Faith Established?

"Increasing revenue is better than cutting costs, isn't it..."

Bronya murmured to herself.

Jing Yan smiled but did not answer.

Yarilo-VI was once a major mining planet, and historically, it had maintained very close trade relations with other interstellar factions before the arrival of the Antimatter Legion.

Since many interstellar travelers came to this planet to conduct business, they naturally brought with them various extraterrestrial cultures.

Therefore, it did not surprise Jing Yan that Bronya was familiar with such a phrase.

"So, what you mean is..."

The expression on Bronya's face as she looked at Jing Yan became somewhat peculiar.

"Exactly."

"The Astral Express is actually a significant opportunity. Furthermore, the Express is not the only faction capable of space jumps, but it is a guarantee that ensures certain non-hostile factions can visit your planet, Yarilo-VI."

"Additionally, joining the Interastral Peace Corporation could also secure considerable benefits for Yarilo-VI and Belobog. Of course, if you choose not to, you can still gradually recover; after all, the Frost Wave has receded, and even if Belobog still faces various problems, they are only temporary."

Upon hearing Jing Yan's words, Bronya felt a sense of deep agreement.

"But regarding that issue of faith you mentioned earlier..."

"It's fine," Jing Yan said with a smile.

"This is a special Path. Currently, there are few in the universe who understand it, and I am dedicated to helping those who believe in it find inner peace and escape from worldly suffering."

As soon as Jing Yan spoke, Bronya's brows furrowed once again.

She recalled something.

Jing Yan seemed to have used a similar power on her before, making it feel as though the mental will in her mind had been interfered with.

Seeing the hesitation on Bronya's face, Jing Yan likely understood what she was thinking and continued with a smile: "Miss Bronya, I know what you are worried about, but there is actually no need for concern. In fact, such things are quite common throughout the universe."

"If you don't believe me, I can give you an example. For instance, the Aeon of 'Memory,' Fuli, has an organization under his command called the Garden of Recollection. The faith of this Aeon is to collect the memories of the universe—whether they are remembered or have already been forgotten, Fuli collects them all."

"If one interferes with the actions of this organization, its members and Emanators will choose to delete the memories of those who resist. You can look into such matters. Even if Miss Bronya does not fully trust me, you can gather information from those on the Astral Express to verify this, and you will understand that the powers and faiths of Aeons are diverse."

"However, as long as the Path does not exist with the goal of 'Destruction,' most are beneficial to people. What does Miss Bronya think?"

After hearing this, Bronya pondered for a moment before asking: "Then, Mr. Jing Yan, what is this new Path of faith you wish to spread, and what will it bring?"

"It is what you need."

Jing Yan's words left Bronya stunned.

"Joy, hope, peace, happiness..."

"Aren't these the things your people need?"

When Jing Yan said this, Bronya froze.

She thought of something.

Previously, when Jing Yan used this Path's power on her, she found it impossible to harbor any hostility toward him in her heart.

This indeed seemed like a terrifying thing, as if she were essentially being controlled.

A person's emotions have a massive impact on their judgment and the choices they make when thinking things through. Of course, Bronya was certain that she was not currently under any influence; she did not feel that inexplicable favor toward the person before her as she had back then, otherwise, she would not have been conversing with Jing Yan for so long.

She should have been unable to harbor any suspicion toward the person before her from the bottom of her heart.

In other words, one develops a bias or prejudice toward someone based on personal subjective emotions and psychological states.

This state often appears when one person has a deep bond with another, such as Bronya's feelings for Cocolia.

Bronya knew clearly that Cocolia had been bewitched and brainwashed by the Stellaron, fully believing the words that the Stellaron—the root cause that had brought the Frost Wave to Belobog—could bring new life to the people of Belobog through the Fragmentum, while ignoring the inherent dangers of the Fragmentum itself and the harm it caused to the vast majority of people, including the objective fact that only a very few could retain their memories after being transformed into Fragmentum Creatures.

Even though Bronya knew these things, because Cocolia was the mother and mentor who had raised her since childhood, Bronya still did not choose to make an enemy of her mother at the first opportunity, but instead tried every possible way to change her mother's perspective.

Even though her subconscious already knew that her mother's actions of isolating the upper and lower districts and using the Stellaron to expand the Fragmentum were clearly treating the people like blades of grass, and knew that her mother's ideology had been completely twisted, she still did not want to oppose her. This was simply because Bronya held love and reverence for Cocolia in her heart.

Therefore, she naturally favored her. Even though Bronya knew that this choice of hers would very likely lead her mother to persist in her stubborn course and even sacrifice her own daughter, Bronya still chose this path with a slim hope.

This is how emotions shape a person.

Although emotions are a manifestation stemming from the affection accumulated over many years of being together, however...

If Jing Yan's Path power could skip the preceding process and directly regulate a person's emotions, that would also be a very terrifying thing.

At least, that was how it appeared to Bronya.

"I know what you are worried about," Jing Yan said with a smile.

"But the ruler of Belobog now is you, and the one who currently possesses the Path power I mentioned is me, not you, Bronya."

"So, are you, Bronya, worried that one day you will become a tyrant, and your people will blindly worship you, immersed in the blind, false happiness bestowed by the power of the Path, and thus dare not resist you?"

"Is that what you are worried about?"

Jing Yan's words left Bronya stunned once again.

"Of course not, but..." Bronya still felt somewhat uneasy.

"Heh, if you are willing to become a Pathstrider of this Path, I can give you this power as well."

"Of course, in my original plan, it was only intended to help the people of the Underworld."

Upon hearing this, Bronya's eyes lit up.