Chapter 43: The Orphanage of the Holy Child 10

Chapter 43: The Orphanage of the Holy Child 10

The bedroom door clicked shut, and the ghost infant emerged from behind Qin Fei.

While Qin Fei was in the dining room with the other players, this creature had followed them, but it remained hidden and unnoticed.

The bloodstains left by No. 14 in the dining room and the hallway seemed to excite the ghost infant greatly.

The pale-faced little spirit, dressed in an adorable furry outfit, wriggled on the ground, already making a mess of itself.

Its sudden appearance, now covered in blood, startled Xiao Xiao once again.

Qin Fei didn't mind the ghost infant getting his clothes dirty.

After all, this creature was a ghost, not a human. Somehow, it managed to keep the blood from sticking to Qin Fei's body.

Qin Fei was a hands-off parent; as long as it didn't affect him, he allowed the ghost infant to run wild.

Xiao Xiao gazed at the bulging-eyed ghost for a moment, considering reaching out. His fingertips almost touched its face before he hesitated and nervously withdrew his hand.

He asked curiously, "So, what's its purpose?"

Qin Fei casually replied, "It doesn't have much use."

Xiao Xiao chuckled. "Pfft."

The Ghost Baby: "??"

The Ghost Baby looked up at Qin Fei with a glare, waving its fists in the air, clearly dissatisfied.

Qin Fei didn't expect that his offhand remark would hurt its feelings.

Qin Fei glanced at Xiao Xiao and, considering the child's mental well-being, added,

"It has no use, just like you."

The young man's gaze was warm and kind, but his tone was nonchalant.

This time, it was Xiao Xiao's turn to be puzzled. "??”

The smile didn't vanish; it merely shifted from Xiao Xiao's face to that of the ghost infant.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Qin Fei straightened the bouncing ghost infant on his shoulder and turned to Xiao Xiao, saying, "Let's go."

Go?

Xiao Xiao was taken aback. "Where?"

Still immersed in the sorrow of being useless, he didn't expect any comfort from the formidable Qin Fei.

Qin Fei had already stood up. "The Confessional."

The Confessional?

Didn't they just say they couldn't find the key?

Xiao Xiao's slow-witted mind couldn't comprehend this sudden turn of events, his eyes fixed blankly on Qin Fei.

Qin Fei didn't bother to clarify. "Can't you come? Then I'll find someone else—"

He got up and was about to leave.

Xiao Xiao hurriedly followed, not bothering to ask more questions. "Sure, sure, of course I can. Let's go, we'll leave right away!"

In the quiet hallway, two figures left the bedroom.

One in front, one behind, they walked towards the lounge foyer.

...

In truth, Xiao Xiao had gone through quite a few instances and encountered numerous players and NPCs, if not a hundred, then at least eighty.

Yet, he had never met anyone like Qin Fei, whose actions constantly hovered on the edge between "prudent" and "unconventional."

It seemed as if this person could always bring surprises – though, at times, they came with shocks as well.

This feeling reached its peak when Xiao Xiao watched Qin Fei pull a set of keys from his pocket and use them to unlock the lounge door that had been shut tight for an entire day.

"D-D-You... you... you..."

Xiao Xiao was so flustered that he couldn't even form a complete sentence.

In his mind, the scene from yesterday afternoon and just now replayed: a dozen people rummaging through drawers in the lounge, bending over to search for keys with their bottoms in the air.

At that time, Qin Fei had stood idly by, watching them with folded arms.

Xiao Xiao had assumed that Boss Qin was reluctant to work and was slacking off.

But it turned out that he was simply enjoying the spectacle.

After stuttering for a while, Xiao Xiao guiltily looked around, speaking even more softly than when someone had been lurking outside the door earlier:

"Boss Qin, did you steal the key and hide it?"

He was genuinely terrified.

If the other players found out... they would probably be killed!

Qin Fei shot him a wordless glance.

Can the impact of a scenario on one's psyche truly be so profound?

