Returning from the abyss

Chapter 1441 Simple Faith
With the church's help, Father Thorne's procurement went very smoothly. Aside from some items that needed to be prepared, the food and other necessities were all purchased today. Looking at the several truckloads of supplies, Father Thorne finally showed some relief. Still not entirely at ease, he checked the inventory again himself, while Veronica and Vanessa helped with the registration.

The pharmacist noticed that Liu had returned to the church sometime earlier. She watched Father Thorne and his entourage with interest. Fortunately, these clergymen from the countryside did not feel uncomfortable being stared at by the people of the Burial Hall.

As the Church's sole and highest violent organ, the Burial Chamber is composed of highly capable civil servants. Every monk holding a high-ranking position has tainted blood on their hands. Whether they are plague apostles, traitors, or monsters spawned by the apostles, they are all executed by the Burial Chamber.

Even within the Church, once an execution order is signed, or if one is unfortunately targeted by the deity of the Cardinal of the Dead, the execution will be strictly carried out by everyone from the Pope down to a dog. Historically, at least two Cardinals of the Cardinal of the Dead were killed by their subordinates for violating Church rules; these people were extremely valiant.

The pharmacist walked over helplessly.

"Liu, may I ask you the purpose of your trip to Violet City?"

"What if I said it was a secret mission of the church?" Liu countered with a smile. "Just like you should have some missions on your hands, right?"

"Not really. I'm just curious, following such a large group isn't the usual method of Zangshishu. You usually prefer to go it alone, or form an internal punitive group."

“Because it’s not a mission to subjugate monsters,” Liu said casually. “The Cardinals of the Burial Church don’t just hunt monsters. Each Cardinal has their own way of operating, doesn’t they? For example, I didn’t question you about your purpose in hiding your church affiliation from them.”

“I’m not going to press you about your goals, but I hope this path won’t be complicated. Liu, I don’t know much about the people who buried the deceased. I just want to remind you that these clergy members previously served in a small town or village. Many of them may be leaving this place for the first time, and you can’t expect their character to perfectly meet the Church’s requirements for clergy.”

Upon hearing this, Liu couldn't help but smile: "So that's how it is. You're worried that I might suddenly launch an execution? You're worrying too much. Without the decree of the Pope or a god, why would I easily turn on my own people? Zangshishu isn't a madman."

The pharmacist nodded slightly. Getting that sentence was already the limit; she couldn't compel a nun from the Burial Pivot to make any more promises.

“If you don’t have anything else to do right now, you might as well go to the room and choose your bed first—although the church in Rosetta is built to the specifications of a proper church, the room space is indeed not very spacious, after all, this is just a small town, not the capital of the country,” Liu reminded.

"Thanks for the reminder, but I can wait until they finish their business."

The inventory check did take some time, but once they got the final list, Veronica and Vanessa felt much more confident.

Father Thorne finally announced that everyone could rest, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The pharmacist and Liu walked over together, but halfway there, the pharmacist noticed that Father Willard had changed into his outdoor clothes and walked out of the church.

"Liu, have you had any conversations with Father Willard?"

“It’s not easy for cardinals to communicate,” Liu said.

This means they didn't get anything out of him. The pharmacist frowned slightly; the deployment of the Oath-Taking Center usually meant that they had obtained some evidence.

However, since no request for support has been made to others, it's not appropriate to interfere arbitrarily. Boundaries must also be drawn in the management of church affairs.

Leaving this matter to themselves for the time being, the three pharmacists, led by Liu, arrived at the guest room where she was staying.

The church rooms were indeed small, but still much better than the stone castle in Longwind Territory. The people of Kishu were very skilled at building houses; the temperature was comfortable both inside the church and in the rooms, and even though the space wasn't large, it didn't feel cramped.

Liu's luggage consisted of only one suitcase, taking up very little space. In contrast, Veronica and Vanessa had quite a lot of things, and some unnecessary items, such as bedding, were provided at the church, making them feel a bit cramped. However, the pharmacist had already tossed his bundle onto a bed, and the two followed suit.

