Why is his holy light red?

Chapter 86 A Scream

After hearing Mercury's request, Al frowned on the screen. He paused for two seconds, then said very firmly:

6

no."

Mercury exclaimed in disbelief, "What? Why won't it work?"

"Son, this thing is too dangerous. It's something you shouldn't touch at all." El's tone was unusually stern. "You've already earned quite a few points this time. Now, just stay in the building and undergo quarantine. Don't get involved in this mess. Didn't the news report it? The Holy Angels have already led a team to take over Eternal Life Technology. Even if this Nightmare really has ties to a big conglomerate, the association's pillars will hold the fort. They'll handle it."

"You should report this information to the association and let them handle this dangerous relic."

Mercury became somewhat irritated when he heard that El wanted him to report to the association.

"Dad, you've been covering the news for so many years, how come you still believe in official reports so readily?" Mercury complained to the screen, annoyed. "If the Hero Association were really that efficient, would they need three trainee heroes like us who haven't even gotten our licenses yet to be at the forefront? It's because we hotheads didn't give Eternal Life Technology any face and insisted on getting to the bottom of this that we managed to open a crack and allow the case to continue."

Mercury sneered: "You really think the association is some kind of sacred temple? Don't blame me for being a conspiracy theorist, but maybe there are a few moles in that expert group that went to investigate Eternal Life Technology right now, tipping off the conglomerate's executives."

Although Mercury's words were tinged with spite, in his eyes, it was an unspoken truth.

To put it bluntly, the Hero Association is a huge platform where interests are intertwined.

This uniform houses all sorts of people: there are righteous individuals who genuinely see saving the world as their mission, there are realists like Nora who only want to monetize their online presence and make a quick buck, and of course, there are also scum like the "Aura Messenger" who are rotten to the core.

To place absolute trust in such a complex and massive machine is nothing short of self-deception.

If it weren't for the fact that the Superpower Act grants most of the privileges to the Hero Association for distribution, Mercury wouldn't want to join such a messy organization.

Mercury's current principle is to exploit loopholes and seek personal gain within the bounds of the rules, and nothing else matters.

The "Ogre Nightmare" monster is clearly not finished yet, which means there are still a lot of bounty points to be earned. If handled properly, it can even be used as an excuse to deliver another heavy blow to the arrogant face of Eternal Technology.

More importantly, Mercury became a true hero, and once this was exposed, his account received a flood of traffic.

Why should we push away a business that brings both fame and fortune?

Mercury knew very well that talking to Al about interests was like casting pearls before swine. He took a deep breath and changed his tone.

"Dad, I saw with my own eyes how that monster killed people. In those dusty old files, there are more than a dozen victims who died like that." Mercury stared at the screen, his eyes unwavering. "Now that I've become a hero, I can't just stand by and watch that monster continue to wreak havoc."

"The Holy Angels are currently tied up with Immortal Technology and have no time to deal with this. If we follow the Association's slow-moving procedures, do you think those Association executives will care if a few more homeless people die in the Root District? Dad, we can only rely on ourselves."

Inside the cocoon of light, El rubbed his rough chin and fell into a long silence.

Looking at his son's stubborn face through the screen, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside El.

He was pleased with Mercury's change, thinking that the boy was indeed destined to be a hero; he had only been in the association for a few days, yet he already had saving others on his mind.

But he also worried that Mercury might become radicalized as a result, putting himself in danger.

The father's conflicted feelings—fearing his child won't work hard enough, yet also fearing his child will suffer too much—are truly agonizing. Mercury used to be so sensible and required so little worry that Al is only now beginning to understand this feeling.

But Al had to agree with Mercury's point of view.

The Eternal Life Technology is too involved with the City branch of the Pomegranate Tree Association. In order to assemble a trustworthy investigation team, he has used his connections to transfer people from other places, but the investigation is still progressing slowly, like wading through a swamp.

Finally, El let out a long sigh and said in a conciliatory tone, "But the three of you are still locked in solitary confinement. Even if we get evidence, how can we proceed with the investigation?"

"I'll find another way, of course, but first I need to get the evidence." Mercury didn't reveal his plan, but urged, "Anyway, Dad, you're unemployed and at home anyway, so just do me a favor and deliver this stuff."

The word "unemployment" made Al's lips twitch, and he could only reply perfunctorily, "Alright, alright! I'll send the things over to you."

As if to cover up his embarrassment, he quickly ended the call.

The moment the call ended, the cheap shirt and the holographic street scene of the tree-root district vanished like shattered glass.

The blinding golden light converged again, enveloping the tall, imposing figure. As the enormous cocoon of light closed and faded like a lotus flower, the sacred and inviolable superhero reappeared in the conference room.

Facing a group of Everlasting Technology employees who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy and even held security communicators in their hands, the Holy Angel's expression had returned to calm.

"Don't be nervous," the angel of holy light explained casually. "It's just that the other side of the earth needs my help again."

""

Before he finished speaking, his figure vanished in a burst of golden light. Then, a loud bang came from outside the huge French windows, and a golden line pierced through the gray sky above the city of Ya Liu Tree, disappearing instantly into the clouds.

In the conference room, several senior executives of Yong Sheng Technology wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads and breathed a long sigh of relief.

This kind of temporary departure to act as a firefighter has happened several times in the past two days. Wherever there is a fault earthquake or a tsunami, as long as there is a large-scale natural disaster, this god on earth has to rush to the rescue.

