Alone and Infinite.

Chapter 505 Dark Anomaly
Based on Li Xia's perspective and intuition, the uncle in front of her was not lying, but telling the truth.

Don't know? Or are you just too good at disguising yourself to be able to tell?

but.
He clearly remembered that after Jenny was thrown out of the room, the first place to bang on the door was his house, and there was even a faint light inside at that time.

Add to that the enormous commotion outside the door, comparable to a demolition, how could they not have noticed?

"Young man, it's such a shame I couldn't help you, but I have to go get some water now. See you later!"

The uncle gestured with the bucket in his hand, humming an unknown tune as he quickly left.

Li Xia watched his figure disappear into the distance, let out a soft breath, and silently continued walking forward.

After turning two corners, the road suddenly opens up and widens; this is the main road of Ogan City.

The crowds here are denser, with people dressed in their own clothes tying bouquets to telephone poles and tree branches.

They also placed those strange ritual implements on small tables every ten meters, and carefully attached sticky notes to the implements.

Li Xia read the contents of the note, which were similar to what she had seen on the wishing wall of the wishing tree in the real world.

They all pray for peace, or for things like wealth and love.

He thought for a moment and then stopped a young man who was setting up equipment.

"You said we shouldn't go out at night because of monster rumors?"

The young man pressed his hand to his felt hat and said with a somewhat worried expression:
"Actually, none of us have ever seen a monster, but if the Church of Divine Interpretation says it exists, then it must exist, after all, the Church of Divine Interpretation has always been protecting us."

Countless times, it was the Church of Divine Prophecy that drove away the monsters that came from outside the city.

To be honest, things are getting worse and worse. I've heard that the world outside is not doing well, and many places have been taken over by monsters.

The Church of the Holy Prophecy used to allow people to leave the city gates, but now the entire city of Ogan is sealed off.

"You're only allowed to enter, but not leave."

As he spoke, he became more optimistic and showed Li Xia the note in his hand:
"You see, I'm going to pray that the world will soon return to peace, just like it used to be."

After thanking her, Li Xia left and continued to stroll casually through the streets. She went into a bookstore as she passed by.

However, I found that there were very few books inside, and not even any professional books. They were mostly biographies and popular romance novels.

There wasn't a single book on history or folklore to be found, but luckily he found a map in a tourist guide about Ogan.

Without hesitation, he paid the bill with the money the tavern couple had hidden, and then sent the map to Aowu via the team channel.

He then opened the book and followed the guidebook to the Basilica of Divine Pardon.

After gathering so much information, all the doubts and clues pointed to one place—the Church of Divine Interpretation.

As they drew closer, fewer and fewer pedestrians appeared on the street, and armed church guards began to appear on both sides of the road.

They were dressed in white armor, completely different from the guards Collins had led that night.

Li Xia thought they would stop him, but to his surprise, the guards simply asked him about his purpose. After learning that he was going to the cathedral to worship the gods, they enthusiastically pointed him in the right direction.

I am not worried at all about the risks that this may cause.

Following the direction pointed out by the guard, Li Xia arrived at the end of the stone-paved road, where a wide square came into view, with a beautiful fountain in the center.

The sculpture in the fountain is a set of sculptures. A serene woman holds a pottery jar in her hand and tilts it. Clear water flows from the mouth of the jar and sprinkles on several people kneeling at her feet in a prayer position.

These people included men and women, young and old, but they were much smaller than women, only about one-fifth their size.

After pausing to look at the statue for a while, Li Xia walked away again, heading towards the church not far away.

"squeak"

The massive oak door was pushed open, and a beam of light shone through the crack, casting Li Xia's shadow on the floor. The entire church appeared even darker under this light. Li Xia slowly stepped inside; the church was very quiet.

The air was filled with the dry scent of wood and a faint aroma of incense. A row of dark solid wood benches lined both sides of the street. At the far end of the street, atop a high altar, stood a statue that stood silently—the same woman holding a jar from the square's fountain.

Her face remained serene, her eyes lowered, but instead of a pottery jar, she held something that resembled a scroll.

Sunlight streamed through the huge stained-glass windows, illuminating only the area around the statues and casting dappled shadows on the ground, creating an atmosphere of extraordinary mystery.

The light flowed along the patterns on the glass window, swept across the empty bench, and finally landed on a figure in front of the altar.

He was the only person in the church, kneeling on the velvet cushion in front of the altar, his hands clasped in front of his chest, his forehead gently touching his fingertips, and he was praying softly.

"Merciful goddess."

His prayers were intermittent, yet exceptionally clear:
"Please listen to the prayers of Your believers, and grant them divine guidance; please pour forth the sweet dew of Your holy spring to cleanse the shadows of Ogan."
The voice paused, as if sensing Li Xia's arrival, but the prayer continued:

"I have followed the ancient teachings and am willing to serve you with all my life. I beg you not to remain silent, but to descend upon me like a clear spring, dispelling the suffering of this world and illuminating the dust-covered souls with your light..."

Finally, the person who had been praying made a gesture, bowed to the statue again, and stood up.

He turned around, looked at Li Xia, and nodded: "Outsider, you've arrived."

“Bishop Collins—”

Li Xia nodded and asked directly without any pretense:
"I saw monsters last night, and I want to know what those monsters are?"

"You saw a monster?"

Collins's usually cold expression softened with a hint of surprise. He looked Li Xia over carefully and slowly said:
"You saw a monster?"

"Yes, a very strange and twisted monster."

"Darkness! Inescapable darkness is gradually approaching Ogan."

Collins suddenly spoke in a low voice:
"I tried my best to stop it, but it seems the darkness has finally entered and has begun to devour the inhabitants of Ogan."
"Stranger, since you can see monsters, it means you already carry the seeds of darkness within you."

He stepped back a few paces and hid himself in the darkness.
"But it's not too late now. Kneel before the statue of the goddess and receive baptism to cleanse your polluted soul."

Perhaps it's still not too late.

Li Xia remained silent for a moment, then looked at Collins in the shadows and suddenly asked:

"The monster from last night was the patron who died in the tavern. You took his body."

"Is that so? Even the goddess's sacred ark cannot stop the arrival of darkness?"

Collins looked up; black stripes had appeared on his face, and his eyes, though vacant, were rapidly darkening.

“I thought the holy light of the Ark could burn it all away…”

He suddenly raised his hand and pressed it to his temple, black, viscous liquid seeping from between his fingers. Endless darkness spread from his feet until it enveloped the entire church.

"Outsider, can you tell me exactly what the monster looks like?"

Darkness surged around Collins, frantically clinging to his body, forming a twisted black robe that seemed to be alive.

Is this how it is?

From the darkness behind him, a huge figure slowly emerged.

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1. Monthly pass 2. Recommendation vote

(End of this chapter)