Chapter 198 The Power of the Chinese Divine Religion
In the literary world, myths about immortals and demons emerge in endlessly, and novels about cultivating immortals emerge in large numbers, far outnumbering other types of novels during the same period.
The most pragmatic are the scientific community. They are thinking about how to promote human evolution through communication with Lin Feng.
Stark is one of the best among them. During this period, he met with Lin Feng frequently to discuss issues of human development.
"Professor Lin, I roughly understand what you mean. Do you think that the more humans evolve, the less dependent they will be on technology?" There was a hint of anxiety in his expression.
The appearance of the god broke the inherent cognition of mankind and overturned the traditional rules of physics. Will the scientific methods he was proud of be eliminated by history?
Lin Feng smiled slightly. After noticing Stark's worries, he pondered for a moment and explained to him, "Stark, you have to understand that although human evolution will become less and less dependent on technology, for a long time, humans will still need the existence of technology." After thinking for a while, he gave another example, "Look at Asgard where Thor is. They also have tools like teleportation arrays in their world. Therefore, before advancing to gods, humans cannot do without technology. You can rest assured about this."
The stone in Stark's heart fell to the ground.
However, Lin Feng did not stop there, "Stark, there is one more thing to note. Humans cannot do without technology at present, but they cannot rely too much on it."
Stark was a little unconvinced. Professor Lin Feng's statement seemed a little contradictory. Moreover, at this stage, apart from the gods, isn't technology the most reliable means for human beings?
Lin Feng noticed his absent-mindedness and said earnestly: "Stark, do you still remember Ultron?"
Stark felt like he was struck by lightning. He still remembered the incident vividly and it left a deep impression on him.
He has been a genius since childhood, and has mastered the field of science and technology without a teacher. The steel armor on his body is also a technological achievement that he is proud of. However, the evolution of Ultron is out of his control. If it were not for the appearance of the gods who changed Ultron's mind, mankind might have encountered an immeasurable disaster. This is also one of the few major setbacks in his life, which made him doubt whether technology can really bring welfare to mankind.
After realizing the seriousness of the problem, Stark began to listen carefully to Lin Feng's advice.
Lin Feng handed him a cup of American coffee, taking his taste into consideration, and then said, "Technology has indeed brought many benefits to mankind, but on the other hand, it has also brought many negative effects. The gods have not yet taken action to solve problems such as white pollution and environmental destruction, even though they can do it easily. This is their trust in mankind, and it is also a warning to mankind."
A trace of confusion appeared on Stark's face, and he muttered to himself: "Warning?"
Lin Feng looked at him, "Yes, it is a warning. The gods can help humans in the face of alien invasions, because that is an external force that humans cannot resist, and it is not humans' fault. But why should the gods intervene in the pollution of the earth? To put it bluntly, even if the earth is destroyed, the gods will still live well. Humans will eventually have to solve their problems on their own. Stark, have you ever thought about what you would do if one day you lost this armor and your lover was kidnapped by bandits?"
Stark was stunned. The question raised by Lin Feng was not impossible. It was just that he had over-reliant on his technological capabilities in the past, so he had been subconsciously ignoring this question. Rogers once asked him what was left after he took off his armor? He immediately refuted it at that time. But now it seems that this worry is not unreasonable.
Stark deeply agreed with Lin Feng's point of view. In the end, people still have to rely on themselves. He thanked Lin Feng for his advice and decided to postpone the research and development of armor and instead devote himself to physical training.
Before leaving, Lin Feng felt a little reluctant, but still told him: "Stark, if you have time, go and learn about the brother and sister in Sokovia. Their names are Peter Maximoff and Wanda Maximoff."
Human beings will eventually have to bear the consequences of the evil they have sown.
On the streets of Sokovia, Stark uses Friday's network ability to find the traces of the brother and sister mentioned by Professor Lin Feng. Although he does not understand Lin Feng's intention, he is convinced that there must be a deeper meaning.
