated early.)

Lu Yuanming firmly denied being the Messiah, as well as any identity related to religion. His denial was so resolute that it went far beyond a faint hint, completely leaving no room for speculation and directly refuting all of it.

In fact, apart from the middle-aged man and that thirty-year-old woman, who were the most fervent and devout, the rest were filled with doubts.

Even though American education has moved towards de-intellectualization, advocating "happy education," ordinary people, apart from the high-ranking elite, can still be easily misled. Many Americans still believed in a flat Earth even in the 21st century.

However, at least all of those present had received a basic education, and judging by their attire and demeanor, there were a few so-called elite individuals. They had always harbored doubts about Lu Yuanming's existence.

But Lu Yuanming's sincere and firm denial made these people begin to doubt in reverse.

Lu Yuanming reiterated, "I am really not the Messiah, nor do I have any connection with any so-called deities. Plus, I am a materialist and absolutely don't have faith in any deities. If I must say I have a faith, then it is in my ancestors, that's about it."

The middle-aged man seemed to have already assumed the role of a devout believer, making the sign of the cross, "Jesus Christ also only called the Lord his Father. When the Spirit took flesh, he did not call down fire from heaven to burn away the secular world. You may simply not yet understand your mission, but without a doubt, you are the Messiah, the Savior who will rescue humanity at the end of days."

Lu Yuanming didn't even change his expression, and he couldn't even be bothered to continue denying; at this moment, a twenty-something man wearing glasses and a suit, looking like a social elite, suddenly said, "Mr. Lu, could you tell us in detail how this hope came about?"

"It's Faith!" the middle-aged man immediately shouted vehemently.

"Alright, calling it faith isn't wrong," Lu Yuanming spread his hands, "What I'm about to say might seem far-fetched, but I'm here to discuss this with all of you in utmost sincerity. Everything I say is true. First, I come from five years in the future, from the year 2023. I'm Chinese, not a Chinese-American, just a genuine Chinese person. Then, I arrived at your timeline for unknown reasons, after which I died in a supernatural event, something like curses; then I arrived in this afterlife, and I discovered that I could return to the mortal world..."

The crowd immediately became noisy, with many inquiring about how to return to the world of the living, only the glasses-wearing elite and Ang remained silent in thought.

The elite wearing glasses suddenly said, "Mr. Lu, my name is Keson Espite, and I'm a psychologist. Is everything you've said confirmed to be true, and not just your fantasy or something like that?"

Lu Yuanming immediately replied, "Yes, I am quite certain, but my physical body in the mortal world is in a vegetative state. When I return to the mortal world, I fall into endless darkness, unable to feel my body, only faintly able to hear the sounds around me. And this ho... this power of faith is something I brought from the mortal world. I don't know how much you know about China, but we burn paper money to worship our ancestors and also to express hopes for the future and desires for a better life. We usually burn paper money during major holidays, as well as the Qingming festival dedicated to ancestor worship. My physical body in the mortal world was at the time of the Spring Festival. I guess it's because my relatives were burning paper money while having hopes and wishes for me, which then transformed into this power that I could use in the afterlife."

Most people listened in stunned silence, the tall and thin individual immediately said, "Yes, burning paper money, I've done it too. That practice came over from China a few years ago, and I found it very cool. Oh, Lord, my name is Tom Theodore, I will serve you devoutly."

"Call me by my name!" Lu Yuanming was not polite to Tom, whether it was Tom's previous action of abandoning his child, or the fact that he immediately made a move akin to betrayal upon entering the vault; all these made Lu Yuanming wary of him.

"Yes, my Lord, no, Mr. Lu," Tom responded, showing a seeming flexibility, he ignored Lu Yuanming's aloofness and spoke respectfully.

At this time, the thirty-year-old elite woman who was the second to kneel spoke up, "Mr. Lu, my name is Marsha Julian. I am a tutor from a noble family. I know that in many myths and religions, there is the notion of offering sacrifices to deities and the deceased. Chinese paper money burning should be the same—previously, we just regarded it as a religious ceremony. But now that we are all in the afterlife, could these rituals be what caused you to awaken to divinity?"

"I am not a deity, and I possess no divinity!"

Lu Yuanming emphasized very firmly, "We must talk about science!"

