Translator: AnubisTL
"..."
After assessing the current situation in the Niya Star System, Chen Mang had a rough idea of what to expect. Although the enemy was mobilizing their military for an offensive, they clearly needed more time—perhaps days, perhaps months.
In any case, striking first would undoubtedly be the wisest course of action.
A day later, Chen Mang, accompanied by Biaozi and the others, arrived on a planet belonging to the Extreme Evil Civilization. The inhabitants here all possessed three heads and six arms, making the group's presence conspicuous without proper disguises. Fortunately, the human civilization included a cultivation civilization.
For cultivators, altering one's physical appearance was a relatively simple matter.
After obtaining a Spirit Treasure from the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Chen Mang effortlessly transformed his appearance to match the three-headed, six-armed form of the Extreme Evil Civilization. As long as they avoided close scrutiny, their outward appearance would be indistinguishable from the natives.
Only by infiltrating a civilization's inner workings could one truly understand it, uncovering its weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
For example...
"This is quite peculiar," Chen Mang murmured, sitting in a café. He hadn't touched the coffee on the table. Xiao Ai had already tapped into the civilization's network, discovering that nearly all interstellar trains were required to install a specific accessory.
The Seven-Colored Grade Firepower Accessory: Satan's Cannon.
A firepower accessory that consumes copper ore.
Its power is comparable to other Seven-Colored Grade firepower accessories. However, since it isn't a Light Energy Cannon, its projectiles don't reach the speed of light. Still, unless the train is moving at extreme speeds, the shots are nearly impossible to evade.
The accessory's most remarkable feature is:
"All projectiles fired originate from the future."
Literally.
Even if you have zero units of copper ore on hand, you can fire continuously for a year without needing any copper ore support. All consumed resources come from the future. Of course, you'll need to repay the advance-consumed copper ore after the year is up.
If you fail to repay the debt,
Satan will claim your life.
Beyond this, there are many other unique accessories.
For example:
"Sacrificial Altar."
By sacrificing certain items to Satan, you can obtain rewards. The highest reward is for Pure-Blooded Humans—those without any mutations, lacking three heads and six arms, devoid of Immortal Cultivation aptitude, and free from any bizarre mutations.
As long as the sacrifice is human, a reward will be granted.
The purer the bloodline, the greater the reward.
Many of these accessories pointed to a single figure: Satan, the god of the Extreme Evil Civilization. This civilization was a fusion of Divine Civilization and Train Civilization.
Chen Mang frowned slightly, deep in thought and silent, sensing that something was off.
He had spoken with the Leader of the Starfire Civilization.
There were no gods in the universe.
The "divine race" were not true gods.
True gods were omnipotent, akin to the Cosmic Rules themselves—immortal, eternal, and transcendent beyond the mortal realm.
Nearly all Train Civilizations, like the Starfire Civilization, operated by channeling vast amounts of Faith Power into a Cosmic Behemoth or Totem Pillar. This Faith Power washed over the object, causing it to mutate and then reciprocate with power.
To put it bluntly:
The essence of Divine Civilizations was to first create a god, then worship it.
The god was merely a fabricated medium, not a real entity.
But—
The Extreme Evil Civilization gave Chen Mang the impression that Satan was genuinely real, as if Satan were an actual person.
Just then, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion returned from his reconnaissance mission. As the first member of the cultivation civilization to find a practical application for his skills in a civilization-wide endeavor, he couldn't resist the urge to prove himself and secure greater benefits for his race within human civilization.
His shapeshifting abilities allowed him to blend seamlessly into this environment, making him virtually undetectable.
He strode into the café, sat down, and drained his coffee in one gulp before wiping the stain from his lips. With a respectful demeanor, he leaned toward Chen Mang and whispered, "Lord Mang, I've gathered some intelligence."
