Chapter 1732: Chapter 1732: Asking Not for Welfare, Only for Burial
After resting for a night nearby, the next morning Xu Huo and his group discovered that the retired high-level individual, Hales, was driving himself. In Zone 019, the supply of free flying vehicles is abundant, so many households don’t have cars and everyone is accustod to this mode of transportation. Mr. Wei usually also uses the free flying vehicles for travel, so it was unexpected for him to be driving himself today.
"Isn’t this quite unfortunate?" Zhao Yiming said, "He’ll go straight from his ho to the ’Seventeen Facets’ event hall without stopping along the way, so there won’t even be a chance for us to act."
"Then let’s head to the event hall first," Jiao Hongyuan searched for the location, "There’s still so distance from here, but I can act as soon as Mr. Wei gets out of his car."
This was the best plan, so the four of them rushed to the event hall. Mr. Wei hadn’t arrived yet. The first step was completed by Zhao Yiming and ng Xiaoman, with support from Jiao Hongyuan to prevent any mishaps. Xu Huo went into the event hall first.
By this ti, the morning ceremonies of the ’Seventeen Facets’ had already concluded. The nearby residents had returned ho, and the only ones remaining in the hall were the lecturers hired by the religion, who were also believers.
The lecturer was packing up, preparing to rest when he saw Xu Huo co in. He stopped and asked, "Do you have any troubles, child?"
A very familiar routine.
Of course, most religions are very polite, except for a few exceptions.
"I’m here to wait for a friend," Xu Huo said, "Sorry to bother you."
"It’s no problem; you can use this space," the lecturer gestured, showing the religion’s openness, "We welco all friends, whether they are inside or outside the religion."
The lecturer didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave and walked towards him, "Child, do you know what this place is?"
Xu Huo nodded, "’The place where the Seventeen Facets Sect holds its ceremonies.’
"Are you interested in learning about our religion?" The lecturer stood in front of him with a smile, "Entering the event hall at this mont, you have quite the connection with the Seventeen Facets."
Xu Huo made an expression of being all ears.
The lecturer sat a couple of seats away from him and began to expound on the doctrines of the Seventeen Facets.
No religion remains unchanged. Religions controlled by people, like people themselves, undergo conceptual changes. As ti passes, they gradually expand their doctrines to better align with the innermost thoughts of the masses and to attract more believers.
The Seventeen Facets is similar, its doctrines aren’t unusual. They boil down to rewards and punishnts—good deeds are rewarded, and evil deeds are punished. In a lifeti, good or evil is accounted for after death, or sotis it’s passed on to descendants. Overall, the religion encourages the living to do good. Besides combining it with Zone 019’s general conditions, Seventeen Facets also serves a psychological counseling function, emphasizing inner peace.
Following his words, Xu Huo asked so questions, which the lecturer could answer comprehensively, even intentionally or unintentionally ntioning special occupational identities and social circumstances, probably aiming to attract more players.
"Is there really a world after death?" Xu Huo asked again, "Zone 019’s technology is advanced, but so many sophisticated instrunts can’t capture the human soul, so how can we be sure there’s a world after death?"
"The practice for the living is not only of the flesh but also of the soul. As for what the world after death is like, only those with exceptional insight can glimpse a bit of it before they die, and even those are difficult to articulate to outsiders. What we obtain is rely one-tenthousandth or one-hundredthousandth of what these people disclose," the lecturer confidently said.
Xu Huo nodded slightly, "Can I understand it this way, that whether a person is alive or dead, their practice is never finished?"
The lecturer nodded with a smile.
"If so, when alive you cultivate the body, and when dead you continue to cultivate the soul. When transitioning between the two states, the body must be discarded. The discarded body no longer serves as a vessel for cultivation, and becos insignificant?" Xu Huo continued to ask.
"You can’t put it that way," the lecturer said, "The body supports us in traversing the earthly realm. Although a cultivated soul can leave the body, it doesn’t an the body is a worthless object. It still should be treated with kindness. Sending off the soul and burying the body symbolizes both the end and beginning of life, not just the conclusion of a traveled journey for the deceased, but also a commitnt for others."
"The life and death of oneself and others are subjects for everyone."
Xu Huo pondered for a mont before saying, "I have no relatives or friends in Zone 019. If I die, will my fellow mbers within the religion take care of my body?"
The lecturer displayed a compassionate expression, "Don’t be so pessimistic about your future... As long as you appear in Zone 019, wearing the badge of the Seventeen Facets, any mber from within the religion who sees you will take the initiative to handle all your posthumous affairs."
"Can I apply in advance?" Xu Huo continued, "I can’t live in Zone 019 regularly, and Zone 019 won’t grant graves to Outer District People. Can I apply to the religion for a unified burial by the Seventeen Facets?"
The lecturer probably encountered soone who didn’t inquire about joining benefits but rather asked about funeral arrangents first for the first ti. Under Xu Huo’s persistent questioning, he opened his notebook, recorded his na, and gave him a badge of the Seventeen Facets religion, "If that day ever cos, the Seventeen Facets will do its utmost to arrange everything for you."
"Thank you," Xu Huo put away the badge, turned, and looked towards the door. Over there, Mr. Wei ca in displeased, muttering unlucky words. Seeing the lecturer, he imdiately said, "I’ve had quite a few things stolen. Could you send a ssage to my family first?"
The lecturer complied, asking about the situation briefly before preparing to take him out of the event hall.
As they passed by Xu Huo, the lecturer told him to feel free.
Mr. Wei glanced at him casually, as if he were looking at a passing pedestrian on the street.
Watching the two leave, Xu Huo looked at the religious emblem placed at the front of the event platform, clasped his hands together, and closed his eyes.
At this mont, anyone would think he truly resembled a devout believer.
The lecturer and Mr. Wei went to the office at the back.
The main purpose of Mr. Wei’s trip was to make a donation.
Having retired on a substantial pension, along with money saved in his younger days, Mr. Wei led a wealthy life. His children were outstanding, providing him with money regularly every year. Beyond his own needs, he would make a tily donation to the Seventeen Facets.
The lecturer, knowing the backstory, sighed and said, "We’re not short of money here; you should save so for your retirent."
The two seed very familiar with each other. Mr. Wei chuckled, "I have plenty of retirent money. It seems like a new dessert has been launched recently. Get one for each of them."
The lecturer seed rather helpless, "People who have passed really don’t need to eat."
Yet Mr. Wei was indifferent, "Looking isn’t bad either. Life is getting better and better in Zone 019. They surely wouldn’t want to leave. I was in my forties when they were in their twenties or thirties. Now I am over a hundred and sixty, and they are still in their twenties or thirties, still kids."
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