Paper Baby

Chapter 21

The ceiling height inside the room was almost the same as the roof height when viewed from the outside. The roof consisted of thin wooden planks, some loosely joined together, allowing sunlight to filter through the gaps. When I looked up for a closer look, I discovered that almost all the planks had gaps, some thick and some thin, through which sunlight poured in unchecked, shattering my last shred of hope.

It's truly a miracle.

At this moment, a sense of powerlessness welled up from somewhere within me. When something incomprehensible and unacceptable truly happens before your eyes, almost every normal person would feel how ridiculous their past beliefs were.

I really can't accept this result. Is this world really an illusion? In front of Zhou Qianqian, even I myself am not real?

When I was young, I did have doubts that everything in time was a trick played by some demon lurking in the shadows, and that everything was fake. But I never imagined that I myself might be fake.

The mud floor inside the cabin had been trampled and broken. Now, everyone who came out of the cabin looked at the saintess with a gaze that had gone from doubt to conviction, from conviction to piety, and from piety to fervor.

At that opportune moment, Liu Jiangzhou loudly proclaimed, "A miracle is happening right before our eyes! All material things are illusory. Only by following the Holy Maiden can our most precious souls return to Heaven!"

And at this moment, I finally "woke up".

If a person doubts even their own existence, what is left of them? Wouldn't everything else be meaningless except for clinging to this Holy Maiden Cult?

To abandon oneself and depend on something else—that kind of life is terrifying to even imagine.

Without a doubt, I just witnessed a supernatural event. It's not the first time I've encountered something like this. The so-called supernatural is simply something that humanity's current level of understanding cannot explain. In the future, as civilization progresses, all supernatural events will have convincing explanations. Mira's disappearance is a fact, but the reason for this may not be what Liu Jiangzhou said.

After thinking about it this way, my mind immediately broke free from the deadlock.

Lu Wanqiang's disappearance was clearly also due to Zhou Qianqian using this ability. That's why she only stayed in front of the toilet door for a short while before leaving. The time required for her to use this ability was as short as a few seconds.

Further on, the baby who disappeared from Huang Zhi's womb also met with great misfortune. Only Zhou Qianqian could have done such a thing, and this behavior was likely spontaneous. Most children feel anxious and fearful when a younger sibling is about to be born, because it means they will no longer be their mother's favorite.

For a girl like Zhou Qianqian, who has a withdrawn personality, these emotions must be much stronger. So, she used her abilities to make her unborn brother disappear, and as a result, Huang Zhi only gave birth to that paper baby.

The series of disappearances of Huang Zhi's family is probably also related to Zhou Qianqian. This little girl's superpower is like a powder keg; if anyone displeases her, she will make them disappear without a trace.

But what exactly this ability to make people disappear is remains a question mark. I have a lovely god-sister; her entire family is born with the ability to telekinesis, able to ignore distances of thousands of miles. If it's something familiar, even if it's on the moon, they can instantly retrieve it. It is precisely because of this ability that some physicists have made new conjectures about the nature of space, believing that space does not exist independently, but is merely a property of matter; by changing this property, spatial position will also change.

However, this ability to teleport has many limitations. For example, it is almost impossible to teleport beings with high mental fluctuations, such as humans. The heavier the object being teleported, the more difficult it is. If it weighs over a hundred pounds, it is very difficult for one person to move it. Furthermore, it is generally possible to move things that are far away to nearby, but it is very difficult to move things that are nearby to far away.

But Zhou Qianqian's abilities are not subject to these limitations, unless her abilities surpass Kou Yun's—my sister's—by a hundred times. However, I always believe that human potential is sometimes limitless.

Furthermore, teleportation is merely moving things to a different location, yet none of the people Zhou Qianqian "disappeared" ever reappeared alive. Did she teleport them all to outer space? Then how do you explain the appearance of the stillborn baby in South Korea?

The saintess was surrounded by an ever-growing crowd. The little girl pursed her lips, leaving only a thin line between them. I saw her instinctively reach out to grab Xue Ying's sleeve, but Xue Ying quickly and firmly grasped her hand. Zhou Qianqian seemed to have gained confidence from Xue Ying, and became calm and indifferent again.

