The success of the Mysticism Reformation Plan hinged on one critical factor: mass-producing Level 2 reality benders.
Having already taken the first successful step, Luoshu refused to give up.
Now, he turned his attention to another reality-warping ability—
Overdraft Warping, from Anomalous Item-CN-1887: "Wear This Yang Chaoyue"!
Unlike Reality Theft (which stole from others), Overdraft Warping borrowed from his future self.
The plan? Drain his future Hume levels to temporarily boost himself to Level 5.
A bold and reckless move.
The ability's description warned:
"By borrowing Hume from your future, you grow stronger now. But debts must be repaid—whatever you take now will be doubled later!"
There was a real risk of sucking his future self dry.
But since the ability wasn't infinitely exploitable, he probably wouldn't die from it.
So—full speed ahead.
The Experiment
Luoshu activated Overdraft Warping, not to enhance a specific ability, but to purely siphon future Hume.
Instantly, he felt euphoric—spiritually inflated, as if omnipotent.
Seizing the moment, he used Evolutionary Warping on the Level 1 zealots.
It worked.
Their power surged, unmistakably reaching Level 2.
But the cost?
The moment he stopped, crippling weakness slammed into him.
The debt had come due—with interest.
He felt so unreal he might vanish from existence.
Gasping, he issued final orders:
"You are now Divine Apostles. Protect me... I must hibernate."
Then—collapse.
Awakening
When Luoshu finally woke, his first thought was: "I need food."
He devoured a durian-stinky tofu pizza (don't ask) and gulped "water from the stars" before feeling human again.
Sasha, who'd been guarding him, rushed over. "My Lord! You're awake!"
First question: "How long was I out? What's happening outside?"
During his coma, the territory had restructured:
Gang leaders → Council of Elders (handling governance).
Reality-bending apostles → Priesthood (spreading faith, forming a Holy Knight Order).
Sasha → "Saintess" (mostly decorative, but symbolically vital).
Sasha's report was optimistic:
"The apostles' miracles have galvanized the faithful. They're building a temple and your statue in the central square."
Makes sense.
Seeing is believing. In a world where superpowers suddenly exist, even skeptics turn devout.
The apostles had also spread word: Only the most loyal could join the Holy Knight Order.
Cue fanatical competition.
So far, so good.
Except—
"Wait. How long was I out?"
Sasha counted on her fingers. "A week."
Alarm bells.
15 days for mass evangelism.
3 days of experiments.
7 days coma.
Total: 25 days.
"The Southern Coalition Army—are they here?!"
Sasha blinked. "Oh! Yes! The scouts say they've arrived!"
Problem.
In his weakened state, even if Luoshu infiltrated their camp, his Degradation Aura would be too feeble to disarm them quickly.
Sasha, ever the optimist, added: "But the apostles sent assassins! They'll kill the enemy commander and force a retreat!"
A viable tactic—but suicidal.
Those Level 2 apostles had cost him half his life force.
The thought of losing them made his soul bleed.
Next Move?
Recover strength (before the apostles die pointlessly).
Negotiate? (Unlikely—zealots don't compromise.)
Unleash a miracle? (Risky in his state.)
One thing was clear: The Mysticism Reformation had its first real test.
And the price of godhood was steeper than he'd imagined.