He was perfectly normal in the previous scenario, wasn't he?

Qin Fei felt that even if the apocalypse were to descend upon Holy Infant Orphanage right now, and zombies were to dig into Xiao Xiao's brain, they would still spit in disgust and slink away.

Qin Fei retorted, "Which eye of yours saw me stealing?"

One could eat whatever food they pleased, but they mustn't speak recklessly.

In this scenario where every move was under the watchful gaze of 'the Master,' how could Qin Fei possibly engage in such thieving behavior?

"I was given it," Qin Fei said nonchalantly.

As they spoke, he pulled Xiao Xiao through the door.

Though the two had been cautious with their movements, it was clear that they hadn't escaped everyone's notice. A player sensed something amiss, and the sound of a door hinge creaking echoed from a nearby corridor.

Yet, they were still too late.

With a click of the lock, that slender figure had already vanished completely behind the door's shadow.

...

The duo and the ghost traversed the long, dim corridor, successfully arriving at the church just as the tenth chime of the morning bell echoed.

Sounds came from the other side of the wooden door behind them.

Someone was attempting to force the door open, but failed.

Xiao Xiao turned his head, concern etched on his face. "Do you think we'll be targeted when we return for doing this?"

What if those players, in anger, locked them up in their bedrooms like they did with Player 4?

Qin Fei reassured him with a calm tone, "Don't worry, I have a plan."

It was an utterly casual and weightless statement, yet it inexplicably soothed Xiao Xiao's worries.

Qin Fei locked the door nearest to the church on the corridor.

Before him stood that same radiant and divine architectural space, bathed in holy light.

Instead of rushing into the confessional, Qin Fei took advantage of the absence of others to circle around the interior wall of the church.

Through the intricately patterned stained glass, he spied a towering spire piercing the sky.

The exterior of the tower seemed to belong to the same complex as the church, but Qin Fei was unsure how to reach it.

Perhaps—

Qin Fei's gaze fell on another wooden door to the right of the notice board.

Unfortunately, it was locked.

After trying every key in his possession without success, Qin Fei had no choice but to abandon the attempt.

Behind the notice board, a wooden confessional identical to those in the Inner World stood silently against the wall. A deep green velvet cloth hung before the reddish-brown cabinet, concealing its pitch-black interior.

Xiao Xiao was stepping into the confessional for the first time, lifting the velvet curtain and cautiously peering inside.

In contrast, Qin Fei pushed the door open and slipped right in.

The interior of the wooden cabinet was still familiar to Qin Fei's eyes.

Xiao Xiao followed, entering the space where the ghost infant crawled around. A full minute passed with nothing happening.

There was no system notification signaling the start of a mission, and the confessional door could still be opened from the inside.

Xiao Xiao looked slightly lost. "What are we supposed to do?"

Qin Fei chuckled. "The confessional is also known as a reconciliation room. Believers come here to confess their sins to the clergy, seeking forgiveness and mercy from the Lord."

"So, naturally, we're here to confess as well."

As he spoke, he shot a meaningful glance behind the curtain.

Would there be a priest hidden within once more?

Qin Fei was lost in thought when, as if sharing a telepathic moment with him, the ghost infant contorted its tiny body and climbed up the wall like a gecko, its chubby little hands reaching for the cloth curtain, ready to pull it aside.

"Swish!"

A bony, ashen hand emerged from behind the curtain, abruptly pulling it back!

Xiao Xiao was startled by this unexpected move and cried out, "Whoa!"

He took two steps back, his back hitting the cabinet wall.

Qin Fei, however, gazed in the direction where the hand had disappeared, the corners of his lips curving upward gradually.

That hand...

Qin Fei silently clicked his tongue.

As expected.

The priest played an indispensable role in the confessional.

What was even more intriguing was that this priest was undoubtedly the same one from the Inner World!

From the skin tone, hand shape, to the length of his nails, everything matched Qin Fei's memory of the priest in the Inner World.

In the Inner World, the priest had extended his right hand, but in the Surface World, it was his left.