I am even more convinced that what Liu Jiangzhou said is nonsense. If the Holy Maiden were truly the spokesperson of God, how could she show weakness, and how could she need Xue Ying's comfort? Don't say she is young. According to legend, when Shakyamuni was born, he pointed one finger to the sky and one finger to the earth, saying, "Above and below the heavens, I alone am the honored one."

I don't know how Xue Ying made Zhou Qianqian so dependent on her, but I always feel that it's inseparable from the paper baby incident. Perhaps Xue Ying discovered something at that time and deliberately approached her, while Zhou Qianqian felt abandoned because her mother was pregnant again, so her feelings for her mother gradually transferred to Xue Ying.

"Well, are you completely convinced now?" Yuan Ji appeared beside me without me noticing.

I nodded emphatically: "This is simply a miracle, no, it should be called a divine intervention. I can't wait to join now."

Yuan Ji chuckled and said, "This is simply a miracle. Soon the Holy Maiden will personally preside over the initiation ceremony, and then we will become God's children."

“I think Master Xue and the Holy Maiden are very close, like mother and daughter,” I asked tentatively.

Yuan Ji immediately shook his head, slightly frowning, and said, "Don't talk nonsense. A saint is a saint. She is the spokesperson of God and does not have any parents."

"How can it be that there are no parents?"

Yuan Ji said to me solemnly, "For God, nothing is impossible."

My heart skipped a beat, and I vaguely guessed the reason why Huang Zhi was killed.

Before I could think it through, Yuan Ji nudged my arm. I looked up and saw Xue Ying nodding at us from the crowd.

“Let’s go talk to Xue,” Yuan Ji said.

"Ah... why don't you go first? I need to pee." "Okay, but you'll have to go back the way you came to find a toilet."

I withdrew from the crowd, but did not return the way I came. Not far away, there was a slope that I could climb up. There was a cornfield there. I walked to the edge of the slope and, while almost everyone was surrounding the saintess, I quickly climbed up and disappeared into the cornfield.

The corn was taller than my head. I parted the broad corn leaves and walked deeper into the gaps between the corn stalks.

I wasn't looking for a secluded spot to urinate; I wanted to get out of the area where cell phone signals were blocked and contact the police.

Unless there are special circumstances, the police's operation this time is imperative. I believe they should have a way of finding out that both Saintess Xue Ying and Liu Jiangzhou are here. If they can wipe them out in one fell swoop, this cult will be completely destroyed, and no matter how many believers they have, they won't be able to cause any trouble.

But I just want to tell them that special circumstances have arisen.

Hearing about a miracle is far more impactful than witnessing one firsthand. Such a shock can completely change one's perspective; places that were previously considered harmless or overlooked can now become major crises.

Taking strong measures rashly before understanding the nature, activation conditions, limitations, and methods of restraining Zhou Qianqian's special ability would be extremely dangerous.

Imagine if fully armed police stormed in, only to disappear one by one right before Zhou Qianqian's eyes—what would that be like? This might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the fact that none of the people Zhou Qianqian eliminated would come back alive is enough to warrant preparing for the worst.

What's more, He Xi was with the large group of police officers today. How could I let He Xi participate in such a dangerous operation?

Therefore, today's actions must be stopped.

After the initiation ceremony, I will become a member of the Holy Maiden Cult. Even if I'm now infiltrated and have taken root, I'll definitely be able to access more information. The more I know, the more confident I'll be, and the less danger I'll face.

That should be about right. The jamming devices installed in the nursing home can't be too powerful. I took out my phone and saw that there was indeed one bar of signal. But before I could dial a number, the signal disappeared again. I cursed under my breath and had no choice but to walk a little further to check.

"Go a little further ahead, and you should be able to make a phone call." A ghostly voice sounded from behind.

I froze abruptly, then slowly turned around.

With a rustling sound, a hand parted the corn leaves, and its owner appeared before me.

