A priest in North America, what the hell is the Demon Gate system?

"Good morning, America! A morning news item: a religious incident occurred yesterday at St. Michael's Church in Oldham! It's said that the crucifix in the church flew outside! Does this represent God's intervention in America? Does it mean our great president is God's chosen one?! Let's connect with our reporter Donnie on the front lines in Oldham!"

"Thank you, Kate. The parish has not yet provided an official explanation, nor is there any evidence to suggest this is related to the general..."

"Breaking news! The Lancaster County Weather Service has just issued a warning: a rare heavy rainfall system is forming and is expected to sweep across the entire county within the next 24 to 48 hours! This is no ordinary spring rain, friends. Please prepare in advance, check your roofs, clear your drains, and housewives might want to consider stocking up on Kraft pasta. God bless America!"

Kate interrupted Donnie's interview with a breaking news story.

Li Ang stood in the center of the church hall, with a huge blue tarpaulin that had been hastily put over his head the day before. It was arranged by Daphne and was said to be made in the East and of very good quality. He didn't know anything else, but Li Ang did feel a sense of familiarity when he saw it.

The Jesus statue has been put back in its original place. Yesterday, Sheriff Bob "helpfully" contacted a crane company that took six hours to complete the job, and the bill came to $1500.

The heavy iron statue now sits firmly on its base, though its surface now bears several new scratches.

"Even Jesus probably didn't expect to continue suffering in the 21st century..." Li Ang quipped, recalling the visiting priest he had just seen off.

The visiting priest from the Philadelphia Diocese arrived precisely at nine o'clock in the morning; he was a white man in his fifties.

He saw the gap in the back wall that allowed a direct view of the grass outside, then looked at the bulging blue tarpaulin, and finally glanced at the battle-scarred statue of Jesus behind the altar.

"Father Li, this is Father Michael. The parish has received a preliminary report regarding the property damage that occurred here yesterday."

Li Ang took a deep breath, and the words he had prepared were already on the tip of his tongue.

Father Michael raised one hand slightly, a helpless smile on his face.

"In my thirty years of parish administration, this type of report has truly broken my work record."

Li Ang chose to remain silent.

"According to the parish asset management regulations and the relevant terms of the insurance contract," Father Michael said calmly, taking a document from his briefcase.

"For incidents that cause significant structural damage and loss of third-party property, the standard procedure includes: immediately closing the damaged building and conducting a safety assessment; temporarily merging the affected parish with a nearby church; awaiting the reassignment of clergy; and adding the building itself to the list of buildings to be repaired, pending approval of special funding. This process can take anywhere from a few months to several years, depending on the parish's annual budget. If the assessment determines that the repair costs are too high, the possibility of selling the property cannot be ruled out."

Li Ang's heart sank. This was exactly what he had been worried about. The system wouldn't care about any parish budget cycle, so he prepared to interrupt Father Michael's speech.

"However..." Father Michael suddenly changed the subject, tapping the document in his hand lightly with his finger.

"After reviewing recent financial data from the Parish of St. Michael, the bishop's office noted some...issues that warrant further investigation."

Li Ang was taken aback as he watched him open the document.

"When you took over, the parish had accumulated debts of $6,000, and the average monthly donation from believers was less than $400. Last month, after a memorial event, the monthly donations increased dramatically to $24,800. At the same time, you successfully raised more than $10,000 through commissions from local businesses. And after yesterday's incident, according to preliminary statistics this morning, more than $9,000 in donations have already been received. Such fundraising efficiency and community impact are not common in rural parishes of similar size."

Li Ang blinked but didn't say anything.

"Therefore, during a brief conference call this morning..." Father Michael closed the folder and looked directly at Li Ang.

"His Excellency the Bishop has proposed a trial plan: In view of the excellent community cohesion and resource mobilization capabilities that you have demonstrated here, Father Li, perhaps we can try to give you greater autonomy. After all, sometimes flexible handling based on local conditions is worse than unified management."

"Autonomous authority?" Li Ang repeated cautiously.

"Specifically..." Father Michael explained the situation clearly.

"Regarding the restoration of St. Michael's Church, the parish will no longer mandate the assignment of a specific restoration team or the use of standard contracts. As long as you can raise sufficient funds on your own, ensure that the restored building passes final inspection in terms of structural safety and historical appearance, and that the parish's monthly offerings are paid on time and in full, then you can be fully responsible for the specific restoration plan, construction team, and schedule."

He paused briefly, seemingly observing Leon's reaction, before adding, "Correspondingly, the approval process for some routine parish outreach matters will also be simplified. For example, exorcisms, special blessings, and family visits can be handled in advance based on the actual situation, with a brief report submitted afterward for record-keeping, without the need for prior application and approval for every single matter. Personally, I think... you might be better able to handle some of the challenges of localization."

