Norton Year 58.
Since that Pale God regained control of the entire Southern Continent, he himself seemed to have fallen into two extremes.
On the surface, all living beings in the Southern Continent are his slaves, and are at his whim.
In reality, however, the Pale God far outperformed the Holy Empire Parliament of the past.
For example, he proposed a rural-to-urban job allocation plan. Urban residents would be forcibly assigned jobs with fixed daily work quotas, and factories would build canteens to provide free meals.
In rural areas, people were forced to allocate land, participate in labor, and collectively hand over grain to the state. At the same time, each household in the village was provided with a stove and meals were provided free of charge every day.
Although it only set the general direction, leaving the details to be managed by its subordinates, this control over the general direction alone has completely transformed the Holy Empire.
For those tycoon conglomerates, the current forced labor and confiscation of property may be a fall from Heaven to Hell.
But for the poorest people at the bottom of the Holy Empire, it was like stepping from Hell into Heaven.
The human trafficking, human bone trafficking, drug trafficking, and all sorts of black industries derived from capital in the Holy Empire of the past have now vanished.
The owners of so-called illegal coal mines and brick kilns were utterly destroyed, with nowhere to hide under the Pressure of that Pale God.
The lives of the people throughout the Holy Empire are not only improving and flourishing, but have even reached a point where people don't pick up lost items on the road and don't lock their doors.
All those who commit crimes will vanish into nothingness under the Pressure of that Pale God.
This surveillance system, even more comprehensive than satellite surveillance with its 360-degree coverage, forcefully ushered the Southern Continent into a true era of universal peace.
The Holy Empire sang praises of that Pale God everywhere, but its actions were clearly different from the state he presented.
That's what's most bizarre.
Although the lives of the people in the Holy Empire of the Southern Continent are not as good as those in the Blood Court during the mythical era, they have at least reached a state of true communism under the strong oppression of Pale God.
For the impoverished masses who were exploited by capital to the point where even their corpses could not be preserved, this was an unimaginable golden age.
However, this contradicts the earlier statement of the Pale God: 'I will punish you severely.'
That's what's hard to understand.
He verbally vowed to punish severely, yet his methods were remarkably gentle. Such a contrast might be possible in the hands of other emperors, but in the hands of this debauched, tyrannical, and inhumane Pale God, it was unimaginable!
Judging from this point alone, the mindset of that Pale God seems to be quite unstable now.
In reality, he wasn't exactly very stable.
Norton is currently in a quantum superposition of 'fear and madness'.
Once their mindset changes and they become more open-minded, they start to act recklessly.
When you're alone and feeling lonely, you start to feel fear.
He's even like Hawking, in a situation that's both hateful and pitiful—able to visit Lolita Island, yet only able to move a single finger.
"Father, I am guilty, guilty of cholera!"
A soft murmur rose in the dimly lit monastery hall, its melodious sound like celestial music.
The candlesticks flickered with a faint light, which gathered in one spot and barely illuminated the image of God hanging on the wall.
A pale, delicate figure with a slender and graceful build knelt quietly on the futon beneath the candlestick. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her shoulders, forming a long, continuous canopy that covered her pale back like a large umbrella, spreading across the ground around her.
The silver cross rested quietly in the slender, pale palm, gently enveloped by those two large hands, like a priest in prayer, devoutly praying.
In fact, they were indeed praying fervently.
Norton knelt quietly on the ground, the dim candlelight flickering slightly, casting a faint glow on his full head of silver hair.
Standing to the side was a human priest who had been given the holy name Joshua, a man specially chosen by the now- Pale Holy See.
After all, with Norton changing the Pale Holy See's faith from his own to Caesar of the former Holy Lord Church, which was believed to be God Caesar, Vampire missionaries could no longer be used.
At this moment, as Norton prayed, Father Joshua, standing to the side, echoed him by reciting ancient confessional passages from the Holy Lord Church, in order to ask God for forgiveness for Norton's sins.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Those who conceal their sins will not succeed, but those who repent and renounce them will receive mercy.
As Father Joshua chanted, he even reached out, holding a silver cross, and gently placed it on Norton's tall figure, even while squatting, as if to expel his sins, which made Norton even more devout.
"I am guilty, guilty of cholera. I am deeply aware of the mistakes I have made. I dare not ask for your forgiveness, but only for your mercy."
Father, deliver me from the endless torment of sin. I beg for your forgiveness, I plead for your holiness.
I am filthy, I am wretched, I am dark, I am sinful...
Norton's beautiful voice lingered for three days. Even the priest listening nearby was completely captivated.
However, seeing the Pale God so devout, even kneeling on the ground and bowing his proud head, the human priest standing to the side couldn't help but feel a little arrogant.
In the entire Southern Continent, who else could witness such a scene?
Who would have thought that this Pale God is so devout in secret!
Isn't that incredibly easy to fool?
Father Joshua stood there, dazed, staring at the Pale God kneeling before him, confessing his sins. He felt his heart pounding and his limbs trembling with tension.
A thought that terrified him had somehow surfaced in his mind.
His mind went blank, but his wrinkled hand trembled as he reached out and gently placed the silver cross on Norton's holy silver hair.
He quoted Gospel of Luke 17:3-4 from the Holy Lord Church Bible, his words filled with kindness and feigned holiness.
"O God, your servant once said that if your brother or sister sins, rebuke them. If they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin seven times a day and return to you seven times saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive them."
