Fragments on Divinity

A week before. The City of Gears is located where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans converge.

The Great Warlock Saarn was ready to take the throne, and Robert Bumaro, the leader of the Church of the Broken God, wanted Zhang Jue to give him the SCP-271 to use against him. But Zhang Jue mercilessly refused.

Zhang Jue grinned as she addressed Robert Bumaro, "Saarn should be allowed to become one of the gods if he intends to do so. I won't lie; murdering gods is something I'm really interested in."

Although he spoke in a carefree and informal manner, his remarks were utterly stunning. It seemed as easy as consuming food and drinking water to kill a god.

Zhang Jue caught Robert Bumaro's attention as he sighed. This young man was among the most challenging persons to deal with because he was rough and greasy. Even if he were killed, it would be meaningless if he refused to turn over the items because even he wouldn't have a guarantee of victory in a genuine combat.

Robert Bumaro sat on the couch looking downcast. Saarn was poised to take the throne of God, and while he was powerless, the Sarkic Cult would expand and eventually conquer the globe. Saarn and him had been at odds for a long time, but this time, he would fully lose, and the Church of the Broken God would vanish from the stage of history.

Zhang Jue's sluggish voice broke out once more as Robert Bumaro was deteriorating in agony. "To say that giving something to you is not impossible-"

Robert Bumaro, who had already given up, immediately found hope after hearing Zhang Jue say this.

He looked at Zhang Jue, his application slightly excited, "Advisor Zhang, what do you want? As long as I can do it, I will definitely help you do it!"

The most terrifying circumstance for a person is one like this; Zhang Jue's words were like a life-saving straw, and even though Robert Bumaro knew it was a trap, he had to jump.

The appearance of Zhang Jue's fox tail was now complete. He gave Robert Bumaro a cunning smile as he stared at him.

"Lord, it doesn't matter what I want. What matters is, what you have."

Robert Bumaro's reaction to Zhang Jue's words was to briefly become still. What did he possess personally? Or, to put it another way, what was there at the Church of the Broken God?

The Church of the Broken God was truly on a somewhat limited budget throughout the years of suppression by the Foundation and GOC. The Church of the Broken Gods had nothing but the City of Gears and its numerous worshippers.

Zhang Jue also eliminated the sole means of cultivating and in control of the SCP-217 as a credential. There was nothing else Robert Bumaro could offer Zhang Jue in exchange. Zhang Jue sat back, crossed his legs, and placed his hands behind his head.

"There's no rush, take your time, Lord Bumaro. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what I want."

Robert Bumaro couldn't touch Zhang Jue. He was a very practical man, unlike the Foundation, and the crumbling structure of the Church of the Broken God didn't appeal to him in the least. Zhang Jue wasn't in a rush, so Robert Bumaro merely kept waiting for him after giving it some thought.

After half an hour had passed, Bumaro finally raised his head, "Advisor Zhang, I have thought of something that might be able to satisfy you."

"Oh? What is it?"

Zhang Jue became interested as Robert Bumaro became solemn. He wouldn't be able to mislead him with any nonsense because the Church of the Broken God's leader had been contemplating for thirty minutes. As before, Robert Bumaro posed a different query rather than directly responding to Zhang Jue.

"Advisor Zhang, do you know, why does the Cult of the Broken God want the SCP-271 in your hands?"

Zhang Jue was a little impatient and said to himself what a bad habit this was, but still said, "Isn't it because you want to use it to resurrect the Broken God?"

Robert Bumaro shook his head. "The Broken God cannot be resurrected-unless Yaldabaoth has escaped from the cage."

After some consideration, Zhang Jue realized what Robert Bumaro meant. According to legend, Mekhane, the Broken God, shattered his own body to confine Yaldabaoth, the God of Flesh and Blood.

Forcibly resurrecting the broken deity is the same as releasing Yaldabaoth with his own hands, assuming he didn't escape the "silver net" jail on his own. I fear that if this ancient god were to reemerge in the world, it would be an even worse catastrophe than the god of Saarn.

At this time, Zhang Jue finally became interested, "If not to resurrect the Broken God, then what will you use to deal with Saarn? who is about to ascend to the gods?"

"To deal with the god, the best way is of course to create another god." Robert Bumaro said.

Zhang Jue pondered for a moment and nodded slightly. "So that's how it is."

Having said that, Zhang Jue finally knew what the Church of the Broken God was up to when they had stirred up so many things.

He looked at Robert Bumaro, "The Church of the Broken God has gathered so many items to prepare you for your ascension to God, am I right?"

...

Saarn and Robert Bumaro have long been bitter enemies because they are the heads of the Sarkic Cult and the Church of the Broken God, respectively. They had fought each other numerous times during their lengthy history, both winning and losing.

This time, Saarn is set to become God since his old opponent Robert Bumaro is unable to raise the Broken God, leaving him with little choice but to become God himself. To overcome magic, use magic.

According to the Church of the Broken God's literature, he can conduct the ascension if he can assemble the god's components and add a ritual. This was the whole inside story of the activities of the Church of the Broken God.

However, Zhang Jue spread his hands, "But what does this have to do with me, what benefit do you have for me if you ascend to the gods?"

"There is." Robert Bumaro nodded, "After I ascend to God, I will give all my power to kill Saarn, and according to the literature. When a God falls, his remains will decay, but the faith of the believers in him will not disappear, and will eventually condense together and become fragments of divinity."

Zhang Jue was able to understand Robert Bumaro despite his esoteric speech. Simply said, if a god was killed successfully, a treasure would be left behind. This purported "piece of god" sounded extremely impressive and was just what Zhang Jue desired.

With only approximately two years till the end of the world, Zhang Jue appeared to be aimless inside the Foundation, but in reality, all he was about was how to increase his strength.

For the time being, nothing conventional could do much to help him, therefore he needed to be daring if he wanted to advance much. This served as Zhang Jue's primary motivation for visiting the City of Gears.

Zhang Jue looked Robert Bumaro up and down, "If I'm right, that other item you need to ascend to God, that is, SCP-629 you have already gotten it, right?"

Robert Bumaro paused for a moment and finally did not choose to conceal it, he nodded.

"Advisor Zhang is really impressive."

"Come on." Zhang Jue waved his hand, "I don't think you would have torn up the Foundation's negotiation agreement if it weren't for the fact that you guys are only missing this one thing that I have. I don't care how you got your hands on SCP-629, but I do have one more question for you."

Zhang Jue looked Robert Bumaro in the eyes, "You just said that killing Saarn would be the only way to drop the 'Fragment of Divinity', so what if you fail and fail to kill him? Wouldn't I lose my wife and lose my army?"

Robert Bumaro seemed to have guessed that Zhang Jue would ask this question, and he said.

"I won't need to exist in this world if I can't kill Saarn; when the time comes, I'll commit suicide so that Advisor Zhang can take my parts and you won't lose out either."

"Good, I like people who are committed." Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Jue took the SCP-271 out of the pocket dimension, "Lord Bumaro, you mustn't let me down."