Qin Fei reasonably suspected that the priest's right hand had been broken by him in the Inner World, hence the difference.

He patted Xiao Xiao's shoulder, his voice carrying an eerie air of mystery, "Don't be afraid, this is merely a priest who can protect our safety and save us from evil."

He was repeating what the priest had said to him in the Inner World.

However, he emphasized the word "merely," making the statement sound peculiar, almost like a threat.

Behind the curtain, there was a clatter as if someone had accidentally knocked something over in a panic.

Qin Fei grew even more convinced.

This old man must have recognized his voice the moment he spoke and was now attempting to feign death.

Xiao Xiao, not grasping the intricacies of the situation, asked innocently, "Father... Are we supposed to confess to him?"

It seemed that was how it usually played out in Western movies.

But how did one confess?

He sought help with a glance at Qin Fei.

Qin Fei shrugged. "I'm not sure either."

"There aren't any rules or prompts written here," Qin Fei said leisurely. "But we can just give it a shot. It can't hurt to try."

"Go ahead first," Qin Fei suggested.

Xiao Xiao: "?"

It had never occurred to Xiao Xiao that he would be the one to go first.

He had thought he was simply tagging along with Qin Fei to observe and assist.

But now, Xiao Xiao was incredibly obedient to Qin Fei, almost to the point of blind submission.

Since the mighty Qin had requested this of him, he would force himself to make an effort, no matter how reluctant he was.

Scanning the confessional, Xiao Xiao found nothing suitable, so he took out the Bible and pendant given to him by the nun and held them in his hands.

"Reverend Father,"

Xiao Xiao closed his eyes and recited solemnly, "I have come before you today to confess the sins I have committed."

Recalling scenes from movies he'd watched, he attempted to mimic a proper opening but quickly stumbled.

...He hadn't actually committed any sins!

Xiao Xiao searched his mind for any wrongdoings he might have committed since entering the instance, but after much contemplation, he came up empty-handed.

Impatience began to grip him.

The confessional must have its purpose, existing as it did and mentioned in the rules of the resting area.

Now that he couldn't utter a single word of repentance, would that cause any trouble?

If he had known this would happen, he should have committed at least one or two wicked deeds.

Xiao Xiao started to ponder diligently.

Back in the Inner World, Qin Fei had told him that in this instance, every participant had a dark side to them.

This sounded very much like the root of sin, something that one should genuinely confess to.

However, Qin Fei also mentioned that he was an exception.

He didn't have an alternate personality nor a dark side.

What should he do then?

After much contemplation, Xiao Xiao's mind suddenly lit up. He hugged the Bible tightly and declared with conviction,

"I am guilty, Father! As a devout believer, I am not clever enough."

"I deeply repent for my foolishness!"

Didn't Big Boss Qin say that his character... cough, was an idiot?

In that case, idiocy must be the sin he should confess to.

Xiao Xiao had a bit of selfishness and wasn't too willing to refer to himself as an "idiot," so he deliberately chose a more pleasant-sounding term.

As soon as he finished speaking, laughter erupted simultaneously from behind the curtain in front of him and from behind.

Xiao Xiao: ? Why are they laughing?

Confused, Xiao Xiao turned to Qin Fei and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

Qin Fei struggled to suppress the upward curve of his lips. "No, you were spot on. If you don't believe me, you can ask the priest's opinion."

Xiao Xiao: "The priest?"

"Father, father, father..."

The priest hiding behind the curtain: "...."

He really didn't want to engage with him.

But if he ignored him, the man would just keep shouting.

The priest was somewhat speechless.

If Qin Fei and Xiao Xiao could see the priest's expression at this moment, they would notice his lips moving as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words, an awkward expression strikingly similar to Xiao Xiao's earlier.

After a long while, the priest let out a deep, drawn-out sigh. "Don't be too sad, child. The Lord is grieved by your foolishness."

