I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

But... that's all.

But with my current self... I can't do anything.

To change this place, we need... [power].

Xi looked around and understood, but her consciousness became hazy.

"Well……"

As Xi Wang slowly awoke, the face of Aponia came into view.

She must be taking care of herself; you can see the fatigue and weariness on her face.

“Father… I’m so glad you’re awake.”

Upon seeing that Xiwang had woken up, Aponia quickly went to her side.

"How are you? Are you still in pain? Are you still feeling unwell? Your injuries are quite severe, and you've lost a lot of blood. It's unlikely you'll fully recover in just a few days..."

"It's okay, I'm fine... I've been unconscious for several days?"

Facing Aponia, whose expression was full of tension and concern, Xi Wang slightly raised her hand to stop her from touching her hands, and instead asked.

"And... what about Father Yan Zheng?"

"........."

Upon hearing Xiwang's question, Aponia's expression darkened.

“You have been unconscious for seven days, but thankfully, [He] is protecting you.”

“Father Yan Zheng… died during negotiations with them.”

She told the truth.

“The old woman went with him to increase their bargaining power.”

“But she died too, and now… I’m in charge of this nursing home.”

Xi Wang was momentarily dazed.

"I...would you mind going to the church?"

He said somewhat bewilderedly.

Aponia hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Please wait a moment, I will go with you."

After saying that, Aponia was about to step forward to help him up, but Xiwang waved his hand, indicating that he could... Although he still felt a little weak, he could walk normally.

After receiving her cross pendant from Aponia, she hesitated for a moment before deciding not to wear it around her neck, but instead wrapped the thin chain around her hand, allowing her to hold it tightly in her palm.

Xi Wang waited patiently for Aponia, and only after she finished instructing the children in the sanatorium did the two of them go out together.

As Xi Wang left the gate and stepped into the street, he felt the slightly glaring gazes coming from all around him.

Whoever it is... perhaps those who fled, perhaps those gangsters... or perhaps someone else entirely.

Their eyes held either mockery, anger, or... guilt and pity; their emotions were undisguised.

However, even so, they did not step forward. They just silently watched the two of them for a while, and then their gazes lingered on Aponia for a moment before they looked away.

Neither the information from the gang nor the strange nun indicated that now was a good time for them to cause trouble for the two.

And so, Xiwang and Aponia returned to the church under the somewhat conspicuous gazes of the crowd... The place had become rather desolate, and there were hardly any people around... It was understandable, after all, this place had changed from a "neutral zone" where they could get help to a place heavily guarded by gangsters, and no one would want to come here.

At most... people who want to bury bodies might come here? After all, the cemetery is behind the church, but it's hard to say whether people will specifically come to the cemetery to bury people in this Twilight Street area...

Pushing aside the fence, which had become somewhat dilapidated in just a few days, Xi Wang walked into the front yard. Looking at the traces of blood still remaining on the ground, and the messy footprints that had almost trampled everything clean, Xi Wang remained silent.

Continuing forward into the church, the two encountered another person who was carrying a somewhat tattered curtain. He was picking up odds and ends, wrapping them together with a shovel that was clearly covered in mud and water, and then carrying it on his back. He also picked up several broken planks from the ground and held them in his hands.

Xi Wang remembered that the shovel must have belonged to the church, and the wooden planks must have been church seats.

Xi Wang could also smell a dampness on him... Was it just her imagination? She felt that her sense of water had become more acute after this period of unconsciousness.

Of course, more importantly... Xi Wang knew him. He had once distributed porridge with Xi Wang to others. His simple sweet steamed cake was loved by many people. Whenever there was extra sugar in the church, many people would ask him to make steamed cake for everyone to share. That simple dessert could bring people a little comfort.

"Ah, Father...you...you're back..."

Upon seeing the two arrive, he appeared somewhat flustered and nervous, his gaze darting around, almost afraid to look Xi Wang in the eye.

"Hello, it's been a few days... How are you?"

"Ah...it's...not bad..."

"If you could... could you tell me what you're doing? And..."

Xi Wang looked at the extremely empty church and asked softly.

"What happened here...afterwards? And what about the others...are they alright?"

"this and that……"

He subconsciously hid the package he was carrying behind his back, hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth, and told the truth.

"The people here... were all taken away by them, but later they brought us back and made us take the supplies ourselves... They said anything from the church would be fine, anything we could take, as long as we got our hands on it before they took it away, then it would belong to us, and these would become our 'starting capital,' which we would exchange for supplies for the first few days..."

