The Systemic Lands

Chapter 519: Day 4,840 (2) – Theology

XLR8 handed me the speaking stone so my voice would carry. Little Michael came forward and bowed to me deeply at my seat at the back of the cathedral. “Emperor Michael. Um. Well, I wanted to ask, what you think is the most important thing a person should have.” I smiled and nodded at the kid. I had to ban any more kids named after me, otherwise it would have been too big of a headache and confusing.

“Little Michael asked me what I think the most important thing a person should have is. For stats, it is the order in which they appear in the store. With Body being first followed by Mind, then Spirit, Perception, Aura, and so on.” I honestly believed this was the best simple answer.

The more complicated answer was that a balance was best overall. I wanted to bring all my stats up to 100,000 like Body in time, but that would require a million stat points in total. A very large amount. Also, there was the question if there was a secret stat once the city reached level 6. Another reason for the upgrade.

I didn’t know what could be left, but with the Almighty System, it could be literally anything or nothing. It would be just like the Almighty System to be a tease like that.

“As for personal traits, I would say a willingness to improve on your stats. While everyone gets knowledge, training to use them to the fullest is important. Even when killing monsters you know, getting faster and better with what you already have is quite important.”

“I knew a woman once who thought her high stats made her capable of facing a level 4 monster. She was sorely mistaken, and died due to not knowing how to run with a high Body stat. The Almighty System provides the starting guidance, but we must all work hard to use what it has given us to the fullest.” That was a good religious answer I felt.

“Thank you!” Little Michael said and then scampered back to his choir group. The next person stepped, up being led by one of the Priests XLR8 employed. He had done a purge after the last High Priest was removed. I gave him full authority to make this church great and let him manage things.

That was one thing I knew from Clarissa, if you want someone to manage, let them manage. Don’t micromanage them unless it is important. This time it was an older Hispanic woman. “Emperor Michael,” she said with a bow. I gave her a nod back from my seat. “Do you think Earth religions should be ignored and cast down?”

XLR8 was getting a spicey question in here, but I would answer it regardless. “The question was, if I think Earth religions should be ignored and cast down. The answer is complicated, a yes and a no. Let me explain.”

“The past religions provide a good moral framework and inspiration for some great hymns and the Power Guide,” I said and there were several chuckles from the audience at that. I smiled and nodded to show I wasn’t offended. “But the simple fact is, as you said in your question, they are Earth religions.”

“They are old ways of thinking. While not outdated and important to remember, they do not provide the guidance we need here in the Systemic Lands. This place is ruled by a new God, that I can confirm exists. For I have seen it act. The Almighty System is very real.”

“Even now, while it is uncomfortable to think about, the removal of trash, and the resetting of the landscape is the clearest proof that it is always watching and all powerful. It moved us here instantly. It can remove items instantly.”

“To call it anything less than a God with a capital ‘G’ is inappropriate. While I will not claim to speak for it, I will not disrespect it,” I explained. I might curse it out over its stupid meta-points, but the Almighty System owed me. “But I have ordered the previous religions to be recorded along with Earth history as much as people can remember of their texts, origins, and history. The same with Earth history. We might be making a new future, but that is no reason to forget our past.” There was applause at this answer. The woman bowed and left.

The next up was a middle aged black man, who looked like he bench pressed a lot. He gave a shorter bow, but I didn’t put up a fuss. “Emperor Michael, what does your religion have to say about the oppression of people and body transformation.” Really XLR8, what an annoying question. I inclined my head just slightly to indicate my annoyance.

“I was asked what does Systemology have to say about the oppression of people and body transformation.” I paused to get my thoughts in order to reply to this loaded question.

“Systemology is about venerating the Almighty System and understanding its actions along with energy. This can be in the form of stats, skills, and our life here. There are skills that cause a body transformation, and some people have been looking into altering themselves through the application of energy.”

“The Power Church of the Almighty System is focused on understanding these things and providing knowledge, not judgement of people. However, it is the Church’s position and the position of the Empire of Purgatory, that we are a human centric religion, with the belief in human supremacy.”

“The Almighty System has intelligence behind it and it was not created by humans based on my understanding of Earth’s history. That means it is alien at its core. There are rumors of non-human intelligent beings out there, that aren’t monsters. That may very well be the case.”

