The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

The image of the seraphim in the pillar of light swayed slightly, its six wings outstretched, scattering an even more magnificent hymn. Its sound not only resounded within the church, but seemed to surge forth simultaneously from the beginning and the end of time:

"He who has ears, let him hear; he who has a heart, let him remember. In darkness you question the lamentations of the nations, and in doubt you seek the truth that has been there since the beginning."

“I tell you the truth, the ‘Messiah’ in this world is nothing but a shadow woven by people with words; the classics that have been woven are nothing but fragments written by our ancestors touching the hem of their clothes in the light.”

“I am before the Messiah, before the scriptures, as the first winds were before the leaves, as the springs were before the rivers.”

“Before the mountains came into being, before the world and the fields were formed, from eternity, from the beginning of time, I was established.”

Light and shadow flowed behind Him, revealing the ancient and wild land, with giant beasts walking on unnamed mountains. The ancient people sensed the spirit of all things with their hearts, rather than worshipping lifeless idols.

“You ask if Anne’s gifts come at a price? Listen to me: I give grace not as people do in their transactions.”

"People give bread and expect a full stomach in return, or clothes and expect warmth in return; but the strength I give to Anne is like the morning dew on the grass, like the sweet rain falling on the fields, not because of what she gives, but because she is worried when she sees a fire in the church, and concerned when she sees others in danger."

"This compassion, though small as a mustard seed, has the potential to grow and shelter birds in flight. The fervor in her eyes is the joy of first encountering light, like the leap of a baby upon seeing its mother:"
"If she holds fast to this mercy and is not tainted by vanity, this fire will not burn to ashes, but will become a lamp illuminating the narrow alley, enabling the bruised reed to stand upright and preventing the fading flame from going out; if she deviates from the way, this grace will dissipate like mist in the sunlight, with no one to hold her back or to criticize her."

"For my grace is not a shackle, but an invitation—an invitation to all who thirst for righteousness to drink from the rivers of living water!"

"You ask about the ruins of Iceland in the north, about the connection between that prehistoric civilization and me? Listen to me: those ruins are the dust of the past, that civilization is the smoke of yesterday. When I created heaven and earth, I inscribed the 'Tao' in all things—in the trajectory of the stars, in the growth of grass and trees, and in the souls of those prehistoric people."

“They glimpsed a trace of the ‘Tao’ and used tools to drive all things, thinking that was the whole of power. But they forgot that life and death are intertwined, and death and life are intertwined. What is possible is also impossible, and what is impossible is also possible. The shadow originates from the light, and the tool originates from the Tao. By clinging to form and implements, they have lost sight of the true master of creation.”

“The ‘miracle’ I manifested was not the turning of the mechanisms within the ruins, but rather the ‘Tao’ itself opening its eyes to the seeker, like the sun shining on those who look up. It is natural and without falsehood.”

"Those who steal relics and impersonate saints are stealing the shadow of light, yet falsely claiming to be the light itself."
"Those who monopolize technology and enslave others are craftsmen who have taken the tools but dare to presume to be gods!"

The light from the icon suddenly sharpened, like the flames of judgment: "You ask why this world is like a forest overrun by wild beasts, why the cycle of the strong preying on the weak never ends?"

"Listen to me: This is not the true form I created!"

"In the beginning of days I set righteousness as a plumb line in the hearts of men, and poured peace as oil on the earth. Then the mountains were free of wolves and jackals, and the rivers flowed without blood. Then men regarded one another as brothers, as branches of a tree."

"But then people turned away from my ways like sheep from the shepherd's hand—some wrapped their greed in robes, some smashed justice with scepters, some took lies as truth, some took killing as glory. Those who burned Nero turned out to be new tyrants; those who cried out 'divine grace' became accomplices of wolves."

"However, because it is so, it is not so; because it is not so, it is so. I tell you truly, darkness will not last long! I have been gone for thousands of years, like a shepherd temporarily leaving his flock, allowing people to distinguish truth from falsehood in trials, allowing conscience to gradually awaken from its slumber; now I have returned, and the day of judgment is near!"

“He who calls himself king and usurps my name will be brought down from his high position, but he who humbly serves and holds righteousness in his heart will be exalted. All who do evil in my name will be like chaff blown away by the wind, but all who uphold mercy will be like wheat stored in a barn. All who seek me with torches will be like a traveler seeing a lighthouse.”

"This horn is not made of bronze, but is in your heart—go and tell the blood and tears of Ceylon to those who have closed their eyes; go and tear down the lies and hypocrisy of Florence to those who are lost; go and pass on Anne's simple compassion, which comes from the people, to those who have cold hearts."

"Where your feet tread, my light will shine; whatever your mouth utters, my strength will strengthen. You are no longer alone, for you will walk with the awakening people!"

Suddenly, the suspended city of Marston in the pillar of light lit up with thousands of points of light, each point of light transforming into a small torch, surging from the streets and alleys to the square, from the church to the outside of the city, like sparks connecting to form a prairie fire, and finally converging into a torrent of light rushing towards the dark sky.

