Chapter 77: Wicked Words That Mislead the Masses Deserve Condemnation

No matter how eloquently the exorcist spoke, weaving his words with dazzling rhetoric, the townspeople below merely whispered among themselves, pointing and murmuring, but not a single soul stepped forward to engage. Their faith was already firmly rooted; it was difficult for them to believe in another god. This was no longer the ignorant, backward Middle Ages—people’s beliefs had grown more scientific, abandoning superstitions for trust in a single Lord.

“It seems business isn’t easy these days. Well, that’s to be expected. Who still indulges in feudal superstitions nowadays? You’d have to wonder about their intelligence,” Lin Xiao muttered, shaking his head as he regarded the exorcist with amused interest. Seeing the crowd’s indifference, the exorcist swiftly changed his approach:

“Paradise! The gods have created a paradise for us, guiding humanity toward its gates. As long as we believe in the gods, those gates will open wide for us. In the beginning, when all things originated, people had nothing but suffering in their bodies and hatred in their hearts. They wounded one another in their struggles, unable even to die, trapped in eternal soil, filled with despair.

At that moment, the omnipotent gods created a beautiful paradise for mankind—a land of perpetual spring, brimming with fine wines and delicacies, where people loved each other and lived in peace and happiness. But when humanity stole the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from paradise, cast down into this barren earth to endure sickness, hunger, hatred, war, and death.

Now, as the shadow of doom gathers overhead, mankind’s fate teeters on the brink of extinction. At any moment, a rain of nuclear fire may descend from the sky, burning our cities, ravaging our bodies, and destroying our civilization. The end is near. Only by believing in the gods, only by entering paradise, only by letting go of hatred and conflict, can humanity find everlasting peace and avoid the apocalypse.”

At these words, many in the crowd began to waver, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. It was the era of the US-Soviet Cold War; though the threat of world war was not as imminent as before, the specter of conflict loomed above everyone. No one could say when the world might be reduced to ashes by nuclear fire.

Lin Xiao pondered this. The exorcist was indeed skilled—his persuasive speech had shaken many, winning over their hearts. Truly, eloquence is a powerful tool. Whether in pyramid schemes or missionary work, without exceptional oratory, deceiving others is no easy task.

Seeing the crowd’s resolve begin to crumble, the exorcist struck while the iron was hot. Suddenly, he drew a dagger, rolled up his left sleeve, and, gripping the blade with his right hand, carved a serpentine line into his arm—red blood flowing like fire. The townspeople shrieked in alarm, and chaos broke out.

Raising his wounded arm high, the exorcist cried out:

“Gods, heal your most devoted servant! Let our ignorant eyes witness your miracle!”

A pale gray light descended from above, enveloping his injured arm. Miraculously, the wound began to close, the skin knitting together until not a trace remained.

“A miracle! A true miracle!” the crowd roared, this time not in terror, but in unbridled fanaticism. Having witnessed the supernatural with their own eyes, they finally believed the exorcist’s words.

Wailing sirens pierced the commotion as a police car stopped at the edge of the crowd. The door opened, and Lin Xiao saw Chief Hope emerge, pushing through the throng to confront the exorcist at the flowerbed.

“Unlicensed preaching is not allowed here. You must obtain permission,” Chief Hope declared. In America, there was religious freedom, but that did not mean anyone could preach at will; government approval was required to ensure they were no cult. Since the 1978 People’s Temple tragedy, where 914 followers committed mass suicide and even a House Representative was murdered, the government had imposed particularly strict controls on religious activity.

“Foolish man, do you think you can block the light of the gods? Deprive us of our right to free belief? Will you drive us out as Rome expelled Jesus? You cannot. As a citizen of the United States, I have the right to preach. This is a divine right bestowed upon us by the gods!” the exorcist shouted. An invisible wave rippled outward; Lin Xiao keenly sensed the shift as the people nearby grew dazed—many raising their fists, protesting and chanting.

“This is…mind control?” Having suffered twice before, and nearly causing serious harm to Zoe the night before, Lin Xiao knew all too well what trickery the exorcist was using. He was manipulating the minds of those around him. Ordinarily, his strength would not be enough to affect so many, but after his persuasive speech had lowered the crowd’s defenses and won their subconscious approval, just a nudge was all it took to ignite mass hysteria.

A dozen townsfolk pressed forward, surrounding Chief Hope. He hastily raised his hands, trying to calm the crowd. But manipulated by the exorcist, these people had nearly lost all reason, shoving and jostling the chief, intent on driving him away.

For his own safety, Chief Hope was forced to draw his pistol and fire a warning shot into the air. Normally, this would scatter a riot, but under the exorcist’s influence, the gunshot only inflamed them further. Seizing the moment, the exorcist bellowed:

“Believers, kill this policeman! He is an agent of the devil—if you kill him, we can enter paradise, we can return to the embrace of the gods!”

This incendiary call sent the situation spiraling out of control, as a dozen people lunged at Chief Hope, trying to seize his weapon and kill the defender of their town.

“No, don’t do this! Chief Hope doesn’t want to hurt anyone!” A figure burst into the crowd—it was Joey, the supermarket clerk, rushing to help as the situation unraveled. But the crowd was already beyond reason, eyes vacant, fists waving, shouting slogans like frenzied devotees. Joey was caught by two women, unable to move, forced to watch helplessly as the mob surged toward Chief Hope.

Chief Hope held his gun aloft, but dared not fire. With so many innocent civilians present, a single shot could spell disaster. Yet if he didn’t fire, he risked being overwhelmed by the frenzied mob. It was an agonizing dilemma.

The exorcist watched coldly, his aim in inciting the mob to kill the chief twofold: to bind them irrevocably to his cause, and to eliminate the town’s protection so he could preach without obstruction. As for government investigation? The law cannot punish the many, and he had ways to escape unscathed. At worst, a few scapegoats would suffer, but for the gods, their sacrifice was worthwhile.

“Deceiving the masses with evil words—your heart deserves destruction! What kind of god demands murder and sacrifice? Such a god is nothing but a devil!” A thunderous shout rang out, shaking everyone to their core. Lin Xiao strode from his car, roaring at the maddened crowd.

At the same time, he quietly activated his Purification skill with his right hand behind his back. Not only could Purification heal wounds; it could also restore consciousness, as he had proven the previous night with Zoe.

An invisible wave swept the crowd, and those caught in their frenzy were jolted awake by the Purification skill. Eyes wide with confusion, they looked around, realizing with horror the atrocity they had nearly committed.

The tide had turned. Onstage, the exorcist sensed danger. Without hesitation, he leapt from the flowerbed and sprinted away, fleeing for his life.

“Trying to escape? Let’s see if you can outrun me,” Lin Xiao called, vaulting after the exorcist. This man was a danger—if allowed to go free, he would only sow chaos elsewhere. He had to be brought to justice.