Chapter 677: The Crackdown

Late at night.

Inside an abandoned factory.

The surroundings are pitch black, yet within the basement, numerous white candles are lit.

In the warm yet eerie glow, many cultists dressed in black robes gather together furtively.

“Blood God, our Lord, is the sole ruler of this world!”

“This world will eventually be destroyed; only those who worship Blood God Agula shall attain ultimate salvation!”

…

An old man with platinum-gold hair, a face full of wrinkles, and adorned with various messy talismans and tattoos, appears ecstatic, inciting the ignorant followers.

“Now, let us prove our loyalty to our Lord!”

Behind the old man is a pool, in the center of which stands a red statue of a vampire bat.

After the prayers, he rolls up his sleeve, revealing a scarred arm, and takes a silver dagger, slicing open a wound, letting his blood flow into the pool.

“My blood, as an offering, I present my soul, to be with the God!”

He loudly prays and then passes the dagger to the next person.

Without hesitation, the person similarly cuts their arm, letting their blood flow into the pool.

Eventually, the pool of blood shimmers with an eerie red glow, and the vampire statue in the center seems to come alive.

“Oh, our Lord… Please bestow your blessings upon us!”

At the culmination of the ritual, the old man uses a silver goblet to collect some blood and drinks it all in one gulp: “Our blood flows within us; we are all blood-related brothers!”

“Blood-related!”

Other cultists do the same. Several newcomers, looking pale and clearly participating for the first time, are forced to drink large gulps of blood, their faces twisted in pain.

Only one person in the middle remains relatively calm, holding the silver goblet without moving, drawing the old man’s attention.

“Drink it, and you will be our blood-related brother; otherwise, you will suffer the punishment of our God. Tell me, what’s your name?”

The old man’s voice is hoarse, his eyes glowing with a wolf-like green light.

“Senior Patrol Officer of Caspar City—Arthur!”

Arthur appears to be in his early twenties, with golden curly hair and pale skin, quite handsome.

At this moment, he looks at the old man with a smile in his eyes: “Butcher Chris, you are suspected of illegally organizing the cult Xueqin Society, intimidation, coercion, illegal fundraising, and fraud… I’m arresting you!”

Bang!

As soon as he finishes speaking, the basement door is violently smashed open, and a group of patrol officers rush in, wielding batons and revolvers: “Don’t move! Hands on your head, squat in the corner!”

Whoosh!

At this moment, Chris’s movements are surprisingly agile for an old man.

He pulls out a pistol from his coat, fires a few shots to create chaos, and immediately runs toward the other side of the basement without looking back.

There, hidden from everyone else, is a secret door and passage known only to him—the only escape route!

“Blood Sect Leader, where do you think you’re going?”

A mocking voice sounds, then suddenly, a black shadow appears before Chris.

This is another blood-cloaked cultist, yet as agile as a panther. With a swift pounce and grappling techniques, he pins Chris to the ground.

The nearby patrol officers rush forward, handcuff Chris, and drag him out of the basement.

Outside the factory, numerous black police cars have already arrived. Some reporters with flash cameras are frantically taking pictures. It’s certain that tomorrow’s headlines will feature the police department’s crackdown on the cult Xueqin Society.

“Thanks for your help. I’ll apply to the bureau for a Good Citizen Award for you.”

A group of patrol officers are sealing evidence and collecting materials. Arthur, the patrol officer, steps outside with the black-robed figure who subdued Chris, smoking as he speaks.

He is genuinely satisfied with the man’s actions.

After all, Chris and the Xueqin Society are highly vigilant, making it difficult to gather evidence. Even sending undercover agents is challenging, as it’s extremely easy to be exposed.

However, after cooperating with this person, all dangerous operations are handled by him, significantly increasing the case-solving rate. It’s truly a win-win situation.

Still, Arthur remains wary and suspicious of this person and the Redemption Church he represents.

Although they are a licensed, legitimate religion without any illegal activities, Arthur instinctively dislikes them, especially when they act like charlatans.

“All of this is the will of our Lord. Saving the believers misled by evil gods, guiding those ignorant lambs, is also the mission bestowed upon us by our Lord!”

The black-robed figure takes out a palace-shaped holy emblem and murmurs a prayer.