The cycle of reincarnation never ends.
But I bring the dawn of new life;

Shackles upon shackles,
But I opened up a path for J~ to open up!

Whoever follows me will not walk in the valley of the shadow of death.

All who trust in me will be freed from the cycle of slavery!
Ignite this rotten old world.

Until justice, like a great flood, overwhelms the tyrant's city.

Until peace flows like a river, filling the land with millions of ordinary people!

As the light reached its peak, the entire hall seemed to transform into a pure temple of light. The ancient statues appeared to melt and be reshaped in the pure white light, and the final words solidified into a decree imprinted on the soul, pointing towards the boy who stood quietly listening:

"The ancient gods existed before the sun and moon;"
Messiah has not yet come, but I have already lit the fire.

The firelight illuminates the wilderness, burning away the thorns of lies;
The firelight illuminates the wheat fields, awakening the slumbering people.

You asked, "Where is the road ahead?"

Not on the golden rooftops of Florence, not under the king's laws,
And among the faces of your compatriots that you see when you open your eyes,

In your conscience, which refuses to conform,

In your courage to question the darkness.

The cycle of reincarnation in this world will eventually come to an end.
Just as darkness will eventually give way to dawn;
The darkness in this world will eventually dissipate.
Just as dark clouds are eventually swept away by the winds of the people.

I will always be with you, with every seeker of freedom, as inseparable as light and shadow;

I will guide you forward, and guide all those who are burdened, as a torch illuminates the path.

Until justice, like a mighty river, sweeps away all injustice,
Until peace is as solid as a city wall, protecting all the humble;
Until this world is filled with true light...

Sarah in the pillar of light nodded slightly, her emerald wings shaking off the last speck of light. Marston in the air gradually faded away, leaving only a wisp of fragrance lingering at Caesar's nose.

The church space gradually returned to its original state; the dome was no longer as high and distant as the sky, and the walls returned to their original positions.

But Caesar felt that the world before him seemed brighter than before—not in terms of light, but in terms of his heart.

He looked at the "Messiah Shepherd" statue behind the altar and spoke softly, his tone no longer entirely wary, but with a touch of complex emotion: "I only hope that my sister can live a happy life... I've never thought about being a hero."

"I am just a knight, a failed knight."

"But how can one live a truly happy life in a corrupt and dark old world? When the whole forest is burning, filled with smoke and fire, where can one find a corner to remain unscathed?"

"The Great Learning teaches us to manifest our bright virtue, to love the people, and to abide in perfect goodness. Knowing where to rest, we can then be resolute; being resolute, we can then be calm; being calm, we can then be at peace; being at peace, we can then deliberate; deliberating, we can then attain..."

He suddenly remembered the old man who recited Eastern classics as he faced death four years ago in the burning Ceylon palace.

His pope father once said that if there really is a God in this world, he might favor those Easterners, and those Easterners with pagan beliefs might be the descendants of "God," so the West must take the lead in attacking and conquering them.

Having witnessed this divine manifestation firsthand, the power I felt from the "divine oracle"—a power that transcends narrow sectarian boundaries and directly touches the heart—truly resonates with Eastern philosophy in a subtle way...

He bowed slightly before the empty church, offering a simple yet solemn salute, before pushing open the oak door: "If this is truly your guidance... I will try to find that light."

The wind and rain seemed to have subsided a bit, and the crisp, cool air filled my lungs.

Under the cherry tree in the courtyard, Anne, clutching the hem of her skirt, waited anxiously. Seeing him emerge, her eyes lit up with hope, and she hurried to meet him. Caesar looked at her and gave a very faint smile: "Let's go. We have many people to see and many things to do." ...

"That's quite inflammatory!"

Xia Mi clapped her hands, indicating that she was thoroughly enjoying watching. She then pulled out a bag of snacks from somewhere and was happily munching on them.

"I was starting to believe it as I listened!"

"'Justice is like a mighty river,' 'Peace is as solid as a city wall,' wow, what a grand and enticing promise."

Maria of the Stars then spoke up: "However, it is just a purely grand narrative. Although the performance is stunning, its true value is far less than that of 'My Struggle' in Germany at that time."

"It did not identify any specific enemy, proposed a feasible organizational structure, or provide short-term, medium-term, or long-term goals and plans. What it ignited may have been nothing more than empty enthusiasm."

"These words alone cannot shatter the golden thrones of those old foxes in Florence, nor can they stop the repeating muskets of the Crusader Guard."

Xia Mi added, "This Caesar's current physical condition is only at the level of an ordinary person, and he even has a congenital heart disease. He is in a state of being corrupted by dragon blood. How can he be a 'pioneer of the people'?"

"I'm afraid we'll become martyrs before we even get to be pioneers... We can't just stay behind the scenes and act as 'angels' to give him a cheat code, can we?"

When a super-evolutionary transformation is stuck midway, the individual is often weaker than in normal circumstances.

"You're both right."

