"Sacrificing two lower beings to summon a superior one, and even creating illusionary life...."
"I can do that too!"
"So I'm being underestimated! Touting these fictional creations when in reality it's all just bio-synthesis! You'll regret this, for I am the true God of Fiction!"
Shang Lin held a promotional newspaper in the Divine Nation, which was sent over by Miss Malt. Aside from the newspaper, there were many other printed materials, all inscribed with various views and beliefs about sacrifice and offering.
It was clear that The God of Sacrifice really wanted to seize the dominant belief of this world, or rather, he had always been expanding his influence, never stopping for a moment.
To ascend to godhood?
The rank of God isn't something one can ascend to simply by garnering belief!
Good luck with that!
Compared to tomorrow's lecture from the God of Fiction, Shang Lin was set to conduct an online promotion this very evening.
"Let's see how you like my new image!"
The former image of the God of Deception was a deity without a face, shrouded in a layer of white drape, looking like a classic ghost from traditional fairy tales, one that could be cosplayed by simply throwing a white sheet over one's head. However, he was distinguished from common ghostly mobs by a hazy black silhouette surrounding him.
But this image belonged to the God of Deception, not the God of Fiction.
The God of Deception's skin was already an antique treasure from ancient times, with such rudimentary special effects, akin to rotten fish and decayed shrimp.
Since the Fictional Church had no cathedrals, no statues, no regulations, not even decorations, from the Pope down to the believers, everyone was just getting by on their imagination, so even after Shang Lin had been around for a week, no believers had inquired about his actual appearance.
Shang Lin even heard a radical theory suggesting that although the God of Fiction was real, his image must be fictional, meaning he had no image at all. This not only exempted the need to erect statues but also saved a large sum of money on their maintenance....
They're not taking me seriously enough!
I didn't say to fabricate my image too!
Therefore, Shang Lin planned to show his face during the online promotion tonight, to let the world know what his current image was, instead of fantasizing about it every day.
Of course, Shang Lin wasn't opposed to changing his image since it would be beneficial for a potential "skin-selling" event in the future; it was also a kind of disguise. Most deities have fixed, unchangeable images, so those who could change their own image were rare, marking them as distinctive.
Take the Steel God, for instance, he wasn't just able to assemble into a "difference engine man"; if he so desired, he could even transform into a carriage, a boiler, a mechanical arm, a crane, a steamship, a lathe, an ancient mechanical city, clockwork puppets, gear dragons... a true transformer.
"What is called fiction is the product of artistic imagination."
Shang Lin's figure started to change, with facial features beginning to emerge from the God of Deception's veiled face, though only as the simplest of outlines without more detailed changes. The drapery of his entire body began to turn as hard as white marble.
Various features of fantasy began to appear on Shang Lin.
A body sculpted from stone, signifying that the world's "sculpture art" originated from the most ancient and basic aesthetic notions and the earliest creativity.
Around this sculpted body, strange patterns appeared, like mottled patches of oil paint in deep blue, light red, snow white, pale yellow, symbolizing the initial appreciation and crude depictions of color by early humans.
Shang Lin snapped his fingers, and these patches began to orbit him like tiny stars, forming a colorful display of special effects, although they were so small they looked like jelly beans.
Feathers in white formed a cloak on the sculpture, symbolizing the initial decorative images created by humans mimicking birds in dance.
At the waist of the sculpture hung a vertical flute, signifying the musical instruments of ancient times.
A tall top hat was placed upon the sculpture's head, casting shadows over the vague features, an essential icon in theatrical and film work after the Industrial Revolution.
Last, countless overlapping virtual lines appeared around Shang Lin, outlining an image identical to the sculpture itself, layering over the base form like a doll costume.
But these lines contained no colors or fillings, making Shang Lin appear like a draft figure, his motions seeming both farcical and distorted....
"All initial forms in the world are fictitiously conceived from lines."
The line-drawn figure in white feathered clothing was surrounded by various colored jellybeans.
This was the final image of the God of Fiction.
"Still missing something....," Shang Lin stretched out his hands, only to realize that he was not holding anything.
A deity's hands must always hold something, so that the believers can extol that item as a sacred artifact.
Lines began to sketch rapidly, and in a flash, a classic-styled white game controller appeared in Shang Lin's hands.
.....
Time had reached Saturday night. According to the plan, this was the time to participate in the Fictional Church's "promotion event."
Manager Boer remembered what the people of the Fictional Church had claimed.
One simply needed to sleep.
Since the professionals said so, Manager Boer watched the time and then returned to his room, closing his eyes.
Snap.
Boer opened his eyes, but he did not wake up in bed; instead, he found himself in an empty space.
He had not fallen asleep; he was certain he had just closed his eyes!
Manager Boer looked around and saw rows of chairs nearby. He watched the chairs in puzzlement. Some were already occupied by people who seemed to be curiously looking around. Boer recognized them; these individuals were all well-known figures from the city clusters.
Major merchants, investors, rulers, church officials, factory owners, retailers from various shops...
Then, he saw that priests from the War God Medical Association had also appeared here.
The Steel Clerics of the Steel Church.
The late-night endurance brothers from the Church of the Sufferers.
And then there were the people from the "Unclean Ones" church, who everyone kept at a distance. They were wrapped like mummies, enshrouded in white robes, wandering like ghosts through the venue.
However, some lesser church personnel were absent, such as...
Boer scanned the area but did not see anyone from the Sacrifice Church.
"What is this all about....."
"Isn't that Mr. Bore, hello there," a familiar voice sounded. Boer turned his head and saw Professor Halley was also here, and he seemed to have been sitting there for a while.
"Professor, you're here, too? Could this be...?"
Professor Halley's eyes glinted with an extraordinary gleam: "Exactly, this is the scene of the online promotion. We made reservations in the real world, and then... gathered in a dream!"
"But this is unbelievable! However, it should not be called a dream, rather a peculiar 'Mental Space'!"
"You should know that the authority of dreams is also held by several deities, and invariably, the dreams under their influence always feature various bizarre and eerie scenes."
"But now, we are more lucid than ever before...."