American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

"With an extraordinary disaster causing tens of thousands of casualties followed by this dramatic turn of events, his re-election is definitely off. Under these circumstances, we still need to offer some necessary support."

Although his words were polite on the surface, they revealed an air of superiority that came as a matter of course. It was as if, in his eyes, the loss of countless lives was nothing more than a speck of dust, and that the head of state was no different from an ordinary government clerk.

His companion was even more blunt: "What do a few casualties matter? You should know what Centria represents."

Why did everyone go to such great lengths to preserve it for research back then?

Because it is a unique and precious case of divinity contained in a human body! It is the eternal miracle we have always sought! How can we allow it to be destroyed!

You're only in your seventies, you can wait, but my age... my body has already developed resistance to conventional life-extending methods! Cough cough..."

Seemingly getting emotional, he clutched his chest with a withered hand, veins bulging, and began to cough violently.

A slender, crystal-clear bottle was presented. Trembling, he pried open the silver stopper engraved with magical patterns, and poured the blood-red liquid down his throat, instantly suppressing his heavy breathing. A touch more color appeared on his aged hands.

The immediate results are enticing, provided one has a hard and cold heart to ignore the numb or wailing souls of children scattered around.

Seeing that an argument was about to break out, someone quickly tried to smooth things over:

"Everyone, please don't get excited. I have a suggestion—let's just use that trump card. Anyway, it has drawn a lot of power from the Giant in the Forest in recent years, so it should be able to make a move from a distance."

He then offered another solution: "Isn't the church going to gather a coalition to attack? We can let them lead the charge first, and when we find the right opportunity, we can try to capture the target alive. Even if we fail, we won't suffer any losses, right?"

A moment of silence fell, followed by a flurry of quiet discussion, and soon a consensus was reached.

“Great idea, I agree.”

"Seconded!"

"I agree."

The figure at the head of the round table glanced around, then took a satisfied sip of fragrant tea.

"I'd like to remind you one more thing: don't forget to cover the packaging as before, and make sure to keep it confidential."

He sneered arrogantly, "The glory of eliminating evil can be given to God's faithful servants, while worldly gains can be enjoyed by us mortals."

This smug joke marked the end of today's conspiracy.

……

……

The old Chinatown theater in San Francisco was built during the early Gold Rush.

The immigrants from the East who traveled across the oceans transformed their longing for their homeland into the flying eaves, brackets, and green tiles, creating a unique and exotic landscape on this new land.

However, times have changed. The once spacious and grand building has weathered more than a hundred years of storms and, despite repeated renovations, has gradually become cramped and narrow in the face of modern social changes.

Therefore, it has long been stripped of its original practical function over the decades and transformed into a first-class cultural and art museum, allowing tourists to occasionally come and admire the development history of this famous western city.

Today, however, it's as if time has turned back, and the place has regained its former bustling atmosphere.

Inside the theater lobby, a huge electronic screen replaced the curtain, projecting a detailed map. The audience was bustling with people, each exuding a powerful and capable aura.

The Chinese Businessmen Association, under the command of the Federation of Chinese Associations, brought together all sorts of people, dressed in a mix of casual and Western attire, cloth shoes and leather boots, carrying knives and swords, with guns and ammunition at their waists, their attire a blend of ancient and modern styles.

"Team One will arrive at the designated location within 24 hours to assist officials in evacuating local residents..."

"Team Two will establish a flexible defensive line in the designated area to intercept any stray enemy units that may infiltrate..."

"Group Three, as the mobile force, will stand by with you council members at any time..."

Orders were issued in an orderly manner, and the crowd quickly received them and left. There was no wasted words, and the efficiency was impressive. To outsiders, it was awe-inspiring and truly a formidable force among the common people in the New World.

But to those who knew the inside story, they only felt...

"It felt like a lot of noise but little action."

