Request

Ron looked at Bishop Dony cautiously. "Bishop, if there's something you need, just say it."

Bishop Dony's manner grew even more enthusiastic. "Governor, the God-Emperor Statue needs to be restored. The church lacks the manpower and materials to complete the work. We need your help..."

The God-Emperor Statue had been damaged by heretics, yet the church was incapable of restoring it.

He felt deeply ashamed of this. What a terrible desecration!

Restoring the hundred-meter-tall God-Emperor Statue required vast amounts of manpower and resources.

But the entire Upper Hive was currently in an extremely difficult period. Supplies of all kinds, even food, were running dangerously low.

At a time like this, no one in power had any interest in worrying about such a thankless undertaking.

The church had previously asked the Palatine District for help several times, only to be refused every time.

The church could do nothing about it.

Under the effects of the Warp Storm, the Astronomican of the Goli Sector had gone dark.

The God-Emperor's radiance could no longer reach Earth Planet, and the church's authority had vanished entirely.

Now, whoever had the bigger fist called the shots.

"Restore the Holy Icon?"

Ron frowned. He was not a fanatic and could not understand Bishop Dony's persistence.

Besides, the Palatine District was in terrible condition. He could not waste large amounts of manpower and resources on such a cosmetic project.

He opened his mouth to refuse. "Sorry, the Palatine District cannot..."

"Governor!"

Bishop Dony seized Ron's hand, his words earnest, afraid that Ron would refuse him again.

"I know this is a difficult task, but the darker the times, the more believers need the God-Emperor's guidance!"

Hearing those words, Ron seemed to seize upon a flash of inspiration. A way to dispel the people's despair was within reach!

"What did you say?"

Ron grabbed Bishop Dony's hand. "Please repeat what you just said..."

"Faith protects all people, and all living beings yearn for salvation!"

Bishop Dony looked resolute. "Only the God-Emperor's radiance can dispel the darkness before us!"

Those words were like lightning, instantly tearing through the fog in Ron's mind!

He had found a solution to the problem!

He would use the power of faith to overcome despair!

As a modern man who had not endured hardship as his ancestors had, Ron had always overlooked the power of faith.

In Warhammer 40K, faith was something that could never be ignored.

It could be said that worship of and faith in the God-Emperor were the true foundation of the Imperium.

The more desperate the times, the more people needed faith to support them.

Otherwise, the people would soon sink into despair and throw themselves into the arms of the Dark Gods.

"Governor?"

Seeing Ron standing there in a daze without responding, Bishop Dony reminded him anxiously.

Ron came back to his senses. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he nodded and agreed to the request.

"The Palatine District will fully support the restoration of the Holy Icon. Once it is restored, Sacred Plaza will be opened completely so that everyone may behold the great God-Emperor!"

The God-Emperor Statue would not merely be repaired—it would undergo a grand restoration!

He would gather all the manpower and resources of the Palatine District to create a "miracle."

Then, he would appear before his subjects as the one chosen by the God-Emperor, the Savior of Earth Planet, and reignite the hope in their hearts!

This was only the general direction. The specifics still required careful planning.

"Governor, the God-Emperor will protect you!"

Bishop Dony was overjoyed when he saw Ron agree to restore the Holy Icon.

He pulled Ron along again and gave him several blessing prayers of the Great God-Emperor. Some of those prayers were said to improve performance in that regard.

The church really knew how to have fun!

All that could be said was that they were professionals when it came to winning over believers.

Ron needed such abilities too. His subsequent plans would all require this Bishop's cooperation.

The question was how to bring him into his own camp.

That would not be easy.

Ecclesiarchy Priests were independent, and in terms of legitimacy and sanctity, they stood above local governing bodies.

Under normal circumstances, Chaplains were only interested in spreading faith in the God-Emperor and building enormous churches to worship the all-knowing, all-powerful Great God-Emperor.

They would not interfere with local rulers unless those rulers were insufficiently loyal to the God-Emperor and affected the spread of faith.

Loyalty that was not absolute was absolute disloyalty!

Disloyalty?

That meant heresy. At such times, the Chaplains would judge them directly in the God-Emperor's name!

Of course, that was only when the church possessed powerful armed forces.

If the ruler truly was a heretic who believed in the Dark Gods and had received blessings granting enough strength to resist the church,

then the church's Chaplains would be made into inverted crosses and hanged beneath the shattered God-Emperor Statue.

All to desecrate the God-Emperor.

In short, these Chaplains were rather fanatical and difficult to win over.

Winning Bishop Dony over would require a long-term plan.

In any case, he had already agreed to restore the Holy Icon. There would be plenty of opportunities for contact in the future, so he could take his time figuring it out.

Ron wore a smile. This trip to the church had been highly fruitful. Not only had it dispelled Bayev and the others' doubts and confirmed his identity,

but it had also given him a way to dispel the people's despair and rekindle their hope.

With the matter settled, Ron said goodbye to Bishop Dony.

Bishop Dony personally escorted Ron's group to the church entrance. Before they left, he stuffed several bottles of valuable high-grade Holy Water into Ron's hands as gifts.

"Bishop, once the restoration plan for the Holy Icon has been finalized, I'll come discuss it with you again."

Ron could barely withstand Bishop Dony's enthusiasm and fled into the Hover Car as though escaping.

"The church looks forward to your arrival," Bishop Dony said sincerely.

He watched Ron's group's Hover Car start up and head toward the Spire of the Palatine District until it became a black dot.

Bishop Dony stood there rigidly, the smile gradually fading from his face.

Looking at the empty church square, he felt exhausted. "God-Emperor, your loyal believer begs for your guidance. What should I do?"

Ever since that terrible Warp Storm occurred, the church of Earth Planet had completely lost contact with the Holy Land.

Even the symbol of the Great God-Emperor's radiance had gone dark!

Then came the heretical cultists. They had dared to desecrate the Holy Icon, leaving the church's Chaplains dead and wounded in great numbers, nearly wiping them out.

He could vaguely sense that darkness had already engulfed this world.

Some indescribable, terrifying thing was brewing. It was slowly devouring the life of Earth Planet, seeking to steal away its last hope!

During these past days, he had prayed countless times, yet received not the slightest response.

Did he still have a chance to rebuild the church?

Did the believers of Earth Planet still have a future?

Had the God-Emperor truly abandoned them?

Such thoughts sometimes surfaced in Bishop Dony's heart, but these terrible notions were swiftly extinguished.

What a blasphemous thought!

To question was to betray. Only the God-Emperor was the sole shelter and protector of all living beings!

He would never abandon His loyal servants!

After letting out a long breath, Bishop Dony strengthened his resolve. His hawk-like eyes became sharp once more, gleaming with determination.

He would fight the darkness to the end and give everything for the God-Emperor!

Bishop Dony turned and climbed the high steps, the Cherub floating behind him as it sang hymns praising the God-Emperor...