Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 307 Three Days Passed in a Flash
The next morning.

Luo Xiu woke up from a short sleep, walked to the clothes rack as usual, grabbed the bishop's robe and put it on, then went to the bathroom to wash.

Halfway through, he opened the panel of the "Spiritual Fountain", and the accumulated experience points increased by more than 500,000. He squeezed the first wave of experience from the players and got through the first round of peak.

Almost two-thirds of the players in Red Maple City have chosen to join the Holy Abyss. After raising their own levels to the upper limit of lv.10, most of the players "donated" the excess experience points to the Holy Abyss Spring. Now there is really not a drop left.

However, despite being drained of experience, the majority of Shengyuan players are still very happy - after all, it is a "deleted file internal test", and this wave of consuming experience in exchange for extraordinary knowledge can help them avoid many detours and pitfalls during the official public test, and they can also experience the pleasure of becoming an extraordinary person in advance, which can be said to be an excellent gaming experience...

This is a win-win situation for both players and the Holy Abyss.

But Luo Xiu always felt that he had won twice.jpg
However, a blowout harvest like last night's is hard to come by. If you want to get a second wave of experience, you have to give the players more time to develop. Luo Xiu knows this clearly.

In order to reach the next climax of harvest as quickly as possible, he also prepared quite a lot of incentives for the players - the disaster of the destroyers in "Wongsika Town", the dark remnant army still entrenched outside the city, the various cult strongholds that have not been completely cleared out in the city, etc., which are all important experience fields for players to gain experience points in the future.

In order to better guide his players, Luo Xiu would also assign them various tasks. However, the task rewards given to the players would not deviate from their current level - both to make the strength of the players in Red Maple City at the upper level compared to players in other regions, and to prevent them from being out of control. Luo Xiu was maintaining this delicate balance.

This feeling is hard to describe, it's like printing money - allowing players to always have a surplus, but not too much. The players' strength will not expand too quickly compared to most ordinary natives of Red Maple City, and the players also have the hope of continuing to play.

This is called sustainability... Luo Xiu smiled. He had finished washing up in the bathroom, left the bishop's seat, and walked towards the inner courtyard of the church.

At the intersection of the Holy See and the Inquisition, he saw Anthony head-on - there were two slightly dark spots at the corners of his eyes, and his face looked a little tired, as if he had been up all night.

Anthony also saw Luo Xiu and walked towards him.

"Good morning... Luo Xiu." Anthony greeted Luo Xiu, "You look in good spirits."

"But you don't look very well, Anthony."

Luo Xiu looked at Anthony, stared at him for a long time with a worried look on his face, and said:

"You stayed up all night last night? ... I remember now. I remember you said that after you return, you will make arrangements for the Holy Inquisition mission to 'Wongsika Town'..."

"Yes." Anthony nodded, a forced smile appeared on his face, and he said, "It's okay. This is my duty."

"I have already planned everything, including the selection and mobilization of the accompanying clergy, as well as the specific arrangements for the itinerary."

"During the time when I leave the church and go to Onsica, all the affairs of the Holy Inquisition will be handed over to Pamier. I have already completed the handover with her."

"...Okay." Luo Xiu nodded and asked, "When do you plan to leave?"

"At noon," Anthony replied, "then fifty caravans bound for Onsica will stop at the door of the church. Four deacons, fifty inquisitors, and one hundred and fifty guardians will board the carriages and arrive at the town tomorrow morning."

"Okay, I understand." Luo Xiu nodded solemnly again, placed his right hand on his left chest, and gave Anthony the sacrament, saying, "I and other clergy of the church will see you off and wish you a triumphant return."

……

Noon arrived quickly.

Fifty caravan carriages were parked densely in front of the gate of Red Maple City Church.

They were not carrying any cargo on this trip. The owners of the carriages had received commissions from the church, so they waited patiently and appeared quite calm.

Anthony, four deacons, and fifty "Holy Judges" who were to carry out the mission had arrived at the gate. The "Holy Guardian" players who had received the mission also came online one after another and gathered in front of the gate before the agreed departure time.

At noon, as agreed, Anthony let the others get on the car first. Then Rossio and the clergy of the church lined up in front of the church door, seeing them off with solemn and pious expressions.

"Bon voyage, Anthony."