Everyone had a strange expression on their faces, and the psychologist Keson suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, is this power of yours infinite?"

Lu Yuanming shook his head, "It can't possibly be infinite. We all know about the conservation of mass and energy. My relatives burned paper money and made wishes, gaining this... the power of faith. Then, I received this power in the afterlife. But there must be some kind of conversion formula. To be honest, I can only produce food and freshwater three more times, and then I won't be able to do it anymore."

Most people immediately showed disappointed and even despondent expressions, and the middle-aged man bowed to Lu Yuanming at once, "Oh my Lord, please don't be so disheartened. You traverse the netherworld and the mortal world, and this in itself is a sign of divinity. Right now, it's just that you're lacking followers. We are already dead, and the dead probably can't offer you faith, but the living can. You can return to the mortal world and gain followers, tell them that the end is coming, that Judgment Day is here. You can proclaim your teachings, lead the people in your ways, establish your kingdom on earth, and this faith will also reach into this netherworld."

"Yes, yes, you can go back and get more people to burn paper money," Tom immediately urged eagerly.

The rest of the people also said similar things.

Lu Yuanming mostly told the truth, remembering that sincerity is the greatest weapon of all. However, he did not reveal everything. For example, after killing monsters, he could absorb White Light Particles and thus strengthen himself, which he did not mention.

Even as a young man who had just graduated from college and had already experienced a betrayal and witnessed the dark side of human nature, he had thought a lot during these days.

He didn't worry about scarcity but rather about inequality, which were the teachings of his ancestors.

He could show off his unique abilities as long as others could not see or use the Colorless Light Particles, which made him one of a kind, able to provide food and weapons, thus qualifying him for leadership.

But at the same time, if he were the only one who could grow stronger by killing monsters and others knew it, that would be a huge risk.

If everyone is an ant, and you alone can transform into a butterfly, what would the others think?

Therefore, Lu Yuanming did not reveal that he could gradually recover from his vegetative state by killing monsters. He simply smiled and said, "Yes, I do have such an intention. However, my physical body is in a vegetative state, although it can slowly recover, and there are already some signs of recovery, this takes time. I also want to try whether my relatives, my friends, or more strangers mentioning my name and caring about me could bring about the Power of Faith. All of these, I can try later."

Everyone smiled, although Lu Yuanming said he could only produce food three more times, there was no doubt that this was hope, and indeed, they were witnessing a miracle at this very moment.

At this moment, the middle-aged man spoke very seriously and respectfully, "My Lord, I am Edward James, a preacher from St. John's Cathedral. Please tell us your teachings so that we can follow your way and be saved."

Lu Yuanming was somewhat perplexed, but the people around him all wore solemn expressions, even Tom, who always acted like a rogue, did the same. They stood around Lu Yuanming, and even those who were still skeptical held their breath involuntarily, adopting a serious attitude of listening.

(...Are Westerners so devoted to their faith? But I don't understand any of this divine talk, much less about Christianity and things like that.)

Lu Yuanming truly did not know what to say.

What he did not understand was that, due to the abilities he had demonstrated and the rescue of providing food in this despair, he was the only lifeline for these people. And most Westerners are essentially not atheists; they are more or less influenced by Christianity, the Bible, Jesus Christ, and so on.

Even those who were still doubtful treated Lu Yuanming with an attitude of 'better to believe than to be in doubt.'

What if?

What if Lu Yuanming truly were the Messiah, and he just didn't know his own identity?

And in the Messiah's first sermon, they might actually be akin to Jesus's twelve disciples!

Seeing the expectant looks on everyone's faces, Lu Yuanming could only cough helplessly and, still adhering to the principle that sincerity is the greatest weapon, he began to say, "My teachings, they are..."

"We must be serious yet lively, united and loving, diligent and brave!"

"We must use our hands to achieve our dreams, to create our future!"

"We must not fear hardship, nor shirk sacrifice, and use human strength to fight against all difficulties and dangers!"

"There is no Savior in this world, and neither kings nor gods can save us. We must save ourselves, find more humans, unite them, then form a community, and with the community's strength, we will conquer this afterworld and eliminate all monsters and Spectres!"

Lu Yuanming earnestly said to the stunned crowd, "That is my way, and I hope everyone will follow it."

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