Since there was no time for classes during the day, the pharmacist prepared a bunch of study materials for them, and the two of them needed to start studying as soon as possible.

However, when they took out their books, Liu came over with great interest: "What are they learning?"

"Medical knowledge."

"Deadly Creatures" and "The Record of Natural Disasters"? If I remember correctly, these two books should record examples of the breeding of plague monsters and the spread of plagues, right? Is this considered medical knowledge?"

“Why not? I believe I have sufficient authority in this regard.” The pharmacist glanced at her. “Besides, that’s not the entirety of those two books. I know that Zangshishu also participated in the compilation of some of them, but since the books have been leaked, it means that this matter should be known to the public.”

“I know, I just wonder if it’s too early for them to be learning this.” Liu sat down on the bed next to her, crossed her arms, and smiled. “They’ve just come of age, right? Are they going to be exposed to the knowledge of Plague Apostles or even Plague Lords at this age?”

“If the Plague Apostles don’t avoid them when choosing people, then they should learn these skills,” the Pharmacist smiled. “Isn’t the Burial Pivot also meant training people from a young age to deal with these filth?”

“That makes sense.” Liu Shen nodded in agreement. “But these two girls are a bit weak. They can only learn knowledge and a few divine spells. They won’t be able to deal with those vicious guys.”

“Unfortunately, I’m paid by Father Thorne to teach medicine, but combat courses aren’t included,” the pharmacist said.

“Oh—that’s a real shame. If they haven’t faced a real natural disaster, they won’t know how terrifying it is. But even if they have, they probably wouldn’t be able to crawl out alive.” Liu looked the two of them over, and her thoughtful gaze made Vanessa feel a little uncomfortable.

"Although we haven't learned any real combat techniques, we have had martial arts teachers! And we're not exactly weak!"

Liu wasn't annoyed. Instead, she took a folded serrated knife from a belt at her waist and tossed it to Vanessa. Vanessa caught it, and suddenly felt herself sink down. She clutched the piece of wood that served as the handle with some difficulty, her eyes filled with astonishment.

"A standard bone-cutting knife, weighing sixteen kilograms," the pharmacist said.

Veronica glanced at Vanessa in surprise at the knife she was still struggling to lift: "Why make it so heavy?"

“A single slash can cut through the bones of those monsters,” Liu said. “Their bones are harder than stone, and their flesh has a strange stickiness. Ordinary knives not only can’t cut through them, but they also get stuck. If you don’t drop your weapon, you might get killed.”

Vanessa finally opened the folding serrated knife, but that was her limit. Luckily, she was quite strong; she could hold sixteen kilograms steady, but she couldn't wield it with ease. "Of course, this is also the heaviest thing I carry; nothing else is this heavy. But all things considered, it's at least as heavy as yours," Liu said with a smile. "So, in my opinion, you really don't meet the standard of a warrior. But then again, you're not warriors, are you? The Savior should just do his job; we'll handle the fighting."

Vanessa folded the knife and returned it to Liu, but her expression became much more serious: "That won't do either. What if someone like you isn't around? Are we supposed to expect you to come from afar to save us? That's ultimately unreliable. I know the gap between myself and you, and I will strive to do so."

Liu sheathed his knife and glanced at the pharmacist: "You taught him?"

"How could that be? That's just how they are."

The evening chat didn't take much time, and the pharmacist knew that it would be difficult to get the people of the Burial Pivot onto the war chariot; at least Liu wouldn't act as their teacher.

The serrated knife is just something to scare people. The pharmacist doesn't know how many deadly weapons the cultivators of the Burial Pivot have. It's no exaggeration to say that Liu alone could drive Thorne's convoy of refugees right through it.

=
The moonlight was dim, with only a crescent moon hanging in the sky, its light obscured by clouds.

Villard walked along the streets on the west side of Rosetta, occasionally encountering patrols of two soldiers who would merely greet him upon seeing his robes before moving on. The curfew had no effect on this priest—the church had already spoken to the mayor.

