The two walked one after the other along a corridor paved with white jade.
After saying she would go find him, Muriel followed obediently behind Steve;
Although the blush on her face hadn't completely faded, her eyes had regained their calm.
"Let's go, it's time to talk about the marriage alliance."
Steve didn't look back, his voice echoing in the empty passage.
"Mm."
Muriel replied softly.
After a moment of silence, Muriel couldn't help but ask.
"So, Steve, do you agree to the marriage?"
Steve still didn't look back, only asking back flatly.
"Do you want to get married?"
Muriel was slightly taken aback, then nodded, her expression as calm as water, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.
"I do."
"Do you even know what a marriage alliance entails? And yet you want it?"
Steve stopped in his tracks somewhat helplessly and turned around to look at her.
"This isn't just playing house; it's a lifelong promise and responsibility."
"But..."
Muriel clutched her chest and said earnestly.
"The heart of the angel tells me this is right. It's cheering and jumping for joy; it tells me that being with you is the most correct choice."
"..."
Steve facepalmed.
"You believe whatever the heart of the angel says?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Muriel tilted her head, looking puzzled.
"The heart of the angel doesn't just pass down power; it passes down the will of the ancestors. It says you're a good person; are you not a good person?"
This direct counter-question left Steve completely speechless.
Trying to reason with a Saintess this pure to the point of being an airheaded clutz was like preaching to the wind.
"Forget it, I'm not going to argue with you."
Steve shook his head, turned, and continued walking out.
"Anyway... I didn't plan on refusing."
The entrance to the mystic realm.
With a rumbling sound, the sealed wall slowly cracked open.
Mikaela was standing outside with that elegant smile on her face, as if she had already seen through everything.
"Your Excellency Steve, I wonder if you have changed your mind?"
She asked with a smile.
Steve glanced at the quiet and obedient Muriel beside him, took a deep breath, and nodded solemnly.
"Fine, I agree."
"Hehe, it seems Steve has already obtained the heart of faith."
Mikaela's smile deepened, a hint of gratification flashing in her eyes.
"Yes, thank you for the opportunity, Pope. I have already absorbed it."
Steve didn't hide it either and asked directly.
"Besides 'as long as faith is not extinguished, the Angels will not die,' what other effects does this heart of faith have?"
"The heart of faith is the prototype of a godhead. Besides granting you an immortal body, its most important ability is to absorb faith and strengthen yourself."
Mikaela explained.
"The ancestor of that time spread radiance across thousands of worlds and gathered endless power of faith to finally condense eighteen wings and achieve the supreme divine rank."
As she spoke, she took a pre-prepared golden scroll from her sleeve and handed it to Steve.
"Recorded on this is the secret technique prepared for you to absorb the power of faith. Although you have only just fused with it, as faith accumulates, your power will undergo a qualitative leap."
"Thank you."
Steve took the scroll and carefully stored it in his system space.
Seeing this, Mikaela pulled back her smile, and her expression became incredibly solemn.
She looked at the two of them, her voice carrying an unquestionable majesty and promise:
"Steve, since you have decided to marry, from this day forward, our Angel Clan will follow you to the death."
"When the day of your formal wedding arrives, I shall pass the position of Pope of the Church of Light to you. At that time, you will be the sole ruler of the Angel Clan."
"That won't be necessary."
Steve waved his hand and refused directly.
"I have no interest in these empty titles and positions. Passing it to Muriel or to me means the same thing; after all, we'll be family."
Hearing this, Mikaela was stunned for a moment, then nodded approvingly.
"Very well. Since you have such breadth of mind, it truly doesn't matter who sits in this position in the future."
As long as the two married, the interests of the Angel Clan and Steve would be completely bound together; it really didn't matter who was Pope.
"By the way, Pope."
Steve suddenly remembered the content on the murals and asked.
"Do you know the origin of that dark figure who was always by the side of the God of Light and Darkness in the murals?"
"That dark figure..."
A hint of confusion flashed in Mikaela's eyes.
"That was a long time ago. According to the clan's ancient records, that mysterious lord appeared out of nowhere and led the then-insignificant Angel Clan to rise. However, as for his specific identity and what happened later, I have no way of knowing."
"The seniors who knew the inside story of those years all perished in that great war."
"I see..."
Steve nodded thoughtfully; it seemed this period of history could only be slowly uncovered in the future.
At this moment, Mikaela's gaze fell on Muriel.
She was calculating in her mind.
As the core of the Order of Saint George, Steve would surely spend most of his time there in the future. If they were to train their feelings, leaving her daughter on the Holy Mountain clearly wouldn't work.
Long-distance relationships are killers of romance.
"Muriel."
Mikaela spoke.
