Drawn Curtain

(PS: This is a science fiction novel, science fiction novel, science fiction novel, important things must be said three times in a row, so... I will pull back a corner of this vast curtain, everyone, please follow me into this world.)

Lu Yuanming looked at the men and women in front of him. Most of them were bruised and swollen, and some were severely disabled. Lacking a nose or ears was considered mild; a few were missing arms and legs.

On the way back, some of the rescued civilians recounted their experiences with the MXG Gang. They were beaten, tortured, and raped. They were used as bait during explorations, and even more terrifyingly, they were kept as emergency food reserves...

These accounts further confirmed Lu Yuanming's actions. Those MXG Gang members were no longer human. They were merely monsters in human skin. Humans don't need a reason to kill monsters!

These people were all injured, some quite severely. Although Lu Yuanming intended to use the Colorless Light Particles to treat them immediately, his reason stopped him at the last moment.

This was not appropriate.

Call it selfish, or call it the conclusion of careful consideration.

Lu Yuanming was now a member of the Heaven on Earth Afterlife team, even the highest core and leader of this organization.

Lu Yuanming lacked social experience, but precisely because of this, he possessed some of the purest initial perceptions of youth. For example, you get what you pay for. For example, hard work can bring wealth and happiness. For example, power and obligation are equivalent... This series of seemingly correct and beautiful principles simply did not exist in the adult world, like fairy tales.

But at least now, Lu Yuanming still believed in these things. Therefore, he believed that since he had become the leader of this organization, received assistance from the organization, killed many monsters, and had a safe haven, he had an obligation to contribute his strength to the organization and to the members within it. This was the equivalence of power and obligation.

His Colorless Light Particles had many uses, and only nineteen remained. The use of any single particle could not be wasted. These civilians were not yet members of the organization. Although they were pitiful, Lu Yuanming felt he did not have the right to directly use at least four or five Colorless Light Particles to treat them... unless they joined the organization and obtained the approval of most of the organization's members.

Thus, Lu Yuanming and the others led this group of refugees towards the bank. Most of the refugees walked in a daze, their eyes vacant. A small portion carefully observed Lu Yuanming and his group, assessing this team with an abundance of weapons, even heavy firepower.

Putting that aside, Lu Yuanming and his group escorted the refugees from the warehouse area to the bank area. It took them more than eight hours. This was because the refugees walked extremely slowly, partly due to their weakened physical condition and partly due to their lack of desire to continue, as who knew if they were walking from a wolf's den into a tiger's lair?

As this group arrived at the main road outside the bank, cheers erupted from within the bank. Then, Father Edward ran out at the forefront, his agile movements enough to shame many young people. The other disciples followed closely, and then came the civilians who had already joined the organization.

There was nothing more to say. Everyone, besides cheering for Lu Yuanming's victory, also began to rescue these civilians. After receiving aid, these new civilians, who had been fearful and uneasy, gradually calmed down. It was then that some people began to weep openly, loudly recounting their tragic experiences.

Lu Yuanming then began to implement the plan he had been contemplating. In front of all the disciples and organization members, he asked if they would allow these refugees to join the organization.

This was met with almost unanimous approval, except for Charlie and his subordinate, and a few others who did not raise their hands. Everyone else directly raised their hands in agreement for these pitiful refugees to join.

This decision did not surprise Lu Yuanming. After all, compassion was in everyone's heart, so allowing them to join the organization was the right thing to do.

The real test was actually the next agenda item...

"I want to use the power of faith to help them."

Lu Yuanming continued to address all the organization members: "I still have nineteen portions of the power of faith. Everyone should know that this power of faith can be turned into bullets, or into food and fresh water, or used to save people. It is very precious."

Everyone in the organization listened quietly. The new civilians, however, listened with confusion. They heard many people addressing this Asian youth as "Lord," which made the people who had just calmed down become fearful again, their minds conjuring images of cults and live sacrifices.

