From a chaotic world of folk customs to becoming a god through extreme methods.

Red Nuo religion.

These three words startled Lin Yuan.

As a former expert player of this game, he naturally understood the various factions in the game, and the Red Nuo Cult was one of them.

They worship the Red Nuo God and are considered a chaotic neutral faction with unique systems and methods.

They have always kept a low profile and have not been active in the world for a long time.

However, in every version, their presence and schemes can be seen in some story missions.

They were not fully revealed to the world until the official second game version update.

I never expected to encounter the Red Nuo Cult in the prologue of the game.

Lin Yuan suppressed the turmoil in his heart and kept a calm expression on his face.

"Red Nuo Cult?"

The woman nodded slightly and began to introduce her teachings to Lin Yuan and the others.

"We believe in the great Red Nuo God, who drives away evil and brings blessings. We follow the great guidance of the God to find a way to survive in the future catastrophe."

"Join us, and our religion can offer you unimaginable benefits."

Lin Yuan pondered, feigning a troubled expression.

In truth, he was already cursing under his breath.

None of the cults in this game are good.

Each religion's doctrines, methods, and abilities harbor various hidden dangers, like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

Not to mention the gods they worship, who, in the game's background, have all fallen and are shrouded in various terrifying dangers.

Even though the Red Nuo Cult is a neutral faction, Lin Yuan is not willing to join it for the time being.

Joining such a sect without the necessary strength will not bring any benefits; instead, it will only lead to numerous troubles.

Finally, after feigning some difficulty, he answered the woman in red.

"No need, we don't want to join any sect."

The woman didn't seem surprised.

She had only extended the invitation casually; the sect was currently in dire need of rebuilding and needed to nurture many promising talents.

These two promising youngsters are quite good.

But relying solely on his words, he probably wouldn't be able to convince them.

But it's not a big problem; there's plenty of time.

"No rush."

The woman in red answered.

At the same time, she took out a small black token from her sleeve and casually tossed it to Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan reached out and caught it.

The token was still warm to the touch. It was made of neither iron nor wood and was engraved with intricate patterns that formed a distorted smiling face resembling the character "傩".

"Keep this token safe."

The woman in red's voice remained light and melodious, as if it came from all directions.

"On the fifteenth of July, I will show you the extraordinary abilities of our sect."

"You should think it over carefully before you do."

"If you ever figure it out, just crush it, and I'll come find you."

Lin Yuan thought for a moment and decided that accepting the token wouldn't affect him much, so he nodded and put it in his pocket.

The woman in red turned around and looked at the little girl beside her.

The little girl had stopped crying, though tear tracks still clung to her face. But her eyes were filled with confusion as she stared blankly at the woman in red, as if she were drawn to something.

The woman in red knelt down, stretched out her disproportionately long hands, and gently patted the little girl's head.

She looked up again at Lin Yuan.

"This child is an orphan with no relatives, so I took her into the cult as a way to give her a chance to survive."

"I'm taking her with me. Until we meet again."

After the woman in red finished speaking, she waved her sleeve, and a hazy red moonlight suddenly shone through, making the entire space in sight seem to ripple and distort as if it were water.

next moment.

Before Lin Yuan and his companion could even notice, the woman in red and the little girl had vanished.

Lin Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but it was too late.

However, he eventually shut up; the little girl was indeed a problem.

With both parents deceased, it seemed she was all alone in the family.

Even if she isn't eaten by the water monster tonight, no one will take care of her or protect her in the days to come.

Even adults struggle to survive in this world, and an orphan is like a reed in the wind, easily broken at any moment.

While the Red Nuo Cult is bizarre, it is not a sect that indiscriminately kills innocent people, unlike those licentious shrines that worship living people and demons.

They do indeed have their own set of pursuits and their own set of beliefs.

Given the current level of depravity in the game, they wouldn't possibly harm a seven or eight-year-old child.

As they left.

Inside the courtyard, only Lin Yuan and Wang Gou Dan remained, along with the faint sound of the wind blowing.

Only then did Wang Gou Dan finally let out a long breath and realize that he had been holding his breath the whole time.

The main reason was the subtle but overwhelming sense of oppression emanating from the woman in red.

He looked at the young master and couldn't help but ask.

"Young master, who do you think she is?"

"I don't know either." Lin Yuan pulled himself back to reality. "Anyway, if we run into each other in the future, we should be careful and avoid provoking each other."

Wang Gou Dan nodded slightly, and then asked again.

"That little girl?"

"She'll be alright."

Lin Yuan sheathed his sword and, using the faint moonlight that had begun to emerge from the clouds, began to retrace his steps.

"Let's go back."

……

The two walked back along the riverbank, their hearts pounding with tension as they came, but they had ultimately succeeded in killing the water ghost.

I was also a little excited.

They walked much faster than they had on the way there, and returned to the town before dawn.

Knowing that they had reached the alley entrance where the road would fork, Lin Yuan suddenly stopped and said to Wang Gou Dan.

"Dog Egg".

"What's wrong, young master?"

"Remember, don't mention tonight's events to anyone."

"Don't worry, young master, I understand."

Wang Gou Dan paused, then suddenly looked solemnly at the young master, knelt down abruptly, his eyes reddening with gratitude.

"Young Master."

"Thank you for helping me avenge myself."

"My life, Wang Gou Dan's life, is your life now. From now on, I will be at your beck and call."

Lin Yuan quickly helped him up and shook his head.

"It's nothing. Hunting down the water monsters was just part of my original plan."

"Go back and practice your swordsmanship diligently to comfort your father's spirit in heaven."

Wang Gou Dan nodded emphatically before getting up.

Then he said goodbye to Lin Yuan, walked down the fork in the road, and headed back home.

Lin Yuan then hurried home.

Back at the Lin family mansion, they went to their own backyard.

The moonlight was cold and clear, and all was silent.

He first checked his surroundings to make sure no one was spying on him, and then finally brought up the control panel.

Name: Lin Yuan

[Position: A flawed gem in a turbid world]

[Realm: "Ripples" - Second Body Tempering, "Tidal Waves" - First Body Tempering]

[Skills: Raging Wave Sword Technique "Three" (1%), Rippling Nine Styles "Two" (81.7%)]

[Folk Customs Highlights: 15 Points]

[Equipment Slot: Water Poison (Tier 0, Low-level)]

Please select an appropriate time to undergo water-based body tempering, imbuing your attacks with corrosive properties.

[Note: The equipment slot is full. In thirty days, the water poison will be completely refined, at which time one equipment slot will be freed up.]

[Lock function: Not enabled]