absurd deduction game.

What's this?
The blood moon, which had been trying its best to completely devour and assimilate Yu Xing, paused for a moment. The instant it touched the deep, dark lines flowing across Yu Xing's abdomen, which seemed to contain a writhing universe, it suddenly felt a sense of horror it had never experienced before.

“Buzz——!!!”

A mournful cry, filled with extreme fear and submission, resounded directly at the soul level and burst forth from the core of the blood moon!
The originally surging and unstoppable crimson moonlight suddenly froze, as if it had encountered its nemesis, and then began to tremble and disintegrate violently and uncontrollably.

The mad knowledge, twisted ideas, and primal power connected to the ancient gods contained in the moonlight instantly lost all aggression when they sensed the absolute pressure emanating from the patterns—a pressure far beyond their comprehension and belonging to an even more ancient being—leaving only the most primal trembling and the instinct to flee.

“No… impossible… this is…” From within Emily’s shattered body came the hybrid’s incredulous, horrified scream.

Even as a massive celestial body in the starry sky, it still felt an even more boundless and indescribable vastness at this moment.

The fervor and sense of control in that voice had vanished, leaving only the despair of facing an absolute superior.

It tried to regain its strength and escape, but it was too late.

The brand on Yu Xing's abdomen seemed to come alive. The dark lines were like the gaping maw of an abyss, emitting a terrifying suction force. The collapsed blood moon energy was no longer nutrients that needed to be "digested" with effort, but became sacrifices that were forcibly plundered. Like rivers flowing into the sea, it was uncontrollably sucked into the lines!

Yu Xing felt the lines on her abdomen getting slightly warm, and it seemed to generate a human-like "excitement".

[He] is the origin of the Kel'Thuzad existence in the instance. Concepts such as "Old Gods", "Greater Old Ones" or "Pillars" are nothing more than creations in front of [He], and they are completely different in terms of their status.

Therefore, when Yu Xing revealed this mark with an experimental attitude, everything was over.

The blood moon illusion dimmed and became transparent at a visible speed, finally disappearing completely into the air with a soft "pop" like a burst bubble. Along with Emily's body, which finally shattered completely and turned into specks of fluorescent light, and the massive pollution that permeated the entire room, everything was swept away in an instant.

It was swallowed up; a taut and filthy "string" that had held it together for decades quietly snapped.

Yu Xing heard a soft sound.

It was a crisp, disintegrating sound, closer to the level of soul perception, like ice crystals shattering in utter silence.

The anchor point has broken.

In an instant, the blood-red moon outside the window, which seemed so close yet so oppressive, exuding an ominous and mad feeling, was, in Yu Xing's perception, pushed backward as if by an invisible giant hand, rapidly moving away in a way that surpassed the speed of physics.

Its size rapidly shrank in my perception, from a colossal object that filled my entire field of vision and was suffocating, to the size of a window, then to a distant red star, and finally disappeared into the boundless, cold, dark depths of space at the edge of my perception.

The crimson light that once poured down like a tangible substance has now shed all its aggressiveness and stickiness, transforming into a cool and distant glimmer that truly belongs to starlight.

The light no longer carried the whispers that twisted minds; only the eternal, silent distance remained.

It was as if the previous attempt to drag life on the ground into a frenzied erosion was just a brief and eerie tide.

Now that the tide has receded, what is revealed is the original, empty and desolate coastline of the universe. The moon has finally returned to its proper orbit, hanging there quietly across the insurmountable chasm of time and space, becoming a no longer special, slightly reddish point of light in the background of the night sky.

The last wisp of blood moon aura remaining in the room dissipated like morning mist, replaced by the real, warm sunlight outside the window. Dust floated slowly in the beams of light, and everything returned to the most ordinary appearance of the material world.

Only the brand on Yu Xing's abdomen still retained a trace of warmth, followed by a feeling of fullness, and the illusion that his own brand was gradually coming to life. A few murmurs brushed past his ears, sounding like the voice of the doctor in Nanshui Town... It was clear that [His] brand could not be used too often, otherwise there would be risks.

Who knows if He will become curious and descend upon us to see what's going on if we use that thing too much.

Yu Xing let out a breath.

