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Chapter 96 Going to Heaven
“I happened to come across this video last time I was looking through videos, and she’s been thinking about it ever since,” Lin Qing said, continuing to eat. “She can watch something like digging a pond’s silt with great interest.”

“More and more people are coming to Mala Village, and relying solely on those cave dwellings is definitely not enough. Expanding into the mountains is an inevitable choice,” Liu Shuyue explained. “There are many weeds in the mountains and forests, and they are very difficult to clear. If we have this tool, it will be much easier for them to expand.”

Since becoming a shop assistant, she had more and more opportunities to interact with Lin Qing, and her understanding of this world also increased. Chen Xuan thought she was interested in new clothes, jewelry, or electronic products, but unexpectedly, the first thing that aroused her desire to buy was an excavator.

"...It's not entirely impossible," Chen Xuan said after considering it for a moment.

Buying an excavator is much simpler than buying weapons. Jiangcheng has companies that specialize in producing heavy construction machinery; you can just pay and get the goods. Even if Liu Shuyue didn't bring out those gems, the pills refined in Mala Village would be enough to cover the cost.

The only problem is transporting the excavator to Wanshan Dahuang.

However, it's just a hassle; it only requires spending more money and time. It's not something that can't be accomplished.

"Really? That's great!" Liu Shuyue exclaimed happily.

“I’ll keep these stones for now. They might not be able to be exchanged for money. You can have the villagers refine more Ganbiqing Pills. They’re easier to sell,” Chen Xuan said.

She naturally had no objection to this.

After lunch, the three of them went downstairs and found that the scenery outside the gate had changed again. The walkway in the community had become a lush green lawn, with several sheep leisurely grazing around it. Further away, there was a church, standing on a steep, upturned slope, with a gray sky covered by clouds in front of it.

"Greetings." A young knight in armor stood at the shop entrance and said respectfully to Chen Xuan, "You must be the divine messenger. I have come to greet you on the orders of Lord Gildrei."

"Why didn't he come by himself?" Chen Xuan asked curiously.

“Because the master has been bedridden for many days… he is unable to come in person,” the knight replied. “He instructed me that if I could find you, I must ask you to come and see him, as this was the master’s last wish.”

Last wish? When I asked Joan of Arc about the Marshal before, he seemed to be doing well.

"I understand. Lead the way."

Chen Xuan told Liu Shuyue and Lin Qing to stay in the shop while he followed them.

As he stepped out of the shop, he looked back and noticed that the shop entrance was connected to several houses, which were probably built by shepherds.

Following the knight all the way to the church on the hilltop, he discovered that it was actually a sheer cliff. The cliff jutted out high, pointing directly to the slightly gloomy sky, below which lay the dark green ocean. The difference in height between the two was at least a hundred meters.

A church built in such a place is naturally not very large, about the size of a small villa with a yard, and the stone tower in the middle is covered with moss.

Upon entering the church, Chen Xuan found it surprisingly crowded. The small prayer hall was packed with about twenty people, men, women, and children… but they were all dressed in black, their faces etched with sorrow. The moment they saw Chen Xuan, everyone bowed in unison and made way for him.

"Who are these people?" Chen Xuan asked in a low voice.

“My lord’s family.” The knight led him to a side door at the far end of the chapel, assuming a guard’s stance. “Please come in. Lord Gildre is waiting for you inside.”

Chen Xuan pushed open the door and entered alone, a strong aroma of incense wafting towards him.

This must be a room for a priest or priest to rest in. The room is furnished very simply, with nothing but a large bed and a table and chairs.

Lying in bed was Gillespie.

Chen Xuan walked to the bedside and found that he looked much older than when they last met. His hair was completely white and his face was covered with wrinkles and spots.

Theoretically, he was only eight years older than Joan of Arc, but their physical conditions were on completely different levels.

"I've finally seen you again." Gildre was incredibly excited when he saw Chen Xuan. His lips trembled, and he shifted slightly as if trying to sit up, but ultimately failed.

"Just lie there," Chen Xuan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do you perhaps have some kind of illness?"

