Since all these rules and superstitions are outdated, what's wrong with me indulging in some me

However, he did not refute the claim that he was a pastor, and he was relatively obedient to his commands, at least in front of the believers.

Thinking of the rules on the parchment he had seen before, Lu Changsheng felt a chill run down his spine.

Since God is omnipotent and omniscient, does He also have to abide by such trivial rules?

Lu Changsheng didn't dare to think too much. Seeing the old man return to his side, he spoke again:

"The path of life is now open. Take him back, soothe him with holy water, and I will protect him."

As for whether holy water exists or what it is, that's not something "God" should consider; the shepherd will handle that.

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, my God! Thank you for your divine power! You are indeed all-knowing and all-powerful!"

The woman spoke incoherently, repeatedly kowtowing, and then the sound of her hurried footsteps, tightly holding the crying baby, filled with the lightness and eagerness of having regained a treasure, could be heard.

As the sound faded into the distance, silence returned to the stone platform, but it no longer seemed so cold and heavy.

"The first one."

The archbishop's hoarse voice rang out at the opportune moment, and his deep gaze seemed to sweep across Lu Changsheng's profile.

"Accurate insight, appropriate guidance. The lamb's faith will surely be strengthened."

This statement, while seemingly praising him, is actually full of affirmation.

What does affirmation mean? It means judging before affirming. This is absolutely not what a pastor should say to his God.

Lu Changsheng's doubts deepened.

Before he could think it through, the archbishop's voice rang out:

"My God, the second Lamb has come beyond the curtain."

Beyond the curtain, there was the heavy, dragging sound of footsteps, as if they were covered in mud. The sound stopped in front of the curtain, followed by the rustling of fabric against the ground, and the slight thud of bones hitting the cold stone slabs—the newcomer collapsed or knelt on the ground.

A hoarse, murky voice, as if phlegm were forever stuck in its throat, rang out. There was no reverence, only a numbness driven to desperation and a hint of barely perceptible madness:

"God...hehe...God..."

This strange, mocking opening made Lu Changsheng frown slightly.

"They said I was dirty, that I stank, and they chased me out from under the bridge..." The homeless man's voice rose and fell, as if he were talking to himself, yet also as if he were accusing someone, "They said I was blocking their way, that I offended their eyes!"

He suddenly broke into a violent cough, the sound so agonizing it tore at his heart, and it took him a long time to calm down before he gasped for breath:

"But I have nowhere to go... The wasteland east of the town, I have nightmares when I sleep there, I dream that there are hands grabbing my ankles from underground;

At night, you can hear crying coming from inside the abandoned house on the west side.

The woods to the south... Hehe, there's something in the woods at night that follows you, mimicking your walk; if you stop, it stops too...

Each possible refuge he listed was accompanied by a brief but chilling description, sketching a Blackwater town rife with eeriness and malice.

"What about the north?"

Lu Changsheng couldn't help but ask. He mentioned the four cardinal directions, but not the north.

"North?" The homeless man's voice suddenly lowered, trembling with a mixture of fear and mystery. "North... is 'Echo Valley.' Everyone who gets close either goes mad or disappears."

He gasped for breath, the madness in his voice growing stronger: "God, aren't you omnipotent? Show me a way out! Tell me, in this damned town, is there even a place where I can sleep?!"

Lu Changsheng frowned as he listened to the homeless man's description.

The entire area of ​​Blackwater Town, from east to west and north to south, is an extremely ominous place. No wonder the people here seem to be poor, destitute, and listless.

Like the woman before, who lacked even the most basic common sense, when her child got stuck, she could only go to church to cry and pray for some vague "divine power".

This church is even more suspicious. How could such a magnificent church be built in such a poor town? And although the church is magnificent, why are there so many signs of vandalism?

What secrets lie here?

But this was not the time to think about such things, so Lu Changsheng composed himself.

A feng shui deadly site is rarely a monolithic entity. Theoretically, at a certain "node" where the forces converge or cancel each other out, a temporary and unstable equilibrium zone or a vacuum of power will form. Such places are usually very hidden and have demanding conditions.

"Go to the southwest of the town and find a high place that faces northwest and has a pond."

Lu Changsheng's words were clear and unambiguous.

"Southwest...highlands?"

The homeless man was taken aback, thought for a long time, and then suddenly muttered to himself:

"There seems to be an abandoned kiln...and there does seem to be a small pond nearby."

The homeless man's eyes lit up with joy:

"...I think I know where it is... Thank... Thank God..."

The footsteps dragged away into the distance, seemingly lighter than when they arrived.

On the high platform, Lu Changsheng remained silent. The place he pointed out was not an absolutely safe place, but merely a place to hide.

"Third place."

The archbishop's voice echoed softly.

No sound came immediately from outside the curtain. First came a series of extremely suppressed, rough breaths, as if squeezed from the depths of a chest, each accompanied by a faint rustling sound, like dry leather or mud being gently crushed. The sound itself carried an ominous quality.

Then, a man's pained and weak voice rang out, speaking slowly, each word uttered with extreme difficulty:

"My God... save me... my skin... my skin is turning to stone..."