Previously, they would simply fly away, but today's unexpected "light cocoon seclusion" has truly put everyone on edge. It seems that today's disaster is much more serious than before.

A few minutes later, Al parked the Pikachu at the entrance of the Church of Divine Grace.

The heavy oak door was pushed open with a dull creak.

Al walked into the chapel wearing his slightly faded old jacket. Sister Mary, standing beneath the statue, saw him and said in surprise, "Al? Mercury sent you to pick something up?"

Al shrugged and explained, "After all, I'm his father. Such an important matter should naturally be handled by me."

Sister Mary gave a strange smile, as if to say, "Do you think I don't know whether you two have a good relationship?"

However, Sister Maria did not continue to mock El, but simply told him to wait there, and turned to walk towards the slightly dark small door on the side of the podium.

The things left behind by the previous generation of cannibalistic succubus are hidden in the church's basement.

Just as El was about to sit down on the bench, a timid voice came from the side.

"Mr. Anderson?"

Flora, dressed in oversized volunteer clothes, walked over carrying a bucket of water. Although her face was still pale from long-term malnutrition, compared to when she was first brought here, the girl's eyes had regained their vitality; at least she was no longer skin and bones.

"Flora, are you settling in well here?" El helped her lift the heavy bucket of water aside.

"The nun is very kind to me; I'm always well-fed." Flora nodded vigorously, her fingers nervously clutching the fuzzy hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. That boy Mercury isn't very reliable, so as his father, I have no choice but to help him."

Mercury was thinking of leaving Flora in the rented apartment, but he completely forgot to find her a new guardian. If it weren't for El's timely intervention, Flora would have been sent to a host family again.

Just as Flora was about to express her gratitude again, a clear and energetic voice suddenly broke in.

"Huh? You're Mercury's father?!"

Emily, carrying a rag, strode over, her thick blonde hair shining brightly in the light filtering through the church's stained glass windows.

She was completely at ease with strangers, her face beaming with undisguised surprise and enthusiasm: "Hello, Mr. Anderson! I'm Emily, a friend of Mercury's! I visited your house this morning, but unfortunately, I didn't see you."

Emily's eyes sparkled, and her rapid-fire words were full of youthful vigor and energy.

Al was dressed as the Holy Angel that morning and was naturally not home. Looking at this enthusiastic girl, Al couldn't help but ask, "Are you looking for Mercury?"

Emily readily admitted, "Yes, I saw the reports and I was very worried about him. I heard he's currently in quarantine at the Hero Association. Was he injured? Is he alright now?"

"He's fine, lively and energetic, just a little restless from being locked up."

"That's good!" Emily breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and turned to Flora with a bright smile.

Flora, who was standing to the side, subconsciously took half a step back.

She looked down at her ill-fitting old clothes, then at Emily's vibrant, sun-kissed face, and for some reason felt a strong sense of loss.

Emily was once a wealthy heiress in the Upper East Side. She was beautiful, confident, and full of enthusiasm and energy that I lacked.

In front of the radiant Emily, she felt like an ugly duckling that had wandered into a flock of swans, not knowing where to put her hands and feet.

"Um—" Flora spoke softly, breaking her awkwardness, "Mr. Anderson, Emily, you two talk first. The basement is a bit dark, I'll go see if the nun needs any help."

Before El could respond, Flora lowered her head, turned around hastily, and walked toward the small door on the side of the podium.

The stairs leading to the basement were narrow and steep, and only a faulty light bulb on the wall emitted a dim, yellowish light. The air was thick with the damp smell of old wood and mold.

Flora's mind was a bit muddled from her earlier feelings of inferiority, and she walked rather quickly. Just as she was about to reach the bottom, the old wooden planks beneath her feet suddenly made a sickening cracking sound.

"Snap!"

The dilapidated wooden steps were trampled through, causing Flora to lose her balance. With a cry of alarm, she uncontrollably tumbled into the darkness ahead.

"Ouch!"

She crashed heavily into a broad chest—Sister Maria, who was carrying things and preparing to go upstairs, stumbled from the sudden impact.

"Clang!"

The dusty old wooden box slipped from the nun's hand and crashed heavily onto the concrete floor.

Sister Maria was so frightened that she quickly helped Flora up and then covered her eyes with her hands, afraid that she would see what was inside the box.

Fortunately, the locks on the wooden box were very sturdy, and even after rolling several times on the ground, it remained tightly sealed.

Sister Mary snapped, "What are you doing, getting all clumsy?!"

Flora apologized repeatedly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I accidentally missed a step."

Sister Maria snorted, picked up the box again, and held it firmly in her arms.

But at that moment, the box, which had been sealed away for many years, suddenly shook violently a few times, startling Sister Maria.

The wooden box jumped out of her hands again and crashed heavily onto the steps.

This time, the rusty lock finally gave way and snapped in two with a crack.

The contents of the box popped out and rolled right to Flora's feet.

It was a mask.

A mask roughly sewn from yellowed, shriveled human skin. Dark brown bloodstains remain in the empty eye sockets, and the corners of the mouth are stitched into an extremely twisted, eerie smile by rough black thread.

In the dim light of the basement, the dead face seemed to come alive, staring intently at Flora on the ground.

A powerful fear gripped Flora's heart instantly; her pupils contracted sharply, her lips trembled violently, and all her blood seemed to freeze at that moment.

"ah-!!!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the church.