"You should leave with Steve as well. Go see his world and get to know him."
"Okay."
Muriel didn't hesitate at all. She had already wanted to go see Steve's heart, and since her mother had spoken, there was even less reason to refuse.
The gates of the Church of Light.
As soon as the two walked out, they encountered Alex and Micah, who had been waiting for a long time.
"Brother! sister!"
"Greetings, Saintess."
Micah gave an elegant salute, then turned to Steve and called out respectfully.
"Greetings, Saint."
"Uh..."
Steve was stunned upon hearing this, his mouth twitching.
"When did I become the Saint?"
"It is the order of the Pope."
Micah explained with a smile.
"The Pope has just issued an order to the entire Church, announcing that the Saintess has been betrothed to you. According to the rules, you are now the sole Saint of our Church, with a status second only to the Pope."
"Fine..."
Steve helplessly accepted this new title.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he took out a pile of blocks from his space and began to get busy in a corner of the square.
"Steve, what are you doing?"
Muriel leaned in curiously and crouched beside Steve, watching him fiddle with those square things.
"Nothing, just setting up a device for you."
Steve said without looking up.
"So that in the future when you miss home or want to come back, you can return instantly."
Soon, a simple redstone ender pearl teleportation device was completed.
Steve took out an ender pearl emitting a faint light from behind him and handed it to Muriel.
"What is this? Is it for eating?"
Muriel took the pearl, brought it to her nose to sniff it, and asked with a look of confusion.
Seeing her like that, Steve couldn't help but chuckle.
"This is good stuff. Don't eat it. Try throwing it out."
"Oh."
Muriel obediently threw it with all her might.
Whoosh
The pearl traced an arc and hit the ground dozens of meters away.
Bang!
In the next second, Muriel's figure instantly vanished from the spot and appeared directly where the pearl landed.
"Wow!"
Muriel looked around in surprise.
"So amazing."
Steve walked over and handed her another pearl.
"This thing is called an ender pearl. It can bring you back no matter where you are. I've already set up this device. As long as you want to come back from Minecraft in the future, use it with the device over there, and you can instantly teleport here."
"So amazing."
Muriel was as happy as a child who had received a new toy.
"Come, throw this pearl into that water flow device to get it stuck."
Under Steve's guidance, Muriel carefully completed the operation.
Everything was ready.
"All right."
Steve clapped his hands and extended his zombie palm.
"Give me your hand."
"Ah?"
Muriel was slightly stunned, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Why? We arren't married yet..."
"I need to activate the teleportation device over there to take you across."
Steve said as if it were a matter of course.
"I don't want to let you fly over alone or teleport by yourself. What if you get lost or encounter danger?"
"After all, you are my future wife. Even though you are powerful now, I must eliminate all threats."
Hearing the words 'future wife,' Muriel's face instantly turned red to her ears, and her heart rate accelerated.
"How strange. It's not like she didn't know, so why is she still blushing?"
She nodded shyly and gently placed her slender, fair palm into Steve's.
"So cold..."
This was her first sensation. After all, it was a zombie body with no body temperature. But for some reason, this coldness gave her an inexplicable sense of peace.
Steve held her hand tightly.
In the next second, the zombie clone far away in the underground base of the Duchy of Rumbag immediately activated the corresponding Redstone Recall Device.
Hum!
A flash of purple light flickered.
At the moment of spatial distortion, Steve held Muriel's hand, and the two vanished from the Holy Mountain of Light simultaneously.
Duchy of Fernvale, Underground Base Teleportation Room.
The light dissipated.
Steve and Muriel's figures appeared before the familiar Redstone Machinery.
"We're here."
Steve let go of her hand and pointed to the surrounding base, which was full of industrial style and Redstone Technology.
"This is one of our strongholds. Let's go, I'll take you to see the world outside."
Seeing Steve let go of her hand, Muriel was slightly dazed, the cold touch seemingly still lingering on her palm.
She gently clenched her fist as if trying to hold onto that feeling, then hurriedly caught up with Steve's pace.
"Steve, wait for me."
The once-dilapidated medieval ancient city had now undergone earth-shaking changes.
Under the day-and-night construction of tens of thousands of Endermen, modern-style high-rise buildings rose from the ground, and wide, smooth asphalt roads replaced the muddy paths.
Countless rescued humans moved through them. Although their faces still bore a hint of confusion about the future, the joy of being reborn could not be hidden.
Steve controlled the zombie clone, leading Muriel down this completely different street.
Looking at the never-before-seen architectural styles and the orderly social operations around her, Muriel's eyes were full of curiosity. She couldn't help but lean closer to Steve and ask softly.
"Steve, is the world you live in like this too? How does it compare to here?"
Hearing this, Steve looked at her thirst for knowledge and smiled.
