Chapter 303
Chapter 303
Watching the two of them clamber to their feet, Zhang Bei popped a pistachio into his mouth.
Ah, he’d finally had his fill of commentating. Bliss!
Qingqing drank some water, trying to recover from her exertions.
Yao Dong wiped the dirt off his face and snatched the turtle from Zhang Bei.
“Let me rub it for a while.”
Zhang Bei: ???
The little turtle: ???
“That thing’s alive?” Qingqing asked.
Two pairs of curious eyes turned toward her.
Huh?
What were those looks supposed to mean?
Was something wrong with her, or with them?
What normal person sat around polishing a turtle?
Look at its shell. It was starting to shine!
Neither man seemed aware of anything strange. Boss Zhang looked especially baffled.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
After a long silence, Qingqing said, “No. As long as you’re happy.”
She had given up hope for these two.
Wherever Boss Zhang went, things always got weird.
The sky gradually darkened, and closing time approached at the Amusement Park.
Zhang Bei let out a small breath as he watched a figure approach.
“It’s about time. Let’s go.”
“Benefactor, where exactly are we going?”
The old monk, Jitian, watched Zhang Bei ready his telescopic baton and felt his heart begin to pound.
Were they going to a fight?
Did this bastard have some fundamental misunderstanding about monks?
He was a fucking monk, not some mighty Buddhist guardian!
With these old arms and legs, how was he supposed to fight?
They’d snap him in half!
Zhang Bei slipped the baton into his sleeve. “Just going for a chat. This is a precaution.”
He opened the car door and got behind the wheel.
The old monk rubbed his bald head, gritted his teeth, and climbed into the passenger seat.
Even now, he firmly believed that human nature was good.
Surely no one would actually drag an old man along to a brawl.
The holiday had filled Dingyang City with festive cheer.
Snowfall was a rarity by the sea, but that did nothing to hamper the shops’ marketing efforts.
Zhang Bei stroked his chin as he watched the revelers along the street.
Such a wonderful holiday. If they spent it at the Amusement Park, just how much Emotional Value could he collect?
After crawling through traffic, the car finally reached its destination: a church occupying extensive grounds.
The old monk stared up at the cross for a long time.
“You’re really something.”
“Thanks for the compliment. Shall we take a look around?”
The monk drew a deep breath. “I don’t sense any gratitude at all. Only delight at my predicament.”
“Really?”
“What do you think?”
Zhang Bei scratched his head. “Think about it. All these believers. If they converted to Buddhism, wouldn’t that expand its following?”
The old monk was a little tempted. “They belong to another religion.”
“Look what that religion has done for them. Instead of seeking treatment when they’re sick, they come here to pray every day. Isn’t that harming them?”
Zhang Bei understood people. Even with an old monk who wanted nothing, he could find the right pressure point.
Seeing the monk hesitate, he went straight for the decisive blow.
“Isn’t the Buddha supposed to save everyone, whether they follow another faith or not?”
“Let’s go. Today, I’ll expose their hypocrisy!”
Smiling, Zhang Bei pushed open the church doors.
Inside, a bishop was leading his congregation in prayer.
At the opening doors, the smile fell from his face.
He knew this man. In fact, there was hardly a bishop who didn’t.
Zhang Bei. All twelve cardinals had been beaten up, and his photograph had circulated throughout the Church.
Clad entirely in black, he clearly hadn’t come with friendly intentions today.
The bishop looked past him and found himself staring at a large, gleaming bald head.
A monk?
Shit. This was going to be trouble!
Zhang Bei walked over and sat in the front row. “Bishop, might you clear up a few doubts for me?”
“The Lord knows all. He will reveal to mankind everything you wish to know.”
The old monk felt his scalp prickle as he nervously sat beside Zhang Bei.
“What exactly are you planning?”
“Quiet!”
Zhang Bei cleared his throat and began slowly.
“Xiao Ming is a very devout believer. He’s prayed every week since childhood and has even become a bishop. But he’s done something wrong. Can he still go to Heaven?”
The bishop bowed his head, holding the Bible.
“The Lord forgives people’s sins.”
A hint of amusement flickered in Zhang Bei’s eyes.
“And does your Lord judge fairly?”
“Of course. The Lord knows all. His punishment is just.”
The bishop frowned. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this bastard hadn’t come merely to ask a couple of questions.
Zhang Bei gave him no time to think before moving straight to his final question of the day.
“Xiao Li is a devout believer, and his childhood was full of trauma. He’s spent his whole life hoping for salvation from the Lord. In Heaven, would the Lord help him?”
“If his faith is sincere enough, the Lord will surely shine His light upon him.”
By now, Zhang Bei was smiling broadly, and the bishop realized something was wrong.
Sure enough, the atmosphere grew heavy as Boss Zhang spoke again.
“Then tell me: after Xiao Ming, who dedicated his whole life to the Lord, committed an atrocity against Xiao Li, a member of his own congregation, would he be punished?”
Silence fell over the church.
No one spoke. Every gaze rested on the bishop.
Cold sweat had begun to bead on his forehead.
This wasn’t merely a question. It was a challenge to the doctrine itself.
The old monk glanced down at the baton hidden in Zhang Bei’s sleeve.
He could fight, couldn’t he?
Surely they weren’t going to get beaten up today?
Zhang Bei patted the monk and raised his voice a little. “What would Buddhism do in that situation?”
“Benefactor, Buddhism seeks stillness. Its followers must cast aside worldly emotions and desires.”
“But isn’t there a saying, ‘Lay down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha on the spot’?”
The monk’s eyebrows rose. What was this bastard doing?
Was he attacking everyone now?
Still, this was his own faith. “That saying comes from a novel. It isn’t our doctrine. Someone who harbors murderous intent can never become a Buddha.”
The bishop had turned deathly pale.
The better a product was advertised, the more it sold.
And they excelled at that. Their publicity never stopped.
Combined with the weekly brainwashing, it had given them what could be called the largest following in the world.
But more followers also meant less steadfast faith.
After Zhang Bei’s performance, the congregation in this church was already beginning to lean toward Buddhism.
The bishop knew he had to do something. Otherwise, not only would he lose his flock, his rivals might even brand him a heretic.
“Bishop, what’s happened?”
A young boy in a long robe came in from outside.
“Holy Son, stay back! It’s dangerous here!”
A sudden chill flashed in Zhang Bei’s eyes as he looked at the boy before him.