Lu Yuanming continued: "To heal them completely, it is estimated to cost five to six portions of the power of faith, possibly seven or eight, or even ten... So now, all of you who call yourselves my disciples, my believers, as members of this organization, are you willing to let me use this power of faith to save them?"

Father Edward was the first to kneel. He praised loudly: "The Lord's radiance and mercy will surely spread throughout the universe, and all beings will bathe in it. These people are also the Lord's lambs. Why would the Lord hesitate? Please forgive my presumption, please, Lord, bless them."

The other disciples immediately knelt down. While they weren't fanatical like Father Edward, they had been present during Lu Yuanming's first sermon and had automatically assumed the role of disciples. Thus, they naturally followed Father Edward, who understood the Messiah best.

As for the other believers, most hesitated. Their thoughts were more complex. After witnessing the miraculous power of Lu Yuanming's Faith, their selfish desires naturally craved to monopolize this divine miracle. If that wasn't possible, they'd settle for it being distributed within the organization. But to use it on newly joined members, and so much at once? What if unexpected circumstances arose and the Faith power was completely depleted? What if they themselves suffered fatal injuries at that very moment?

Quite a few people harbored such thoughts, but they naturally couldn't voice such selfish ideas. Moreover, even the disciples had agreed, so their opinions as later believers carried little weight. Gradually, almost all members of the organization knelt down.

Lu Yuanming nodded. He pinched five Colorless Light Particles and walked towards the newly arrived populace.

The new arrivals were immediately in an uproar. They didn't know what was happening or what would happen next, but the current situation was beyond their wildest imaginations. Each of them was so nervous they wished they could flee immediately. At this moment, Lu Yuanming brought his hand down towards their location, saying, "Don't be afraid, it's alright."

Before the new populace could react, brilliant light erupted from Lu Yuanming's hand. The light lasted for at least ten seconds. When the light dimmed, the crowd of new arrivals erupted in astonishing clamor.

Those with missing limbs found they had them again. Those with scars discovered the marks had vanished. And those who were bruised and swollen felt all their pain disappear. For a moment, everyone doubted their own existence.

One person reacted most intensely and leaped up.

He was an unremarkable-looking white man in his fifties. He looked at Lu Yuanming and said, "Impossible, this is unscientific! What did you do? What was that just now? Impossible, this is absolutely impossible!!"

As he spoke, the white man even rushed towards Lu Yuanming. He was immediately pulled back by the surrounding people. Charlie even brought his subordinates to block in front of Lu Yuanming. He and his men unthinkingly raised their firearms.

The white man seemed oblivious to the firearms. Even as he was being restrained, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "What did you do? Tell me quickly, what exactly did you do!? Why did we heal? This is impossible, this is unscientific!!"

Father Edward looked at the old man with confusion. Then he suddenly called out, "Mr. Alfred?"

The white man paused and quickly looked towards Father Edward. After a few moments of recognition, he exclaimed, "Edward? Is that Father Edward!? Quick, tell me, who is he, what did he do? Why did my injuries heal? And what was that white light just now?"

Father Edward didn't answer the white man's questions immediately. He jogged to Lu Yuanming's side and immediately said to him, "Lord, his name is Alfred Austen. He is the Secretary of Homeland Security for the current President of the USA, a gentleman of profound wisdom."

After speaking, Father Edward immediately addressed Alfred, "Mr. Alfred, in the presence of the Lord, maintain your humility. This is our Lord, this is the Son of the Holy Trinity, this is the Messiah who has come at the end of days. And what the Messiah just used was the Faith power unique to Deities. In this Afterlife..."

"This is not the Afterlife!"

Alfred immediately roared. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Lu Yuanming and said, "This is not the Afterlife at all! This is the Dark Matter World! Our world is undergoing a dimensional descent from the material world into the Dark Matter World! All known scientific technology will be ineffective in this Dark Matter World. We cannot even stop this dimensional descent, let alone slow it down. So, sir, please tell me, what power are you using!!"