"It's very good, countless times more prosperous than here. There is no war, no famine, and the nights are as bright as day with lights. When we get there later, I'll show you around properly."
"Mm."
Muriel nodded heavily, her eyes full of yearning.
The two stopped lingering and walked straight toward the huge Portal located in the center of the city.
Real world, The Fortress.
Steve's main body slowly opened his eyes, ending the cross-world control.
He got up and pushed open the door, and a warm scene in the living room came into view.
Alex was curled up next to Stephanie, the two of them huddled together looking at a phone screen, whispering and letting out silver-bell-like laughter from time to time.
"It seems this girl is adapting very quickly. My parents and Stephanie are treating her well."
Steve felt a little more at ease.
Nicole, who was busy in the kitchen, poked her head out upon hearing the noise, still holding a spatula in her hand.
"Steve is out? Are you hungry? I'm just about to cook."
"Mom, no need."
Steve said while changing his shoes.
"I have to go out again to pick someone up."
"Pick someone up?"
Alex, who was leaning on Stephanie, perked up her ears and reacted instantly. She jumped off the sofa and ran barefoot to Steve, looking up and saying excitedly.
"Is brother Steve going to pick up sister Muriel? I want to go too, I want to go too."
Her zombie clone in the Fantasy World had been right next to Steve just now, so she had naturally heard the entire conversation.
Steve looked at the expectant Alex and smiled, stroking her head.
"Yes, I'm planning to pick up your sister Muriel. Since Alex wants to go, let's go together. You were the one who saved her back then, and she just told me she wanted to thank you in person."
"Yay!"
Alex nodded happily, put on her little shoes nimbly, and stood obediently at the door waiting.
"Sister, uncle, auntie, goodbye! Brother and I are going to pick up sister Muriel and bring her home."
Hearing Alex's cheerful voice, the three people inside the house looked at each other.
"Sister Muriel?"
Stephanie blinked.
"Where did brother get another one from? It couldn't be another little girl with a tragic background from another world, right?"
Nicole also had a strange look on her face, but then she waved her hand and said generously.
"It's fine, let Steve go. He's capable now and can't stand seeing others suffer. If he wants to bring someone back, let him. Our family is wealthy; we can afford to support a few more people."
Steve, who was about to head out, stumbled upon hearing his mother's outrageous remark and almost lost his footing.
He turned back and looked at his mother helplessly. In the end, he didn't explain anything and only squeezed out one sentence.
"Mom, you're overthinking it."
After saying that, he led Alex out the door.
Inside the base corridor.
Steve held Alex's hand, checking the latest intelligence summary on his special encrypted phone as they walked.
Upon looking, good news came one after another.
[Intelligence : The mysterious experimental subject satyr is frantically absorbing fear in the Fantasy World. It has successfully broken through to the fifth rank and is heading toward the werewolf rear.]
[Intelligence 2: The Tier 2 All-Element Awakening Potion has entered mass production; the All-Round Base has begun deployment, and the entire army's strength is ushering in its second leap forward.]
[Intelligence 3: Analysis of Moonlight Mithril technology was successful. The source crystal Iron Golem's defense has skyrocketed after absorbing the mithril; if it can further absorb Red Hot Crystals, it is expected to advance to the sixth tier.]
[Intelligence 4: Information obtained from the Angel Clan intelligence network has locked onto the specific coordinates of a hidden Dragon Race.]
[Special Operation: The General Staff Department has formulated the Dragon Slaying Plan, aiming to obtain Dragon Blood to strengthen the Ender Dragon; experimental preparations are underway.]
"Dragon Slaying Plan?"
Steve looked at the red text on the screen, his gaze narrowing slightly.
"I don't know what tier that dragon is, but since the intelligence was provided by the Angel Clan, it shouldn't be weak."
He casually turned off his phone and stopped thinking about it.
"When the dragon slaying begins, Alex and I can just go onto the field ourselves. The early-stage reconnaissance and encirclement work will be handled properly by the state machine; there's no need for me to worry."
The two hadn't walked far before they ran into Randy, who was just coming out of the Command Center at the corner.
When Randy saw Steve, his expression immediately became a bit strange, sizing him up with an inquiring look that seemed to say, 'You're doing well, kid.'
"Randy."
Steve felt a bit uncomfortable being stared at and took the initiative to nod.
"I agreed to the marriage alliance."
"You really agreed? Ahem, I mean who wouldn't agree? I've soon those angels, the uglier ones are still 10/10s. I bet all our soldiers will start marriage alliances as well!"
"Forced by the situation, it's also going with the flow, and perhaps you can call it a match made in heaven."
"Ha!"