“Regardless, this Church and this nation is about human supremacy. If you are human, then you are welcome. If you are not human, then we will deal with you as the situation dictates. Non-humans have no rights and no protection until such a time as dictated by treaty.”

“If there is any sort of discrimination, then you can reach out to an Imperial Auditor who will investigate your claims. But do not make such reports frivolously. For when such a claim is made, you will either be punished for making a false claim, or the person accused will be punished. There are many examples of this that are recorded down for review by anyone for a small fee by the Imperial Government.”

I refused to allow old Earth divisions and thinking into my Empire. I had thought that way in the past, when looking at people. Now I saw only humans. Humans that bowed to me. That grinded points for me. It was all of us versus everything else and I wanted people to see and understand that. The man bowed and the next person stepped forward.

This time it was a middle-aged white woman. I could sense Karen vibes coming off her. She bowed and then spoke up. “Emperor Michael, why is charity banned by your government and religion?”

“The question was, why is charity banned by my government and Systemology. The answer is both simple and more complex. Let me give you the simple answer. We cannot afford social services. With the power of restorations from the Almighty System, everyone who can grind can go out and do so.”

“Even with the zones becoming crowded, that just means you need to get better, or get smarter. While the government is looking at options to handle this crisis with the planned city upgrade, we will not support people to just sit around.”

“The Systemic Lands have been around for around 25 years. If there are 50 total cities at 250 people every ten days, only 11 million people, even though most of them have died. Earth has 8 billion people. It is the unfortunate nature of the Systemic Lands that we must encourage people to grind for crystals or die, pushing them out of the cities.”

“While it is impolitic of me to say so, I am an Emperor not a politician.” I was both technically, but people loved this sort of statement. It made them feel I cut right through any nonsense. “We can only afford the most capable of people to remain a part of our society.”

“That primary determination of this is through grinding. While there are other paths, harder paths, they do exist to make a living. That is something I have made sure as Emperor. If you wish to engage in charity, give me the points, so I can explore faster. Push against the higher level monsters to found the end or exit to this place.”

“For there is no one else who can fight at combat level 7. Numbers don’t matter. Just as a new religion has formed to adapt to this new land, our society and understanding of society must adapt as well. That is also why any children born require a massive deposit with the Imperial government by the mother, or she will be put to death.”

“It isn’t because I hate mothers. It is because we have a massive population crisis. The children in this cathedral will not be punished for the sins of their parents, but the investment into them comes at a price. We cannot afford a welfare state as a society, otherwise we will not be ready for the next great threat to come our way.”

“What great threat is that?” the woman asked a follow up question, which she wasn’t supposed to do. I would have her executed in secret later for this disrespect and tell off XLR8.

“Remove her for her disrespect,” I said. She was quickly taken away by guards screaming. These Karens were like weeds. “She demanded to know what other great threats are out there.” I paused to take a breath.

“There will be other nations. Perhaps another Divine Empress. While many did not witness her horror, she sat upon a throne of screaming heads. Heads of the people that annoyed her and she had turned into furniture. Here, death comes quickly to all except one who cannot be killed.” I gestured and the next person came up. The older man looked much more nervous as he bowed deeply.

I inclined my head and listened to his question. “This man asked for my opinion on why we were brought here. That is an impossible question. I have heard many guesses. Most of them I can’t disprove or prove. There is only weak evidence pointing one way or the other.”

“The Almighty System is opaque and mysterious. Again, it is a God. Until it sends down the Ten Commandments, we will have to make due with what we have. If I learn more, then I will share it with you all. That is another reason for this church.”

“To allow everyone to understand the knowledge I have and that others have passed to me about the Almighty System and its immense power. Praise be the Almighty System’s power that it giveth and taketh,” I said the holy lines.

“Praise be,” everyone said after me. It was part of the liturgy at the start of the service, and I felt it was a good way to end things. I stood up, and everyone bowed. I then left the Church through a side door after passing the speaking stone back to XLR8.

That had been mentally tiring. At least XLR8 had scribes copying down what I said so it would be spread through his next broadcast throughout the Systemic Lands and then trickle out from there. It was good to merge my church and the news service togeather. They had a lot of synergy.

But religion was going to be kept out of the government. Government officials could worship, but Clarissa was already implementing checks to make sure rational people got promoted not zealots. They could be sent to level 4 zones to grind.