I find it very sacred to pick someone up and make them a saint.

Inside the dilapidated house.

Marissa slowly prepared rye bread, pickled radishes, and steaming barley soup for Mien and the others.

Lucia looked at Mien with some hesitation.

Mien picked up the bread and started eating, chewing it heartily.

It really tastes awful...

A metal button gleamed subtly along the collar; the entry is "Taste Regulation".

Effect: Regulates one's sense of taste, creating food that matches the image in one's mind.

Seeing this, Lucia began to eat cautiously.

The warm food she hadn't seen in so long made her feel alive, and a strong sense of happiness welled up inside her.

The delicious taste of wheat and pickled vegetables overwhelmed her taste buds; it was a flavor she wouldn't normally dare to crave.

Mien straightened his clothes and calmly began to speak:

"Let me introduce myself. I am a scholar from the Temple Academy of the Cassirer Empire."

He gently parted his scholar's robes, revealing the silver badge of the Temple Academy on his chest.

On the holy white shield, a book is outlined in gold, depicting the entire continent, with colorful crystals scattered across it like a galaxy.

Marissa said slowly:

"I know, if you were some nobleman or priest from somewhere, I would have thrown you out long ago."

So arrogant? Truly, at seventy one can do whatever one pleases without overstepping the bounds of propriety.

However, without pretense, one can better understand the true situation here.

"You should be more careful with your words in the future." Mi En smiled gently and took another sip of hot soup.

"What are you afraid of? They've already run off somewhere."

Mien was somewhat surprised.

He knew the nobles had fled quickly, but the priest's escape was unexpected.

"Even the priest at the church has left?"

"As soon as the plague broke out, he made up an excuse to leave, saying he was going to the main church to pray and ask for help."

"Hmph, how can a bunch of idiots protect the Cassirer Empire? They'll be going to hell sooner or later!"

Mien looked toward the side of the house with a puzzled expression.

In the niche beside the fireplace, an image of the goddess of light is placed on a white cloth, and three candles are lit on the table.

This is enough to demonstrate her piety.

Marissa understood Mien's thoughts and slowly said:

"Unlike those fools, the Goddess of Light will once again protect the Cassirer Empire."

She leaned her cane against the table and bowed in front of her chest:

"The great empire was chosen by the goddess to become the only sun and hope for the entire continent."

The goddess has temporarily embarked on a journey, so the empire has been deceived by a group of fools.

And she will eventually return to save and protect those she has blessed.

Mien remained silent and finished the hot soup.

The people here, like most people in the empire, remain loyal to the Goddess of Light and the empire.

This is an unshakable foundation; otherwise, they would not know what to believe in anymore.

Mien could only marvel that even in such a tragic environment, their faith had not wavered in the slightest.

He then asked:

"What happened to the nearby churches after the priests left?"

"We will take care of it and pray," Marissa replied.

"It was just that a few brats caused trouble at first, but they were chased away by the people."

"Oh?" Mien caught a clue: "Who are those people?"

"A few idle thugs in the neighborhood initially tried to sleep and drink in the church, which aroused public outrage, and they were quickly chased away."

Mien looked at Lucia: "Was that person from earlier?"

Lucia shook her head: "He's disliked; people don't associate with him."

"You're here to investigate the plague, just like that red-haired kid from a few days ago," Marissa said.

Mien nodded: "Yes."

She was referring to Professor Phyllis.

The old man, leaning on his cane, his eyes buried in wrinkles, said, "Goddess, there are still some upright people in this empire."

Mien could hear the praise for the Academy in her words.

"But your power is simply not enough to help the Empire," Marissa sighed.

Mien smiled helplessly:

"What else do you know about the plague here?"

Marissa shook her head: "I've already told you everything I know."

This is a curse brought upon sinners; when the light returns, all will be judged.

Mien, seeing that the questioning was nearly complete, stood up:

"Lucia and I need to investigate further. Thank you for your hospitality."

He left behind a gold coin and bowed respectfully.

Lucia stacked the empty bowls and plates together.

Marisa looked at Lucia and nodded silently.

After the two left, watching their retreating figures, she closed her eyes and prayed to the goddess on their behalf.

…………

"Where is the church she mentioned?" Mien asked.

"It's near the first patient's house. We don't need to change our route. Once we get there, the church is not far away."