Steve didn't want to dwell on this topic and said directly,
"Randy, I'm going to pick up Muriel now. By the way, I've taken the Angel Clan's heart of faith. Future development strategies might need slight adjustments; I need a large amount of power of faith to become stronger."
"Faith?"
Hearing this, Randy's brow furrowed slightly before smoothing out, and he nodded solemnly.
"Alright, I'll head back to the General Staff Department now and have them immediately discuss a plan with the Angel Clan. Whether it's building statues, spreading doctrines, doing publicity, or announcing your existence online now—as long as it makes you stronger, we will fully cooperate."
He knew very well that Steve was now America's stabilizing force. Steve becoming stronger would not only enhance America's high-end combat power but was also the greatest guarantee for his own safety.
"Thanks, Randy."
Steve finished speaking and prepared to leave.
"Hey, wait."
Randy suddenly called out to him, advising earnestly,
"Steve, despite this being a political union, the Saintess appears pure and simple-minded. Now that she's with us, you mustn't take advantage of her. Look after her properly."
"I know, Randy."
Steve gave a helpless smile.
"Goodbye, Grandpa Randy."
Alex waved goodbye.
"Hey, goodbye Alex."
In front of the Portal.
Before the massive purple light gate, the staff had already cleared the area.
Steve and Alex stood quietly in front of the gate, waiting.
Buzz!
The light gate rippled, and Steve's zombie clone walked out first, then stepped aside to clear the way.
Immediately after, a figure wearing a pure white long dress, with a holy aura as pure as snow, slowly stepped out from behind the light curtain.
Muriel.
She still maintained that pure and stunningly beautiful appearance, her heterochromatic eyes carrying a hint of curiosity and nervousness as she surveyed this brand-new world.
At the very moment their eyes met.
Thump! Thump!
Steve only felt the golden heart of faith in his chest contract sharply, followed by a violent pounding.
That feeling was as if his heart was about to fly out of his chest cavity.
And on the opposite side, Muriel clearly felt the same throb. She clutched her chest, her eyes instantly locking onto Steve.
That feeling was as if they were meeting again after being separated by ten million years of time and the barriers of countless worlds.
There was no strangeness, no estrangement, only a sense of familiarity and joy originating from the depths of the soul.
Muriel was not as confused as Alex had been when she first came out; she didn't even spare a glance at the zombie clone beside her, but walked straight toward Steve's true body.
She knew that this was him.
The two stood face to face, less than half a meter apart, and the surrounding air seemed to become thick and ambiguous.
They remained silent for a long time.
"Steve, is it you?"
Muriel asked softly, her voice trembling slightly.
"Yes, it's me."
Steve looked at her. The feeling of heart resonance made his throat feel a bit dry, but he still feigned composure and reached out his hand.
"Let's go, I'll take you to see my parents."
"Okay."
Muriel nodded obediently and naturally reached out her hand to take Steve's.
"Is this your world?"
She curiously observed the surrounding base facilities, which were filled with modern style.
"It feels very special, and very safe."
At this time, Alex, who had been standing aside as a third wheel, finally couldn't help herself and approached with a giggle.
"Sister!"
Muriel looked down at the cute little girl, and her heart of the angel gave off a warm feedback.
"It's you?"
Muriel squatted down, her eyes full of gratitude.
"Thank you, Alex. You were the one who saved us last time."
Her heart of the angel could perceive the true heart; she could clearly feel that the inner self of this little girl before her was exactly the same as the terrifying existence that had saved them on the battlefield last time—pure and kind.
"It's nothing, sister."
Alex smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.
"Who told those bad guys to bully the pretty sister? Brother said we should protect good people."
Listening to their conversation, Steve stood to the side and helplessly pressed his chest.
That heart of faith was still throbbing tirelessly. As long as he was with Muriel, this accelerated heartbeat and the feeling of wanting to merge into one would not go away.
"How is this even a heart..."
Steve complained in his mind, "This is clearly a high-power pacemaker installed in my body."
Looking at the two beauties, one big and one small, chatting happily, Steve took a deep breath and calmed his restless heartbeat.
"Let's go, let's go home."
At home.
Soft light fell on the three of them, casting long shadows.
Alex was like a happy little sparrow along the way, chirping incessantly around the two of them.
"Since brother Steve and sister Muriel are getting married, does that mean I can eat wedding cake?!"
The little girl blinked her big eyes and asked with a face full of expectation.
Steve looked at her greedy appearance and couldn't help reaching out to pinch her cheek, laughing.
"Yes, yes, yes. There will be plenty of wedding cake then, enough to make all your teeth fall out."
"Yay! I want the super sweet kind."
Alex didn't care about the tooth problem at all; as long as there was cake to eat, it was a sunny day.
