Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Deception and the Salvation Goddess Church

The research notes detailed countless trivial matters, almost presenting Xia’er with a comprehensive view of the psychological changes one undergoes after becoming a member of the church.

Those unsettling, frenzied characters eventually stopped appearing when Duwen, a church member, went to search for the “true” replication ritual. The notes then abruptly ended.

This wasn’t the black-robed person’s notes; instead, they belonged to someone whose ears had been cut off, a mutilated individual. Through this journal-like research document, Xia’er slowly peeled back a hidden corner of this world.

Xia’er knew about the Salvation Goddess Church. Two years ago, when she was searching for Extraordinary power, she had also attended some prayers there.

At that time, Xia’er didn’t notice anything unusual about the church, only feeling it somewhat resembled a monotheistic religion akin to Buddhism in certain doctrines.

Through Duwen’s research notes, Xia’er learned that the believers and even the priests within the church were unaware of Extraordinary abilities. The church itself operated like any other ordinary church.

To access the Extraordinary realm, one must be chosen as a servant and then pass an examination to become a priest, thus gaining access to the church’s mysterious powers.

In the notes, Duwen was originally just an ordinary believer, seemingly having experienced some Extraordinary event that allowed him to bypass the priest stage and be directly selected as a servant.

However, on the path of becoming a servant, this ambitious and overly proud Duwen seemed to have deviated from the Salvation Goddess Church’s teachings, taking another route altogether.

After reviewing the notes again without finding any more valuable clues, Xia’er opened another diary belonging to Thomas.

This diary contained content related to the black-robed person.

[Diary — Thomas]

If what that church traitor recorded is correct, one’s notes seem to help with the replication ritual. However, since no priest checks them, I’m unsure of their usefulness. Still, I’ll keep writing.

The first page of the diary contained Thomas’ reflections, and what followed was somewhat unexpected.

He was originally a bandit, roving between villages in An Su country, committing robberies and murders.

He was very skilled at winning others’ trust with his amiable demeanor and silver tongue, then robbing and killing them once inside. He targeted mostly single, vulnerable individuals, usually elderly or female.

This was his self-description in the diary. He began writing this diary because of his last murder.

When he was robbing a village near Bolen city, he encountered a man dressed in fine fabric but severely injured and on the brink of death.

To gain trust, Thomas helped tend to the man’s wounds and hid him in an abandoned house for a while.

Finally, under the continuous deterioration of the man’s condition and Thomas’ persistent false kindness, the man revealed his hiding place in the city and asked Thomas to take him there.

This injured man was none other than the author of the research notes, the priest Duwen.

Needless to say, what happened next.

Bandit Thomas killed Duwen in his solitary house, plundered all valuables, including three potions and a complete replication ritual.

One complete “Avenger” potion, and two half-finished “Tempter” potions, these were things Duwen obtained after stopping his notes.

Glimpsing the Extraordinary world excited Thomas immensely. He quickly started studying everything Duwen left behind, discovering a research note on the “Tempter,” which detailed the replication ritual for the “Tempter.”

The so-called replication ritual involved replicating divine deeds — drinking a potion to fuse and gain strength.

This was a path to retrace the steps to divinity.

After much hesitation, Thomas chose the “Tempter” path with the complete ritual because he believed he was perfectly suited for it, as tempting was his specialty.

The replication ritual for the “Tempter” was simple: drink a potion and start tempting others. Whether it was tempting them to commit murder or other crimes, the greater the impact, the better the digestion of the potion.

The better the effect would be.

Approaching the moment of success, before a major crime he had instigated, he would drink the potion, digest it while waiting for the events to unfold.

Once the events concluded, the potion would merge with himself, and he would become a true Extraordinary Person.

The previous instances of instigation had nothing to do with Xia’er.

However, the last instigation was closely related to Xia’er.

He spent half a year using the initial abilities granted by the potion, convincing the leader of the Heishuidang that he possessed the ritual for replicating the Avenger Elixir, and continuously incited him to commit murder.

His final ceremony for himself was to have the Heishuidang leader kill his nephew and the person who killed his nephew, and then drink the Avenger Elixir.

This entire ceremony was concocted by the bandit Thomas, who himself did not know the process of the ritual. Duwen’s research notes did not contain any records about the Avenger ritual.

His purpose in having the Heishuidang leader drink the Avenger Elixir was to drive him insane under the influence of the potion, turning him into a mad murderer with extraordinary abilities but no reason.

Once this demon was formed, it could be foreseen that Thomas’ Instigator Elixir would be fully digested, and he would become a true Extraordinary Person.

“Phew…”

Xia’er let out a long breath.

Now, she finally understood why she had been drawn into these affairs.

It was a series of coincidences composed of betrayal and deception, and Xia’er was merely a pawn used arbitrarily for sacrifice.

Xia’er did not find a second bottle of “Instigator” potion in the simulation, which was likely already consumed by Thomas. The complete potion material would have crystallized from his blood after she killed him.

Luckily, she had already learned everything in advance. She remained hidden, while her enemy knew nothing about her situation.

Thanks to new intelligence, Xia’er had more ways to resolve this matter.

For instance, the note mentioned — the Salvation Goddess Religion.

If she handed over these two notebooks to an Extraordinary Person in the Salvation Goddess Religion, the matter might be resolved without her having to act.

The challenge was how to explain the source of these two notebooks and how to find an Extraordinary Person in the Salvation Goddess Religion.

Moreover, contacting the Extraordinary level of the Church might put her in danger.

Should she take a rest?

No. Xia’er quickly gave a negative response.

She now knew that after 4:45 AM, Thomas and Solari would be at the “Hammer” tavern on West Street, and Solari would be in a state where he could not fight. The best time to kill them would be at dawn. All she needed to do was make sure the details in the simulation were precise.

She needed to enter the simulation again, trying not to use the skill of reversing death if possible. If the simulation time did not exceed 4:45 AM, she would choose to kill them first and then contact the Church. If the time had already passed, she would directly contact the Church; otherwise, she would look for opportunities within the simulation time.

She was confident that her skills in killing would be more proficient and decisive than in the previous simulation, leaving no room for the other side to react.

Xia’er opened the system’s simulation interface, and a new random simulation time appeared before her.

「Future: 1h (Sheng Year 741, June 17, 7:46) (Consumes 10 Fate Points)」

「Past: 3Days (Sheng Year 741, June 14, 7:30) (Consumes 100 Fate Points)」

「Distant Past: *** Days (???) (Consumes 10000 Fate Points)」

An hour later?

To her surprise, the randomly generated time was so close to the present.

So close that the Church might still be open. She could first investigate the Church, then refine her assassination plan.

This seemed to be the most fitting scenario for her plan.

Xia’er placed the two notebooks on her notebook and lay down on the bed, slowly closing her eyes.

「Future.」

The white light engulfed her.