"Which is—"
"All trains, during their cosmic explorations, seek out insignificant civilizations. By demonstrating miraculous feats, they compel these lesser civilizations to worship Satan. This Faith Power is then collected by Satan, who rewards them with Faith Points."
"These Faith Points can be used to upgrade certain Faith Components or spent as a resource."
"I'm almost certain that Satan..."
"...may indeed exist, and is quite active."
"Just now, on my way here, I witnessed firsthand how high everyone's happiness index is. I also saw someone get hit by a car and suffer severe injuries. A priest happened to pass by, knelt down, and prayed for a moment. A beam of white light descended from the sky, completely healing the injured person. It was truly miraculous."
Meanwhile, the customer at the next table ordered several coffees.
The six-armed, three-headed server first brought out three empty cups. Then, he patted his left head, which leaned over the first cup, releasing a stream of coffee. He patted his right head, which leaned over the second cup, releasing a stream of milk.
"Enjoy your drinks," he said.
The customers behind them began savoring their coffee, praising it repeatedly.
Chen Mang calmly pushed his coffee slightly away.
The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion sat uncomfortably, glancing around as if looking for the restroom.
"It's actually quite normal," Xiao Ai, disguised and sitting beside him, whispered. "The Extreme Evil Civilization's physiology is different from ours. Their abdomens are naturally ideal for fermentation. That's why many taverns and cafes in their civilization use abdominal fermentation for brewing."
"However, this method significantly increases labor costs."
"That's why this method is typically only found in high-end establishments."
"Overall, because different bodily organs contain distinct elements, there's no bacteria or saliva involved. If you can accept this production method, the flavor is actually superior to many coffees within our own civilization."
The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's expression softened slightly. He licked his lips before hesitantly admitting, "The taste is... actually quite decent."
Chen Mang remained silent, accepting the tablet Xiao Ai handed him. His train couldn't equip the "Faith Component" unless he first pledged allegiance to Satan, gained Satan's approval, and then obtained authorization to use it.
Based on all the information he had gathered so far, Chen Mang could draw a preliminary conclusion:
The faith of the Extreme Evil Civilization wasn't merely a fabricated or imagined construct; it was a genuine deity. In civilizations with true divine beings, their collective unity often reached unprecedented heights.
However, this god didn't seem to reside within the Extreme Evil Civilization itself, or perhaps not within this dimension. It could only manifest miracles and harvest Faith Power through indirect means, unable to physically descend upon the Extreme Evil Civilization.
"A god?"
Chen Mang calmly flipped through the information Xiao Ai had gathered, murmuring, "Just a special being with immense power. If it were truly a god, why hasn't it detected us yet?"
If it were a true god, Satan should have sensed their presence the moment they began observing the Extreme Evil Civilization.
Only an omnipotent being, unbound even by the Cosmic Rules, could truly be called a god, right?
He had a vague sense that he might be touching upon another world.
Or perhaps another dimension.
A realm he had never encountered before.
"Let's go."
Chen Mang rose, picked up his cane from the chair, and turned to leave the cafe. "Let's meet this Satan."
Satan was likely the Extreme Evil Civilization's ultimate weapon, their greatest foundation. To destroy this civilization, they would first need to eliminate Satan.
Within the Extreme Evil Civilization, many had witnessed Satan, though no consistent description of its appearance had ever emerged. Each account differed wildly.
There was even a planet called "Satan Star."
Every train conductor wishing to equip a Faith Component must travel to this planet, pass through a Bronze Gate, enter a mysterious realm, personally meet Satan, and obtain his approval. Only then can they install the Faith Component.
He wanted to see this place for himself.
To observe what methods Satan might employ.
Of course—
Before that, he needed to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
In the cosmos,
Chen Mang sat in a passenger seat aboard an Interstellar Train, traveling to Satan Star with Biaozi and the others, posing as ordinary travelers.
He didn't use his own train, as its conspicuous appearance would draw unwanted attention. Instead, it was transformed into a brooch pinned to his chest, to be summoned only when combat was necessary.
