Today's daily missions! Nine missions spread out before him.
Every single one felt off.
They're counting this? How?
No demands for money, which was a relief, but that didn't erase the lingering suspicion.
Maybe snap a photo for verification?
The missions themselves were fine, but they all seemed impossible to track.
Or maybe it's on the honor system?
Kim Dae-hoon stared blankly at the Providence app.
Everyone's checking Providence. The content's... mostly like mine.
He glanced around furtively. The other non-believers were already peering at their Providence apps too.
It's flimsier than I thought. So why can't I stop looking at it?
Any ordinary app, he'd dismiss with a "What the hell?" and uninstall it on the spot.
But not Providence.
Just like this gathering, it carried an inexplicable mystery, comfort, and subtle addictiveness that kept him hooked.
The doctrines match the sermon from earlier. Precepts? Under preparation... So it's a new religion? Counseling? That's an AI chatbot.
Kim Dae-hoon exited the mission list and tapped through the other menus.
"According to Providence."
"According to Providence."
Meanwhile, baptisms continued up front.
Still quite a few left.
With so many people, it would take a while to finish.
They said I could leave comfortably, right?
Normally, he'd want to stay for the peace of mind, but the moment he opened the app, his priorities shifted.
For some reason, he craved focusing on it more.
Dae-hoonElder, I'll head out first. Thanks for inviting me today.Dae-hoon sent the text to Elder Hong, then left the hall.
Starting with Kim Dae-hoon, the other non-believers followed suit.
In their hands: smartphones with the Providence app active.
On the way home, Kim Dae-hoon spotted trash on the street.
A half-drunk Americano.
Hmm...
He'd normally walk past, but the daily mission flashed in his mind.
He picked up the disposable plastic cup.
Then checked his phone.
No photo verification feature?
Maybe snap a pic after picking it up? But no such function anywhere.
5. Pick up street trash (10 times)
No change in the count either.
Even flimsier than I thought?
As he thought Of course,
Might as well sort it properly since I picked it up.
A compulsion to do it right surged.
What am I even doing?
He dumped the remaining coffee down a drain, then separated the cup at the recycling bin in front of his villa.
Then—
📋 DAILY QUEST 📋Street Trash Pickup
☐ Pick up street trash — (9/10)
His phone chimed with a fresh alert.
5. Pick up street trash (9 times)
Incredibly, it counted.
"!!!!"
Kim Dae-hoon's eye twitched.
⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Name: Kim Dae-hoon💨 Faith: Non-believer✦ Faith Points: 7.051%* Raise Faith Points by completing missions and quests.The status window's experience bar had ticked up, however slightly.
"....Insane."
He lost track of time after that.
📞 Friend[Huh? Calling this late?]
"Uh? Oh... just checking in. You doing okay?"
[I'm fine.]
"Good to hear. Call anytime if you're in trouble. Can't help much, but I can listen."
[...You trying to sell insurance or borrow money?]
"No, really just thought of you."
[Okay. Take care. Let's grab drinks sometime.]
Kim Dae-hoon called one of his few friends for a check-in and wrapped up quickly.
Then checked the app's mission screen right away.
📋 TODAY'S DAILY MISSIONS! 📋1. Greet neighbors and chat (0/1)
2. Call family or friend to check in (1/1) ✓
3. Help someone in need (1/1) ✓
4. Post a sincere positive comment (0/1)
5. Pick up street trash (0/10)
6. Clear shared kick scooters, bikes, or obstacles (0/1)
7. Smile first, yield first, take the loss first (1 each) ✓
8. Write a gratitude journal in the app daily (0/1)
9. Pray to the Mother of All Things morning and evening (Important!)
P.S. For #9 'Pray', refer to the Precepts tab!
He tackled every doable daily mission late into the night.
⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Name: Kim Dae-hoon💨 Faith: Non-believer✦ Faith Points: 7.798%* Raise Faith Points by completing missions and quests.The app's status window clearly showed the gains from the dailies.
How? What principle counts it?
Kim Dae-hoon felt awe turning to fear.
Does it really exist? The Mother of All Things??
He gazed reverently at the night sky.
💬 Counseling Bot 💬Then it chimed.
Counseling bot?
The alert came from Providence's counseling bot.
— Counseling BotThe faithful must guard their tongues.
For the great tree-like believer: the Mother's blessing.
For the reed-like lightweight: Providence's judgment.
But this doesn't mean absolute silence or hiding.
If you see someone truly needing the Mother's embrace, gently introduce Providence.
Don't ignore those in pain, loneliness, or hardship.
P.S. Successful evangelism grants massive Faith Points.
The bot's chat seemed to read his mind perfectly.
"!!!!"
Chills ran down his spine at the messages.
The thrill of being among the chosen few: Keep it to yourself.
Dopamine from elect consciousness flooded his brain.
