Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 386 - 359 believers

Chapter 386: 359 believers

"But as you can see, I’m recovering quite well now," I said.

My room in the sanatorium was quite spacious, furnished like a cozy home with a large bed, a big TV, potted plants, and a fish tank.

I had just woken up and was sitting on the bed. Lu Chan had just arrived, and Mazao was also here.

"From what I’ve heard, the state of Manifestation is related to the verification of True Spirit. I had only read about such legends in books, but seeing your current situation, maybe that legend is true. How else can we explain this extraordinary recovery speed if it has nothing to do with the True Spirit?" Lu Chan remarked with emotion.

"I feel it’s not fast enough," I said.

"Compared to your usual efficiency where you can heal any injury instantly, this scabbing state after three days is indeed not very fast," Lu Chan agreed. "Right now, your treatment method is simply rest and relaxation, keeping your mood as stable and positive as possible while waiting for the True Spirit to naturally recover..."

After some thought, he added, "So couldn’t it be possible to speed up the recovery by working more in this direction? At least from what I see, you don’t seem particularly sunny right now, you’re just stable at best, which means there’s room for improvement."

"How exactly is that done?" I asked curiously.

"How about having the girl you like cook something for you?" Lu Chan said seriously.

While talking, he glanced at Mazao, who hadn’t joined the conversation and was sitting quietly beside the bed.

Because Lu Chan had once tried to kidnap Mazao during his time under Lu Youxun, Mazao was clearly wary, scrutinizing him with the eyes of one sizing up a suspicious person.

However, it seemed she was also listening intently to his words. Upon hearing this, she revealed a solemn expression, lowered her head, and murmured to herself, "The girl Zhuang Cheng likes..."

"To be more specific, it’s you," Lu Chan clarified.

"Me?"

Mazao first looked around herself. Upon seeing Lu Chan pointing at her, she pointed at herself in confusion, then, realizing what he meant, she blushed and became visibly uncomfortable on her chair.

With a dismissive gesture, Lu Chan egged her on, "Do you know how to cook anything? The chefs here should let you use the kitchen, and all the ingredients and seasonings are readily available."

Mazao clasped her hands and rubbed her cheeks hard, trying to calm her flushing face. Then, her mood seemed to become very positive. She hopped off the chair and with a voice that unwittingly rose a pitch, exclaimed, "I... I’ll go ask!"

She dashed out of the room in a hurry.

Is it really okay to let Mazao use the kitchen? I couldn’t help but think. Since I had never seen Mazao cook before and considering her scarce contact with modern kitchen tools during the Doomsday Era, I was genuinely worried that she might end up making something inedible.

But then again, given her experience surviving in ruins, she should at least have a basic understanding of how to cook food with fire. At worst, she might produce dishes that are hard to praise in terms of taste and texture, but nothing truly inedible. And even if she accidentally damaged any kitchen tools, there was no need to worry too much with the Power of Return at her disposal.

"So... did you send Mazao away because you have something important to tell me?" I asked Lu Chan.

"No, I didn’t send her away to speak with you in private. What I said was true; having her make something for you could indeed help with your recovery to some extent."

While speaking, Lu Chan pulled out some documents, "However, I do have something to report to you, which could be considered the summary of the past three days’ work.

"Although I reckon you might not be very interested in this kind of thing, as a loyal subordinate of yours, I have to fulfill my responsibilities."

"The phrase ’loyal subordinate’ really makes me uncomfortable. If he hadn’t mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten that not long ago he swore allegiance to me. However, I didn’t have the intention to correct him, after all, we aren’t that close as friends either. Without this layer of relationship, I really wouldn’t know how to interact.

I glanced over the information he submitted.

The main content was about Mr. Zhu recruiting troops and purchasing horses in Luo Mountain in my name.

Mr. Zhu had informed me about this matter and had my authorization. It seems he really intended to create a ’Zhuang Cheng’s Force’ in Luo Mountain, and Fa Zheng’s influence seems to be helping from behind, offering strategies and providing initial resources. Their activities are largely similar to other Governance Ideology forces, mainly dealing with the increasingly frequent strange events in various places, rewarding members for their contributions, and punishing those who fail or slack off.

That is to say, it’s actually what the organization in Luo Mountain was already doing. Although the mission objectives and the degree of rewards and punishments offered by each force may vary, I don’t quite understand why there is a need to explicitly create these separate factions.