“If you need to make a phone call, the signal will be better outside this cornfield. If you just want to find a place to relieve yourself, you’ve gone a bit too far, and there are too many reporters around,” Xue Ying said, staring at me.

"Why would you follow a man to the toilet, Master Xue?" I asked.

I've obviously been exposed, and there's no point in denying it. The phone I have contains too many text messages that are enough to prove the point.

"Because I found it a bit strange that someone who was awestruck by the miracle and wanted to join the church quickly would go to the toilet at this time. You know, the saint was right next to me at the time."

I sighed. Yes, although Xue Ying had gestured for us to go over, she had been holding Zhou Qianqian's hand the whole time. How could an ordinary believer let such an opportunity pass? I, someone who doesn't believe in gods or deities at all, hadn't realized this at all.

"Moreover, Yuan Ji told me that the last time you went to the toilet, it didn't take very long. I hadn't noticed you before, but the speed at which you rushed into the sanctuary after the miracle was something I'd never seen in any believer before. I was very curious. I had thought that a reporter would become a devout believer in the church, but now it seems that unless the reporter's kidney function is severely declining at such a young age, he must have some other plans."

I shrugged, but secretly clenched my fist. I smiled at Xue Ying and asked, "So Master Xue shook off his followers and followed along to see what was going on?"

From the moment I started listening intently to the sounds around me, I didn't hear any large crowd approaching. Walking through a cornfield inevitably produces rustling sounds, and with so many people, the noise wouldn't be drowned out by the wind.

"Alone?" Xue Ying laughed, then her words made my heart sink. "How could I dare? Although I believe in God, I still have a sense of caution."

After she finished speaking, she moved slightly to the side, revealing the hem of another person's clothes.

This person was completely hidden by Xue Ying just now, simply because he was too small and naturally aloof and quiet.

Zhou Qianqian slowly walked out from behind Xue Ying. The way she looked at me made me feel as if a venomous snake had wrapped around my neck, cold and slippery, leaving me unable to move.

My heart sank to the bottom. Since Xue Ying said that, it means that I have no chance at all in the face of Zhou Qianqian's superpowers.

Even if there are no opportunities, I will create them. I don't necessarily have to directly confront superpowers; I may have other opportunities.

"You believe in God?" I asked with a mocking smile. "Which god do you believe in?"

Before Xue Ying could answer, I turned my head to Zhou Qianqian. She was the one who could decide my life or death, so I didn't need to waste words with Xue Ying.

“I interviewed your mother, Huang Zhi, three years ago at a maternity and infant hospital in Shanghai.”

"I remember you," Zhou Qianqian replied. Although her words didn't convey much emotion, at least she responded, which was a good start.

Xue Ying crossed her arms and looked at me with a half-smile, as if she wanted to see what tricks I could come up with.

“Last Wednesday, I was at the Shanghai X Intermediate People’s Court. You and Master Xue were there too, weren’t you?”

Zhou Qianqian just looked at me without responding.

"I know you demonstrated your abilities there, performing a miracle. That criminal, the murderer of your mother, you were the one who made him disappear, weren't you?"

Zhou Qianqian nodded gently.

"You must hate this person very much, for he cruelly killed your mother, so you don't want the court to decide the case, but instead want to use your magical abilities to do it yourself."

Zhou Qianqian looked at me, her lips pursed again, and her face began to regain some color. The pressure I felt lessened, as her hostility towards me diminished slightly. This proved my suspicions were correct.

"Qianqian," Xue Ying suddenly called out.

Zhou Qianqian turned to look at her, but I raised my voice, drowning out Xue Ying's voice.

“However, one of your followers, Yuan Ji, told me that your god believed the murderer who killed your mother was innocent, which is why you performed a miracle to allow his soul to return to heaven.”

"Nonsense!" Zhou Qianqian immediately retorted. Her voice was clearly filled with anger.

It was Yuan Ji's earlier words that reminded me. He said that as God's representative, the saintess had no father or mother. But where in this world can someone truly spring from a rock without parents? Historically, in religions, there have been two drastically different approaches to the status of the parents of figures like the saintess Zhou Qianqian. One is Yuan Ji's view: the earthly parents of gods or divine children are mortal and don't truly deserve the titles of Father and Mother. The other is to venerate both the god's earthly parents, especially the mother.

