I Have a God Simulator

The point of view shifted, now hovering above a small pixel figure.

His name was Hai Zhe. Dressed in a white robe, he was in the Yan City Sanatorium treating a patient, a faint light emanating from his body.

Luh Yao clicked to inspect and found that Hai Zhe was a young Physician who possessed [Medical], [Spirit Communication], and the rare [Artisan] skills.

Furthermore, his history was quite unusual.

...

At age 11, after a perilous encounter, he was saved by the [High Furnace Wonders] and learned [Forging].

At age 14, he was treated at the Yao City Divinity College after being injured.

At age 15, after being Poisoned, he was taken to the Yan City Sanatorium, where he became a Physician’s apprentice and learned [Medical].

At age 21, he murdered the Ghosts Bosicili and Bo Petrello.

At age 22, he attained the [Artisan] skill.

At age 23, he murdered the Ghost Bolosar...

...

Luh Yao carefully reviewed Hai Zhe’s history.

In his teens, Hai Zhe’s motivations were obvious: he intentionally put himself in danger, playing the victim to gain sympathy and obtain opportunities to learn various skills.

And he was, indeed, a genius.

Not only did Hai Zhe learn new abilities with incredible speed, he even advanced to unlock [Artisan].

After he turned twenty, however, he started to become twisted.

In all, Hai Zhe had killed a total of twenty-three Ghosts, every single one of them from the Bo Race.

His record showed no indication of any feud with the Bo Race.

Luh Yao decided to go ahead and convert him to see what would happen.

He clicked the mouse, and Hai Zhe received his own character art.

Unlike that of a Hero or a Prophet, the border of a Sinner’s portrait was jet-black and glossy.

Dressed in his white Physician’s robe, Hai Zhe stared straight ahead. Fixed to the wall was a suit of brass-colored Ghost Armor. Someone appeared to be inside the Armor, struggling desperately, but their body was held fast by iron chains and clamps.

Meanwhile, Hai Zhe held a long, thin iron probe. Its tip, coated in a blue viscous fluid, was poised to be thrust into a gap in the Ghost Armor.

Below it was written:

—These streets are too crowded. There are too many Ghosts.

...

[Sinner LV2] Hai Zhe the Ghost Slayer

Life Value: 28/28

Mana Value: 12/12

Damage: 2

Defense: 1

Speed: 6

[Sinful Prototype]

As a symbol of Sin, each appearance creates widespread Fear. The effect’s intensity is tied to the level of negative renown.

[Collector]

Collects the Fear, suffering, anger, and jealousy of the world’s people, converting them into Fire of Faith.

...

Luh Yao opened the Golden Field and found the entry for [Sinners].

[Sinners]: The bearers and collectors of the world’s many cardinal sins. They influence Believers by creating Fear, suffering, and other such things, using negative emotions to catalyze more Fire of Faith.

Although the definition was written quite neutrally, Luh Yao immediately grasped the key point.

A Sinner is a designated villain created by a God, an enemy to all Believers. Their essential function is to create various man-made disasters, thereby harvesting more Faith from the Believers.

On the one hand, there are Prophets and Heroes to lead the Believers, developing and strengthening their Faith.

On the other hand, there are Sinners, created to use Fear and suffering to stimulate even more Fire of Faith.

This two-pronged approach, playing both sides, was truly efficient. Nothing went to waste.

Under the Sinner entry, Hai Zhe was currently the only person listed.

Luh Yao continued to read, finally understanding Hai Zhe’s motivations.

...

From a young age, Hai Zhe had known exactly what he wanted.

He wanted to stand out, to become a Hero and a figure who commanded everyone’s attention.

When he first met the Dwarf Adventurer Group, Hai Zhe heard that Dwarves admired heroism. So, he deliberately provoked a Fighting Shovel Armor, thus securing the Dwarves’ aid.

Then, ostensibly to repay them for saving his life, he began to follow the Dwarves. No matter how they tried to drive him away, he wouldn’t leave.

After carrying the Dwarves’ packs for three years, he learned their Forging techniques. While he wasn’t proficient or masterful, he had grasped the fundamentals.

Later, Hai Zhe deliberately injured himself in a fall and went to the Medical College, which was affiliated with the Yao City Divinity College, for treatment. He hoped to use the same trick to learn Theology, but he failed.

He settled for the next best thing, going to Yan City to become a Physician’s apprentice and beginning his work treating patients at the Sanatorium.

Hai Zhe sought out many opportunities, but he never managed to become a Hero.

He thought long and hard about it, even consulting Prophet Shi Bao and the mayor, Tonghai.

Then he discovered a harsh truth.

As the Yao Race continued to develop, it had become increasingly difficult to become a Hero who truly stood out from the crowd. Each new generation was stronger than the last, and competition in every profession had grown incredibly fierce.

Both the Medical field and Theology were brimming with exceptional talent.

At the Yan City Sanatorium, Hai Zhe’s medical abilities didn’t even rank among the best.

His composure shattered.

His dream was slipping further and further away.

One day, Hai Zhe went to the Ghost Lighthouse to chat with a few of his Ghost friends.