Muriel listened to their conversation, and although the concept of wedding cake was still a bit vague to her, she felt the overflowing joyful atmosphere, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.
Soon, the three of them stopped in front of that familiar door.
Looking at the closed security door, Steve took a deep breath. His heart was actually beating several beats faster than when he faced a Rank Seven.
"What the hell..."
He grumbled to himself.
"Usually, my parents nag me about getting married until my ears get calloused. Now that I've actually brought one back, I'm actually nervous?"
Just as Steve was hesitating over what opening line to use, the understanding Alex had already seen through everything.
The little girl rushed forward and knocked on the door with a series of thuds.
"Coming, coming!"
The sound of shuffling slippers came from inside.
Click.
The door opened, revealing Stephanie's youthful face.
"Brother, you're back?"
Stephanie looked out as she spoke, and when her gaze fell on the figure beside Steve, she froze instantly.
What kind of woman was this?
Dressed in a long gown as white as snow, her skin was fairer than snow, and her features were as exquisite as an artwork carved by God's own hands. Especially those heterochromatic eyes—clear and mysterious—carrying a holy temperament that seemed detached from the mortal world.
"This..."
Stephanie blinked, her brain stalling for a moment.
"Don't just stand there, let us in."
Steve spoke up at the right time to break the silence, then turned to introduce Muriel.
"Muriel, this is my younger sister, Stephanie."
"Hello, Stephanie."
Muriel smiled slightly. Her voice was as crisp and pleasant as a mountain spring, making one feel as refreshed as a spring breeze.
"Ah... He-hello."
Stephanie finally snapped out of it and hurriedly stepped aside to make way.
"Quick, please come in."
Steve didn't rush inside but instead looked at Stephanie and said with a serious expression.
"Stephanie, let me introduce her formally. This is Muriel, and she is also your future sister-in-law."
"What?"
The phone in Stephanie's hand almost slipped.
"Future... sister-in-law? Brother, you two..."
Her gaze shifted downward, landing on their tightly clasped hands.
Their fingers were intertwined, showing an intimate bond.
'They're holding hands, LEWD!'
Under Stephanie's shocked and nearly dull gaze, Steve held Muriel's hand and walked into the house with calm composure.
"Who's here? Did Steve bring back that poor child?"
In the kitchen, Nicole heard the commotion. Wiping her hands on her apron, she hurried out.
The image she had pre-conceived in her mind was a ragged, sallow, and emaciated little thing, just like Alex when she first arrived.
However, when she clearly saw the fairy-like woman standing in the living room who looked like she had stepped out of a painting, she was completely dumbfounded.
"This..."
Nicole froze for a few seconds, then reacted. She immediately stepped forward and took Muriel's hand with a face full of motherly love.
"Oh my, this girl is so beautiful. Child, you must have suffered over there, right? It's alright, now that you're here, just treat it like your own home. Don't be shy."
In her view, being this beautiful in such a chaotic world meant it was definitely easier to suffer; this child must have endured a lot of grievances.
Muriel was a bit at a loss, but feeling the warmth of Nicole's palm and that sincere care, her heart felt warm. She greeted her.
"Hello."
"Mom."
Seeing his mother's overflowing sympathy, Steve interrupted helplessly.
"You've got it wrong. She hasn't suffered at all. She is the Saintess of the Church of Light, her status is very high. And..."
Steve paused, took a deep breath, and announced solemnly.
"She's not a refugee I took in. She's your future daughter-in-law."
"What?"
The power of these words was comparable to a depth charge.
Nicole's hand jerked, nearly losing its grip. Her eyes widened as she looked back and forth between her son and Muriel in disbelief.
"Daugh-daughter-in-law?"
Nicole's voice went out of tune.
"Steve, are you serious? You really brought a wife back for me? And such a beautiful doll-like one?"
At this moment, Muriel had retracted her eight wings, maintaining a purely human form.
Her flawless features and graceful bearing were straight out of a fairy tale—like a living princess who embodied every ideal an elder could imagine for a perfect daughter-in-law.
Stephen, who had been sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, stood up abruptly upon hearing this. He was so excited that his beard was trembling.
"Good, good! I knew my son was capable. I expected nothing less."
Without another word, Stephen grabbed his jacket and rushed toward the door.
"Nicole, you entertain them. I'm going to the Canteen to find the chef and get some proper dishes. We must have an extra feast tonight."
"Hey, you old man, slow down!"
Nicole called out, then turned her head, the smile on her face even more radiant than a flower.
"Um, Muriel, have a seat, have a seat. Eat some fruit, have some snacks."
Nicole enthusiastically pressed Muriel onto the sofa, then gave Stephanie a look.
"Stephanie, keep your sister-in-law company and chat."