In a private room on the second floor, Zhu Mingyao looked at the bustling scene outside and chewed on his tongue between his teeth:

"Is this all the preparation they've made? If the information we've received is accurate, with these measures alone, let alone a counterattack, they'll probably struggle to even defend and hold off the enemy."

He was puzzled. The chamber of commerce had been rooted in the local area for many years and had a large business base. There were many suitable places to gather people, but they had to hold it in a semi-public place, making it look like a rally. It was really a bit too extravagant.

However, based on what I saw after returning, the organization was indeed making contingency plans seriously. Disciples from aristocratic families like Bai Ziyuan were recalled to pack their belongings as soon as they got off the plane, and all these signs showed that it was not just empty talk.

His question didn't last long before the answerer appeared before him.

"It's very simple. We are not the main force, or to be precise, we cannot be the main force, but we must act as if we are, so as to set an example for the other recruits."

"What a mess..."

Compared to Lai Hengli, who should be on the front lines at the moment, suddenly appearing by his side and acting like a riddle-maker made Zhu Mingyao even more resentful.

But the next moment his attention was drawn to what the other person took out.

It was a delicate rectangular, thin, silver-white metal plate, with Gothic Latin letters neatly and meticulously arranged around it, and a dim pattern in the center that was almost indistinguishable.

It's like... a page of a book?

"Your master and I have communicated; he has an important mission for you!"

Chapter 404 Mission 2

"I have a task... Excuse me, I should say I have a request!"

The speaker, realizing his rudeness, hastily corrected himself.

The listener, however, seemed completely unconcerned. Although their interactions were limited, given their social standing, such a basic slip of the tongue could only mean one thing:

Her heart was in turmoil.

"Please speak frankly!"

A lifetime of integrity and righteousness in vanquishing evil is the best guarantee; the man believes that the other party's request is not out of selfish desire.

Dark blue mountains and deep valleys rise and fall as far as the eye can see, with exposed sedimentary rocks resembling muscle textures at their boundaries. They resemble sleeping giants from an ancient epic lying on the ground, silent and solemn.

Due to the altitude, the gentle spring breeze from outside still carries a frosty chill here, whistling past with the lingering effects of late winter, causing the old nun's clothes to flutter.

She glanced at the clergy who were busily setting up observation points in the distance, as if she had made up her mind. A blue and white glow flashed on the back of her hand, and a subtle power shut out all sight and hearing.

"The truth of the world is like the root of a plant that has lost its branches and leaves. Before you dig it out, you don't know if it is a sweet potato or a deadly mandrake."

“Judging from your attitude, it most likely belongs to the latter.” Henry Lai’s expression became more serious.

“That’s absolutely right,” Aunt Eileen sighed wearily.

"The problem is that the root is too toxic, so much so that the church could not bear it. Back then, they were willing to agree to many conditions from federal bureaucrats in order to deal with it quickly and then bury it permanently."

The stiff, sluggish movement of the rose quartz rosary between the fingers reveals the owner's bad mood.

"Beneath the town of Centria lies a rich coal mine. A cult that worships demons has secretly taken up residence here. After a long period of planning, they ignited the mine and summoned a projection of hell by sacrificing countless lives. This is the official account."

Sister Irene gave a bitter smile. "But do you know what the original name of that cult was?"

Without any pretense, she stated the answer directly:

"Albirex!"

Henry Lai pondered for a moment, then a look of surprise appeared on his face.

In his youth, he cultivated himself by learning from various schools of thought, including the mystical knowledge of both Eastern and Western traditions. In a short time, he recalled the origin of the term.

The Albigensians were a branch of the Catholic Cathars in France, named after Alby, France, where they were mainly active. They were popular in the 12th and 13th centuries, attracting everyone from lords and nobles to knights and commoners.

This school of thought believes that the human soul was originally pure, but was later expelled from heaven for opposing God, which caused the human soul to combine with matter, and from then on the spirit was imprisoned in the body.