The Ghosts all complained that after the fall of the Empire, many Bo Race Ghosts had flooded into Yan City and Yao City, making the tower unbearably crowded. These newcomers were almost all former powerful Nobles of the Empire who were always putting on airs, making them utterly insufferable.

A thought flashed through Hai Zhe’s mind.

’Anyone can treat ordinary people.’

’But what about Ghosts?’

’To this day, there isn’t a single Physician in the Twin Cities who can treat Ghosts.’

’This is my chance!’

Hai Zhe locked his sights on the Bo Race Ghosts, particularly the former Nobles. A Bo Race name was a symbol of status; only Nobles used the longer, more formal naming conventions, so they were easy to distinguish.

Even other Bo Race Ghosts loathed these Nobles, which was why they couldn’t remain in Crystal City and had migrated all the way to the Twin Cities and Saniluo.

Hai Zhe’s first target was a Ghost named Bosicili.

Bosicili had once been a protocol officer in the Imperial Court and was extremely fastidious about all matters of ceremony and posture. But he was *too* fastidious; he often Taunted other Ghosts for their crude bearing, which led to several brawls with the local Ghosts and left him badly injured.

Unlike the living, if a Ghost’s body sustained damage, it could not regenerate on its own, resulting in permanent physical injury. At least, current Medical techniques were incapable of restoring it.

Hai Zhe befriended Bosicili and told him that he possessed a Secret Technique that might be able to heal his injuries.

Bosicili was skeptical at first, but when Hai Zhe produced a suit of Ghost Armor he had purchased with his life savings and laid out his proposed treatment, Bosicili was tempted.

Hai Zhe’s plan was this: first, the Ghost would don the Ghost Armor, using the Armor’s power to protect its body. Then, using what he claimed was the latest Magic Potion from the Divinity School, he would slowly heal the Ghost inside by applying it through the Armor.

In the end, Bosicili agreed.

He had no idea, however, that Hai Zhe had modified the Armor.

The Ghost had just become a bird in a cage.

In the days that followed, Bosicili became Hai Zhe’s test subject, subjected to a barrage of live tests involving various drugs, metals, and half-finished Magic Potions...

Bosicili died screaming in agony.

The sound of the Ghost’s final, desperate wails sent a tremor through Hai Zhe’s body. He was so excited he could barely contain himself.

He found the sensation to be utterly incredible.

’This is what I’ve been looking for!’

’If I can create a Magic Potion that actually heals Ghosts, that would be great. But if not, it doesn’t matter. The process itself has already given me so much pleasure and satisfaction.’

’What Ghost would ever suspect that a young Physician could be a threat to them?’

One by one, the Ghosts of the Bo Race Nobles were lured and captured by Hai Zhe, dying in agony during his Magic Potion experiments.

The Ghost Slayer’s notoriety exploded across the Twin Cities. Stone carvings would occasionally appear at suspected crime scenes, leading people to believe the killer was likely connected to the Wuzi People. This instilled so much fear that many Ghosts dared not step foot outside their towers.

But during the day, everyone called him Physician Hai Zhe, treating him with respect and trust.

...

Just then, an exclamation mark appeared above Hai Zhe’s head.

He knelt on the ground and prayed, "Great God, I now understand my mission. This world needs Heroes who are praised, but it also needs Sinners who are hated and feared."

"I will faithfully carry out my duty, standing in the darkness, waiting for the flame, until the very moment of my death."

A Flame rose from Hai Zhe’s head and merged into the top-right corner of the interface.

Faith +1633.

’You might have a knack for creating fear and harvesting Faith,’ Luh Yao thought, ’but this God is not a fan.’

’I, Yao God, will earn my Faith fair and square!’

He opened the Miracles menu, preparing to send the Sinner on his way.

Just then, several pixel figures burst in from outside.

Leading them was Boutu, the Commander of the Yan City Guard Army.

A dialog box appeared above his head: "Hai Zhe, we have completed our investigation into your murder of dozens of Ghosts. We have witness testimony and physical evidence. The proof is iron-clad. You had best not resist, or we will be forced to kill you on the spot."

The City Guard Army soldiers raised their bows, each one taking aim at him.

Hai Zhe raised his hands. "I’m a Physician. There must be some kind of misunderstanding..."

"Don’t try to argue! We’ve found that special Ghost Armor of yours. Inside the Armor, we found words carved by the Ghosts before they faded away. The proof is iron-clad!"

And so, on the very first day he received his title, the Yao Race’s first Sinner was arrested and thrown in jail.

Hai Zhe was eventually executed, and his Ghost was imprisoned in a special cell: the very same custom Ghost Armor he had used to confine his victims.

Seeing that the little people had handled it themselves, Luh Yao decided not to interfere.

Before long, a new notification appeared in the simulator.

[The Yao Race has invented the Twin Cities Armor.]

[The Yao Race has invented a new profession: Armored Warrior.]

[Due to the appearance of the Armored Warrior, Yao City, Yan City, and Saniluo have gained greater renown. All Yao Race knowledge has slightly increased, and Refining and manufacturing have become more active.]

Armored Warrior?

’That sounds like a combat profession.’