During the year he spent developing in the Niya Star System, he accomplished many things.
The most crucial among them was—
he created a Space Wormhole, its far end directly aligned with the Level 4987 light energy attack's trajectory in the Cosmic Void. He had also scattered numerous refrigerators along its path, ensuring he could locate the Light Energy Cannon within 24 hours if needed.
By absorbing the cannon's energy, he could temporarily enhance his armor to a certain level.
This was one of his key trump cards.
In addition to that, over the past year, he had been continuously preparing a solid foundation for himself, using the resources at hand. Building such a foundation required a significant amount of time.
This was an interstellar train bound for Satan Star. The train car was filled with three-headed, six-armed passengers, each wearing an expression of fervent devotion, the kind one might see in worship. This extreme piety created a subtle sense of pressure for him.
A normal human in such an environment would inevitably feel a slight sense of unease, a subtle pressure to conform.
He glanced around, said nothing, and turned to gaze out the window. When it came to civilizational foundation, human civilization still lagged behind. The train was moving at an incredible speed, employing some unknown mechanism that resembled the way the two-light-year-diameter Cosmic Behemoth traversed space—wriggling through the void.
By utilizing multiple instantaneous teleports, the train achieved astonishing velocity.
He lacked such mechanisms; he only had raw numerical power.
However...
Despite the train's speed, it still fell far short of the Stellaris's maximum velocity. In the face of absolute numerical superiority, all mechanisms served merely as compensatory measures.
Just then—
Directly in front of the row of seats, a middle-aged man suddenly began gasping violently, convulsing, and collapsing to the floor. All three of his heads were heaving, his breathing labored, his face ashen, and his hands clutched at his chest as he gasped for air, looking as if he were about to die at any moment.
Panic erupted among the passengers.
But immediately afterward, urgent voices rang out from the far end of the carriage: "Make way! Make way! There's a Priest here! Let the Priest through!"
Soon, an elderly man in priestly robes slowly made his way forward, escorted by the crowd. He knelt before the convulsing man, placed one hand on the man's forehead, closed his eyes, and murmured reverently:
"In the name of Satan, I bestow blessings upon the afflicted."
"May the wisdom of Belial grant you insight into the falsehood of compassion."
"May the desire of Asmodeus ignite within you the burning will to survive."
"May the pride of Lucifer guide you beyond the shackles of earthly suffering."
"If you are destined to fall into darkness,"
"May you become a formidable enemy within the abyss."
"If you are granted healing,"
"May you reign as king in the light."
"True salvation lies not in the lies of heaven, but in the awakening within the abyss."
The Priest knelt on the ground, praying with his eyes closed. He placed his hands on the patient's forehead while his remaining four hands clasped together in prayer. A white light gradually emanated from his body, like fireflies in the darkness, as he silently recited the prayer.
In the next moment—
The Priest suddenly opened his eyes, a flicker of envy and compassion flashing through them as he gazed at the crowd.
"Satan has answered me," he declared.
"He says that out of his lifelong benevolence, he cannot bear to see this man suffer any longer on Earth. Therefore, he summons him back to the Holy Temple, where he will serve at Satan's side for eternity."
Immediately afterward—
The patient, who had been gradually ceasing to convulse and was about to open his eyes, was suddenly struck. The Priest raised his glowing white hands and slammed them down on the man's head, crushing it instantly.
Blood and flesh splattered everywhere.
He was dead beyond any doubt.
At the same moment—
The other passengers on the train erupted into a frenzy of cheers, their faces flushed with wild excitement.
"..."
Chen Mang, who witnessed the scene firsthand, couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly. If he wasn't mistaken, the fallen patient had suffered from epilepsy. This condition did indeed cause occasional seizures and convulsions.
Generally, after convulsing for a while, the patient would wake up on their own. Unless their mouth and nose were blocked, there was no risk of death.
