Volume Two Epilogue: Pravda Issue 535 Special Edition
Special Contributor: Oreliano
Yesterday, the internet in Solomon City was finally restored.
This means that the three major disasters brought by the recent magic tide surge – water outage, power outage, and internet outage – have all been resolved.
On the day the internet was restored, a netizen from Aquileia asked me why, despite his daily devout prayers, God still punished him, leaving him thirsty without water during this period, unable to go online, without electricity, and standing by while monsters attacked his town and harmed his compatriots.
Here, I would like to share a story, hoping that believers can understand its meaning:
A long, long time ago, humans walked freely and multiplied on this land, living happily.
One day, all the angels gathered before God, and the devil was also among them.
God said, “Devil, where have you come from?”
The devil said, “I have come from Purgatory.”
God said, “Have you passed through the main plane? Have you seen the humans I created? Do they still love me, respect me, and honor me?”
The devil said, “How can humans believe in God without reason? Isn’t it because you protect them and their families, protect everything they have, and their happiness is granted by you? I bet that if you destroy everything they have, they will immediately turn around and curse you.”
God said, “Of course. You may do as you please, but if you lose, I will punish you.”
Having received God’s permission, the devil began to weave his conspiracies. He first released all kinds of terrifying supernatural monsters from the planes, letting them freely invade humanity.
In the blink of an eye, countless people lost their families, relatives, and property.
Then, at God’s signal, the Archangel Michael descended to the human world. He found the emperor at that time, Constantine I, and told him how to build factories, organize armies, and fight against the supernatural monsters.
The believers, organized by the Solomon emperor and officials, began to diligently build city walls, deploy weapons, resist the invasion of supernatural monsters, and pray day and night to God for protection.
God said, “Look, although you brought disaster upon them, they still revere me.”
The devil said, “Of course, they are just following inertia, like a flock of sheep blindly following the lead sheep. If there were no emperor and empire, would they still believe in you as always?”
God said, “You may do as you please, but if you lose, I will punish you.”
Having received God’s permission, the devil began to bring disaster upon the Solomon Empire.
So Emperor Constantine’s will was blinded. He disbanded the loyal Solomon Praetorian Guard and instead recruited cheaper, godless foreign mercenaries, filling the army with all kinds of evil thoughts.
He also expanded the bureaucracy, making them greedy and persecuting the people. Crowds of people, in order to escape taxes, even abandoned their hometowns and fled to the wilderness.
So the Solomon Empire gradually weakened. However, the devil’s tricks didn’t stop there. He cunningly realized that the strength of the empire came from its advanced technology and powerful industrial productivity.
He opened the entrances to the three sub-planes, allowing the evil magic tides within to spread, destroying almost all of the empire’s scientific research data and production materials.
Finally, a hundred years later, the weakened Western Solomon Empire collapsed. It was destroyed by rebellious foreign mercenaries, and also died from the breakdown of its own industrial production chain and the loss of its technological civilization.
Countless churches were destroyed, believers were massacred, and the survivors could only sit in the ruins, digging for wild vegetables and earthworms in the dirt to eat.
“Lord, why have you forsaken us…” Cries of sorrow echoed endlessly throughout the ruins of the empire.
At this time, the Archangel Gabriel descended to the world. He guided the few remaining scholars to establish the Church, preserve the embers of civilization, and teach the unbelievers with God’s doctrines, making the barbarians convert to civilization, and spreading God’s glory throughout the world again.
Although the once glorious empire was destroyed, countless nations were established on its ruins. More churches were built all the way from the south of the continent to the far north, spreading the will of God.
God said, “Look, even if you destroyed human nations, churches, and faith, humans can still rebuild them, keeping the light of faith and civilization alive.”
The devil said, “Of course, because they instinctively gather together in the face of natural disasters, like a scattered herd of zebras, eventually choosing a new leader and establishing a new nation. If I make them suspect and betray each other, will they still maintain their faith?”
God said, “This is your last chance. If you lose, I will punish you.”
So the devil used his trump card: he spread evil secret knowledge, teaching humans how to collect transcendental materials from supernatural monsters, how to make supernatural potions, and how to consume them to obtain supernatural abilities.
Therefore, a large number of Transcendents were born. They first began to annihilate the supernatural monsters, but these monsters were quickly wiped out.
The desire to become stronger and the craving for supernatural power dominated their will. They began to kill each other, plundering each other’s supernatural power and characteristics.
People gradually became suspicious of each other. Ordinary humans feared the power of Transcendents, while Transcendents regarded ordinary people as insignificant. In order to obtain power and status commensurate with their strength, Transcendents began to interfere in the upper echelons of politics in various countries, causing widespread instability and power reshuffles.
This system of dominance based on supernatural strength was unstable because the promotion speed of the Transcendental group was too fast. Often, last month, a Transcendental assassinated the local lord and seized power, and this month, he was killed by a stronger newly promoted Transcendental.
So wars raged endlessly, dynasties fell, crowns tumbled, towns were slaughtered, and bones littered the fields.
At this time, the Archangel Raphael descended to the world. He taught the Church how to use the anti-magic magnetic field to restrain the use of supernatural abilities. He let the Church educate the people, letting them know that supernatural power was harmful and evil.
He told the kings, princes, and nobles of various countries how Transcendents were destroying the world we knew:
Transcendents did not produce, only plundered. They pursued constant upgrades and power, wanting more and more. This process consumed vast amounts of manpower and resources. When they died, these resources were completely wasted, with none returning to the people.
With a mere gesture, they caused destruction, obliterating towns, leveling villages, and showing no mercy. They lost human empathy, no longer even considered themselves human, but rather saw themselves as part of the devil, willingly degenerating without remorse.
Under God’s teachings, the Church began to prohibit supernatural power. Templar Knights and Witch Hunters patrolled the nations, capturing chaotic Transcendents, judging and eliminating them. Countries also began to govern their people with order, teaching them to abandon evil and turn towards the light.
Thus, the devil’s three schemes failed. He bowed his head under God’s glory, still trying to argue, when the Archangel Uriel descended with a flaming sword and struck the devil down into Purgatory, never to rise again.
Dear readers, please think carefully: which trial in life is not a test sent by God?
If you yield under hardship, then the devil’s will prevails; however, if you strive unceasingly, then God will bless you and deliver you from suffering. All that you have lost will be returned a hundredfold.
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