"Then... in order to make themselves better off in the following days, everyone started looting... things like fabric, wooden furniture, and glass... anything that looked useful was taken away. At that time, everyone was like crazy, and they almost started fighting... if they hadn't stepped in to stop them, many more people would probably have been injured."

He dared not describe it in too much detail to Xiwang, because everyone's behavior at the time... was just too embarrassing. It was as if they wanted to prove to the gang that they had nothing to do with this place anymore, as if they had no attachment whatsoever to the church that had given them a brief period of peace.

He felt ashamed for making the same choice as those people, and also guilty for Xi Wang, who still cared about everyone even in this situation.

So at that time, he did not join the others in looting the last remaining supplies of the church; he felt ashamed of his own and everyone else's choices.

Of course, more importantly, he had already gained favor for his decent pastry-making skills, so he didn't need to compete with those people...

As for why I came back now, on the one hand, I was asked by several people to come back and handle some things. The shovel and the curtains for storing things were also provided by those people. On the other hand, I came to see if there were any leftover things that could still be used.

Sure enough, he was a hypocrite too—thinking this, he became even more afraid to look into Xi Wang's eyes.

But... I should still have some conscience left, just like those... people who asked me to do that thing, I guess... I still have some conscience left—he comforted himself with that thought.

"Thank you for your answer... Please go back quickly, it would be bad if you were scolded by them because of me."

"Afterwards... please take good care of yourself, and may [He] protect you."

Hope nodded somewhat blankly, stepped aside slightly to make way, and politely let the other person leave using etiquette that had long become a habit.

"Uh-huh……"

He left in a hurry, as if he were running away.

“…Sister, you should go back now. The children need to be taken care of.”

After a moment of silence, Xi Wang composed herself and then spoke to Aponia.

"As for me... I need some peace and quiet."

"...I understand, but...please come back before sunset, your body still needs rest."

Aponia looked at the increasingly dazzling gold in Xiwang's pupils, hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly, gave some caring instructions, and slowly left.

Xi Wang watched her leave, then walked towards the small house behind the church, which was used for living.

Following the damp smell, Xiwang found the place where the person who had just left had been. Here, Xiwang detected other smells mixed in with the dampness: the smell of blood, and... the smell of a corpse.

It's very faint, just a residue.

Carefully examine the surroundings for clues, and then continue forward. You will find two mounds of earth next to each other, which are obviously newly piled up. In front of them are two wooden planks that serve as tombstones, with the names of Father Yan Zheng and his wife written on them.

Clearly, this was done by the person who just left, and perhaps... by the efforts of others as well.

Xi Wang knelt before them, gently stroking the two simple tombstones, and the emotions surging in her heart were somewhat soothed.

So, there are people who are willing to do this...

As Xi Wang thought this, the agitation in her heart gradually subsided, and the golden light that had been spreading in her pupils began to slow down.

As long as it exists... as long as it exists... at least it proves that our efforts were not entirely in vain, and that our goodwill was ultimately rewarded.

"call……"

Xi Wang let out a long breath, adjusted her breathing, and when she opened her eyes again, her expression had become firm.

He rose, bowed deeply to the two tombstones, and then resolutely left, returning to the empty church.

Kneeling in the place where you used to pray, wrap the thin chain of the pendant around your hands, place the cross between your thumbs, close your eyes and lower your head, letting the cross lightly touch your forehead, and offer your piety to the place that is now empty.

Pray to Him.

“My beloved Lord…”

Ask Him.

"Please grant me power, please change this place, change this chaotic land..."

Pray to Him.

"Let the kind-hearted be rewarded, the ordinary be at peace, and the greedy and wicked be punished."

"So that all people may receive the judgment they deserve, and so that all people may receive the consequences they deserve."

"At least, let the people here have a place where they can feel at ease..."

What are you willing to give up for this?

He asked.

"My everything."

【……Can】

He seemed to ponder for a moment, and then readily agreed.

I give you strength, and you obey my words. I will lead you to change all of this.

He did not specify the exact "price" that Xiwang would have to pay. Perhaps in His view, He would have received the most satisfactory "reward" when Xiwang was willing to answer with "everything".

Immediately, the sound of wings flapping gently could be heard, and a scorching and sharp sensation quickly came over Xi Wang, reminding him of the [Fire with a Sword] he had seen before, but the sensation quickly faded away.

"...Father? Father?"

In a daze, I could hear a soft yet somewhat anxious voice calling my name, and I also felt a slight shaking on my shoulder.

It was Aponia. It was already close to night, and she had come looking for Xiwang again out of concern. But at this moment, she noticed that Xiwang... seemed to be different.