The shadow of the Ultron incident made him a little worried about the power of technology. In addition, his recent interactions with Lin Feng made him deeply attracted to Chinese culture, and he had a deeper understanding of the philosophy that "weapons are ominous tools and should not be used lightly unless it is a matter of life and death."
Weapons and wars are caused by technological progress and human greed, and technological progress often encourages greed. For this reason, he transformed Stark Military Industries into an energy company because he could not bear the damage caused by weapons.
"Boss, I found them." Friday's magnetic voice sounded in the headphones.
Stark followed Friday's instructions and traveled through the metropolis of Eastern Europe. Without Friday's help, searching for the siblings in this vast sea of people would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Rogers' words echoed in his ears again: "Stark, if you take off this armor, what will you have left?"
Technology did help him achieve his goals efficiently, and Lin Feng also recognized the current human dependence on technology. But Stark still couldn't help asking himself, if there was no Friday, how could he find the brother and sister so quickly?
While he was thinking, he had arrived at the residence of his brother and sister.
He knocked on the door with trepidation. Lin Feng's eyes before leaving suggested that this trip was not simple.
The door opened and a man looked at him in surprise: "Is it you?"
Stark introduced himself: "Hello, Mr. Pete Maximoff, I am Tony Stark, one of the founders of the Avengers."
Peter was even more surprised, but then he sneered and said with a malicious look, "What are you doing here, executioner? Are you trying to wipe out the roots?"
"Executioner?" Stark was confused for a moment, and he didn't know why Peter hated him so much that he actually regarded him as an executioner. He felt that there must be a misunderstanding, but he didn't know how to explain it.
Pete looked at him, said nothing more, and turned into the house.
A moment later, he returned with a piece of shrapnel in his hand and looked directly at Stark: "Mr. Executioner, do you remember the butcher knife you designed yourself?"
Stark was speechless with shock, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
This is a missile he designed personally. When Stark Military Industries had not yet transformed, he personally introduced its power to the US military.
Today, this missile has become a killing tool and is used by the US government to deprive people of other countries of their lives.
This brother and sister are just two of the victims of the weapons he designed, and more victims may have already died under the dust.
Stark left Pete and Wanda's home in a daze. He could no longer hear Pete's sarcasm, and felt that every word was like a knife cutting his heart.
"Hello sir, are you interested in joining our Chinese Religion?" An elderly man was distributing flyers on the streets of Sokovia.
Stark subconsciously took the flyer and saw pictures of gods such as Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, Roaring Sky Dog, and Di Jun, as well as the vague figure of Tongtian Sect Master in the corner of the picture. Stark looked at the typical European face of the old man, listened to his authentic Eastern European accent, and asked in confusion: "Huaxia Divine Religion?"
The old man explained with a smile: "Yes, the Huaxia Divine Religion. During several crises on Blue Star, the Huaxia gods came to the rescue. In order to express our gratitude to them, we spontaneously organized the Huaxia Divine Religion. They rescued people without hurting anyone. Although some buildings were damaged, we believe they can be rebuilt. Come on, young man, pay the 500 euro membership fee and you will be a member of the Huaxia Divine Religion."
"Wait," the old man's first words were normal, but the last sentence of the 500 euro membership fee made him suspicious. Stark hurriedly stopped the old man and asked hurriedly: "Uncle, you are not being coerced, right?"
The old man said with disdain: "Young man, what are you talking about? My worship of the gods comes from the bottom of my heart. The gods protect us selflessly, isn't it right for us to respect them? Do you think anyone would be like the US government, bombing our homes with missiles, killing our loved ones, and then forcing us to join their rule system?"
Stark was shocked again and asked quickly, "Uncle, where are your family members?"
Tears flashed in the old man's eyes. "Alas, it's the past. When the US government bombed Sokovia with missiles, my two sons were killed. I still have the fragments of the missiles, with something like "Stek" written on them."
After that, he returned to normal: "Young man, do you want to join our Chinese Divine Religion?"
The old man's words made Stark feel sad, but he still refused: "Uncle, I'm sorry, I didn't bring enough money this time, next time." Then he left in a hurry. The old man was from Eastern Europe and might not be very proficient in English, so the name written on the missile fragment was probably Stark.