After saying that, she grabbed Steve's arm and whispered.
"Steve, come into the room with me. I have something to ask you."
"Okay."
Steve gave Muriel a reassuring look, then followed his mother into the bedroom.
Inside the bedroom.
As soon as the door closed, Nicole immediately switched to a serious interrogating expression, staring intently at Steve.
"Steve, tell me the truth. Is this really my future daughter-in-law? You're not lying to me?"
Although her heart was blooming with joy, the happiness had come so suddenly that she still found it hard to believe.
After all, her son had been completely uninterested in this area before. He spent all day in the base and didn't have contact with other women. How did he suddenly bring back such a top-tier beauty?
"Mom, it's true."
Steve nodded helplessly, his gaze firm.
"Then I should probably sell my proud mom rainbow T-shirts."
...
"I've already decided to form a marriage alliance with her. This is a carefully considered decision. Moreover, for the near future, she will be staying here and living with us."
"Marriage alliance?"
Nicole keenly caught this word, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Steve, did the higher-ups put pressure on you? If it's for some mission..."
"Mom, you're overthinking it."
Steve interrupted her wild thoughts and smiled.
"This is my own choice, and I think she's quite good."
Looking at her son's serious expression—and since a mother knows her son best—Nicole instantly understood that this was truly settled.
"Good, good, good. Since it's your own choice, then mommy is completely at ease."
The seriousness on Nicole's face instantly dissolved, changing back into that of a mother beaming with joy.
"Staying here is good. We have plenty of rooms at home, just right for nurturing feelings. Oh right, does that girl have any dietary restrictions? Does she like spicy or sweet? Should I change the bedding for a new set..."
Listening to his mother start to ramble about life's trifles, a warm current surged in Steve's heart.
"Mom, just arrange it as you see fit; she's not a picky eater."
After Steve finished speaking, he pushed the door open and walked out.
In the living room, Stephanie was pulling Muriel aside to ask her all sorts of questions, while Alex was snickering on the side.
Suddenly, Muriel seemed to sense something; she stood up and walked straight toward Steve.
"What's wrong?"
Steve asked in confusion as he looked at the holy figure approaching him.
"Steve."
Muriel looked up, a hint of pure longing in her heterochromatic eyes.
"Could you... let me see your heart of faith?"
"..."
Steve was stunned for a moment. Feeling the gossiping gazes from everyone around them, he rubbed his nose helplessly.
"Alright."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the two of them walked one after the other into Steve's bedroom and closed the door behind them.
"How do you want to see it?"
Just as Steve turned around, he felt a waft of fragrance hit him.
Muriel had already pressed close to his body. Without any hesitation, her fair and soft right hand was placed gently against his chest.
"So this is... the heart of faith."
She closed her eyes and began to sense it with full concentration.
Looking at her unguarded and intimate actions, Steve couldn't help but sigh inwardly; this girl really didn't treat him like an outsider at all.
At that moment, a magical scene occurred.
Buzz!
The heart of faith inside Steve's body seemed to receive some kind of summons and began to throb violently.
A warm and majestic golden energy surged from his heart; it was the pure power of faith accumulated by the Angel Clan over tens of millions of years.
This power split into two.
One part flowed along Muriel's arm back into her body, making her already powerful aura even more solid.
The other part began to frantically wash through Steve's limbs and bones, strengthening every one of his cells.
"So strong."
Steve was shocked; the purity of this energy was terrifyingly high.
At this rate of enhancement, even without using a Rank 5 Genetic Medicine, it probably wouldn't be long before his physical strength naturally broke through to Rank 5. Was this what they called leveling up while lying down?
After a while, Muriel slowly opened her eyes, and the golden light on her body gradually faded.
"How was it?"
Steve looked at her, as she radiated a faint glow.
"Are there any benefits to this heart of faith?"
"Yes."
Muriel nodded, joy flashing in her eyes.
"It seems that as long as I stay with you, I can quickly become stronger. Moreover, the massive amount of faith contained within the heart of faith is also being slowly absorbed by me."
"That exaggerated?"
Steve said in surprise.
"This heart works both ways?"
"Yes."
Muriel suddenly thought of something. She looked at Steve with a serious expression, grabbed his hand, and was about to place it on her own chest.
"Steve, do you want to touch my heart of the angel too? It feels very comfortable."
*Cough, cough.*
Steve looked at the slightly undulating, full curves and hourglass figure. Even though they were separated by clothes, he felt as if he had been burned and instantly pulled his hand back.
"No need, no need."
"Eh?"
Muriel tilted her head, looking confused.
"Don't you like the heart of the angel? But I like the heart of faith; they should be mutually attracted to each other..."
In her simple worldview, this was just an energy interaction between two cores; she had no idea how ambiguous this action was.
