"How was the Great Father's gift?"
Cassilius asked with a beaming smile, looking at the white tycoon before him. In return for the help the man had given him, Cassilius had provided a little assistance of his own.
"It's incredible! Is this the Great Father's power? It's so much stronger than that damned Yahweh!"
The white tycoon, his face glowing, stared at his healthy body in disbelief. He paused and took a deep breath, as if savoring the vitality surging through him.
"Mr. Cassilius, I've never felt so clearheaded. It's as if every inch of my skin, every bone in my body, is celebrating its rebirth."
He paced slowly around the room, each step light and powerful.
"I told you, the Great Father would never disappoint His devoted followers."
Looking at the white tycoon now, Cassilius breathed a sigh of relief.
Honestly, he'd worried that the tycoon's reasons for joining the church weren't pure, and that he wouldn't be "devout" enough. If so, the transformation might fail, turning him into a mindless monster.
Fortunately, it had succeeded. He could change into the form of a Deep One at will, rather than being forced to remain that way.
That saved Cassilius the trouble of killing him. Besides, the cleanup would have been a real headache.
Rich people were all schemers. If Cassilius killed the man here, the trouble afterward would be difficult to handle. He might even have to grab a bucket and run.
The white tycoon's eyes gleamed with fervor, as if he could see a whole new world opening its doors to him.
"High Priest, how can I better serve the Great Father? I'm willing to give everything I have—my wealth, my influence, even my life!"
Cassilius smiled faintly. People always said things like that, but how much they were actually willing to give was another matter.
Still, the man had already undergone the transformation and come aboard. It wouldn't be so easy to get off now.
Given a few more days, he'd eventually offer up everything of his own accord.
"It's quite simple. There don't seem to be many followers in this country, and His light has yet to shine upon this land. We need more brothers and sisters to welcome the Great Father's blessings together."
Cassilius's voice was gentle and persuasive.
"You've witnessed His power. Now it's time to spread it to more people. We need you to use your wealth and influence to build more temples for the Great Father and organize more prayer gatherings, so more people can experience His mercy and greatness."
Oh, I get it. He just wants me to preach.
That was exactly what the white tycoon had been thinking. The Church of Dagon was still in its early stages, and he had received a blessing early on. That was a rare honor within the church.
That meant he was sure to be one of its higher-ups.
In that case, expanding the church would also help increase his influence. Perhaps he could even rise another rung.
As for whether the church could expand?
Of course it could. With wonders like these, how could they possibly fail to attract followers?
If his business partners found out about the Church of Dagon's blessings, wouldn't they be scrambling to join with their wallets open?
It was a shame the Red Hulk had refused to cooperate, rejecting the envoys they'd sent to introduce him to the Blood God.
Otherwise, they'd already be an honored presence in this country. They wouldn't be wandering the wilderness, let alone facing a crackdown.
Now that they had the Church of Dagon, they didn't need the Red Hulk anymore.
They'd still have to be careful about dealing with him, though. If they angered the Blood God, the consequences might be more than they could handle.
"High Priest, I'd be happy to spread the Great Father's light across this land. But first, we need a detailed plan to make sure every step is steady and effective."
As he spoke, a sly smile appeared at the corner of the white tycoon's mouth.
The High Priest had been the one to bring him into the fold, but if he wasn't up to the task and his plan wasn't good enough...
Then perhaps the church's High Priest didn't have to be him forever. In this world, the capable rose and the mediocre fell. The tycoon could always take over the position himself, if reluctantly. Surely God wouldn't mind who served Him?
As an archmage well versed in human nature, Cassilius saw through the white tycoon's little scheme at once.
Still, he didn't mind.
If the tycoon could serve the Great Father better by taking the position, Cassilius wouldn't object to stepping aside.
The only issue was that the church had just been founded, and its followers weren't yet devout enough. For now, the church simply couldn't do without his leadership.
"That's exactly the plan I've been preparing. First, after the government agency came knocking this time, I think our church should avoid expanding too openly for now. It would be best to secretly establish a few temples and recruit loyal followers through underground networks, spreading our faith on a small scale at first.
"Then, we can use your charity foundation and social circle to hold a series of public service events. On the surface, they'll serve the community; behind the scenes, we'll gradually introduce our doctrines and draw more people's interest.
"At the same time, we'll organize a series of mysterious rituals and prayer gatherings to display the miracles bestowed by the Great Father, such as healing illnesses and increasing strength. These will be powerful ways to attract followers.
"Of course, all of this must be carefully planned. We need to draw public attention while avoiding unnecessary suspicion and hostility."
The earlier attack by the government agents had taught Cassilius a sufficiently harsh lesson. It wasn't that they couldn't fight back, and they'd managed to use official power to stop the attack.
But the government wasn't theirs to command—not yet, at least.
To avoid provoking the sensitive nerves of another faction within the government, Cassilius thought it best to keep a low profile.
One public church was enough. Any further expansion should be carried out in secret, at least for now.
The white tycoon, however, clearly had other ideas about this cautious plan.
"Your Excellency, High Priest, I think you're being far too conservative."
Confidence and ambition gleamed in the white tycoon's eyes as he leaned forward slightly.
"You don't understand this country well enough. Preaching in secret may be safe, but this is the good ol' U.S. of A. With an approach this cautious, who knows how long it'll take us to grow?"
Besides, America's full of people in cults. One more church won't make any difference.
The white tycoon added the thought silently, then felt a little uneasy.
Great Father, I'm not blaspheming against You. You're the one true God.
"Anyway, we don't need to be so cautious."
The white tycoon patted Cassilius on the shoulder.
"Nobody understands America better than me!"