Perhaps fearing that he might hurt Xiao Xiao's feelings, he hastily added, "The Lord will bless you with wisdom soon enough. Amen!"

At this point, even a stubborn mule like Xiao Xiao should have realized that something wasn't quite right.

He checked the live stream comments and saw a flood of "Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter!"

Behind him, Qin Fei had given up on controlling his expression, laughing with a bright, sunny smile.

Xiao Xiao shot Qin Fei a suspicious glance.

A faint trace of vague suspicion finally flickered across his barely lucid mind:

Could it be that this mighty Qin was deliberately teasing him?

"Cough." Qin Fei cleared his throat.

Advancing half a step, he took Xiao Xiao's place, "It's alright, I'll do it."

His clear gaze was gentle, completely unlike someone who would intentionally play tricks on others.

Foolish Xiao Xiao, once again, fell for the deceptive appearance before him and promptly forgot about the various immoral acts Qin Fei had just committed. He nodded foolishly, "Okay, okay, great!"

He hastily stepped back.

In truth, Xiao Xiao was also very curious as to what kind of repentance Qin Fei would utter.

Although Qin Fei had mentioned that everyone had their dark sides, Xiao Xiao couldn't discern any hint of darkness in Qin Fei at all.

The young man stood inside the confessional, his tall and slender figure upright, his expression humble and respectful as he clasped his fists together in front of his chest.

"I come here to confess, dear Father," he spoke up.

Xiao Xiao pricked up his ears, eagerly looking at Qin Fei.

Then, he heard Qin Fei say,

"I wish to confess for Sin Child Number 1, who has committed the sin of peeping on others. His heart is impure, his eyes tainted; even ten cups of holy water would struggle to cleanse them."

Xiao Xiao: ?

Xiao Xiao was convinced he had misheard.

Didn't he say he was going to confess his own sins? What was this Master Qin talking about??

Xiao Xiao reached up to scratch his ear.

Yet before his finger could fully withdraw from his ear, Qin Fei spoke again:

"Reverend Father, I must also confess for Sin Child Number Two."

"I confess that he committed the sin of gluttony. He killed a person and consumed part of her corpse, his hands and mouth stained with filthy blood. He has lost the purity that a believer should possess."

Xiao Xiao: "...."

If he recalled correctly, Number Two seemed to have already been disconnected....

Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, Xiao Xiao hastily flipped open the Bible. His index finger glided across the pages until it paused on a particular line.

Rule 8 of the Holy Infancy Orphanage's Visitor Guidelines:

Should you encounter anything that contradicts the teachings of the Catholic Church, you are to enter the confessional to pour your heart out to the Lord.

Indeed...

So that's how it is!

Indeed, he was foolish. He had been so preoccupied with how penitents behaved in the normal world that he neglected the fact that they were within a scenario.

The rules were the supreme contract that transcended all.

There was no genuine repentance in this scenario; what was called repentance here was merely betrayal!

Xiao Xiao's lips twitched. He could finally confirm that Qin Fei had been toying with him earlier.

With Qin Fei's meticulous nature, it was impossible for him to overlook the scenario rules like Xiao Xiao did. It had to be deliberate.

How could this person be like this? !

Qin Fei continued speaking from the side:

"Father, I must also confess for Sinful Child Number 4. He defiled another's corpse and developed sinful desires towards impure objects."

After saying these words, Qin Fei fell silent.

The dark green velvet curtains hung down, and there was no response from the person inside as if they hadn't heard a thing.

As the seconds ticked by, one by one.

Just as Xiao Xiao's confusion was deepening, an unexpected system announcement suddenly blared out.

"Congratulations to Saint Child 12 for acquiring: 1 point!"

"Congratulations to Saint Child 12 for acquiring: 1 point! Current points: 2 points!"

"Congratulations to Saint Child 12 for acquiring: 1 point! Current points: 3 points!"

Three successive announcements resounded, and the smile on Qin Fei's face grew more profound.

Xiao Xiao's mouth gaped wider and wider.

But what came next was even more astonishing.