But in this case, the patient was about to regain consciousness when the Priest slapped him to death? Claiming he had sensed Satan's call?
At that moment, the Train Conductor arrived in the carriage with his men, presenting the Priest with a substantial reward, his face brimming with gratitude.
Xiao Ai whispered, "Train Conductor, in the Extreme Evil Civilization, everyone believes that dying in battle for Satan grants them passage to the Holy Temple—a place free from illness and death, filled only with fine wine and eternal joy. Suicide and dying of old age, however, bar entry."
"Therefore, the greatest aspiration of this civilization's people is to die fighting for Satan or be summoned back by him. Priests are Satan's chosen representatives, possessing the ability to communicate with him. Becoming a Priest requires passing extremely rigorous trials, granting them immense power and status within the Extreme Evil Civilization. No one dares provoke them, not even the Civilization Leader can afford to show them disrespect."
"Otherwise, they will face a popular revolt."
"Many trains are equipped with the 'Hell's Gate,' a Seven-Colored Accessory that can resurrect passengers who die on board. However, this resurrection is limited to two resurrections per person. After that, they will truly die."
"All those who die in battle for the train are also granted entry to the 'Holy Temple.'"
"Therefore, in the Extreme Evil Civilization, becoming a Train Guard is an extremely honorable profession. They die in battle for glory and consider the Holy Temple their home."
"..."
Chen Mang remained silent, his expression calm. Initially, he had believed Satan was merely a fabricated figure used by the Extreme Evil Civilization's Leader to control their people. But growing evidence suggested Satan might actually exist.
The question now was: Did he have a health bar? Could he be killed?
Chen Mang had already prepared several escape routes. If he couldn't defeat Satan, he would flee first.
"I don't need many attack methods, but I need plenty of escape routes."
Moreover,
"Although this civilization seems a bit strange, I still came. After all, the Good Cat Civilization didn't exploit and gather all the resources of their galaxy like the Extreme Evil Civilization did. It's so convenient—I can skip the mining step entirely and just pack everything up and take it with me."
Just then—
Perhaps because he and the fanatical passengers on the train seemed so out of place, the Priest, who had been beaming and basking in the passengers' reverence and praise, noticed Chen Mang. His brow furrowed slightly as he slowly approached Chen Mang, his voice raspy.
"Didn't you witness the miracle Satan bestowed?"
"A sick man, favored by Satan, was exceptionally summoned back to the Holy Temple."
Chen Mang nodded, not wanting to reveal himself. His eyes slightly reddened, he rasped, "I saw it, Priest. I'm just a bit too overwhelmed to speak, and a little envious. Why wasn't I chosen for the Holy Temple? I'm reflecting on these negative emotions."
"Excellent."
The Priest seemed pleased with his answer, nodding and patting Chen Mang's shoulder. "As long as your faith remains devout, one day you too will have the honor of dying for Satan."
"Satan's glory shall spread throughout the cosmos."
"Satan has decreed it."
"In a galaxy 780,000 light-years away lies the Extreme Evil Civilization, a vile and irredeemable cult. Under Satan's command, they have begun mobilizing their military and will soon launch an invasion of that galaxy. They are currently conducting a massive conscription campaign."
"Go forth."
"Die for Satan. He awaits you in the Holy Temple, ready to reward your courage and celebrate your return."
"Yes!"
Chen Mang nodded emphatically, tears welling in his eyes. Then, mimicking what he had seen online, he slammed his fist against his chest and roared, "Satan endures! Darkness prevails!"
The Priest, his face equally solemn, struck his chest with his fist.
"Satan endures! Darkness prevails!"
Within the Extreme Evil Civilization, the name "Satan" inherently carried reverence. There was no need to address him as "Lord Satan" or any such honorifics; doing so would be redundant, akin to saying "Lord Lord Satan," and would sound absurd. As an infiltrator gathering intelligence, Chen Mang naturally paid close attention to these cultural nuances.
