Don't provoke mentally ill people in the infinite flow genre!

With the silver coins she had looted from Gragas, Yi Zanglan went to a nearby tailor shop and picked out a set of clothes that suited the local style and were easy to move in. She also bought two waterproof and cold-resistant sand-colored cloaks and handed one to Ling Ye.

In addition, she also took a fancy to a lightweight sheepskin suitcase, which she put into the water bag, medicine cloth and blanket she had just bought and carried it with her.

The two men, hooded, moved through the crowds of people in the town, looking like merchants in a hurry, and were difficult to identify without a close look.

Ling Ye asked in a low voice, "Are we going to church now?"

"Hmm." Yi Zanglan took a sip of honey water to help with her hangover and nodded calmly. "Since we're already here, let's take one last look before it gets dark."

……

The church is located some distance from the busiest street. Upon closer inspection, one can see its towering, solemn spire, thick white stone walls, and large areas of stained glass windows embedded in the arched windows, creating a colorful and bright effect. The overall atmosphere is both dignified and magnificent, exuding a strong artistic atmosphere.

The two walked up a wooden staircase and soon saw a solemn and quiet church. A pastor in a white robe was standing in front of the altar, chanting prayers in a low voice.

The believers below bowed their heads and clasped their hands in prayer, silently offering their blessings. Sunlight streamed from the dome, falling on the arched pillars and dark benches.

Yi Zanglan stood at the back of the crowd, looking up at the huge portrait of Futas, the goddess of life.

The goddess in the portrait holds the fruit of life, her light golden curls cascade down like a waterfall, her white dress is spotless, and her tender green eyes, like new leaves in early spring, are gazing gently at the world.

She was looking at the painting, and Lingye was looking at her.

The two waited patiently for a long time until the believers gradually dispersed. Only then did Yi Zanglan slowly step forward and politely block the pastor's way.

"Hello."

"Oh, my dear child," the pastor nodded slightly, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Yi Zanglan clasped his hands together and said respectfully, "My friend and I come from out of town and wish to settle here permanently. We hope to receive the protection of the gods."

"Of course, my child, the Goddess of Life will protect every one of her faithful children."

"But I don't understand the God of Life," Yi Zanglan carefully chose his words. "If my spirit isn't steadfast enough, and the gods deem my faith impure, can I still be called a devout believer?"

The pastor was clearly taken aback by her question and hesitated for a long time before asking, "...Do you have another faith? The fragments of Genesis record that the God of Life split mountains and carved rivers, blocked the calamities of thunder and defeated ferocious beasts, and went through countless hardships to create and nurture this land. Her only requirement is that her people be loyal, and those with impure faith will be punished by the gods."

"A torn page? Is this Bible incomplete?"

"Only half of the ancient scroll has survived, and it is as unfathomable as a deity, so we cannot speak rashly about it."

Yi Zanglan couldn't help but glance at the portrait of the God of Life again. She remained silent for a while before revealing a gentle and sincere smile.

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts. Actually, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that my friend is a bit emotionally fragile." She patted Ling Ye's shoulder to indicate that she was concerned. "He often has nightmares, and even the slightest setback can cause him to have a mental breakdown. I'm worried that he won't be able to withstand the test from the gods."

"..."

Ling Ye felt that he shouldn't be in such a bad situation, but considering that this was her way of getting clues out of him, he still chose to humbly lower his head.

The pastor sighed and placed his hand on the boy's head: "Poor child, this is not your fault."

He then inquired, "Reverend Pastor, do you have any methods to enhance spiritual power, such as potions, or perhaps you could point me in the right direction?"

"I do have a bottle of potion that I kept as a secret. It was brought back from a faraway place by a traveling merchant years ago. It seems to have the effect of purifying the soul and focusing the mind. It's just a pity that I just gave it away to someone else."

"What kind of person is he?"

"An elegant woman, just like you, plagued by nightmares."

Without a doubt, Liang Danyi, who arrived first, took the item that could restore mental energy ahead of time.

Ling Ye glanced at Yi Zanglan, clearly seeking her opinion, but soon the pastor spoke again.

"But there are other ways. I heard from some residents of the town that there are many scattered crystals in the secret jungle. Offering them to the God of Life will bring good luck—but remember not to go too deep and to leave before dawn."

Thank you for your guidance.

Yi Zanglan had anticipated this, so he wasn't particularly disappointed.

She bowed politely to the other party and was about to leave with Ling Ye when she suddenly seemed to remember something, stopped and turned around.

"By the way, you just said that those with impure faith will be punished by the gods. Where do those punished believers end up?"

The pastor shook his head with a regretful expression: "In the cemetery west of town, all the unmarked tombstones are for believers punished by God—they were abandoned by God, died tragically, and were not allowed to leave their names."

"Okay, I understand."

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

[Wang Mingyue]: I'd like to ask, judging from what just happened, was it possible that the important item was taken by that female player surnamed Liang? Will this affect our team leader's subsequent plans?

[Yan Zhao]: It had some influence, but not much.

[Wang Mingyue]: Could you please explain in detail, Second Boss?

[Yan Zhao]: This kind of instance is similar to a tabletop role-playing game. Players have a high degree of freedom in exploration. Everyone has places to go and tasks to complete, and naturally, they will obtain different items and clues. It's impossible for one person to handle everything alone, so it's too early to draw any conclusions.

[Wang Mingyue]: Oh, I think I understand now, thank you!

[Qin Shaoyu]: Judging from the captain's tone, he's not planning to go back to the hotel tonight?

[Shen Yubai]: The rules don't require us to be back at the hotel by dark. I guess Lanlan is planning to go to the Secret Jungle.

[Tang Yunxi]: I also think Lanlan will go, even though it must be very dangerous there... sigh, fortune favors the bold.

[Qin Shaoyu]: Luckily I caught up on some sleep just now. Looks like I won't be able to sleep again tonight. The captain said she's going to do something exciting, so I can't miss it!

……

Just as his teammates expected, after leaving the church, Yi Zanglan and Ling Ye headed to the Secret Forest.

The two roads were far apart and there was no transportation. It took her and him quite a while to reach the edge of the jungle, by which time the sun had completely sunk below the horizon.

"I'm not going back tonight, so be prepared."

Ling Ye calmly looked at her: "What kind of mental preparation do I need to make?"

"Yes, that's true."

Yi Zanglan smiled, looked up into the depths of the forest, and saw that at the end of the secluded path where branches and leaves intertwined, the last ray of light was gradually fading away.

She wanted to see what would happen tonight.