“No… Your Excellency, I am simply old, and my time is up,” Gildre said. “A voice is calling me to depart; my time is running out.”

In other words... his reason for wanting to see me wasn't to trade abilities?

"It's incredible. You look exactly the same as you did decades ago, without the slightest change." He looked Chen Xuan up and down with his cloudy eyes. "No wonder you were chosen by our lord."

"Tell me, why did you summon me?" Chen Xuan asked.

This sentence made him silent for about ten seconds.

After a moment, he spoke with remorse, "I... want to repent to you."

“Shouldn’t this be handled by a priest?” “I have made too many mistakes in my life… killing, tyranny, greed… it wouldn’t be surprising if I ended up in hell,” Gildre murmured. “But I was fortunate enough to meet two people who changed my life… one is the saintess, and the other is you. After you removed the dark magic from me, I felt like the whole world was transformed, and being able to stay by Joan of Arc’s side for those ten years was the happiest time of my life.”

“And so I regretted it… Your Excellency, I don’t want to be dragged to hell after I die. I want to go to heaven… to wait there to reunite with Lady Joan of Arc. No priest can wash away my sins, not even the high priest. The only person I can think of who can help me is you!”

He mustered all his strength to raise his right hand and extend it to Chen Xuan, "Your Excellency, can you listen to my repentance and wash away my sins?"

This is outside the scope of the Ability Store's business.

All he longed for was a place to place his faith.

"Since you're our third customer, I'll give you a redemption scroll," Chen Xuan whispered in a voice only he could hear. He then sat down on the edge of the bed and cupped his withered hand in his own.

"Say it, I'll listen."

“Thank you… thank you so much…” Gildre stammered.

He then recounted his crimes one by one, including his unruly behavior as a child, how he came into contact with black magic, the torture and murder of prisoners of war during the war, and the cruel execution of his compatriots who showed goodwill to the British army...

Even after meeting the Saint Maiden, he couldn't completely suppress the murderous intent surging within him. When Joan of Arc was imprisoned, he even planned to bombard the palace.

These are all unforgivable sins in God's eyes.

Finally, Gildre slowly said, "I haven't looked at that book that records dark magic again, nor do I dare to give it to anyone. It's on that table now, and you can do with it as you please."

Chen Xuan originally thought that black magic was a special ability he had developed due to the world's corruption, but he never expected that he had actually learned this technique! Not only that, he also told him the whole story of the book's origin, something that had never been recorded in history.

"God says it forgives you."

After listening to all the confessions, Chen Xuan replied in a serious tone, word by word.

In an instant, Gillespie burst into tears.

His tense hand relaxed.

“Praise be to God’s mercy!” he cried out again in a weak voice, “So that I can go to heaven…”

“Actually, I can call Joan of Arc over so you can talk to her, since you haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“No, no need… My lord, I don’t want her to see me looking so old and frail…” Gildre slowly shook his head. “I want her to always remember me as the marshal who supported her…”

As he spoke, his voice gradually weakened, and his eyelids slowly closed, as if he were about to fall asleep.

"Sleep well, you will go to heaven."

Chen Xuan did not wake him, but watched him peacefully fall into eternal sleep.

Only after Gildre stopped breathing did he come to the table, open the bronze box, and take out the ancient book containing the dark magic.

The book cover was probably made of cowhide, with no text on either side, and there were burn marks on the corners, suggesting that Gillespie had tried to burn it.

Chen Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly opened the cover.

However, he did not see any evil words or images, or rather... there were words on the pages, but he couldn't understand what they meant.

This was the first time he had encountered such a situation since becoming the store manager.

What... could it be that the decoding function of the LV4 store manager title is not working for it?
These papers have yellowed and feel quite soft to the touch, with a very peculiar texture, unlike those made from pressed plant fibers.

Chen Xuan put the book away and turned to leave the room.

As he passed through the door, he said to the young knight, "The marshal is gone."

"Really?" The other party was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head as if he had expected it, and said, "...Thank you for granting his wish."

As Chen Xuan stepped out of the church, he heard a mournful cry behind him, like a light rain falling on the sea.

(End of this chapter)