He couldn't afford to be exposed by such trivial details.
Afterward,
Chen Mang watched the Priest's retreating figure, his expression gradually returning to calm. What a convenient way to kill legally, he thought. He was certain the Priest hadn't received any recall order from "Satan" earlier.
He had a good guess about how the Priest performed his miracles.
To maintain his dominion, Satan had selected a group of Priests to perform miracles on his behalf on the surface. For example, they would heal critically injured patients. While Satan might possess divine power, he certainly wouldn't waste his time constantly monitoring these Priests' prayers.
So, when the Priests could wait for Satan's response, they would choose to heal and display miracles. If Satan ignored them, they would simply kill the patient, euphemistically claiming Satan had recalled their shattered soul to the Holy Temple.
Quite clever.
Logically sound.
No risk of loss.
This Satan's strength couldn't be too great, Chen Mang concluded inwardly, mentally tagging him as such. Otherwise, with such aggressive behavior, the Extreme Evil Civilization would have long surpassed its current Fourth-Tier status.
They would have already picked a fight with the nearby Fifth-Tier Civilization.
Or why not just cross the Cosmic Void and challenge the Fifth-Tier Nami Civilization? Wouldn't that be more satisfying?
He's got some power, but nothing special.
Soon—
The train continued its journey through the cosmos.
Throughout the journey, the Priest remained relentlessly active, harassing every female member of the train—young and old alike—subjecting each woman to his "inspection."
He claimed Satan had tasked him with selecting a handmaiden.
His method of inspection involved oral contact.
Many of the women were accompanied by their husbands or family members, but these men seemed bewitched, showing no outrage at the violation of their wives. Instead, they knelt beside the Priest, their faces filled with gratitude, believing this "evaluation" to be a divine favor from Satan.
As the Priest performed his duties, the men closed their eyes and prayed fervently, hoping their wives would pass the "evaluation" and become handmaidens serving Satan in the Holy Temple.
Chen Mang watched this scene with a calm expression. For the first time, he truly grasped the terrifying power of Faith—how it could completely warp a person's perception, leading them to accept the utterly absurd as natural and even consider it an honor.
If this Faith Power was so terrifying even in its raw form, what unimaginable energy would be unleashed if it were collected and concentrated?
He seemed to...
Suddenly, he understood what Satan wanted: this pure Faith Power, to break through his own hierarchical limitations?
Soon—
They arrived at their destination.
Satan Star.
They had reached the planet with the most concentrated Faith Power. The Bronze Gate, entrance to Satan's Holy Temple, stood on this world. As soon as they disembarked, they saw countless people prostrating themselves on the ground, slowly crawling toward a single direction.
That direction led to the Bronze Gate.
"Let's go," Chen Mang said, leading the group onto a train that quickly brought them to the Bronze Gate's entrance.
A long queue had already formed before the gate.
The Bronze Gate, nearly thirty meters tall, was embedded within the mountainside, exuding an imposing aura. The queue consisted of train conductors seeking to obtain Faith Components.
All they needed was Satan's approval.
Not only would they gain the right to use Faith Components, but they would also receive several Faith Component blueprints as a gift from Satan, including several of the seven-colored grade—a truly substantial profit.
Not everyone in the Satan Civilization was this fanatical.
Take the Priest, for example.
Chen Mang was certain that the Priest was the least devout person on the train, aside from their own group.
Of course, he was still relatively normal, at least he didn't harm the little boy.
Chen Mang led Biaozi and the others to the back of the queue, preparing to investigate.
He wanted to see what lay beyond the Bronze Gate.
He was also curious to know...
Whether the so-called Satan could withstand a Tier 500 Arcanon Light Energy Main Cannon blast, or even a Tier 1000 one.
If it could withstand both...
Then you're the real Satan.
He'd run first and hope to meet again someday.
(End of the Chapter)
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