Li Ang stood there, processing these words, somewhat surprised.

"Is this... a case of turning a bad thing into a good thing? Or is it a pragmatic compromise by the church's management system in the face of reality?"

"Of course, high-profile events like yesterday should ideally be minimized. The church's public image and the renewal conditions of property insurance need to be considered." Father Michael's tone became slightly more serious.

"Thank you for the diocese's trust." Li Ang was actually quite satisfied with this outcome.

"It's all for the Lord, keep it up, Father Li." After saying this, Father Michael quickly left.

Shortly after Father Michael left, Daphne Carter arrived.

Her Ford van had already been towed away; Li Ang had assumed she was there to say goodbye or something.

"The insurance company people have come." Daphne's first words made Li Ang's heart skip a beat.

"The preliminary assessment indicates that the damage to a third party's property was caused by the detachment of church fixtures, and the responsibility is clear. They will first compensate me for the total loss of my vehicle according to procedure, and then seek reimbursement from the responsible party later."

Li Ang felt another throbbing in his temple. The password, another debt was added to the debt list!

"How much would it cost?" he asked, thinking that the Ford van was almost scrapped and he could buy a used one for at most $2000.

"This vehicle is a work vehicle. When we bought it, we chose the high-end version and added a special tool cabinet and a lifting platform." Daphne took out her phone, brought up a calculator, and pressed a few buttons.

"Based on a total loss assessment, plus the depreciation of some necessary equipment, it's roughly between $23,000 and $25,000. Don't worry, Father, I'll waive your lost wages!" She put away her phone and smiled at Li Ang.

"Ahem!" Li Ang couldn't help but cough. More than twenty thousand US dollars? How come these insurance companies are so generous when it comes to paying out money to others?!

"In addition, regarding the restoration of the church itself, I have made a rough estimate based on the extent of the damage on site. If you hire a team yourself, the total cost will be between $50,000 and $55,000, which is a fairly realistic market price."

Daphne pulled a simple business card from the pocket of her work vest and handed it over.

"Fifty-five thousand?" Li Ang was slightly taken aback. He clearly remembered that he had been quoted a high price of thirty thousand US dollars just for repairing the roof.

Daphne smiled broadly: "You know what the parish's partner's quote is like! Oh, by the way, the parish collected the money before, so we're not responsible for refunds."

Her eyes held a hint of professional confidence: "Of course, if you ultimately decide to entrust the project to our UB Heritage Restoration Studio, given the uniqueness of this project and our previous good working relationship, I can apply for a fairly competitive discount for you! How about it, Father, are you interested in discussing it in more detail?"

Li Ang took the high-quality card, its embossed logo simple yet powerful.

"Thank you very much for your professional assessment, Ms. Carter... I will consider it carefully and get back to you as soon as possible."

"Just call me Daphne. Well then, keep in touch." Daphne waved decisively and turned to leave.

Li Ang stood under the church porch, looking at the gloomy sky. The clouds were low and leaden gray, full of moisture. The air was damp and stuffy, a sure sign that a heavy rain was coming.

Over 50,000 yuan was spent on church repairs, over 20,000 yuan on car damages, plus the parish's monthly payment arrears that are snowballing every month...

Wang Bingbing's refined and capable face flashed through his mind again at an inopportune moment, only to be forcibly suppressed by him.

While living off a woman may seem appealing, it's not a sustainable solution!

Of course, if you really can't raise the money, you can always recall the tenderness of that night...

"We cultivators, why should we hesitate to fight again!"

Li Ang chuckled self-deprecatingly and turned to look at the church hall.

His gaze fell on the huge mural on the side wall.

Saint Michael, clad in radiant armor, stood atop a ferocious dragon, his sword of victory raised high as if about to fall at any moment.

Although the colors have faded with age and the gold powder has peeled off, the power contained in the angel's majestic face and posture still pierces through the dust of time.

"When Sister Nia returns from Pittsburgh..." Leon murmured to himself, imagining the blonde nun's reaction upon seeing the ruins before him.

"I hope that when the archangel sees his territory turned into this mess, he won't think it's some heretic deliberately causing destruction..."

Li Ang stopped thinking about it and was about to return to his office to properly calculate the despairing financial hole when a deep and steady car engine sound came from afar, breaking the surrounding silence.

It wasn't the sound of an ordinary family car, but rather the distinctive hum of a luxury sedan with a large engine displacement and excellent tuning.

Li Ang looked in the direction of the sound and saw a black Lamborghini sedan, like a black manta ray, quietly drive into the parking lot in front of the church.