Chapter 534: A Moment of Prayer

The man’s heart finally began to gradually settle down.

He had escaped from a building that was corroded by the shadow of subspace, fled from the horrifying mirrors and burning flames, and arrived in the assembly hall, blessed and watched over by the Nether Lord. Now, surrounded by trustworthy comrades, the flickering lamps conveyed a comforting strength. The encouragement and concern from his like-minded peers were slowly dissipating all his panic and tension.

It seemed that nothing frightening would happen further.

Thus, the man, cloaked in a thick black overcoat, took a deep breath and then picked up the water cup handed to him by Duncan, intending to moisten his throat, which had become a bit dry from running all the way.

But as soon as he picked up the cup and saw the rippling water inside, he felt a little uncomfortable, and an inexplicable unease welled up from his heart. Consequently, he put the cup back down.

Clearly, this was an “aftereffect” of his terrifying experience. He felt that he should best avoid any beverages in a cup for at least a few hours — if it became unbearable, he would find a straw later.

“So, what exactly happened?” asked the yellow-haired, grim-faced cultist who had just handed over the cup, his tone filled with concern. “What trouble did you run into?”

Around the round table, other cultists of Annihilation also turned their eyes this way, all of their faces wearing expressions of curiosity and seriousness.

“That dream... the unnamed one’s dream that the Enders mentioned, with intricate structures and protected by a barrier,” the man in the black overcoat sighed, speaking with lingering fear. “The entrance did not ‘manifest naturally,’ and I don’t know how the other brethren who tried to enter fared. All I know is that I was blocked. Even the remnants of the sun were kept out. But that was not the worst part; the worst thing was...”

The man suddenly stopped, looking somewhat puzzled at the “comrade” seated beside him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. “Duncan, are you alright? You look ghastly pale...”

“Me? I feel fine,” replied the yellow-haired “Annihilator,” laughing, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness. “You’re just too tense.”

“You are indeed too tense. Duncan’s face has always looked sickly,” another person by the round table shook his head. “Keep going, what’s the worst thing? Ordinary matters wouldn’t make you react like this.”

“...Duncan Abnomar, the cursed ghost that returned from subspace,” the man in the black coat began, still with lingering fear in his voice, “he intervened in that ‘unnamed one’s dream.'”

Duncan slowly spread his arms, “The shadow demon that had been symbiotically living with this body had died, and the body itself is now gradually turning to ashes. But the good news is that despite the short time, I still heard plenty of useful things.” After those words, the body was wholly reduced to crumbling ashes, scattering under the dim illumination into the air.

The man in black watched this scene in horror. In those brief seconds, he couldn’t articulate whether the emotion flooding his heart was fear, regret, or anger. Quickly, he reacted, looking up at the “Emissary” seated across the round table: “I am guilty—”

“You are guilty.” The white-haired “Emissary ” spoke emotionlessly, raising a hand and pointing forward. A silent, invisible shadow suddenly emerged in the darkness, then quietly vanished in the gathering place. In just that brief moment, the “guilty” man in black had already bowed his head, his body slumping lifelessly into his chair.

Several seconds later, that body rapidly ignited, and black flames instantly consumed his flesh and emitted waves of nauseating smell.

The cultists in the gathering place silently watched all of this, not a single person making a sound until the burning black ashes had utterly dispersed. Then a tall figure hesitated before breaking the silence: “Emissary, we...”

The person referred to as the “Emissary” remained silent. This white-haired cult leader calmly swept his gaze over everyone in the room, then emotionlessly stood up. He went to close the entrance to the gathering place and locked the hidden exit used for emergency evacuations. Afterward, he silently prayed in front of both doors — black thorns rapidly grew from his prayers, sealing the doors shut in the blink of an eye.

The thin and small cultist who had been responsible for guiding visitors stood up immediately, alarmed: “Emissary! What are you doing?”

“Duncan was one of our earliest members,” the cult leader said calmly, his eyes glancing at the smoldering small pile of ashes beside the round table. “When do you think he was ‘converted’?”

The Followers of Annihilation in the room exchanged looks, gradually coming to a realization, their faces turning to expressions of horror.

“He is among us,” the Emissary returned to the round table and slowly said, looking at the gathered followers, “inside any one of us..”

“What should we do then?” someone beside the round table asked.

“From now on, do not discuss the secrets of our lord, do not share information about the cult. With our mortal bodies, we cannot stand against the shadows of subspace. But our lord will witness our courage and resilience. We will not reveal any information to that ghost, regardless of what terror or deception He wishes to impose here...” the Emissary slowly declared. He then spread his hands open, continuing in a solemn, preaching manner.

“I will find a way to disseminate information about that subspace ghost, including his invasion methods and deceptive powers. In the meantime, I will stay here with you. As you can see, I have sealed all the passages here. Believers, the moment to prove your loyalty to the lord has come. Let us pray — in the profound depths of the kingdom, the lord’s blessings will grant our souls eternal life. All of today’s suffering will be compensated in that eternal realm. Now, begin your prayers.”

His voice resonated within the chamber, filled with authority and commitment. The atmosphere grew solemn, a mixture of fear and determination settling over the assembled followers. Each person understood the gravity of their situation and the immense challenge they faced. Together, they prepared to follow their Emissary’s guidance, united in purpose and belief, ready to face the unknown that awaited them.