"It started on the back of my right hand, with a few gray spots that didn't hurt or itch, but felt like sandpaper... Then they merged into patches, getting darker and darker, like that kind of limestone..."

The man's voice trembled with fear, "Now, it's crawled up to my forearm, turned black, and cracked open. It's not bleeding, just shedding grayish powder. Touch it, and a piece falls off..."

"The town doctor said he'd never seen anything like it before, and gave me an ointment, but applying it only made the lesions worse..."

The man coughed, his cough hollow and hoarse.

"It's not just me. All the brothers who work in the mine have this disease. Their whole bodies have turned into stone. I'm still young... I don't want to die. Did they dig up something they shouldn't have in the mine?"

Panic spread through the conversation.

A mine shaft?

Lu Changsheng grasped the key words.

He pondered for a moment, "Isn't this gray spot disease?"

This disease is caused by long-term work in mines, lack of sunlight, and insufficient vitamin intake.

"From this moment on, stay away from the mine. Every day at noon, repeatedly rinse the affected area with plenty of running, unpolluted water, then apply freshly crushed, strongly scented green herb juice. I guarantee you will be cured in less than a week."

"Is it really possible...? Thousands of people in the town have died from this strange disease..."

The man was skeptical.

Concealed by the wide sleeves of his robe, Lu Changsheng calmly took out the talisman he had drawn earlier from his system inventory.

With a slight thought, the talisman silently ignited in his palm, transforming into a wisp of extremely faint, almost invisible blue smoke, mixed with an indescribable fresh scent of grass and trees, quietly merging into the air around him.

Then, with a slight thought, he raised his hand, and a stream of pure energy drifted onto the man's body.

From the outside, especially through the dark red curtain, all that could be seen was the "deity" sitting on the stone platform, who seemed to have only slightly raised his hand, with a fleeting glimmer of light at his fingertips.

However, outside the curtain, a sudden change occurred!

"ah--!"

The sick man suddenly let out a short scream, not of pain, but of extreme shock and disbelief.

Immediately afterwards, a clearer, yet distinctly different, "crackling" sound came from within. It was no longer the rustling of hard shells rubbing together, but more like... the slight cracking and falling off of dry clay!

"It...it fell off! God! The shell on my arm, it just fell off by itself!"

The man's voice trembled, filled with ecstasy and awe.

"The exposed skin underneath is soft! It's warm! I can feel it!"

Moreover, large and small gray spots gradually fell off the man's body, which was like the most dazzling ray of light in the darkness for someone who witnessed his body gradually turning to stone and was waiting to die in despair.

Behind the stone platform, the archbishop, who had been standing still like a shadow sculpture, had his ghostly fire in his deep-set eyes flicker almost imperceptibly.

His withered face remained expressionless, but his wrinkled fingers, gripping the scepter, seemed to tighten slightly for a moment.

"Thank you, my God! Thank you for your divine power!"

The man outside the curtain had gone from initial doubt to fervent gratitude, kowtowing repeatedly until his head was bleeding.

"A miracle! You truly are a god! Our god has not abandoned us; our god has truly descended! I will do as you say, and I will go and tell everyone! Thank you, our god, for saving our lives!"

The footsteps, though unsteady, receded with an urgent urgency, carrying with them the hope of a new beginning.

Although the man left behind only one sentence, the amount of information contained in that sentence was undoubtedly enormous.

God has not abandoned us?

Has God really descended?

Was this town once abandoned by God?

What role did I play in all of this?

What will happen if it's not resolved?

Countless mysteries swirled rapidly in Lu Changsheng's mind.

Silence returned to the stone platform, but the atmosphere was different. The lingering scent of that fleeting glimmer of light and the afterglow of the patient's ecstasy seemed to remain in the air.

After dealing with the three believers, Lu Changsheng turned his gaze to the archbishop.

"The prayers of the three lambs have been answered today," the archbishop continued, tapping the ground lightly with his scepter.

"According to divine law, my God, it is time for you to partake in Holy Communion today. Saint Elizabeth awaits you in the communion chamber."

Lu Changsheng slowly rose from the stone seat, his white-gold robe draped over his shoulders.

He glanced at the archbishop in the shadows beside him, who bowed slightly, gesturing to lead the way.

Every move he made was perfect, yet there was not a trace of servility about him.

"Lead the way, Bishop." Lu Changsheng's voice was calm and unwavering.

There was a person standing directly in front of the restaurant.

She was dressed in a pure white nun's habit, simple in style yet exceptionally neat and spotless.

Her hood hung down, covering most of her face, revealing only her pale jawline and tightly closed, bloodless lips.

Her hands were folded in front of her, her posture respectful and still.

Lu Changsheng entered the room, and the door closed silently behind him. The old shepherd who had been beside him just moments before did not follow him in.

"My God."

Ilya spoke. Her voice was soft, like a feather brushing against your ear, with a hollow echo.

"The Holy Communion has been prepared for you and has been inspected by me to ensure it is clean and spotless."

She slightly raised one hand, pointing to the silver tray on the round table. The tray was covered with a piece of equally pure white silk, with a raised area underneath, the contents of which were unknown.

