CH 79

[A brightly lit villa sat on the very edge of this isolated town.

A woman cloaked in black stood in the foyer, same old gentle, kind smile gracing her face.

“Disciples, the devil has blocked our path, but God will always protect us from damnation.”

She elegantly lifted a necklace that sat in the center of her palm.

Although several scars on her wrist had remained after the last calamity, the feverish belief her eyes did not lose out to those in the audience.

“God will bless us.”

Everyone present reverently lowered their gaze and prayed.

As they did so, the aura surrounding the adornment darkened in luster, becoming a strangely tinted black hue .

Rays of unearthly light burst outward, aggressively wrestling with a dark, malicious vapor that lingered where the mundane could not view. The destruction of these tendrils lifted a sense of oppression that had been hanging over the procession.

Hosting such a ceremony allowed them to temporarily free themselves from the yoke of terror cast upon them by the devil’s nightmares.

Outside the villa, a figure walked up to the building with an anticipatory smirk.

Jiejiejie—Praying for your God to save you?

The figure glanced at the woman in the hall, and then faded into the shadows.

Although the fires of hell absolved all sin, it could not harm the devil, and their fear would still entangle them til the end of the world.

As their fear spread, his power would only grow.

He was looking forward to Judgement Day.】

——From《Nightmare》

Zhou Yu held his breath behind the bushes and listened in on the conversation between Eugene and the person he called “Archbishop”.

“My son? This–“

Eugene remembered the abnormal son-of-a-bitch, and for a moment he couldn’t respond.

The little bastard had become a bit intimidating lately; he didn’t even have the courage to provoke him now.

The voice in the car persuaded, “Of course, it’s not to have him do anything untoward, just that the sect needs to hold a festival soon, and we need him to be the Holy Child.” [1]

“When we’re done, you’ll receive enough of God’s Blessing to enjoy it for 10 years.”

“You have to understand, God loves the common man.”

This gentle female voice was very deceptive; coupled with the attractive bait of more God’s Blessing, Eugene practically agreed without hesitation. “That’s good! I’ll go and get the little bas—I mean, get my son to come over with me! “

“No need to worry so much, I just need you to drop him off at the mansion on the outskirts before tomorrow night.”

Eugene naturally agreed, while Zhou Yu knit his brows

The mansion in the suburbs?

The haunted house that people said has been the crime scene of multiple murders?

This closed, remote town had few luxurious buildings.

This suburban villa was one of them, so Zhou Yu instantly knew what they were talking about, the shunned manor at the edge of the city.

Soon, the black car drove off, and Eugene impatiently opened the bag, leading to him falling asleep on the curbside.

Zhou Yu stepped out of the hedges and icily stared at Eugene.

Eugene was already immersed in the drug’s trance; he was completely unaware of Zhou Yu’s presence.

Zhou Yu similarly ignored his father and continued to walk towards his own destination.

This town is not very big, but it still took more than ten minutes to reach the church

It’s not that he hadn’t thought to hail a taxi, it was just that none would drive around in this weather.

So Zhou Yu ended up walking in the rain for more than half an hour before finally arriving at the old church.

Pushing open the tall, rusty iron gate, Zhou Yu saw the thicket of roses by the path at first glance.

A few drops of water droplets stained the bright red rose petals, adding a touch of fragile and tender beauty.

The youth couldn’t help but walk to the rose bushes, watching the beautifully blooming flowers, a bit of his own vulnerability unhidden in his deep green eyes.

Very beautiful flowers.

He only hoped that these roses were not grown using concealed bones as fertilizer.

I just want Morris to still be alive and well.

Gently stroking those roses, Zhou Yu blinked away some raindrops that clouded his vision and looked at the church’s front door, which was close at hand.

He admitted that he was wary of entering. The youth was terrified of getting an answer he didn’t want.

The rain steadily got heavier.

The grassy path also became muddy, and Zhou Yu had to struggle with each step, feeling that if he stood still too long, he’d sink.

But soon, Zhou Yu’s tense muscles relaxed and he no longer had difficulty walking through the mire. It was as if someone had lifted him above it and supported his weight.

“Morris, Morris …” You’re alive, you’re definitely still alive.

Zhou Yu was a little absent-minded and didn’t notice that something was strange, straightforwardly striding all the way to the church’s door.

Entering the building, Zhou Yu immediately saw an enormous statue of the Light God. Situated in the center of the hall, the exterior had been damaged a lot, but with the iconic wings and cross, it was still very recognizable.

The dark-haired teenager looked up at the statue, an image flashing across his vision.

*

[The indignant blonde boy was pulled up, the black-robed woman in front of him stepping forward to touch his cheek with a strange smile. 】

*

Zhou Yu suppressed the sob in his throat and walked under the statue.

*

[A small dagger cut into the teenager’s wrist, and a steady stream of blood dripped onto a black iron necklace. As the blood flowed, the necklace began to gleam darkly. 】

*

[Someone pressed a protrusion on the statue’s base and a secret door opened—the boy was tied to the altar inside. 】

*

Zhou Yu’s long eyelashes trembled; he took a deep breath, and leaned down

Groping around the pedestal, sure enough, he felt a button.