Luo Xiu patted Anthony on the shoulder, brushed away the dust for him, and said:
"I will protect you in a moment. I wish you all the best and hope you come back soon."

Anthony nodded, said goodbye to a few people, got on the last carriage and pulled the curtain.

The coachmen raised their whips, and the axles of the fifty carriages began to turn with a "creaking" sound, and slowly drove out of the street.

Only when the last carriage disappeared at the end of the street did the clergy return to the church and to the sacred posts they had held day after day.

……

One day passed.

In the early morning, Luo Xiu learned from the chat channel that Anthony and his team had successfully arrived in the town of Onsika.

Just like the usual Holy Inquisition missions, after entering the town of Onsika, the Holy Inquisitors disguised themselves as merchants from other places and dispersed and hid around the Destroyer's stronghold.

With the foresight intelligence that Luo Xiu obtained through the "Divine Revelation", Anthony and his men's encirclement of the enemy was covert and smooth. Luo Xiu was no longer worried about that side and went straight to the Holy Office to start handling the church's affairs for the day.

When he arrived at the Holy Office and entered the bishop's room, Olga, the chief officer of the secret office, took the initiative to come forward and report on her work, which was rare.

He brought "fresh" information to Luo Xiu. Olga said:

"My Lord Bishop, I got the news from the Border Court the first time - 'Executioner' Koros had retreated in the early morning, leaving only a small number of remnants, led by the newly appointed 'Executioner' Bartlett, still stationed thirty miles outside Red Maple City."

"According to reports from spies planted in the Dark Army by the Border Court, Koros is about to go to Fafnir City in the Dark Principality to garrison and recuperate. The Dark Grand Duke seems to be planning to send two more executioners here to increase military investment in the Red Maple City front."

"However, because the Red Maple City could not be captured for a long time, the Dark Principality's battle line in Songyuan Territory became tight across the board, and it was not easy to urgently mobilize enough troops... and the Empire's most elite troops, the 'Divine Seal Knights' led by Emperor Augustusville himself, had arrived at the border and were fighting a decisive battle with the main force of the Dark Army on the battlefield in Kuma Territory. Therefore, the Dark Duke's original plan to further attack Red Maple City was forcibly shelved."

"As soon as I learned the news, I rushed to tell you, Your Excellency the Bishop. Red Maple City is temporarily safe for a while. We have enough time to recover from the pain of the previous battle."

"..."

"I understand, Olga." Luo Xiu nodded and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work and for telling me this." After thinking for a while, he added to Olga:

"Go to the border again and tell Baines a few words in my name. Since 'Executioner' Koros and 'Hidden Elder' Baberon have both retreated, now is the opportunity to counterattack. Luo Xiu Carlos suggested that he should take this opportunity to wipe out the dark garrison outside the city and prepare to build fortifications. If the Empire can achieve the final victory in the decisive battle in Kuma Territory, Red Maple City must prepare to switch from a defensive posture to an offensive posture."

"I will follow your instructions, Bishop. If there is any new information from the border court, I will report to you as soon as possible."

Olga bowed deeply to Luo Xiu, then stood up and left, not forgetting to close the door gently when leaving the room.

Only after Olga left did Luo Xiu lean back, his eyes flashing with a deep light.

In fact, he had already known that "Executioner" Koros would withdraw from the battlefield, and Koros had already reported this to him.

The reason why it was delayed until now is, firstly, to conceal the truth, and secondly, to delay the time for Baberon to go to the Black Crystal Factory, and to provide more achievements for players who join the "City Wall Guard" to kill the roaming dark remnants.

Under Luo Xiu's instruction, Koros had delayed Baberon for long enough. It was not until Baberon finally agreed to one of Koros' "conditions" that Koros finally "agreed" to let him go.

The deal between them was this: Koros would give up the siege and retreat to Fafnir City in the Dark Principality. On the way of withdrawal, Baberon would be required to escort him all the way until he arrived safely.

In exchange, Koros would give the remaining copy of "Side's Notes" to Baberon. This was what Baberon cared about most, so he did not refuse.

What Baberon certainly didn't know was that the architect behind this so-called "deal" was actually Luo Xiu... When he transformed Kolos into a "crazy believer", he didn't directly take back "Side's Notebook" from Kolos because he was waiting for this moment.