Next to it was a similarly silver goblet, filled with a dark red, viscous liquid that shimmered slightly in the dim light.

Lu Changsheng's gaze swept over the cup of "Holy Communion," and a wave of nausea instinctively rose in his stomach. The liquid looked... far too much like blood. Even from a distance, he could smell a faint metallic rust.

But he did not show any unusual behavior.

He walked slowly to the round table.

Ilya followed a step behind him, maintaining a submissive posture, but Lu Changsheng could feel that her eyes, hidden by the shadow of the hood, were firmly locked onto him.

"Today's Holy Communion includes the puree made from sacred fruit and the 'Dew of Life' offered by your believers."

Ilya introduced the story in a flat, monotone voice.

"May it nourish your divine body and strengthen your connection with this place."

Lu Changsheng reached out and lifted the silk covering the tray.

On the tray was a small clump of dark purple, almost black, viscous substance, carefully arranged in a flower-like shape.

As for that cup of reddish-black "Dew of Life"—Lu Changsheng was almost certain that it wasn't dew at all.

He looked at Ilya, who was still standing with her head bowed, but her silence seemed to be a silent urging and observation.

[Rule 4. No food or drink may be accepted without Elijah's inspection, and Holy Communion must be taken on time each day.]

So no matter what this thing is, he has to eat it, and it's the only thing he can eat.

He first picked up the glass of "Dew of Life," brought it to his lips, and a strong, metallic taste mixed with an indescribable sweet and fishy smell assaulted his nostrils. He suppressed his discomfort and took a sip.

The liquid was thick and slippery, sliding down the throat with a warm, elusive sensation. The fishy and burnt smells mixed together, creating an indescribable taste that made one want to vomit.

Lu Changsheng drank about a third of the cup without changing his expression. Then he put the cup down, picked up the small silver spoon next to him, scooped up a small spoonful of dark purple fruit puree, and put it into his mouth.

The fruit puree tasted even stranger. It was almost entirely devoid of sweetness, instead carrying a strong earthy and rotten bitterness.

Throughout the entire "dining" process, Ilya stood quietly to the side, motionless, like a real sculpture.

But Lu Changsheng could sense that her attention, hidden under the hood, was fixed on his swallowing motion as if it were a tangible thing.

"Did you make this?"

Lu Changsheng asked calmly.

Her hands were folded in front of her, her posture respectful and still.

Lu Changsheng entered the room, and the door closed silently behind him. The old shepherd who had been beside him just moments before did not follow him in.

"My God."

Ilya spoke. Her voice was soft, like a feather brushing against your ear, with a hollow echo.

"The Holy Communion has been prepared for you and has been inspected by me to ensure it is clean and spotless."

She slightly raised one hand, pointing to the silver tray on the round table. The tray was covered with a piece of equally pure white silk, with a raised area underneath, the contents of which were unknown.

Next to it was a similarly silver goblet, filled with a dark red, viscous liquid that shimmered slightly in the dim light.

Lu Changsheng's gaze swept over the cup of "Holy Communion," and a wave of nausea instinctively rose in his stomach. The liquid looked... far too much like blood. Even from a distance, he could smell a faint metallic rust.

But he did not show any unusual behavior.

He walked slowly to the round table.

Ilya followed a step behind him, maintaining a submissive posture, but Lu Changsheng could feel that her eyes, hidden by the shadow of the hood, were firmly locked onto him.

"Today's Holy Communion includes the puree made from sacred fruit and the 'Dew of Life' offered by your believers."

Ilya introduced the story in a flat, monotone voice.

"May it nourish your divine body and strengthen your connection with this place."

Lu Changsheng reached out and lifted the silk covering the tray.

On the tray was a small clump of dark purple, almost black, viscous substance, carefully arranged in a flower-like shape.

As for that cup of reddish-black "Dew of Life"—Lu Changsheng was almost certain that it wasn't dew at all.

He looked at Ilya, who was still standing with her head bowed, but her silence seemed to be a silent urging and observation.

[Rule 4. No food or drink may be accepted without Elijah's inspection, and Holy Communion must be taken on time each day.]

So no matter what this thing is, he has to eat it, and it's the only thing he can eat.

He first picked up the glass of "Dew of Life," brought it to his lips, and a strong, metallic taste mixed with an indescribable sweet and fishy smell assaulted his nostrils. He suppressed his discomfort and took a sip.

The liquid was thick and slippery, sliding down the throat with a warm, elusive sensation. The fishy and burnt smells mixed together, creating an indescribable taste that made one want to vomit.

Lu Changsheng drank about a third of the cup without changing his expression. Then he put the cup down, picked up the small silver spoon next to him, scooped up a small spoonful of dark purple fruit puree, and put it into his mouth.

The fruit puree tasted even stranger. It was almost entirely devoid of sweetness, instead carrying a strong earthy and rotten bitterness.

Throughout the entire "dining" process, Ilya stood quietly to the side, motionless, like a real sculpture.

But Lu Changsheng could sense that her attention, hidden under the hood, was fixed on his swallowing motion as if it were a tangible thing.

"Did you make this?"

Lu Changsheng asked calmly.