From my perspective as Impermanence, having many people join the faction established in my name means that my connection with the abnormal world is deepening, which is very beneficial for me. But from the perspective of the joiners, how should they view it? Demon hunters who have been doing their jobs well, as long as they continue to work as usual, is there a need to join this dubious ’Zhuang Cheng’s Force’?

I shared my doubts with Lu Chan, and he showed a look that suggested he anticipated my question and began to explain to me.

"Do you know about one of Luo Mountain’s three major plagues—’Xuanming believers’?"

For some reason, Lu Chan started with this.

I followed up on what he said, "I’ve heard about it a few times. It is said that Xuanming had many followers within Luo Mountain, and even after his defection from Luo Mountain, these believers still exist inside, becoming the ’internal worries’ among internal and external threats."

"Hmm. Each of the three major plagues of Luo Mountain has its own troubles, but ultimately, the trouble comes from the Impermanence behind the scenes," said Lu Chan. "Among them, the Human Bureau is the most special. Even though the Human Bureau does not have an Impermanence, if they manage to perform the impossible miracle in the future and grasp the method to achieve Impermanence through technical power, they would become the greatest enemy in Luo Mountain’s history. Thus, even though they are very weak now, they are still considered a threat.

"The leader of Taoyuan Village is an Impermanence himself, with extremely ruthless beliefs. It’s the most understandable why this organization is considered a thorn in Luo Mountain’s side.

"Lastly, the Xuanming believers are forces that are secretly aligned and gathered around the remnants of Xuanming’s followers who stayed in Luo Mountain. They all worship Xuanming as a God with strong cohesion. Among them are fanatics ready to give their lives for Xuanming at any moment, and Xuanming will also not hesitate to use this power when necessary...

"But have you noticed something odd?"

Based on the direction of the previous conversation, I asked, "Are you referring to the reason why Xuanming believers have such strong cohesion?"

Xuanming suddenly went mad, killed his own followers without reason, defected from Luo Mountain, and then vanished into thin air. Though the fanatics can find reasons to continue regarding Xuanming as their sun and moon, most people have their own lives and positions. If it’s about continuing to uphold faith in Xuanming and opposing Luo Mountain as a whole, surely most would hesitate.

Especially when Xuanming reappeared as an Angel Envoy heralding the Master of Divine Seal, championing the idea of destroying the world. Although I know that was just an act Xuanming put on to frame the Master of Divine Seal in front of everyone, most people wouldn’t know. Destroying the world and serving as an unknown person’s subordinate, how could Xuanming’s followers maintain their cohesion after such events?

After listening to my thoughts, Lu Chan corrected me, "I want to correct one thing. The fact that Xuanming became a so-called servant of the Master of Divine Seal might not have damaged his followers’ impression of him so much. Since the Fantian incident, the demon hunter community has become aware of a power that exists beyond Impermanence and a possible unknown individual manipulating this great power to control the world. In some rumors, this unknown entity is even regarded as a God above gods.

"The faith of Xuanming believers in him wasn’t like that of monotheism either. In Chinese mythology, there is the God of Stove, there’s Yama (King of Hell), and even historical figures like Guan Gong, who all have quite a few believers among the folk. These objects of faith were not supreme in their respective mythologies but all under the Jade Emperor.

"Moreover, Xuanming wasn’t initially a high and mighty God to begin with. Legend has it that during his time as Zi Qi, he was also under Emperor Yao, appointed as the Situ in charge of Fire. The demon hunter community’s understanding of Gods is different from that of normal society; they can accept the existence of Gods more powerful than the one they worship, they can accept that the Gods they worship were once weak humans, they can accept that Gods have desires and emotions, and sometimes even need their help...

"If there truly exists someone who controls the Divine Seal Power and rules the world, then without a doubt they would be like the Heavenly Emperor, and Xuanming being under such a being would not disillusion Xuanming believers. Instead, it could be explained that Xuanming’s current position is the legitimate one."

Huh? The Angel Envoy is the legitimate one? There’s even this angle of interpretation? I really hadn’t considered that.

But I quickly noticed a flaw.

"If that’s the case, why don’t they directly worship the Master of Divine Seal?" I asked. "People worship the God of Stove, Yama, and Guan Gong instead of making offerings to the Heavenly Emperor every time because they believe these deities, who preside over certain domains, can bring blessings. Xuanming can’t... wait, wait, could it be that..."

Lu Chan nodded and said, "Devout faith in Impermanence... can indeed bring power to oneself."

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