Chapter 208

Chapter 208

The bell rang out, deep and solemn, each strike like a heavy hammer falling on calm water, sending ripples through the air. The horses, which had been restless with fear, gradually calmed at the sound, their galloping steps steadying; the panicked passengers inside the carriage fell silent, lifting their heads to gaze toward the direction of the bell.

"That's the Church of the Earth and Bounty!" Marcus's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor, a mix of relief and awe. "This bell is the church's warning bell, only rung when facing a major evil threat!"

Evan looked out through the carriage window. Toward the center of the island, atop a low stone building, a faint golden light was flickering, and the sound of the bell was coming from there.

He knew that was the Church of the Earth and Bounty—in every colony of the Sala Empire, the official gods of the Three Major Churches were built in the core areas of towns or islands, serving as both symbols of faith and protective shields.

The bell kept ringing, nine times in a row, each one louder and more majestic than the last.

Just as the ninth toll faded, a completely different sound rose up—a hymn, melodious and holy, drifting from the other side of the island. Countless voices blended together into a torrent that echoed through the night sky.

"That's the Church of the God of Light and Creation!" exclaimed Butler Burn excitedly. "They're singing hymns to purify the evil!"

The hymn's melody was solemn and sacred, without any instruments, yet it had a power that cleansed the soul.

Those inside the carriage felt a lightness in their hearts; much of the crushing fear from before faded away. Lillian slowly opened her eyes, the fear in them fading, replaced with curiosity and awe as she looked toward the source of the hymn.

Evan's face grew more serious. He could clearly sense that the hymn was filled with a dense, sacred spiritual energy—the concentrated devout faith of countless believers, highly effective at restraining evil.

Just as the hymn reached its peak, a third sign appeared!

Toward the island's dock area, atop a white church, brilliant beams of holy light suddenly shot forth. These rays, almost solid, shot up from the church's spire, piercing the sky and coming together into a massive shield of light that enveloped the entire dock area. The holy light was warm and dazzling, pushing back the darkness like a small sun, radiating a reassuring glow in the night.

"It's the holy light of the God of Ocean and Protection!" Marcus's voice was completely relaxed now, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "All three churches have stepped in! We're safe!"

Evan gazed at the enormous shield of light, a huge weight finally lifted from his heart.

The Church of the God of Ocean and Protection was always responsible for protecting navigation and ports. The holy light they raised could not only resist evil's corruption but also provide shelter for ships. Now that the light covered the dock, reaching there meant they could escape danger completely.

With all three phenomena appearing simultaneously, the whole atmosphere on Eleventh Island changed.

The sacred power suppressed the pervasive evil aura. The silver ring woven from light in the night sky seemed affected, its rotation slowing down, and the darkness at its center fading a bit.

The remaining native forces hiding in the shadows also fell silent, clearly intimidated by the church's power.

Evan looked away, his mind racing with thoughts.

He recalled what he had learned back in the Sala Empire's homeland—in Sala, religion and the royal family had always benefited and complemented each other. The royal family used its powerful military to expand colonies and the empire's territory, while the official gods of the Three Major Churches followed, spreading the light of their faith to every conquered land.

The royal family provided the churches with protection and resources, allowing them to build temples and develop believers in the colonies; in turn, the churches used the power of faith to pacify the local natives, stabilize colonial order, and give divine legitimacy to the royal family's rule.

This relationship was especially clear in the colonies.

After the empire's army conquered an island, it first set aside core areas for the churches to build temples. Then, the churches would preach the official gods' teachings to the natives, trying to assimilate their beliefs. The royal family, using the churches' influence, could better control the natives and plunder local resources.

For the empire, colonies were not just sources of wealth but also territories of faith; for the churches, every colony was a new battlefield to spread faith and expand divine power.

For this reason, the official gods of the Three Major Churches would never allow any evil god's power to fester in the empire's colonies. An evil god's descent would not only disrupt colonial order but also erode the churches' domain of faith—something they could absolutely not tolerate. So, when the natives' evil god summoning ritual reached a certain scale and its evil aura alarmed the churches, they immediately acted—the bell as a warning, the hymn for purification, the holy light for protection—a combination that showcased the true gods' majesty and declared war on the evil god.