Zhao Qing nodded:

"Therefore, I didn't actually have high expectations for Caesar. The title of 'pioneer' is just an exaggeration and a way of praising him. After all, he was a guilty executioner. Although he was underage during the Ceylon War and was semi-forced into it, he was still a 'tool' and a useful 'knife' of the Papal States, but he still couldn't choose to forgive and pardon the dead."

She shifted her tone, her voice revealing a cold pragmatism: "This is more of a exploitation than an education."

"Lacizer's participation in this 'holy war' against the rebels is not because of his personal abilities or his deep understanding of the Papal States and the mobile armor system, but because I intend to investigate and study the situation that happened to him in detail, and to delve into the underlying principles and comprehend the Way of Heaven."

"In a different world where you can only stay for ten days at most, there's no need to be too troubled by moral considerations. Compared to the lives of billions of people facing imminent doomsday on the other side, this kind of exploitation is completely acceptable and a necessary price to pay..."

"First, show your divine power for a few days, and once the news spreads, send a knightly order westward to destroy the Papal States' main force and capture Emerald City and Constantinople. Is that so difficult to do? With a 'just cause' and the advantage of 'divine grace' in battle, the number of believers who come with the wind and follow will only increase."

"The Knights?"

Xia Mi asked, "Are you planning to open a production line?"

For over a century, in the world of Elop, "knight" has become the exclusive title for pilots of mobile armor, and the old-fashioned armored cavalry are now relics in museums.

She warily refused, saying, "Please! Even the obsolete version of this thing is far more complex than early tanks, involving many industries such as metallurgy, precision machining, neural connections, and mercury purification. The entire production line is enormous, not to mention the current main models and the 'Blazing Armor'."

"If we can't set up a proper production line, we'll have to hand-knead everything, but that's too much work! I strongly oppose it! I'd rather do it myself and make sure it's done without leaving a trace!"

The Royal Academy of Mechanical Engineering in Marston displays a massive mechanical cross-section of the God's Wrath II, showing over 4.5 parts. This was equipment from the Yenisei Empire over forty years ago, two generations behind the mainstays of various countries today—Xia Mi had clearly been familiar with this information, and her eyes lit up.

The same world appears differently to different observers. The AI ​​version of Fingel has long been kept out and cannot enter. The mirror puppet and porcelain puppet have limited functions, so she still has to do a lot of work. Therefore, Xia Mi is quite unwilling.

"Who says the Knights have to use equipment they manufacture themselves?"

Zhao Qing smiled slightly: "Isn't the 'Iron Pope's' chariot, the 'Avalon Ship,' currently parked in the camp outside Marston City? Coupled with a series of resource mobilizations and the imposition of martial law, it can be inferred that the Papal States are serious this time, and their target is definitely not just a neutral small principality."

"Then, the 'Seraphim Knights,' which symbolizes the Papal States' military might and is the world's number one, will most likely also mobilize, at least a portion of their main force, and assemble in the vicinity..."

"After a while, we can just 'receive' the existing equipment, and then do a few modifications and upgrades, right?"

Thirty years ago, the three-power core Blazing Iron Cavalry Type III already had a power output of 6000 horsepower, and the current Blazing Iron Cavalry Type IV will only be higher. Using this platform, it is easy to carry some advanced weapon systems that are ahead of their time, such as high-frequency vibrating blades, micro turbojet flight engines, and plasma cannons.

"I can't wait!"

Xia Mi agreed, "Let me think about it carefully. Why don't we try out the two God's Wrath IIs in the academy first? Let's get familiar with their internal structure."

……

The warehouse next to the school building, Caesar's humble dwelling.

The chestnut-haired girl crouched below the slanted window, watching her brother slowly climb down from the roof: "Happy birthday!"

Because of the citywide curfew, the doors to the school buildings and warehouses are locked tonight, and people can only enter and exit through the windows.

"Birthday?" The cautious excitement made Caesar feel as if he were in another world. His sister's most ordinary yet warm greeting, this sense of ritual that she was trying to maintain amidst poverty and turmoil, suddenly pulled him back to the real, mundane world.

Caesar paused slightly, then remembered that according to the conventional calendar, today was indeed his nominal birthday. But in exile and struggle, such rituals had long been forgotten. Adele, however, still remembered.

"I worry about you."

Adele grabbed his arm, her large, rose-red eyes filled with concern: "Senior Annie came looking for you earlier, and she seemed strange... and then you went out with her and haven't come back for so long. I heard her say there seemed to be a strange light coming from the church..."

Caesar felt a warmth mixed with a pang of sadness. In this world, perhaps only Adele would care for him so unconditionally.

He ruffled his sister's hair, his tone softening: "I'm fine, I just... went to listen to a... very interesting sermon."

"Preaching?" Adele tilted her head, clearly not believing it.

She knew her brother well; he was more interested in mechanical drawings than in theology classes.

"Ah."

Caesar didn't explain much, he put his arm around his sister's shoulder: "A sermon about...how to make the world a little better."

He paused, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps responding to the grand voice and the promises and visions he had held in his heart:
"It's difficult, but... it might be worth a try."

……

It was still raining in the early morning.

In some parts of the campus, the floodwaters were knee-deep. (End of Chapter)