May God's holiness bless you through the palm of my hand. May God's forgiveness descend upon you through my eyes. May God's mercy comfort you through the words of Joshua.
May the children who are lost find the place of hope and light. This is my deepest blessing, Joshua.
The priest's voice trembled, and his hands shook so much that he could barely hold the crucifix.
His words actually touched upon the law of the Holy Lord Church: the blessing is done in the name of the whole Church and God Caesar.
But now he is subtly changing the meaning, replacing the name of the one bestowing blessings with his own holy name.
His intentions are already obvious.
As the priest solemnly chanted, the Pale God kneeling on the ground trembled slightly, as if he had reached the extreme of piety and remorse.
He knelt on the ground, whimpering.
"I am guilty, Father, but I am loyal to your forgiveness..."
The Pale God, like a beaten puppy, curled up on the ground, whimpering incessantly.
However, the words he uttered, seemingly accompanied by extreme terror, began to have the opposite effect.
Before Father Joshua could even feel a surge of joy, he heard the words of the Pale God kneeling on the ground suddenly change.
Why am I guilty?
I have repeatedly given all the people of this Southern Continent a harmonious life. I have clearly stopped all the inhumane and terrifying industries. I have clearly built welfare homes and sanatoriums, so that the young are cared for and the elderly are supported. I have ensured that everyone can eat their fill, dress warmly, and live a prosperous life.
My achievements far surpass those of all emperors throughout history in this Southern Continent, and my actions are far more benevolent than those of all rulers throughout history!
I have never tortured or killed anyone, I have never had the slightest intention to kill, and I have never had any malicious thoughts from beginning to end. Why should I be guilty?
The Pale God had been kneeling on the ground, his body trembling incessantly, now seemed to have stopped trembling.
Instead, his words, which were just filled with fear, now began to strangely reek of anger and resentment.
This behavior sent a chill down Father Joshua's spine; he sensed something was wrong.
He quickly spoke, trying to reinforce the sense of sin in the Pale God's heart. "No, child, you are guilty, all men are guilty..."
However, before he could finish speaking, as the Pale God spoke, the resentment and pressure that had been building up inside him seemed to burst forth all at once.
"No, no, no, I'm innocent! Father, I'm innocent!"
I can't be guilty!
I killed the Kuba imprisoned God, and from the age of mythology until now, I have always held the most basic principles regarding humanity. I am far more benevolent than any other form of capital!
Aside from the necessary sacrifices, I have never done anything wrong.
I never deceive, never forget my roots, never betray, and never cause chaos!
I can't be guilty! I can't be guilty!
The Pale God seemed to be going mad, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed low. He dared not look at the statue of God carved behind the candlestick in front of him, and even held the silver cross in his hands, using his head to kneel before the silver cross in his hands.
However, his words were unusually stubborn. Instead of asking for forgiveness as before, he began to feel that he had no sins.
Father Joshua grew anxious and quickly spoke up, even embracing the Pale God with his own body, trying to give him a sense of security from being forgiven by the priest, and to intensify his repentance.
This is a common tactic used by priests. If you feel even a little bit of guilt, they only need to say a long passage about God's mercy and forgiveness, then open their arms and hug you. The warmth of being embraced will immediately melt away the guilt of these penitent individuals. This is a typical example of the psychological effect of emotional compensation combined with authoritative endorsement, and it is also a common tactic used by Church priests.
"Child, all people are born with original sin, and I have already seen your sins."
But we are capable of atonement! This is the greatest forgiveness God gives to us sinners, and it is also the redemption of our lives.
I have seen your sins, but I have also seen the piety in your heart.
Do not be afraid, my child, for I will grant you this, guide you to redeem yourself, turn to the Lord, and atone for your sins.
Even in an attempt to make this Pale God more devout, after uttering these words of blessing, he hastily tried to add more evidence of his sins, hoping to instill greater fear in the kneeling Pale God.
"We are born in sin, we are sinful even when we are in our mother's womb! This sin accompanies us throughout our lives, and only the Holy Lord can forgive us. For the Holy Lord's birth did not violate virginity, while we are all born in that filthy lust, so we are—deeply—indebted."
But I have already seen your heart, blinded by sin, yet so sincere and pure! Child, I have already seen it...
The priest's words were abruptly cut off before he could finish speaking.
The pale, slender body of God Pale God had just been kneeling devoutly on the ground, praying and begging for forgiveness, had somehow straightened up, and at that moment, one of his pale, slender hands had somehow pierced into the eyes of the priest who had been spouting such nonsense.
"Pfft!" Only then did the sound of a hand churning through flesh slowly emerge.
"Giggle..."
Two slender fingers pierced through Father Joshua's eyes and the back of his head; they were so long that they even protruded from the back of Joshua skull.
However, it also brought out some blood, and even some pale fluid.
A few drops of blood flicked from the Pale God, splashing onto the exquisitely sculpted statue of God before him, its features gentle and refined.
The statue of God, sculpted from white plaster, had gentle features and a pure white body. Now, however, it was stained with scarlet blood, giving it an eerie appearance in the dim candlelight.
The priest, whose eyes had been pierced by Norton, could no longer utter a sound. Instead, he lay like a dead dog, his eye sockets held loosely in the air by Norton's two fingers, his sturdy skull propelling him to the ground, while his lower body lay limp on the ground.
Father, I am innocent now.
Because you can't see it anymore.