Sunlight streamed in through the clean glass windows, illuminating the mess in the room—overturned furniture, piles of dust, and him standing in the center, his shirt hem undone.

He hadn't noticed it before, but now that the abnormality and pollution had faded, he realized how relaxing a normal space was.

The cursed branches that had been wrapped around him had long since been withdrawn, and the eyes and crater-like protrusions that had been spawned by the pollution on them had also rapidly melted away and flattened as the blood moon's essence dissipated, returning to pure blackness and nothingness.

The crazy knowledge in my mind was forcibly suppressed by the imprinting power. Although the process was slightly dangerous, the gains far exceeded my expectations.

He not only resolved a major problem planted in the instance, but more importantly, he verified the absolute suppressive power of this mark from [He] against such "ancient god" beings in this instance world.

It shouldn't be used too often, but it's undoubtedly an extremely powerful card, and it's not bad to keep it as a backup plan.

Yu Xing straightened her clothes and glanced around the room.

Riel's diary still lay quietly on the floor.

He walked over, picked it up, and dusted it off.

Wow... there are so many people outside.

He could sense that a lot of "familiar" presence had gathered outside the house.

……

Outside the white house, the church staff, who were on high alert, did not relax their nerves as the overwhelming smell of pollution inside suddenly subsided; on the contrary, they became even more vigilant.

"The fluctuations... have disappeared?" a battle priest holding a glowing holy emblem whispered in disbelief as the emblem's light rapidly dimmed and returned to calm.

Another experienced old deacon frowned, concentrating on sensing.

The golden wheat in the priest's hands was no longer scorching and dazzling, but the solemnity on his face did not diminish in the slightest. The highest-level "scarlet" alarm would not sound and disappear out of thin air. Beneath this deathly silence, there was likely a greater crisis or an anomaly that they could not understand.

He dared not be careless in the slightest and signaled his team members to maintain their defensive formation.

"Prepare to open the door!" the priest commanded in a deep, resolute voice.

He stepped forward, placed his palm on the dark door that seemed to absorb all light, and began to softly chant the prayer of the Mother Goddess of Harvest.

A soft yet resilient golden light spread from his palm, wrapping around the door lock like vines.

"Click."

With a soft click, the sound of divine power forcibly dismantling the mechanism inside the door lock came from within, and the heavy wooden door quietly slid open a crack.

Behind the crack in the door, instead of the imagined monster's lair or bloody scene, lay a dense, almost tangible darkness. This darkness was like a living, light-devouring substance, emanating a chilling cold and a deathly stillness that seemed to freeze even the soul. Faintly, one could hear the lingering whispers of distant stars, provoking the very limits of one's reason.

That was the lingering echo of pollution.

All the church members near the door felt a pang of fear and instinctively gripped their weapons. Holy light shone around them as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

In this extreme silence and oppression—

"Ta...ta...ta..."

Clear and steady footsteps came from the deep darkness, approaching from afar, neither hurried nor slow.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats as the priest raised his mace, and holy light gathered.

The next moment, a tall and upright figure wearing a long brown trench coat calmly stepped out of the darkness and into the bright sunlight outside the door.

"Is that you?" Someone recognized the investigator's face.

The investigator's face showed no signs of fatigue or tension after the fierce battle; instead, he wore a faint, relaxed smile. The sunlight shone on him, dispelling the last trace of chill he had brought from inside the house.

His gaze swept over the church members who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy at the entrance, and further away, the divination practitioners who were hiding in the street corners and alleys, peeking and looking around. The corners of his mouth deepened slightly.

"Wow, such a big fuss?" He said in a light tone, as if he had just run into a neighbor while out for a walk. "It's been resolved, don't worry."

His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone.

The church members looked at each other, their faces filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Solved? That terrifying entity that triggered a "Scarlet" alert and put the entire church on high alert... was just... solved by this investigator all by himself?

The priest stared blankly at Yu Xing, then at the scene behind him where the light was gradually returning to normal and the outline of an ordinary room was becoming visible. For a moment, he didn't know how to react.

Meanwhile, those in the distance who were trying to participate or take advantage of the situation were in an uproar.