The first patient's home was very ordinary; the furniture and tables were still there, but they were covered with a thick layer of dust.

The furnishings show nothing unusual; on the contrary, they are full of life.

Surprisingly, even so, it was still much better than Lucia's place.

Mien tentatively turned on the light and found that it was not damaged, and the bright light illuminated everything in the room.

Mien searched every corner but found no trace of extraordinary energy.

"Who is he?"

"He's a shoemaker from the neighborhood. I helped him sell things two years ago."

It is said that he suddenly became delirious and behaved strangely.

"How come you've worked everywhere?" Mien thought to himself. A legendary mercenary?

"Did he have any contact with that group of people?"

Lucia pondered for a moment: "I'm not sure, but they're about the same age."

Sudden.

Mien noticed something amiss; five people had appeared not far from the house.

They were all young men, dressed in simple and shabby clothes, and they approached unsteadily.

The leader walked at the front, with the remaining four following closely behind.

They found a small alley for cover, gathered together, and secretly looked in this direction.

"You're all in your early twenties, right?" Mien suddenly asked.

Lucia was somewhat surprised: "Yes, how did you...?"

"The one in the lead has short, slicked-back hair?"

"Yes...that's Connor, the eldest son of the Connor family."

Tell me more about them.

"Okay, sure." Lucia began to recount their story earnestly:

"When I used to work at Uncle's Bakery..."

Mien remained calm, casually searching the house while observing the actions of the people outside.

…………

"Boss, who is that guy?" one of the underlings asked.

Connor turned his head and glared at him, and the man sullenly shrank back.

"They must have been sent to investigate the plague, you idiot."

Connor's shirt collar was wide open, his demeanor was bold and unrestrained, and he was also the tallest, giving him an aura of domineering leadership.

"Boss, should we avoid them for now?" another person asked.

Connor simply turned his head and glanced at him, and everyone fell silent.

Connor looked up at the houses in the distance, his gaze filled with majesty.

"The most important thing for the God of Covenant Truth right now is nurturing; we need to wait for the day He awakens..."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"So I've decided to sacrifice this person."

"What!?" Everyone around couldn't hold back anymore.

Connor heard the noise they made and immediately turned around to glare at them.

So they all lowered their heads.

Connor stared down at their heads for a long time before finally speaking.

"How long can you keep hiding?" Connor scolded.

"Do you intend to stay in this Tin Can Street forever, sacrificing one or two people every month?"

No one dared to answer.

"Do you remember what that person said? We are the people chosen by the God of the Covenant of Truth."

We should sacrifice for our faith, awaken the Mother Goddess, until she graces the entire empire!

When will this kind of sacrifice continue?

Mien was drawn to this statement.

—There are other people deliberately spreading Tantric Buddhism; this is a purposeful and organized act.

These people in front of us are not the masterminds behind this.

A hint of ferocity and ambition flickered in Connor's eyes:

"He is a member of the Temple Academy."

"The Academy of Scholars?" The people next to him were somewhat surprised.

Connor: "A young woman came by a while ago, dressed similarly to him. I asked around and found out they were from the Academy."

The group of people sighed with regret.

They didn't know the exact strength of the Academy of Scholars; they had only heard of its existence frequently.

"Of course we won't confront him directly. Although we've heard that the people from the Academy aren't generally strong in combat, we can't take that risk."

Connor deliberately tugged at his clothes, revealing a fierce and murderous "human form" on his neck.

"War is never won by courage, but by calculation, discipline, and sacrifice!"

The group knew this person very well.

This is an imperial general, Connor's absolute idol, someone he admires to the extreme, so much so that he tattooed it on his body.

He was once the empire's youngest general, who, in a war of national annihilation, launched a surprise attack, broke through the enemy's main force, and massacred 100,000 soldiers.

Later, in two other wars, they used ingenious strategies to defeat their opponents by exchanging one for ten, causing the enemy to disintegrate.

From then on, it established absolute dominance and became the embodiment of fear for other countries, and no one dared to challenge it anymore.

His fame spread throughout the entire continent.

Connor just read one of his famous quotes.

An immortal legend of absolute loyalty to the Emperor, the mighty blade of imperial war, "The Bloodstained Lion".

—General Sestan El-U!