As a fishing bait, Sayid's Notebook was particularly useful at this time. He could almost control Baberon to do anything, but Baberon was still unaware of it.

……

Another day passed.

As the morning bell of the church rang three times, Luo Xiu got up from the bed, put on his bishop's robe as usual, went to the bathroom to wash, and then went to the Holy Office.

During this period, he followed the developments of all parties through the [Player Forum] and chat channels, and everything was going smoothly as expected.

In the town of Onsica, Anthony had already made the first contact with the lurking "Destroyers". They destroyed a small outpost on the enemy's periphery and confirmed an important piece of intelligence -

They are indeed the remnants of "Blood of Thorns"!

Under the previous Holy Inquisition carried out by the General Church on them in all aspects, a few "Destroyers" did hear the news, so they moved their bases and hid themselves. The one in the town of Onsika was one of them.

In the town of Onsika, these "Blood of Thorns" destroyers instigated the Blood Disciples to spread the idea that flesh and blood are weak among the poor refugees, encouraging batches of refugees to join and become new "Blood Disciples".

In addition, they also secretly abducted people with potential and raised them as blood slaves. Relying on the blood sacrifice ceremony granted to them by the Lord of Blood Sacrifice, they performed sacrifices to the "Throne of Destruction" again and again, secretly increasing their strength.

Anthony and his men have roughly figured out the number of enemies.

They have a total of one great leader of the "Quadruple Fate", nine destroyers of the "Triple Fate", and hundreds of blood followers and blood slaves. Such a number is still within the range that the Holy Judges can deal with.

Luo Xiu felt relieved about them.

With a special weapon like the "Adventer" in hand, Anthony and his team will basically not encounter any major resistance.

Luo Xiu no longer paid attention to Anthony. He had already arrived at the Holy Office, entered the room between the bishops, and started working.

After reviewing the files, there was a knock on the door between the bishop and Hubert pushed it open.

Behind him followed three clergymen, all dressed in the clerical attire of "priests" of the Catholic Church.

"The three 'priests' sent by the General Church arrived this morning, Luo Xiu."

Hubert introduced Luo Xiu:

"They are 'Knight of Illumination' Fran, 'Fire Prayer' Graesa, and 'Pastor of Purification' Howard. They are all excellent clergymen, and will assist you in all matters of the church from now on."

'Knight of the Light' Fran was wearing gorgeous paladin armor, without a helmet, and had long brown hair as soft and flowing as a woman's;

'Fire Worshiper' Gracia is a nun. She has well-proportioned features and a pretty face, but she exudes a sacred coldness. At this moment, she is holding her hands in front of her chest, nodding her head and silently reciting a sacred prayer;
Howard, the Patriarch of Purification, is a middle-aged priest with scars all over his face. If he were not wearing the clerical clothing that symbolizes his priesthood, he would look like a seasoned Kutu warrior.

Fran, Gracia and Howard, they are all clergymen of the fourfold destiny of [Glory]. Their position in the priesthood is "priest", and their authority is equivalent to that of "high priest".

Looking at the three "priests" behind Hubert, Luo Xiu recalled that Hubert had mentioned this matter before when he refused Hubert's request to go to the Archbishops' Church to join the College of Bishops.

Sending "priests" to the church was also a compromise proposal put forward by Luo Xiu - they only came to the church two days before he was about to leave for Songyuan City. This might also be the decision made after discussion by the General Church.

I always feel that there are some tricks hidden in it... Luo Xiu thought for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on his face. He nodded to the three new "priests" and said:

"Welcome, Fran, Gracia, and Howard. Welcome to Red Maple City, and welcome to join the sacred cause of the Red Maple City Church."

"Praise be to you, Your Excellency the Bishop." "Knight of the Radiant Light" Fran bowed to Luo Xiuxing and said:

"When we were in the General Church, we were already familiar with the great achievements you have made. We have long been fascinated by you and Red Maple City."

"It is our honor to work with you, Your Excellency," Gracia also said, "Your faith is like the sun, which makes us feel like we are bathed in glory."

Howard's eyes were gleaming with inexplicable excitement. "We will become your arms, your hammer of sin purification, and your shield of protection. We will wipe out all the heretics that stand in your way and pave the way for the future of the Red Maple City Church."

……

(End of this chapter)