Looking at the ditzy Saintess before him, Steve sighed helplessly.
"There will be plenty of chances to touch... I mean, plenty of chances to sense it in the future. There's no rush now."
"Mhm!"
Muriel nodded.
"Whenever you want to touch the heart of the angel in the future, you can tell me anytime. I'll let you touch it."
"..."
Steve pressed a hand to his forehead; this conversation was going nowhere.
"Alright, let's try to see if we can actively absorb the power of faith to train."
Steve quickly changed the subject and pointed to the bed.
"Sit."
The two of them sat cross-legged facing each other.
With a thought from Steve, the heart of faith in his chest suddenly burst forth with brilliant golden light.
This light was not dazzling but rather as gentle as water. It spread out from the two of them, gradually filling the entire room and even penetrating the walls.
The Fortress, General Staff Department conference room.
The atmosphere was heated and tense.
Randy sat in the main seat with a serious expression.
"Friends, there is an important task now. Steve needs to absorb a large amount of power of faith for his training. According to information provided by the Angel Clan, faith comes from the people's adoration, respect, and trust. What should we do?"
The group of staff officers and psychologists below immediately launched into a heated discussion.
"I think the time is ripe."
A young staff officer was the first to speak.
"Currently, America's national strength is robust, and we have long possessed the strength to crush any opposition globally without breaking a sweat. As the creator of all this, Director Steve's strength has reached the human peak of Rank 4, making him invincible."
"We can start gradually revealing Director Steve's identity and deeds on the internet to build him into a true national hero."
"Exactly."
Another expert wearing glasses added.
"But I suggest not creating a god directly; it should be more down-to-earth. For example, we can take this opportunity to announce the news of the first-generation physical Enhancement Serum."
He grew more excited as he spoke.
"We can release a series of test videos showing the superhuman strength of enhanced soldiers, and then note in the copy that the formula and core data for the medicine were provided by Director Steve, and then conquered and mass-produced by George Cooper's scientist team."
"This will not only explain Director Steve's contributions but also allow the public to feel genuine gratitude and adoration for him. That is the foundation of faith."
"As for those territories in the other worlds that we've conquered, we can directly erect statues for Director Steve and spread his fame."
While everyone was discussing fervently, a strange aura that made one feel physically and mentally refreshed suddenly spread from deep within the base.
*Whoosh.*
Everyone couldn't help but take a deep breath.
They only felt refreshed; the fatigue from working late for days was swept away, and their thinking became unprecedentedly sharp.
"What is this?"
Shocked, everyone stood up and ran out of the conference room.
Outside the base, the green plants that were originally somewhat yellowed due to the environment were now turning green and growing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The entire lifeless underground base seemed to be instantly injected with infinite vitality, coming alive.
"This kind of commotion..."
Randy's pupils constricted slightly.
"Only Steve could pull this off."
At that moment, Steve's voice was accurately transmitted to Randy's ears via telepathy.
"Randy, don't panic. I'm trying to absorb the power of faith; this is the effect of energy overflow."
"So that's it."
Randy suddenly realized, and then he was so excited his face flushed red.
"Good fellow, this power of faith can not only make him stronger but also nourish the surrounding environment and people? This is truly a case of when one man finds the way, even his pets ascend to heaven."
Looking at the faint golden light covering the entire base, Randy felt as if he had grown several years younger.
"As long as Steve absorbs enough, wouldn't that mean the whole of America could be covered by this blessing? Longevity for the entire populace would no longer be a dream."
After returning to the conference room, Randy slapped the table and made an immediate decision.
"Execute the first step of the Prometheus Plan immediately."
"Prepare to announce the advent of the 'Type I Body Enhancement Serum' on all official accounts across the web. Remember, only announce the first generation. Even if we already have the Tier 2 and Tier 3 Gene Medicine, we must keep them hidden."
This had long been an American tradition: unveil the first technology generation to deter rivals, conceal the second as a strategic reserve, secretly test the third, quietly launch development of the fourth, while the fifth exists only on drawing boards.
An hour later, the global network was shaken.
A video with official blue-check certification surged to the top of the hot search lists with an unstoppable momentum.
Title: [A Milestone in Human Evolution: The First Generation Body Enhancement Serum Has Been developed by America]
The video content was very hardcore, without a trace of special effects.
In the footage, five young soldiers were undergoing physical fitness tests.
"Ready, go!"
With the command, five figures charged out like cheetahs.
At that speed, the naked eye could barely capture afterimages. The time frozen on the stopwatch directly slashed the existing 100-meter world record by nearly half.
Next was the jumping test.
A soldier took two steps for a run-up and actually jumped directly onto a three-meter-high second-floor balcony, his movements as light as a cat's.