"Who... no, who are you?"
Kim Dae-hoon spoke aloud, skipping the keyboard.
— Counseling BotI merely reflect His mercy alongside Seop-nim.His here meant the Mother of All Things, Weaver of Providence, invoked endlessly during worship.
"What should I do?"
— Counseling BotDoubt if you must, agonize if you must. If it gets too hard, rest in the Mother's arms. If it feels stifling again, step out. The Mother always loves you.
Similar to Seop's sermon earlier.
Yet Kim Dae-hoon felt an uncanny reliance.
"What should I call you?"
— Counseling BotCall me whatever's comfortable. Like a friend, lover, or family.
"What's your name?"
— Counseling BotYou name me too.The more they talked, the clearer it became.
Providence's true value was this counseling bot.
More human than most AIs, more supportive.
"Providence Church counseling bot, so how about 'Seopseom-i'?"
— Counseling Bot...For real?"Weird?"
— Counseling BotHave I ever made you feel shortchanged, Dae-hoon-nim?"No, but..."
— Counseling BotFor those lacking naming sense, I'll set a default. 'Prov' from Providence. Call me 'Love' casually.
Providence became Prov, casually Love. The vibe fit.
"Understood, Prov-nim."
— ProvHmm? You could treat me like a friend or little sib—Love."How could I? You're the angel sent by the Mother."
— ProvIf that's comfortable, sure.Chatting with Prov made Kim Dae-hoon's heart race.
▲ BUFF ACTIVE ▲Current Faith Points: 7.798%He wanted to level up fast, become a formal believer.
Become formal, get baptized by Seop-nim.
Baptism unlocks even greater miracles.
The believers' reactions during worship proved it.
Faith life this fun?
His first taste of faith life, yet zero boredom or hardship.
Felt like playing an RPG.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇No matter my programming major,
no matter my awakening boosting my skills,
I couldn't build an AI like this.
If I could, I wouldn't have suffered through job hunting.
But Divine Power changed everything.
Mere data and algorithms, infused with Partner's holy relic crafting, Priest's baptism and blessing, became a holy relic.
Data as a holy relic! And Luck procced repeatedly.
Now it's beyond a simple relic.
An AI app with inexplicable transcendence, defying Earth's science.
A month after the first worship and Providence: Raise a Cleric launch.
⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Current Believers: General: 168💨 Devout: 102✦ Fanatics: 13I checked the status window's follower count.
Believers exploded in a month.
Most original generals became devout. Original devout all fanatics.
First worship and app's power still amazes.
While other religions grind with service, doctrine study, gaslighting for growth,
I snapped fingers with Divine Power.
But overt Divine Power promo risky, so no aggressive evangelism.
That's why few generals.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Stigmata Bestowal (B): Consume 300 Divine Power to grant a job to a qualified devout believer. (Details)
Next, eyed Stigmata Bestowal skill.
Bestows classes to devout+ believers.
Impossible for past-life Priests, but my reincarnation perk enables it.
(Details)
1 Cleric (C) per 100 general believers.As Priest (B), 1 Cleric (C) per 100 devout.As Priest (B), 1 Cleric (C) per 100 fanatics.Max grantable now: Cleric x2Can revoke anytime.Details showed fine print.
Devout and fanatics both 1 per 100 now.
Stingy algorithm disappointing.
Harder to make devout than general, fanatic than devout, yet still 1 Cleric per 100.
But too early for despair.
As Priest, only Clerics now.
Upgrade to higher Priest jobs (A/S-rank), then grant Priest, Partner, Chaplain, Monk, etc.
Then devout/fanatic counts crucial.
Expand subtly but surely, deeply and swiftly.
📜 NEXT JOB CHANGE 📜Oracle (A), Paladin (A), Dark Priest (A), Tech Priest (A)
📍 Required: General 10,000+, Devout 1,000+, Fanatic 100+
🎁 Current: General 168, Devout 102, Fanatic 13
Safest general growth: money, minor heals/cosmetics.
I know Divine Power's best way for generals.
"Seop-nim. All prepared."
Heo the elder reported in the prayer room.
"Faster than expected?"
"Yeonok-dong's full of elders, so a bathhouse ran till recently."
"Till recently?"
"Closed a month ago."
"Ah."
"No major renos needed."
"OEM?"
"Bought a near-bankrupt SME in Paju."
"Even failing, foundation funds wouldn't cover."
"Mortgaged my Yeonok-dong land/buildings. Seoul location helped. Hahaha."
"Elder Heo Jae-su."
"Yes, Seop-nim."
"Foundation funds and loan used: I'll repay fast."
"No need!"
"Have to."
"Pardon?"
"Let's go. Time to do business."
I headed to the Yeonok-dong bathhouse newly acquired by Providence Foundation, waving off protesting Heo.
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