Kacha—

The wall on the right side of the hall swung inward, revealing the void behind.

[Flames, countless flames covered the young man’s body, but he just shook and seized uncontrollably, enduring the agony without screaming.】

[The blaze of revenge stirred in the eyes of the blond teen, setting fire to everything he glared at.】

[Auhhhhhhhhh!! — the cultists under the altar were caught this inextinguishable flame, and screams rang through the entire underground hall. 】

Zhou Yu walked towards the dark archway with a pale face.

Steps steady, his upper body was the opposite, tremoring as if suppressing a tsunami of intense emotion.

“Don’t go.”

Zhou Yu felt someone touch his hand and froze, instantly halting all his movement

Who—?

The texture of the other’s palm was rough, bumpy and pockmarked.

He only needed split-second contact to tell that these were scars.

Zhou Yu’s heart ached, choking out his originally stifled sorrow.

“Morris?”

Zhou Yu’s tone was very soft, like he was afraid to agitate the person behind him, lest it all turned out to be his own fantasy.

“It doesn’t look nice in there, don’t go in.”

A warm body tilted over and caught Zhou Yu’s slightly trembling body in its embrace.

“You’re still alive……”

Zhou Yu wanted to say a lot of things, but in the end, all he could whisper was this one sentence.

He wanted to turn around and face his long-lost friend, but Morris had locked him in his arms.

“I want to look at you.”

Zhou Yu blinked the emerald jewels of his eyes, trying to push down the tears that threatened to spill at any second.

The next moment, Zhou Yu’s view was shrouded by a set of fingers.

Zhou Yu had no time to scrutinize the scars all over his friend’s palm.

Morris rested his head between his close pal’s shoulders, storing his terrifyingly hoarse voice away, and mimicking the former sweetness.

“I miss you so much.” Instead of answering Zhou Yu’s request, he complained of his loneliness.

“Me too.”

Zhou Yu obediently stopped moving and sighed helplessly, but tears slipped through and wet Morris’ palm.

Morris slightly tightened his hug, comforting the young man in its circle.

“I want to see your injuries, we’re best friends—I’ll help you.” Zhou Yu tried to soften his voice even further, as a slight, emotional huskiness was creeping in. 

Morris’s dark sapphire irises were dulled by obscure thoughts.

How could someone as ugly as him qualify as Zhou Yu’s best friend?

His friend deserved only the best.

“Don’t go to that villa tomorrow, I’ll take care of everything.”

“They’re the ones who hurt you, right?” Zhou Yu reached out and grasped the palm covering his eyes.

Those wide palms were no longer smooth and unblemished.

Morris’s fingers twitched, but he still didn’t retract his hand.

“Don’t worry, they’ll get their punishment.” By that time, I will have returned to my original appearance.

We‘ll be back to being best friends forever.

“You haven’t been able to get revenge even after two weeks, do they have something that’s holding you back?” Zhou Yu thought of the black iron necklace in the vision.

“Let me help, I don’t want you to get hurt anymore.”

“They don’t have that type of power, they can only halt the progression of my power’s hold on them temporarily.”

“I already have a solution,” Morris breathed out softly.

He would have liked to stay with Zhou Yi forever, but it wasn’t time yet.

His enemies were still alive, and everything hadn’t been restored to its original state.

Zhou Yu grimaced and wanted to say something, but Morris quickly kissed him on the cheek from behind.

“Goodbye, Zhou Yu.”

Morris’ farewell melted into the secluded silence of the building.

Zhou Yu could feel light on his face; the palm covering his sight had disappeared.

The dark-haired and green-eyed boy whirled sharply, but only saw the empty nave. [1]

Neat rows of decaying pews silently faced the podium.

“Morris! You—!” Zhou Yu’s pale face had been dyed ruddy due to his indignation.

Why hadn’t he realized that Morris was arrogant before all this?

He left without telling me anything… this bastard!

Although Zhou Yu complained in his heart, a few tears that he hadn’t wiped off still lingered on his cheeks.

Whatever, at least he’s still here.

That was the greatest news ever.

——-

The author has something to say: Thank[s 9 people]~ Thank you little angels, love you guys ~

Thank you, little angel’s nutrient solution.

Wish the little angels a Happy New Year (≧ w ≦) Happy Chinese New Year ~ There are many blessings of little angels in today ’s article. Although I can’t reply one by one, I still thank the little angels. ~ Do you love you ~

—————

Little Theater:

Spiritual World Consciousness: (wearing a big red robe) I wish you little angels a Happy Chinese New Year (? ▽?)

Cthulhu’s World Consciousness: (Hugging the Spirit) Single dogs, Happy New Year.

Future world consciousness: (faceless.jpg) Is it really okay to pay New Year like this?

Nightmare World Consciousness: (≧ w ≦) No problem (secretly holding the future)

Future world consciousness: (numbness.jpg) Finished, only in the next normal consciousness.