Aside from a district reserved exclusively for nobles, Rosetta did not classify the rest of its inhabitants by social status. The mayor's governance had led to the complete eradication of the poor from the town two years prior, even if this included a degree of physical disappearance.

That's why, no matter which direction you go, you'll see residential areas and living facilities lined up one after another. The cleanliness of the streets is also thanks to the assigned cleaning work, which is quite an achievement. Villard has seen dirty towns where excrement and urine are everywhere on the streets.

Number 42 Clock Street, according to the register, was the residence of a carpenter. He was known as Old Parker, who had come to Rosetta more than a decade ago with a construction crew, where he married and had children. His wife and six-year-old son lived with him; his wife was literate and did some letter-copying work, and his child was quite well-behaved, earning them a good reputation among the neighbors.

Old Parker wasn't actually that old, only in his forties. Before moving here, he was a member of the church, a general believer, meaning he didn't explicitly believe in any particular deity.

Such people are common, and Old Parker comes to the church every month to make a donation. Although it's not a lot of money, the church doesn't care about the amount.

Villard knocked on the door of the house.

The lights came on inside the house. After nightfall, most people, unless they were very wealthy, would go to bed early. The time that Villard chose was, normally speaking, already considered a disturbance.

A short while later, the door opened, and old Parker, dressed in what looked like a hastily thrown-on coat, poked his head out. Seeing Willard, a look of surprise crossed his face: "Father Willard? What brings you here..."

“It is very presumptuous of me to visit so late at night. May I come in? If I disturb you, I will pay you a fee,” Willard said.

Old Parker hurriedly waved his hand: "How could I dare? We're overjoyed to have you come to our house, we wouldn't dare disturb you. Please..."

He gave up his seat and called into the room, "It's the priest who's here to visit. It's nothing else, you can go to sleep!"

Willard heard some noises, the sound of a door closing. He stepped inside. The house wasn't large, but it was well-organized, with a living room, a sitting room, a kitchen... Old Parker, being a carpenter, had obviously made some minor adjustments to reflect his personal style, and the furniture inside was probably all handmade by him.

He sat down in a chair, and old Parker brought him a bowl of water.

"You've come to my house so late... there must be something you need?" Old Parker cautiously placed a glass of water in front of Willard and asked somewhat nervously, "Is it something bad?"

Villard glanced at the man, smiled slightly, and tapped the table: "Sit down, old Parker. Let me ask you a few questions first."

"Hey, hey..." Old Parker sat down uneasily, his eyes still fixed on Villard.

"You've been in Rosetta for over ten years, when did you buy this house?"

"Sir, it wasn't bought. When we came here to carry out construction, this area was built by a group of old friends. After it was all finished, the town mayor allocated a house to each of us. Some of us sold our houses and got money. I quite like this place, so I settled down here."

"How is your living situation? Judging from your family's circumstances, although you can't be called rich, you shouldn't be in financial straits either."

Old Parker nodded repeatedly: "There's still a market for carpentry. When things break at home and need repair, or when people want to make some furniture, they come to me. If you're lucky, you can even make some money."

"So nothing unsatisfactory has happened in your life?" Willard asked.

Old Parker looked somewhat bewildered.

"When did your faith begin to crumble?" Willard's eyes held a hint of pity as three semi-transparent figures passed through the wall and came to his side.

The third-tier divine spell of the Oath-Binding Pivot: "Secret Agent".

Upon seeing the three spies, old Parker's bewildered expression vanished, replaced by a fierce glint in his eyes: "Of course, it was during the time when my prayers went unanswered, Father. Since you sent them out, you must have already seen them. I did nothing to harm anyone; I only wanted to save my family from their suffering—that's what the Church should have done in response to me!"

“The church will help its believers, but you abandoned your simple faith too early…” Villard slowly drew a long, jet-black sword from his left palm with his right hand. “Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of life, and it is understandable if one cannot accept them. But to therefore side with the side that pollutes the world is an act of utter betrayal.”

The second-tier divine spell "Black Edge Unsheathed" took shape in Villard's hands.

Happy National Day!