"Saint Child 1 has committed the sin of blasphemy, deducting 1 point! Current points: -1 point!"

"F*ck!" Xiao Xiao exclaimed without thinking.

How could this possibly be negative?

Players 1, 2, and 4, all of whom Qin Fei had confessed to, didn't escape unscathed. Each of them was deducted one point.

But Qin Fei wasn't done yet.

In the following minute, he confessed arrogance for Player 5, violence for Player 6, and alcoholism for Player 13.

Qin Fei suddenly had six points in total.

He became the player with the highest score at present.

Xiao Xiao's eyes widened in disbelief.

Swallowing his saliva, he said, "Big Shot Qin, we...?"

Xiao Xiao was a bit scared. He felt that Qin Fei's actions seemed a little too conspicuous.

The system announcements were audible to everyone, and there were likely more than one person who saw them coming to the church. It wouldn't be difficult for others to guess what they had been up to.

Surely going back like this would invite trouble...

Qin Fei raised his hand, gesturing for Xiao Xiao to be quiet.

Xiao Xiao closed his mouth.

Qin Fei's confession continued.

This time, it seemed as if he had mustered all his courage to utter a shocking statement. He stepped forward, almost pressing his face against the green curtain.

"Reverend Father," he said slowly and deliberately, "I come to confess. I confess for the wrongdoing of a clergyman within this church."

...

What happened next felt like a dream to Xiao Xiao.

He was unsure how the situation had escalated to this point. All he knew was that after Qin Fei finished speaking, the dark green curtain, which had always appeared sacred and untouchable, was abruptly pulled open from the inside.

An elderly man dressed in a priest's attire emerged, a wooden cross hanging on his chest. With his bony hands gripping the walls of the confessional, he trembled as he voiced his questioning.

"What do you want from me?!"

Qin Fei smiled but didn't respond.

From the confessions just now, Qin Fei had successfully confirmed one fact:

The rule that stated "one can enter the Confessional to confess to 'the Lord'" truly meant confessing to 'the Lord.'

The authority to determine the validity of a confession didn't lie with the priest but with the system, with that unseen 'Lord.'

There was already a grudge between the priest and Qin Fei in this Inner World. If the power were in the priest's hands, there was no way he would so easily surrender his points to Qin Fei.

Given that,

Qin Fei saw no reason to be courteous any longer.

The rules didn't specify that he could only confess for players.

Since anything that went against Catholic doctrine fell under the purview of confession, the sins committed by NPCs could also become leverage in Qin Fei's hands.

After the Holy Child is reported, his points are deducted. What about the priests?

Priests don't have any points to deduct.

The priest raised his hand and pointed at Qin Fei's nose. "Y-You... Don't be too much..."

Qin Fei blinked.

"I haven't done anything excessive, my dear priest."

"I've only heard that within this sacred and solemn cathedral, there is an abhorrent clergyman who abuses his position to do unpleasant things to vulnerable and young children..."

His voice grew softer, drawn out in a long tone, like honey coated with poison, stretching out dangerous threads.

He took a brick from his backpack and gently brushed it against the priest's wrist.

Priest: "...."

Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it...

Damn it, he finally realized what had been rubbing against his hand in the Inner World – it was this thing...

A pained expression flashed through the priest's eyes.

He withdrew his hand as if it had been electrocuted, hiding it back into the darkness.

Confusion deepened on Xiao Xiao's face.

Was it really necessary to be so terrified of a mere brick??

This priest had quite the timid nature.

The priest's voice turned grim. "What exactly do you want?"

He understood that behind the innocent smile of this young man before him, there must be some sinister intentions lurking.

The fact that he hadn't immediately revealed his secret indicated that he intended to use it as leverage against him.

Qin Fei's eyes curved into a warm smile, yet the words that came out were utterly rebellious. "Actually, it's not a big deal at all."

With the priest staring at him in horror, he gently grasped the man's bony hand and said, "I only wish to inquire if you could step aside and allow me to take your seat."