Chapter 1582: Chapter 896
The True Word is the Glory Queen Battleship of the Saints Battle Group.
Inside its meditative chamber, Raymond Vis sat in his designated seat, his expression solemn.
The application for communication with Gu Hang, submitted to the Allianceâs top echelon, had already been approved.
Arriving two hours earlier than the agreed-upon time, Raymond Vis had been in deep thought. His fingers, freed from the Power Armor gloves, rubbed against the rough scripture carvings until they bled.
He pondered for a long time, until the corners of the chamber hummed with the holoprojector, and the projection of Gu Hang gradually took shape, pulling him back to reality.
"Percy Remonvis, hello," Gu Hang greeted, his attitude fairly cordial and friendly.
However, right after the greeting, the second sentence immediately delved into the main topic.
"I heard you personally executed three Star Sector bishops?"
"They orchestrated charges of heresy and manipulated the results. Frenzied congregants used Holy Oil to incinerate New Teachingâs mission station." The Living Saintâs shoulder armor reflected the red glow of the skull candlestick, but his voice was more elusive than the candlelight. "So, I bestowed upon them the Emperorâs mercy."
"Mercy? Ha!" Gu Hang sneered, "During the gathering, you burned seventy-two priests of the New Teaching and over three thousand congregants. The Holy War Army blocked the doors, forcing anyone trying to escape back inside. Right in front of the Emperor Divine Statue, the Divine Emperorâs followers were burned alive by raging fires. Itâs said that even the supposedly invincible Emperor Divine Statue crumbled in this tragic disaster.
"Even the Divine Emperor didnât want to witness that scene himself."
"And the result? They were still deemed worthy of mercy!"
"Just an execution, and post-execution, the charges were not publicly announced. Their bodies could still be buried within the temple, receiving secret worship and homage..."
Raymond Vis remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, struggling with his words: "That wasnât my intent. I will order a thorough investigation to find out who, after the execution, didnât follow the rightful directives and shielded the traitorsâ forces instead."
Gu Hangâs projection stepped forward, the Alliance emblem on his epaulet suddenly glaringly bright: "Is there even a need to investigate? Even I know whoâs behind it all â the Cardinal Council of the Mercifat faction, twelve millennial family theologians, and..."
He intentionally elongated his speech at the end, forcing Raymond Vis to say it himself.
"And the warriors I personally brought forth." Raymond Vis suddenly stood, his Holy Sword at his waist flicking out half an inch with the motion, "But is this an unforgivable crime? Theyâre practicing their faith, New Teaching... the Allianceâs New Teaching..."
Gnashing his teeth, he still finished his sentence, even at the risk of angering Gu Hang: "The Allianceâs New Teaching â isnât it the heretical doctrine crafted by you to seize power from the National Church? Weâve already done our best to balance by allowing the spread of New Teaching. Do you aim to annihilate our faith in the Emperor?"
Gu Hang was not angry.
He merely shook his head slightly, saying: "Donât compare yourself to those hopeless people. Remember Emperorâs Holy Words Record, Chapter Seven, Verse Two..."
Gu Hangâs projection suddenly approached, the shadow behind him morphing into a giant scroll of scriptures, "The adherents shall practice their words and bear witness to the doctrine with their lives."
Raymond Vis fully understood what Gu Hang was about to say next, his expression unchanged by the spectacle.
Watching him, Gu Hang paused in his speech.
His theological knowledge... is what it is. Debating scripture with a Living Saint like Raymond Vis is not his strong suit.
So, he turned the conversation towards historical events.
And specifically, recent history.
"On Valley Star, the Seven Star Corridor has been reclaimed, the war has ended, and New Teaching has arranged Nagor vaccines, transported in bulk to Valley Star, contributing to the recovery of the planetâs agricultural regions, preventing residual plague impact..."
"The Mercifat faction absurdly regards them as impure creations. Not only do they obstruct the distribution and administration of vaccines, but they also insist on executing all civilians who receive the Nagor vaccine. Consequently, the plague broke out on a massive scale, and the âPlague Apocalypse Knight Orderâ fought their way through six Nest Capitals along the route of the penitence parade."
"The plague caused a reduction in Valley Starâs production, while New Teachingâs agricultural ships were deployed to Valley Star, equipped with the latest ecological farm components, yet were obstructed by saints warriors guarding the starport, preventing ships from docking."
"Your offspring preferred to watch countless people on the planet starve in barren fields rather than let New Teachingâs agricultural ships dock at the orbital port."
"When they crushed grain transport ships with endless scrolls, they were trampling upon the true will of the Emperor!"
Raymond Vis couldnât help but speak out, his voice rising like a dying Thunderhawk gunship making its final dive: "But New Teaching priests tore apart the âSaintsâ Prayerâ! They removed the gratitude rituals during sermons!"
This was a critical manifestation of the conflict.
What is the âSaintsâ Prayerâ? Itâs a religious scripture written by a Battle Group Leader whoâs had a profound influence on the National Church and the Saints Battle Group four thousand years ago. Its impact is immense, making it practically the mainstream scripture of the Empire today.
The so-called Mercifat faction primarily adheres to the âSaintsâ Prayerâ; every member of the Saints Battle Group, besides being warriors, is a staunch monk, and they naturally insist on this scripture as well. Essentially, the Mercifat faction is the most direct inheritor and propagator of the religious philosophy of the Saints Battle Group.