How Am I Still Alive?-Chapter 1795 - 1791: Composition of the Divine Kingdom
Some things, some people succeed not because they are exceptional, but simply because they happen to appear at the right moment and fulfill a certain level of utility. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ธ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ต.๐ฌ๐ค๐ข
In the backdrop of despair, Lu Pingโanโs "doctrine" spread with extraordinary breadth and speed.
At first, he had thought his overly awkward doctrine would not only fail to gain recognition but might even be labeled as an inhuman cult... Truth be told, even he felt his theories were too cold and nearly diametrically opposed to the mainstream religious currents.
"In the apocalypse, there are always cults. In such a wasteland of regions, doctrines preaching eschatology, redemption, salvation, reincarnationโany of them can spread rapidly. Even just promising โwe will save youโ can spread as fast as a virus..."
But Lu Pingโanโs theory was about "self-rescue," not "external salvation."
As a Deity, his task was to create an environment where self-rescue could effectively take place, rather than offering direct salvation.
Although other Churches also could not truly save anyone, they wouldnโt put it so bluntly. They would say you couldnโt be saved because you werenโt devout enough or because you were burdened with original sinโwhatever the case, the fault is not on them.
Lu Pingโanโs explanation was cold yet efficient. Rather than resembling traditional religion, it was more akin to a "transaction," a "contract."
I donโt need you to believe in me; I only offer the terms of the trade and the environment. Whether you accept it is up to you, and how much you gain is also up to you.
And this coldness might very well be a taboo in religious propagation.
After all, most believers are yearning to be saved...
"Today, there are over six hundred new believers. Low-level Divine Grace was bestowed sixty-seven times..."
But what surprised Lu Pingโan was that not only were there many believers here, but their quality was remarkably high. The resonance needed to receive Divine Grace went without sayingโthey were truly devoted believers and understanding followers, individuals who could transform his teachings into life tenetsโfanatic believers, even.
Could it be because Lu Pingโanโs scripture was unexpectedly well-written?
"No, itโs simply because weโre the only ones saving them..."
For people in disasters, itโs not about what you say, but about what you do.
You save me, you have what I need, you help meโso Iโm willing to understand you.
If what motivates you to save me lies within this incomprehensible thing, then I will force myself to understand it; at the very least, I will feel a shred of gratitude.
That doesnโt mean, however, that the "scripture" itself has issues.
When people attempt to truly understand it, from its cold and distant words, they come to grasp its spirit of equality among all living things, its vision of everyone being as dragons, and its ultimate goal of Great Unity. In the midst of disaster, people seem to glimpse a kind of utopia.
A utopia not born of empty promises or passive waiting, but forged gradually through effort and struggleโan ideal kingdom built from reality.
Do not kill recklessly; that is respecting othersโ rights of life ownership.
Do not enslave or bully; thatโs acknowledging that others also hold potential for evolutionโwhoโs to say revenge wonโt come one day?
An entirely unconventional religion devoid of good-and-evil dichotomies and preaching. Gaining followers might be relatively difficult, but once truly understood, the proportion of "fanatic believers" is astoundingly high, and most of them are regarded by ordinary people as rational and wise.
Many among them did not hesitate to join the Life Protection Battle Group and advanced quickly; some even received Divine Grace.
They called themselves "self-rescuers"... Yet in reality, they were unusually active in combating warlords and insurgents, becoming the most effective saviors instead.
"Our thoughts are not a religion, but a philosophy, an ideal... We donโt worship statues of gods; we try to understand this philosophy."
What they said would make a Deityโs skin crawl, who would then obliterate these "Divine Power Thieves"... But ironically, their Deity was not the mechanized Divine Kingdom but a rare Personal God.
"Not bad at all. Iโll give you the qualification for trade. How far you can goโthatโs up to you..."
And Lu Pingโan cheerfully agreed.
At last, unlike the previous Extraordinary Paths, Lu Pingโan now had a complete advancement path.
The first-tier professions could be Gardeners, Beast Tamers, Healers, Gourmets, and other general paths, but Lu Pingโan provided a unique path.
"Life Merchant..."
This is an enigmatic profession that traces back to the source and governs life.
"Life Preservation" and "Life-point Extraction" are their abilities. Pure combat power is almost non-existent, but they can become "intermediaries" in courtyard trade.
By linking to nearby "Trading Lands," they could undertake partial duties of these landsโthe simplest being the use of Life-points to heal physical injuries.
Even without access to Trading Lands, they can use Life-points to enhance the physical body, reinforcing basic abilities... Their combat skills remain weak, but they can run fast and endure damage, which is a tangible advantage.
Considering that first-tier professions are generally fragile to the extreme, most rely on Professional Abilities to survive. The foundational applications of "Life-points" provided by Lu Pingโan arenโt particularly weak.
As this unique path evolves, some aspects of Lu Pingโanโs own capabilities begin to emerge.
For instance, starting from the 2-tier path, branches in Beast-taming and Gardening become availableโgiven the catalytic effects of Life-points on animals and Magic Plants, the potential of this profession is considerable.
This information and intelligence naturally spread, and after the scriptureโs authenticity was verified, the Eastern Country sent out friendly signals, granting clearance for Lu Pingโanโs enterprises and rescue operations, even sending an extra rescue team.
Lu Pingโanโs "religion" took root and flourished on this chaotic map, becoming a testing ground for experiments.
The results turned out significantly better than expected.
Lu Pingโan rebuilt Order.
Several designated Safe zones became temporary shelters for the suffering... Lu Pingโan would never gift them a new homelandโthat property belonged to him and his courtyard.
However, he granted them the right to reside within, of course, with "rent" needing to be calculated.
On this matter, debt was not necessarily a disaster... The expanded Land of life required both Planters and portable factories that could provide some degree of employment opportunities. In the worst case, the act of saving itself counted as contributions recognized by the new Church.
As things rolled forward, as circulation moved, everyone needed to be busy. As long as Life moved, rewards could be obtained.
Lu Pingโanโs philosophy materialized into reality. The rebuilt society became a new Earthly Divine Kingdom.
Unknowingly, Lu Pingโan completed the evolution from human to God... His philosophy turned into reality, each step of his journey becoming the nutrition for the evolution of a Deity.
More "Divine Laws" appeared in the scripture, as Lu Pingโan completed his Worldโs Reason.
Numerous believers enacted his philosophy on Earthโwhether they succeeded or failed, all were absorbed by him.
From a ninth-order Quasi-God of unique individuality to the "I am the world" tenth-order God, the most challenging step was already nearly completed by coincidence and accident.