This kind of expression doesn’t need acting—it’s the level of a fanatic, making Arthur feel even more disgusted.

“Also… according to our agreement, our church will build a shelter to guide those lost lambs. Please don’t forget to send them over soon!”

The black-robed believer adds at the end.

“I will.”

Arthur agrees readily.

After dismantling cults like this, the core members are sentenced, but dealing with the brainwashed yet innocent followers has always been a major issue.

Previously, some established religions were interested in handling them, but later found it to be thankless work and gradually stopped.

Now, the Redemption Church is willing to take on this responsibility, which is exactly what the police department and city hall have been hoping for.

No one knows what methods they used, but after sending those followers for “mandatory training” for a while, they actually turned their lives around without causing any trouble, leaving many people amazed.

“I warn you, don’t try any tricks or illegal activities!”

Arthur stares into the black-robed man’s eyes: “I’ll be watching you closely!”

“Officer Arthur, you seem to misunderstand our Lord. Our God guides people toward goodness and respects secular and organizational powers, unlike other sects!”

“Let’s hope so!”

Arthur crushes the cigarette butt, ending the rather unpleasant conversation.

“How was it? How do you feel?”

Bob suddenly emerges from the darkness, smiling as he looks at Arthur’s retreating figure.

“He still has too much prejudice!”

The black-robed believer says in an enthusiastic tone: “After going undercover in these heretical sects, I believe even more that only our Lord is the one true God and the real savior!”

…

After the Xueqin Society, the evil cults in Caspar City have been completely eradicated, and our true believers have steadily grown to over a thousand…

Inside the headquarters of the Redemption Church, Wu Ming looks at the report with evident satisfaction.

The office is luxurious and grand, but compared to the front church, it’s just a small sight.

Religion is indeed a highly profitable business. Although Wu Ming does not enforce donations, many people still wish to offer their property to the church to demonstrate their devotion.

For example, the previous landlord who leased the premises to the Redemption Church became a believer and donated the entire land to the church.

After personally meeting him once, Wu Ming announced the construction of the first church of the God of Redemption on this land.

According to his religious experience, even the most insignificant deity needs its church to be as magnificent and grand as possible, or at least filled with mystery; it must not appear shabby.

Upon hearing this news, believers contributed money and effort, quickly building the church of the God of Redemption.

“High Priest!”

“High Priest!”

As Wu Ming exits his office, the cultists and office staff outside greet him with utmost respect.

“Hmm!”

At this moment, a gentle smile appears on his face as he walks through the main entrance of the church.

The marble floor is solid and sturdy. In the center of the church, a towering statue has already been erected.

The Redemption Church was entirely designed by Wu Ming, with doctrines naturally centered around “redemption,” “light,” and similar themes. The holy emblem directly adopts the design of the main temple.

As for the statue?

It’s a young man carved from pure white marble, every muscle sculpted to perfection according to the golden ratio. His face is of mixed Chinese and Western descent, bearing traces of both Wu Ming and his original self.

In fact, whether it’s the holy emblem or the statue, none of these are truly significant.

The only crucial element is Wu Ming’s main divine space.

Only with its immense power can it continuously receive the spiritual energy of believers and, with the force of creation, directly interfere in the real world.

“After the Xueqin Society, our development in Caspar City has also reached its limit! Further expansion will provoke concern and hostility from local forces. It’s time to settle down and develop internally…”

For a newly emerging religion, the Redemption Church’s growth in Caspar City has been remarkably rapid.

As Wu Ming gazes at the statue, he speaks without turning around to the core church members entering behind him—Kart, Lina, Bob, and others.

“Lina, Kart… how is the training of priests going?”

At the same time he speaks, the ordinary believers around him have already exited the hall, leaving the vast space for the true core of the church.

“Very smoothly. I deeply feel the greatness of our Lord!”

Lina murmurs, her hand conjuring a ball of light.

This is the simplest light spell, yet its successful casting signifies her formal ascension to the rank of priest.

“Excellent. In the future, above the ordinary believers in our church, I plan to establish several ranks: priests, bishops, cardinals, and finally the High Priest! You have undoubtedly reached the standard of a priest!”

Wu Ming speaks in a tone typical of a cult leader: “Lina, are you willing to become the divine priest of our Lord and spread His glory in this world?”