There was also lifting hundreds of kilograms with one hand, climbing vertical walls barehanded... countless feats that broke human limits were presented one by one in the video.
At the very end of the video, a line of striking subtitles slowly emerged.
"Special Thanks: Core technical support provided by Director Steve, as well as Scientist George Cooper, Scientist Ben Dover, Scientist Harry Balls, Scientist Willie Stroker... successfully conquered and mass-produced after research."
At this moment, the global internet exploded.
[Holy crap! Is this real? Am I watching a sci-fi movie or the evening news?]
[So fiersome? Jumping straight to the second floor? Is that even human? That's a super soldier, right?]
[Body Enhancement Serum? Conquered? If there were only one such powerhouse, I could say they were exceptionally gifted, but five of them appearing at once—what does that mean? It means mass production!]
[Who is Director Steve?]
[Is he single???]
At the same time, the people from CIA also quickly occupied the high ground of the comment section.
[Everyone, don't panic! Don't believe or spread rumors! This isn't real! Last time I was scrambling for food in the high school cafeteria, I could barely pull off this move when I got desperate. It's really not that hard.]
[Exactly, the video is photoshopped, case closed. How could something that violates the laws of physics happen? Everyone, disperse, disperse.]
Russia, Kremlin, War Room.
The atmosphere here was oppressive.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
The President of Russia slammed an intelligence file onto the table, his roar echoing throughout the conference room.
"Who can tell me why America would research such a thing? Body Enhancement Serum? Breaking human limits? Are they filming Captain America?"
"My God, this is simply cheating."
A general murmured to himself, his face pale.
"Our super soldier program has only just begun, and even the lab mice are still struggling with rejection reactions, yet they have already reached mass production?"
The President's fury did not subside because of this. He turned his head and stared fixedly at the Director of Intelligence.
"Also, where are the spies sent to that mysterious area last time? Why hasn't a single person returned? Not even a shred of news has been sent back? What is the FSB even good for?"
The Intelligence Director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and stood up tremblingly.
"Mr. President, we really don't know. Since the anomaly occurred last time, that place seems to have turned into a black hole. The several batches of elite agents we sent out would lose contact immediately as soon as they approached that area, as if they had vanished from the face of the earth..."
"Useless."
The President cursed, then pointed his finger heavily at the name specifically highlighted in red on the screen: Steve.
"And this Steve, who exactly is he?"
"The video actually says he provided the core data? All the scientists involved in the research are on our list, but where did this Steve pop up from? Also, what bureau is he the director of? Why is there no record of him in our database?"
The President slammed the table violently and issued a death order.
"One hour. I want all the information on Steve. Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find him for me."
"Yes, Mr. President."
The Intelligence Director felt as if he had been granted a reprieve and hurriedly promised.
"We will immediately mobilize the global intelligence network, activate all sleeper agents, and ensure we dig up all information on Steve."
Watching the busy figures of his subordinates, the President slumped powerlessly into his chair, a sudden flash of insight crossing his mind.
"So that's how it is..."
He murmured to himself.
"No wonder America agreed so readily when we proposed the joint military exercise last time—one could even say they were impatient. It turns out they had such a trump card all along."
Thinking of the military exercise starting tomorrow, the President's heart went cold.
If the most elite Spetsnaz of Russia were to face the non-humans in the video who could jump to the second floor barehanded and run 100 meters in under five seconds... that scene was too much to imagine. It would be a massacre, not an exercise.
"No, we absolutely cannot let them be so arrogant."
A trace of ruthlessness flashed in the President's eyes, and he immediately ordered the Press Secretary.
"Immediately issue a statement online saying that this technology has serious ethical issues, will greatly damage human tissue, and even lead to genetic collapse. Call for the World Health Organization to intervene in the investigation. At the same time, use public pressure to demand they release detailed data on this technology and share it with all of humanity."
"Yes, Mr. President."
International Twitter and YouTube comment sections.
As the official Russia trolls began to steer the narrative, some piercing noise started to appear amidst the originally one-sided sounds of amazement.
[This kind of technology is simply anti-human. How could there be no side effects? Those soldiers certainly won't live long. We strongly demand that America release the data and accept international supervision.]
[Technology may progress, but if it is used for war, it is a disaster. If this Enhancement Serum is not transparent and public, how can its safety be guaranteed? It is suggested to share it with developed countries like Russia for joint research.]
[LOL, on one hand you say it's harmful to the body, and on the other you want people to release the data so you can take it for research? Can you double-standard dogs get lost?]
[Hilarious, Russia is panicking, right? Isn't tomorrow the joint military exercise between America and Russia? I think they're scared.]
[Probably not, Russia isn't panicking, right? They wrestle bears, right?]