The old man hurriedly shouted from behind: "Young man, don't go! Three hundred euros is fine, two hundred, one hundred is fine. You don't have to pay now!"
Stark was already far away.
A month later, Stark stepped into Lin Feng's office again.
He looked slightly thin, with a scraggly beard, and his former spirited look had been replaced by fatigue and dark circles under his eyes.
He stared at Lin Feng and whispered, "Professor Lin, I am deeply sorry."
Seeing Stark coming again, Lin Feng felt a surge of pity in his heart. He patted Stark's shoulder and comforted him, "It's not your fault. Weapons themselves are neither good nor evil. The key lies in the heart of the user. You don't have to apologize to me. Instead, you should consider how to compensate those brothers and sisters who were harmed by the weapons. The US government may not admit its hegemonic behavior, but you can be responsible for your own actions."
At the same time, he also felt a little sad in his heart. The people who made weapons suffered in their hearts, while the people who used weapons had no mercy. This might be the helplessness of the world.
Isn't it ironic that a knife attacker can make a strong argument while the knife in his hand silently endures the pain?
Stark felt a little relieved after hearing Lin Feng's consolation.
He realized that making actual compensation to the victims might be more meaningful than simple guilt.
However, there were still some things he needed to tell Lin Feng. "Professor Lin, have you heard of a religion that has recently emerged around the world?" He stared at Lin Feng, trying to find the answer from his expression.
Lin Feng's expression did not reveal any information. He replied, "Which religion? I've been very busy recently and haven't paid attention to what's happening outside."
During this time, he has been busy selecting gods, accumulating points for the gods' actors, and monitoring Gamora's movements.
Ronan has left, and Gamora stayed on Blue Star. Her purpose is self-evident: it is for the Infinity Stones.
Strange has been keeping a close eye on her movements.
However, Gamora suddenly evacuated Blue Star yesterday, which left both Strange and Lin Feng confused.
Stark looked at Lin Feng and continued, "Professor Lin, the last time Hela invaded, the people all over the world were deeply grateful for the help from His Excellency the Demon King. In addition, in many previous crises, the gods stepped forward and resolved the crises. As a result, a wave of worshiping Chinese gods has swept across the world, and a new religion called Chinese God Cult was born. When I encountered this religion, they asked me to pay a membership fee of 500 euros."
Stark's words caught Lin Feng's attention. Although he possessed the power of the gods, he had always held Rogers's view that pointing a gun at everyone's head and claiming safety was actually hegemony and bullying, not true peace.
Therefore, he never interfered in the lives of humans on Blue Star, but only kept a close eye on the invasion of gods that might pose a threat to Blue Star.
However, a few days ago, when he was explaining the information to the archaeological team, he had occasionally heard some news about the Chinese Divine Religion, but he did not pay much attention to it at the time.
But as he monitored Gamora's movements, Strange would talk to him about this emerging religious group in his spare time, which made him feel something was wrong.
Now that Stark has returned from Eastern Europe, he has actually encountered this religious group, which has to make him think deeply.
Religious influence does not usually spread so quickly except in times of turmoil or when cults are prevalent.
However, the entire Blue Planet is now protected by gods, and there is no talk of chaos, so the nature of this religious group is self-evident.
And according to Stark's description, they even asked for a membership fee of 500 euros. This was the situation in Eastern Europe, where the economy was relatively poor. What about other regions? For example, China?
Lin Feng put on his glasses and said seriously: "Stark, the phenomenon you mentioned is indeed worthy of attention. Thank you for telling me this news."
Stark smiled bitterly, "I also want to thank you, Professor, for helping me solve my confusion and helping me find the meaning of life. I decided to set up a charity fund and do my best to help those who are threatened by the suffering of war. Professor Lin, see you later."
Lin Feng watched him leave silently. He knew that he would not see Stark for a long time.
Stark is a man of perseverance and ideas. Since he has chosen this path, he will definitely persevere in it.
(End of this chapter)