Evan understood clearly that the battlefield ahead was no longer something he, a Sequence 8 Supernatural, could participate in.

Behind the churches' actions, there must be powerful clergy, perhaps Sequence 6 or even higher-ranked holy practitioners. They possessed sacred abilities specifically for combating evil, making them the most direct nemesis of evil gods.

He himself was merely a hired guard, tasked with escorting Gray and his family to safety. There was no need—and no ability—to involve himself in the clash between true gods and evil gods.

"Speed up! Get to the dock as fast as possible!" Evan shouted to the coachman, his tone firm. Though the churches had acted, he dared not relax, as no one could guarantee no further incidents before reaching the dock.

The coachman immediately responded, cracking the whip again. The horses galloped at full speed toward the dock.

The carriage moved faster and faster, and the scenery along the way gradually changed.

The previously desolate dirt road began to show low houses—the residential area near the dock. Now, the residents, stirred by the church's bell, hymns, and holy light, many in their pajamas, ran out of their homes, looking toward the three churches with awe and fear.

Some patrolling imperial soldiers gathered on the streets, maintaining order. When they saw the carriage speeding toward them, they only cast a wary glance but did not stop it—clearly, they had received orders for emergency situations, prioritizing the safe evacuation of personnel.

Along the way, Evan encountered a few more groups of natives attempting to block them, but these natives had clearly lost their earlier fervor.

Seeing the sacred phenomena in the night sky, their eyes were filled with fear, and their attacks became hesitant.

Evan did not linger with them. He shot down a few of the foremost natives and led the carriage swiftly past.

The natives, watching the speeding carriage and then the distant church's holy light, ultimately dared not pursue, retreating into the darkness.

About half an hour later, the carriage finally arrived at the dock.

From a distance, Evan saw the massive shield of light enveloping the dock, its holy light warm and dazzling, illuminating the entire area as if it were daytime.

At the dock, many people had already gathered—white residents evacuated from various parts of the island, their faces marked with relief, praying toward the Church of the God of Ocean and Protection.

Captain Hock had been waiting at the dock. Seeing the carriage approach, he immediately rushed over, his face full of anxiety: "You finally made it! The phenomena on the island were terrifying just now—I thought something had happened to you!"

"We ran into some trouble on the way, but it's fine now." Evan jumped off the carriage and said quickly, "Prepare to set sail immediately! We need to leave here now!"

"Everything's ready! All supplies are loaded, and the crew is standing by!" Captain Hock responded promptly, then shouted orders to the crew: "Quick! Set up the gangplank! Prepare to welcome Mr. Gray and the young lady aboard!"

The crew immediately sprang into action, skillfully setting up the gangplank. Marcus led Lillian off the carriage first. Lillian still held tightly to her father's hand, but her eyes had calmed. Looking up at the holy light above the dock, she whispered, "Dad, is that light the power of the gods? It feels so warm."

"Yes, child." Marcus gently stroked her head. "The true gods are protecting us."

The servants also disembarked from the carriage, guided by Evan and Laura, and boarded the ship in an orderly manner.

Evan and Laura took up the rear, carefully checking the surroundings to ensure no natives or other dangers approached.

When the last servant boarded, Evan nodded to Captain Hock: "Everyone is aboard. You can retract the gangplank and prepare to set sail."

Captain Hock immediately ordered the crew to retract the gangplank and untie the mooring lines. As the helm turned and the sails unfurled under the sea breeze, the ship slowly departed from the dock.

Evan stood on the deck, looking back toward the Eleventh Island. Now, the bell at the island's center still echoed, the hymn grew louder, and the holy light from the Church of the God of Ocean and Protection remained brilliant.

Deep within the island, toward Gray Manor, the silver ring representing the evil god's ritual clashed with the churches' sacred power. The spiritual energy in the air fluctuated violently, and faintly, black mist and golden holy light intertwined and collided in the sky, producing dull sounds.

"The battle between the true gods and the evil god has begun," Laura said softly, walking up beside Evan, her eyes filled with awe.

"Yeah." Evan nodded, his gaze complex. "Everything here is now in the churches' hands. Our mission is complete."

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