Chapter 45

“It turns out, they’re still treating me like a Holy Maiden…”

Although Xia’er knew that the other party could sense her emotions and discern the truthfulness of her words, did they never doubt her for a moment?

They couldn’t even tell if she was speaking about events happening in this timeline.

Moreover, from what the other party implied…

“You’re not going to intervene in what’s happening here? Just now, thousands upon thousands of people died at the square in front of the Clock Tower Church,” Xia’er couldn’t hold back, and asked, “The person conducting the Replication Ritual might still be in the Clock Tower Lane District!”

The most important thing was that the treatment for Dehydration Syndrome hadn’t been discovered yet. The infection on Xia’er in reality still existed. If this issue wasn’t resolved, the Simulation would be meaningless.

“The fact that the believers have died has already occurred. The church will activate the next contingency plan. My task is only to come here to prevent the epidemic outbreak. Since the outbreak has already happened, I have no need to stay here for further investigation; I must return to the church to report.” The white-robed figure spoke in a cold tone, devoid of any hint of human warmth.

Xia’er’s eyelids twitched at the cold words, significantly diminishing the good impression she had initially formed of the Salvation Goddess Religion.

No need for further investigation?

Maybe for the white-robed bishop, that was the case.

But for Xia’er, it was very necessary.

Even if the epidemic had erupted, even if everyone had died, as long as Xia’er could uncover the truth, she could return to reality and prevent everything from happening!

Xia’er calmed down, and after a brief contemplation, she said, “I can go back with you to the church, but I have a condition.”

“Please state it,” the white-robed figure leaned forward slightly, appearing to listen attentively.

“Investigate the truth here, find the mastermind behind it all. Otherwise, I won’t leave.” Xia’er stated calmly. “This is necessary to complete my Replication Ritual.”

Since every member of the Salvation Goddess Religion mistook her for a Holy Maiden, she would use this false identity to exert pressure.

As Xia’er had expected, this method proved effective.

After a brief pause, the white-robed figure straightened up, and a sanctified voice echoed in Xia’er’s mind:

“Of course, Miss Xia’er.”

“But if we discover that person is no longer here, please accompany me to the An Su Church.”

To smoothly bring Xia’er to the church, the white-robed bishop made a compromise.

Upon hearing the response, Xia’er felt a slight relief.

She didn’t know if the Extraordinary Person spreading the epidemic was still in the Clock Tower Lane District. Now, with the white-robed bishop acting as her protector, it was beneficial without any harm.

“Alright, let’s go,” Xia’er nodded in agreement. After all, she could only stay for 24 hours and couldn’t wait to go to the church.

The white-robed figure standing at the door moved aside to let Xia’er pass, and followed closely behind her, ensuring her safety.

“I haven’t asked your name yet,” Xia’er asked as she walked towards the Clock Tower Church. “What should I call you?”

“You can call me Xiu,” the voice of the white-robed figure resounded in Xia’er’s mind.

Xiu? It sounded like a woman’s name, but from her voice and demeanor, it was impossible to tell.

The Salvation Goddess Religion: First tier is the “Reformed Monk,” second tier is Yulis, the “Missionary.” The white-robed bishop was clearly a higher existence. From her ability to suppress Xia’er, it was evident.

From the whispers within her mind, it seemed that Xia’er’s abilities might be far more powerful than she had imagined.

On her way to the Cathedral district, Xia’er asked some questions, which surprised her when Xiu answered each one, even those regarding her own rank.

Xiu was a Third Rank “Radiant Bishop,” and the replication ritual for a “Radiant Bishop” was quite complex and abstract.

It was about becoming a “symbol of God.”

Nearly all “Radiant Bishops” wore the same attire and followed the same behavioral logic, whether in speech, movement, or action, they were almost identical.

This replication ritual seemed to strip away humanity, turning all “Radiant Bishops” into the same “symbol.”

In other words, if Xia’er had encountered any other “Radiant Bishop” instead of Xiu just now, the conversation might have been the same.

Maintaining this replication ritual day after day, playing the role of a “symbol,” until the potion gradually consumed itself, during which she had to resist the whispers in her mind…

One could imagine how immense the mental pressure on these “Radiant Bishops” must be.

There was another matter that greatly concerned Xia’er.

Why did the simulated self, upon re-entering a deeper simulation, fall into madness and write characters that did not exist in this world?

Even Xia’er, who merely glanced at those characters, was severely affected, seeing fragmented scenes and having her mind invaded by frenzied whispers.

“Bishop Xiu, I have another question. When I saw certain symbols earlier, I saw strange scenes, with light…” Xia’er was about to ask Xiu about it, but her mind suddenly erupted with a deafening noise, causing her eardrums to ache and her voice to trail off.

“I’m sorry, Miss Xia’er, please do not describe the scenes from the Other Realm to me,” the Radiant Bishop paused, her voice in Xia’er’s mind becoming slightly urgent, “Not everyone can remain rational after seeing and hearing those things.”

The Other Realm?

“What is the Other Realm?” Xia’er asked.

“The ‘Other Realm’ is just a term; I don’t know its real name. I only heard snippets from the Holy Maiden,” Xiu’s voice returned to normal, continuing, “It is a place where one can communicate with the Goddess’s messenger.”

The simulated self, upon re-entering a deeper simulation, could see the Other Realm?

Is this the reason for the madness recorded in the notes?

Xia’er looked at the Cathedral church in the distance, seeing dried corpses struggling for life scattered on the ground and a thin mist that had already spread over the entire church area.

The scene of the church flashed several blurry images in Xia’er’s mind.

One of the images slowly aligned with what Xia’er saw before her, each beam of light symbolizing a corpse. As the layers of light representing corpses were lifted, a green-ringed black-core disc, resembling an eyeball, was revealed underneath…

“Sss…” Xia’er stopped, clutching her head and curling up, the new image causing a heavy blow to her mind and making her feel somewhat dispirited.

“Underground…” Xia’er supported the shadow, staggering to her feet, breathing heavily, “There is something underground…”