Chapter 52: The Judgement of Divine Authority

Zhang Yu’s indignant words struck a chord with the others. Soon after, Peng Wenyan added,
“That’s right. Unless theocracy is eradicated, the true nature of the people will never be set free, and society will never progress.”
“We’ve come at just the right moment. If we rid them of the cancer that is the Celestial Vault Church, the people of the Celestial Dome will surely be grateful to us.”
“According to historical accounts, there was a time when royal authority had already suppressed religious power, and the Celestial Dome had the chance to undergo intellectual emancipation and a renaissance.”
“But who could have foreseen the rise of Shen Xing, who unified the Celestial Vault Church and, by sheer force, pressed the monarchy back down?”
After pondering for a moment, Yao Yuan made a decision.
“Let’s go—let’s find out what the people here really think about the Celestial Vault Church.”
Now, they needed a deeper understanding of this planet’s civilization if they were ever to find the key to its problems.
However, just as they were about to set out and bring a few books back with them, they were forced to awkwardly return the volumes when they realized they lacked the Citizen’s Certificate.
The previous night, they had stayed at a small inn in an alley and hadn’t needed to show any identification, so they hadn’t given it a second thought.
The Citizen’s Certificate was the Celestial Dome’s identity card, made of a special material that looked just like a transparent starry sky.
This unique identification card was crafted from a substance invented by Shen Xing himself, manufactured by the Oracle Institute, distributed in batches by the Celestial Vault Council, and registered in the church’s internal system.
Even if an Earthling got hold of a Citizen’s Certificate, there was no way for them to replicate it.
The material itself was conjured into being by sheer force of will—something that simply did not exist in the real universe—making it impossible to analyze or forge.
…
On the streets of the Celestial Dome, Yao Yuan, adopting the air of a scholar, approached passersby with warmth and courtesy.
Dressed neatly and wearing a gentle smile, he did his best to put people at ease.
“Hello, I’m a university professor conducting a social survey. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Celestial Vault Church.”
“Please, feel free to express your true feelings. Rest assured, we guarantee strict confidentiality. You can speak your mind openly.”
The ordinary passerby Yao Yuan stopped looked at the elegant and well-mannered scholar before him, and his wariness gradually faded.
His gaze drifted toward the towering Central Temple not far away, and his face lit up with admiration. Bowing respectfully, he spoke:
“The Star Father is Lord of all things—he is omnipotent and created us humans.”
“As the Star Father’s children, it is our duty and our glory to believe in him without reservation. This is our innate mission and honor.”

This answer, devout as it was, clearly did not align with Yao Yuan’s expectations of a proper response.
“If the Star Father demanded your life, would you give it?”
The passerby’s face immediately shone with fervor as he answered without hesitation, “Of course I would. To sacrifice myself for the Star Father is the highest honor any believer could wish for.”
Yao Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and continued, “What do you think of the High Priest?”
The passerby’s face remained filled with devotion and zeal. “The High Priest is the Son of the Gods, the Star Father’s representative in our world. He conveys the Star Father’s will and is the great leader of all humanity!”
“It was only thanks to the High Priest’s divine power that we overcame the crisis of the supergiant planet, and survived to this day!”
Though disappointed, Yao Yuan managed a grateful smile.
“Thank you for sharing. Your insights are extremely valuable to our research.”
After the passerby left, Yao Yuan questioned several more people in succession, but the answers were always the same.
Each person expressed boundless respect, admiration, and worship for the Star Father and the High Priest.
They realized then just how deeply the Celestial Vault Church’s influence ran among the people of the Celestial Dome—its authority had sunk roots impossible to dislodge.
If they truly wanted to understand this planet and uncover the truth of its history, they would have to dig deeper, and proceed with even greater caution.
Having failed to obtain the answers they sought, the five of them gathered in a corner, their expressions grave.
“Their faces show such sincerity—there’s not a trace of pretense in their eyes. These words are clearly their truest beliefs,” Peng Wenyan said in a somber tone, a hint of helplessness in her voice. Beside her, Yao Ling nodded, confirming Peng Wenyan’s psychological assessment.
“If the Celestial Vault Church can weave preposterous lies about hand-spinning black holes and destroying planets, and convince the people to believe them, then fabricating a myth about the Star Father creating the world is hardly a challenge,” Zhang Yu added, his tone dripping with irony at such blind faith.
“These people are truly ignorant—fanatics for religion! It’s simply unbelievable. The poison of the Celestial Vault Church runs so deep, it’s absolutely outrageous!” Yang Kui struck the wall in anger.
“This Celestial Vault Church must be eradicated.”
Yao Yuan’s gaze was icy as he looked toward the distant Central Temple, his hand caressing his energy pistol, a cold and ruthless glint in his eyes.
“That High Priest is the root of all this evil.”
“We must drag him out, put him before the people for judgment, make him atone, and expose all the crimes of the Celestial Vault Church!”
“Let’s go! We’re heading to the Central Temple right now to confront that High Priest, Shen Xing.”
“If interrogation alone doesn’t suffice, when the moment comes, we’ll call for reinforcements and cut out this cancerous church!”

The five nodded together, their resolve as unyielding as steel, their steps firm and unwavering.
Pushing through the bustling crowds, they made their way toward the Central Temple, filled with a yearning for the truth and a steadfast commitment to justice.
To them, the Central Temple was no longer a symbol of faith, but a veil of lies that needed to be lifted—a place where the true history of the Celestial Dome might be hidden.
They knew this would be a perilous and challenging journey, but they were ready to fight for truth and justice.
…
They arrived at the temple district in the heart of Vault City on the Celestial Dome.
The Central Temple Square was awash with people, so crowded they were nearly separated from each other.
As the heart of the Celestial Vault Church, and the seat of the High Priest Shen Xing, it naturally drew legions of fervent believers who came to worship.
The faces of the faithful were alight with utmost devotion and zeal, their eyes brimming with reverence and awe for the Star Father.
Yet, for Yao Yuan and his four fellow staunch atheists, this was an utterly alien and uncomfortable sight.
For many years, religion on Earth had become a thing of the past; theocracy had been entirely replaced by science and reason.
The myth of a creator god had been scorned by human progress, and humanity prided itself on ruling its fate through the fruits of evolution.
But here on the Celestial Dome, it was as if the Middle Ages had come again—religious oppression and servitude hung over the land.
In their eyes, the Celestial Vault Church was the heaviest shackle on the Celestial Dome, binding every soul that yearned for freedom.
And at the root of it all stood the High Priest Shen Xing, perched at the pinnacle of power—his authority surpassing that of ancient emperors or any modern government.
By controlling thought itself, he ruled over billions.
Only by craning their necks past the throngs could the people lift their gaze to the summit of the temple’s tower.
Upon reaching the Central Temple, Yao Yuan spoke,
“Let’s go inside.”