Out of compassion, Christ came to earth and told souls that only after they were freed from material possessions could they return to heaven, where reading the Bible, collective reflection, doing good, and abstinence were the means to achieve this goal.

Therefore, this sect of believers lived an extremely simple and austere life, and frequently condemned the extravagance and luxury of the Roman Catholic Church, which greatly annoyed the Holy City.

If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad. The Christian system has many branches, and different interpretations of the scriptures are commonplace. You can live a simple life of asceticism behind closed doors, as long as you don't owe your superiors tithes, everyone will turn a blind eye, and no one will be so bored as to interfere.

The problem was that they were too convinced of their own theories, and they actually publicly denounced church institutions and their bishops, priests, and monks, claiming that they were all fallen men tempted by the devil, and that the rituals they performed and the indulgences they sold were all useless scams.

Reversing the Heavenly Stems and cutting off people's livelihoods was like stirring up a hornet's nest. The iron fist of punishment descended instantly and bombarded them for two or three decades. The Knights' Crusades swept through the land, leaving half of France devastated. The ban and extermination were carried out in one fell swoop, forcing them to go underground and never daring to show their faces again.

In short—a die-hard heretic!

"So the swift action was to keep the family scandal from being aired in public, right?"

Henry Lai understood perfectly that even though the Albedo were historically considered heretical, they were still Catholics and not evil sects, and their doctrines were in line with current moral standards.

After centuries of lingering on, the sectarian factions have dwindled to just a handful. Coupled with the significant decline of religious power in modern society, it is precisely the time when the church needs to stabilize its core membership. Therefore, the church has long since secretly reconciled with a number of more moderate smaller sects, including itself.

As long as we are willing to acknowledge our ancestors and nominally obey the leadership of the Holy City, we are still one family.

But who could have imagined that they would secretly pull off such a huge operation! If the culprits are exposed, the Vatican will be unable to shake off the blame, and its rivals, such as Protestants, will launch a media offensive to kick them while they're down. It will be difficult for the Vatican to recover from this hurdle even after decades of reformation.

Somewhat surprisingly, Sister Irene nodded, then shook her head.

"Maintaining an image was only half the reason that forced such a huge sacrifice to break the seal; the other half was...profit."

With his pure black sleeves lifted, an abstract mark resembling a rune or a badge appeared faintly on the old man's wrist, radiating a holy and radiant glow.

They were two golden cups facing each other, with a stream of clear water flowing back and forth between them, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither fast nor slow, without ever overstepping its bounds.

"Everyone knows that the Catholic Church possesses two stigmata. One is the Temperance I possess, but what about the other?"

"It is [purity]!"

Henry Lai slowly opened his mouth and told her the unspeakable truth.

The key clues connected a lot of information, and the answer in his mind gradually became complete.

"The Albigensians are also known as the Purityists, and their core doctrine is 'purity'!"

Gazing at the shimmering petals of the Virgin Mary within the crystal, he was deeply moved, even though he had anticipated it.

The other stigma holder besides Aunt Eileen has always been extremely mysterious. I thought it was a trick by the church to hide its trump cards, but who would have thought it was like this.

The old nun said somberly, "The one who possesses the [Purity] mark is a living saint of the Albi sect, and is the core of the summoning of the prototype of Hell."

While the major scandal involving his sect was certainly a headache, the downfall of a top-tier fighter was even more heartbreaking.

"Do you want to retrieve the stigmata? The Church has plenty of capable people; why do we need outsiders' help?" Henry stroked his beard and pondered.

He oversaw intelligence work at the Chamber of Commerce and knew many secrets. Although the existence of the Holy Mark was basically due to innate awakening, the Holy See had its own secret methods to preserve it, and there was a chance that it could be transferred to others after the holder's death.

This is equivalent to a top-tier heirloom, worth the risk and the huge expense.

Aunt Eileen glanced sideways at the dark world beyond the thick fog, her expression calm yet complex.

She struggled to say, word by word: