Chapter 189

Chapter 189

"Why are you here?"

Lanen tilted his head and smiled. "Because I was the one who pulled you all in."

It didn't matter if he revealed this information to the players now.

"So that's how it is." Upon learning this, God Among Men wasn't too surprised; instead, he felt relieved. The forums had already been speculating about what was happening in this replica dungeon, with players being inexplicably dragged into the conflict between the Church and Amos, then ending up here.

Now that Lanen had appeared before them, did that mean the exploration phase was coming to an end, and the actual dungeon battle would soon begin?

The same thought occurred to the viewers, and after God Among Men voiced his speculation, Lanen simply asked what God Among Men had discovered during his investigation.

"? Is this a test?"

"It must be a test, maybe to determine whether the next quest will unlock."

God Among Men licked his lips and began to recall all the clues gathered by the players. "Firstly, the plague spread so severely mainly because of the Salvation Society. They colluded with the military to quarantine the city and embezzled the medicine that should have gone to the affected areas."

"In times of plague, people's sentiments lean towards despair, and the Church seizes the opportunity to exploit their vulnerability for expansion."

"The so-called holy remedy, in truth, is the blood of the Church's clergy, sourced from the Holy Son himself."

Each piece of information was deliberated upon as Lane went through the motions, well aware of the players' investigative progress. He nodded in approval. "You've uncovered quite a bit. Now, it's time to reveal the truth behind the Days of Chaos."

As Lane spoke, God on Earth noticed the white puppy on his shoulder leap down. Suddenly, the room's electronics flickered, and a television that had been off turned on by itself, displaying a series of images.

"This is..." God on Earth looked at the TV screen. The scenes began to play, disjointed snippets flashing by, yet the information they conveyed left the live-stream audience abruptly silent.

There was no other reason but that the content was utterly horrifying.

The first image that appeared was the same scene God on Earth had witnessed before: priests distributing blood to the faithful, who drank it with smiles, as if it were a magical elixir. Hope shone on every face.

Alas, the plague worsened, and corpses piled up within the city. Fear and madness took hold, manifesting in reality as more and more people turned to the Church. Conflicts arose between the awakening minority and those still under the spell, with fights breaking out daily.

Eventually, the Church organized an unprecedented feast. The Pope announced that he would share God's blessings with the believers. However, during this banquet, the main course was revealed to be a child.

They were partaking of his flesh and blood – this was the Church's highest level 'Sacred Feast.'

"Ugh"

As this scene unfolded on the television, many in the live stream couldn't hold back their disgust. Some vented their anger at the Church, while others fell silent and turned off their screens. Even with the game's censorship, the visuals were nauseating enough to make one wish they could vomit up their previous night's meal.

While the players were busy cursing the visuals, the white puppy approached the television with dignity, crouching down to observe. As a victim himself, he didn't seem to be in any pain or fear; instead, he watched the scene with a third-party's curiosity.

"What expression is that?" The white puppy looked up, observing the distorted visage of the deity on earth.

Lahn replied, "Any mature individual, upon witnessing such an atrocity inflicted upon a fellow youngling, would feel sorrow and outrage."

In Amos's dark eyes, a flicker of something indiscernible danced. After a moment, he chuckled. "There's no need."

"This appearance of being devoured might seem like victimhood, but to me, it marks the beginning of revenge."

Just as Amos had said, the footage continued to play. While the crowd was feasting on the Sacred Son's flesh, another group burst into the church. Upon seeing the horrifying sight within, they were stunned before they started to desperately fight against those at the banquet. Gunfire and clashes ensued, until eventually, the smaller resistance was mercilessly crushed by the Church.

But this wasn't the end; it was only the start. Soon, people discovered that the Sacred Son's blood had lost its effect, and those who had partaken in the feast still succumbed to the plague.

Moreover, the once-effective 'holy medicine' suddenly became ineffective overnight. Panic gripped the people as some tried to find more medicine, only to realize that there was none left in the city.

Attempts were made to break through the exterior, but the walls were locked tight, trapping everyone within the zone as if under a spell. Once they approached the edge, they found themselves circling back, unable to exit or communicate with the outside world.

In this atmosphere of hopeless anticipation of death, order began to crumble completely.

As the first person, eyes bloodshot, targeted a member of the Redemption Society, the tragedy of cannibalism unfolded within the city walls.

This was chaos in its purest form.

Within just three days, the towering Redemption Society collapsed like a house of cards. No one dared claim affiliation with it anymore. Priests, bishops, or believers were drained of their blood by frenzied crowds, chanting "medicine," having latched onto it as their last hope.

Both the divine on Earth and the players were aghast.

In the final scene, the Pope, hidden in the slums, was discovered. He was dragged out from his basement amidst his terrified screams and crucified. Just like Amos before him, the "Communion" ritual was carried out in the same manner. The crowd methodically sliced off his flesh with small knives, yet miraculously, the Pope survived this torment.

Each night, a child would secretly visit, offering him a bit of blood before vanishing undetected.

For seven days, the Pope endured this torture until he was nearly a skeleton. Then, Amos leisurely entered the scene, followed by a Shoggoth he had somehow tamed.

"Dearest father, how do you feel?" Amos asked the grotesque figure before him with a smile.

The Pope was long unable to speak; his tongue and vocal cords had been removed and presumably consumed. The extreme torment and agony had pushed the Pope to the brink of madness. But for Amos, his revenge was but one final step away.

He didn't wish for the Pope to die so easily; it would be too lenient a fate.

He chanted the spell of soul exchange, targeting Xegys and the Pope.

From that moment on, the Pope was forever a black monster, silenced by pain and living eternally, unless Amos grew bored and allowed his soul to find peace.

Amos no longer hid himself while reciting the incantation. Those present etched the face of the child deeply into their memories. In this instant, they suddenly understood everything.

The Three Days of Chaos had been orchestrated by this very individual.

He was no holy son; if anything, he could only be called the son of a devil.

The projection came to an end.

For a long while, the players in the live stream took their time to process what they had seen.

"I initially thought the game's rating of 21+ was pushing it, but now I genuinely doubt if it'll pass the censorship."

"The storyline is indeed impactful; my concern about its approval is just as real."

"The developers truly despise cults, and I can't say I don't share their sentiment."

As the scene concluded, a notification popped up before the player, Divine on Earth.

"Quest: Halt the Chaos of Three Days

Quest Description: The tragedy of the Chaos of Three Days should not be allowed to unfold in this city again.

Number of Participants: Unlimited

Rewards: Random C-rank spell (or eligibility for Wizard profession), Random A-rank potion, +10 Lane's Favorability, 100,000 Experience Points

(Please note: Accepting this quest will automatically withdraw you from the Savior's Congregation faction.)"