These two different perspectives can lead to significant differences in doctrine. The most obvious example is Christianity and Catholicism.

These two major sects originated from the same source, but later became distinct factions. The major difference is that Catholicism venerates Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, as the Virgin Mary, while in Christianity, Mary is just an ordinary woman.

Therefore, defining the mortal parents of God is an extremely important matter in all religions. If not handled properly, it can lead to the formation of factions within the church with differing interpretations of doctrine. For a newly established church like the Church of the Holy Maiden, such fluctuations are even more crucial.

What's more troublesome is that Zhou Qianqian's birth mother, Huang Zhi, is a madwoman despised by the world.

I think the vast majority of believers wouldn't know that the Saintess's mother was mentally ill. As the Saintess's cult grows and expands, one day some believers will raise this question. Some will advocate for the veneration of the Virgin Mary, while others will argue that the Saintess's mother was just a mortal. Perhaps such voices have already begun to emerge. Regardless of their stance, when believers learn that Huang Zhi is mentally ill, it will undoubtedly damage the halo surrounding the Saintess.

Xue Ying and Liu Jiangzhou, the actual manipulators of the church, certainly wouldn't stand idly by and watch this situation unfold. Zhou Qianqian's father had already disappeared; if her mother could also disappear, the problem would be perfectly solved. However, although Zhou Qianqian was willing to leave home with Xue, she clearly still had feelings for Huang Zhi, and she wouldn't use her special abilities on her mother. Therefore, Lü Wanqiang appeared.

That must be it. The venerable Master Xue ordered the completely brainwashed Lü Wanqiang to kill Huang Zhi, promising a miracle that would allow his soul to return to heaven. But she told Zhou Qianqian that a villain had killed Huang Zhi, so Zhou Qianqian angrily made that villain disappear from the world.

If Zhou Qianqian knew all this, how could she not break ties with Xue Ying?

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, just ask any follower who knows about this matter, and you'll understand the truth. It will definitely be different from what you heard from Master Xue."

Zhou Qianqian turned to look at Xue Ying with some confusion.

To my surprise, Xue Ying did not argue angrily, but instead squatted down and hugged Zhou Qianqian in her arms.

“That bastard is bragging, don’t fall for his tricks,” Xue Ying whispered in her ear, giving me a mocking smile as she spoke. “Don’t let him stir up trouble anymore. You shouldn’t have heard these things. Make him disappear.”

Zhou Qianqian suddenly turned her head and glared at me fiercely.

I know it's bad, but I forgot that the person standing opposite me isn't an adult. If it were an adult, she would have doubted what I said and would have verified the facts before deciding how to deal with me; the situation would be in her hands. But Zhou Qianqian isn't an adult; she's just a child, a seven or eight-year-old girl. She already sees Xue Ying as her mother. For a little girl, should she listen to her mother or a stranger? There's no choice at all.

Perhaps, rushing forward and punching Zhou Qianqian to the ground would be another glimmer of hope.

However, it was too late.

I couldn't move, not just in a feeling, but truly. I couldn't even move a little finger. I tried to blink, to clench my teeth, to imagine I was experiencing a nightmare, and that if I could move even slightly, the evil spirits would recede like a tide. But it didn't work. I couldn't move a single muscle. In that instant, even my breathing and heartbeat froze.

All sensations were stripped away from me. This process was not fast in my senses, but it was firm and irreversible.

I suddenly realized that what happened to that pot of Milan was happening to me.

Not only that pot of Milan, but also Lü Wanqiang, Zhou Guodong, Zhou Qianqian's grandmother, and the old man who built the nursing home.

I can still see Zhou Qianqian and Xue Ying, but they are already somewhat blurry. They were standing very close to me, but now they are getting farther and farther away. Along with them, the cornfield is also moving away. There used to be a large corn leaf resting against my shoulder, but all of this, along with the sky, the earth, and the whole world, is moving away from me in a heart-stopping way.