Alfred

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Alfred Austen (阿尔弗雷德)
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Heaven on Earth Afterlife organization; formerly the U.S. government
Occupation/Role	Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security; deputy leader, organizational administrator, and agricultural overseer
Status	Active
First Appearance	20

Background / History

Alfred was a high-ranking U.S. official and served as Secretary of Homeland Security under the then-current president. He came from a political family and describes politics, organizational management, public opinion, and personnel affairs as instincts developed over a lifetime. He is also a “Z Country Expert,” having studied the country as part of U.S. political preparation for its anticipated rise 22 23.

Before the wider Dark Matter crisis, Alfred was involved in or informed by U.S. dark-matter research centered on a secret underground New York base. The project initially sought to investigate souls, consciousness, and immortality; wealthy backers and government figures invested heavily after researchers confirmed that dark matter could support the existence of souls 21 27.

He witnessed the consequences of the resulting dimensional crisis. Alfred recounts that more than 500,000 personnel were sent into the Dark Matter World under the “Artificial Paradise” plan, but external exploration led to a disaster in which the explorers, the personnel, and the forward base effectively vanished 27.

Appearance

Alfred is an unremarkable-looking white man in his fifties 20.

• Often addressed formally as Mr. Alfred.
• His normally composed demeanor can collapse into visible distress when confronting evidence that overturns his scientific understanding, including bloodshot eyes, shouting, tears, and panic 20 21.

Personality

Alfred is pragmatic, analytical, and intensely focused on humanity’s long-term survival. Although he is a devout Puritan who attends church weekly, he previously understood gods and faith as spiritually and socially meaningful rather than literal supernatural forces. Lu Yuanming’s healing power forces him to revise that worldview 21.

He is blunt about human nature, political conflict, and the weaknesses of an unstructured survivor group. Rather than treating Lu Yuanming’s followers as a functioning organization, Alfred calls them “a pile of loose sand” until they have hierarchy, logistics, discipline, military organization, and a shared foundation 22.

Despite his cynicism, Alfred recognizes Lu Yuanming’s sincerity and chooses to commit himself to him. He believes Lu Yuanming can become the leader needed to guide humanity through the coming collapse, while Alfred handles the institutional work that Lu Yuanming lacks the experience to perform 22 23.

Abilities & Skills

Political and Organizational Administration

Alfred rapidly converts Lu Yuanming’s loosely assembled followers into a structured organization.

• Establishes departmental hierarchy from ministers down to staff and hired clerks 23.
• Divides the military into a standing defense force and guards, assigning Peter Gale, Charlie Luce, and their personnel accordingly 23.
• Creates systems for offices, appointments, military rank, promotion, and command authority 23.
• Places Father Edward over religious affairs, Martha over diplomacy and refugee intake, Cthulhu over logistics and law, Ang over repairs and science, and Tom over integrity and intelligence 23.
• Preserves Lu Yuanming’s authority to appoint or dismiss officials, command the military, and initiate or end wars 23.

Dark Matter Knowledge

Alfred possesses extensive knowledge from pre-collapse research and prior exploration of the Dark Matter World.

• Explains that dark matter interacts with consciousness and allows souls to exist near it 21.
• Warns that only sentient life can normally undergo Dark Matter Transformation; ordinary Earth plants cannot, making cultivated crops vital 22.
• Warns that consuming monster flesh can transform humans into monsters or worse 22.
• Shares the predicted timetable: New York’s collapse within roughly nine months to a year, followed by humanity’s complete dimensional descent in about three years 22.
• Reveals the existence of Civilization Tombs and the possible remains of an advanced civilization associated with Mars 22 27.
• Warns Lu Yuanming that the wilderness beyond New York contains threats far more dangerous than the city’s ordinary monsters 27.

Agriculture and Logistics

Alfred treats food production as the organization’s foremost strategic resource.

• Recognizes potatoes as humanity’s essential source of hope in the Dark Matter World 22.
• Personally oversees farmland expansion in Central Park and spends much of his time on cultivation work 23 27.
• Directs the extensive conversion of Lu Yuanming’s Colorless Light Particles into potatoes, prioritizing food production over ammunition whenever possible 24.

Relationships

• Lu Yuanming — Deputy leader and self-declared disciple. Alfred begins as a skeptic, then pledges to dedicate himself to Lu Yuanming and build the organization supporting him 20 23.
• Father Edward — Old friend of more than thirty years. Their long-running disagreements over faith continue after their reunion, but they cooperate closely within Lu Yuanming’s organization 21 23.
• Tang Zhean — A scientist Alfred recognizes from the U.S. government’s past operations. Alfred arranges his transfer to the inner base, while acknowledging that Tang has reason to resent the organization Alfred once belonged to 29 30.
• Charlie Luce — Works with Alfred during the reorganization of the group; Alfred appoints Charlie captain of the guards 23.
• Peter Gale — Assigned to the standing defense force under Alfred’s military framework 23.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arrival and Revelation

Alfred is among the civilians rescued from the MXG Gang. After Lu Yuanming heals the injured with Faith Power, Alfred reacts with disbelief and demands a scientific explanation. He identifies their environment not as an afterlife, but as the Dark Matter World, where Earth is undergoing dimensional descent 20.

Explaining the Crisis

After accepting that Lu Yuanming’s abilities are genuine, Alfred reveals the history of dark-matter research, the interaction between dark matter and souls, and his interpretation of the Fermi Paradox: civilizations may be dragged into the Dark Matter World and eventually extinguished 21.

He further explains the food crisis, the danger of monster flesh, the importance of crops, the possible Martian Civilization Tomb, and the countdown to humanity’s descent. Concluding that Lu Yuanming needs more than devoted followers, Alfred kneels and requests to become his disciple 22.

Deputy Leader and Builder of the Organization

Lu Yuanming accepts Alfred as a disciple and deputy leader. Alfred establishes the organization’s military, civil, religious, logistical, agricultural, diplomatic, and intelligence structures, while defining Lu Yuanming as its ultimate political and military authority 23.

He also champions the adoption of Chinese as the organization’s official language and Chinese characters as its official script, while arguing that all human languages and writing systems remain valuable cultural treasures 23.

Agricultural Expansion and Warnings from the Past

As the organization grows, Alfred focuses on expanding farmland and securing food supplies. He later recounts the failed “Artificial Paradise” project and the disappearance of the original New York Dark Matter World expedition, emphasizing the danger of exploration beyond the city 24 27.

Tang Zhean’s Arrival

Alfred recognizes Tang Zhean when the scientist reaches the organization’s base. He brings Tang to the inner base and briefs him on Lu Yuanming’s powers, Faith Power, and the crop cultivation that sustains the organization 29 30.

Notable Quotes

“This is not the Afterlife at all! This is the Dark Matter World!” 20

“With these potatoes, humanity has hope!” 22

“I, Alfred Austen, will dedicate myself to my lord until death.” 22

“Politics and organizational structure are almost my instincts.” 23