"It's him... Captain Yuki, who broke through the barrier! Is he really that strong?"

Didn't you watch the previous live stream?

"Damn it, what a wasted trip..."

"I give up. Look at the leaderboard, there's no point in even trying to catch up."

Whispers and glances of shock, envy, or fear were cast from the shadows, but soon these figures receded like a tide, knowing there was no profit to be made here.

Yu Xing seemed oblivious to all of this, only winking at Qu Xianqing, whose expression showed no surprise, before turning to the still somewhat bewildered priest and smiling, adding, "The source of pollution inside has been eradicated, but the scene is a bit... messy. We'll have to trouble you all with the subsequent purification work."

He handed the priest the stargazing notes that Riel... no, "Emily" had written later: "I will cooperate with any part that requires my reporting."

……

After the hustle and bustle of the gathering has faded, the Harvest Church appears even more solemn and dignified during the day.

Yu Xing sat on a bench in the side hall, with a cup of black tea that was gradually losing its heat and a plate of barely touched church-specific snacks in front of her.

The priest who had been recording and questioning him had just left, wearing a complex expression of doubt yet forced to believe. Yu Xing's "version" naturally omitted the crucial part about the branding, only vaguely describing a fierce battle with a powerful pollutant and a narrow victory.

Before leaving, the priest politely and respectfully said that the archbishop in his robes might see him in person, and asked him to wait a moment while he freely toured the church.

So Yu Xing got up and began to stroll around the magnificent building.

This was the first time he had returned to the church since he first entered the dungeon.

The church has a spacious interior with a huge vaulted ceiling covered with murals depicting the harvest goddess bestowing abundance upon the earth, with rolling wheat fields and ripe grapes.

Sunlight streamed through the colorful stained-glass windows high above, casting dreamlike beams of light. The air was filled with the faint scent of incense, old wood, and a warm aroma reminiscent of sun-dried wheat straw.

The massive stone pillars are carved with lifelike patterns of intertwined wheat ears and grapevines, the long rows of prayer chairs are polished to a shine, and at the end of the altar is placed the symbol of the Mother Goddess—a gentle and blurred icon surrounded by golden wheat ears and jade grapes.

The entire environment was filled with a sense of holiness, peace, and vitality, completely different from the eerie stillness of the white house on Rose Avenue.

When Yu Xing passed by the central hall, he saw several divination practitioners talking to church personnel. They were clearly like Qu Xianqing and Zeng Lai, having decided to follow the church's path and seizing every opportunity to gain favor with the church.

They also saw Yu Xing, their eyes filled with complex and indescribable emotions: awe, curiosity, and perhaps even a hint of barely perceptible jealousy.

At this moment, Zeng Lai hurriedly turned out of a corridor carrying a thick stack of documents. When he saw Yu Xing, his eyes lit up, and he greeted him in a very casual manner, with a sincere admiration for "big boss". However, due to the occasion and the things in his arms, he only mouthed "Let's talk later" before leaving in a hurry.

Yu Xing nodded slightly in response and continued walking aimlessly.

Before he knew it, he had arrived at a relatively secluded side hall. There was a small fountain pool with crystal-clear water, and in the center of the pool stood several stone-carved angel statues.

The angels presented a gentle, protective posture, holding a sheaf of wheat in their hands, heads bowed, eyes lowered, faces compassionate and serene. Water flowed slowly from their fingertips and the tips of the wheat, making a pleasant tinkling sound, adding a touch of life to this tranquil space.

Yu Xing stood by the pool, her gaze fixed on the compassionate eyes of the angel statue, seemingly appreciating its exquisite craftsmanship and tranquil atmosphere.

Just then, a gentle, slightly hoarse female voice softly sounded behind him:

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Yu Xing slowly turned around.

Suddenly, the old nun who had been distributing materials on the first night, and whose body reeked of the irresistible aroma of "French foie gras," had quietly appeared behind him.

She was still wearing that pristine nun's robe, a wisp of brown hair curled beneath her headscarf, and her face wore a calm and approachable smile that reflected the wisdom gained through life's experiences.

She gazed at the angel statues in the pool and asked softly, "Investigator, do you think... these angels are beautiful?" (End of Chapter)