Cthulhu America, I can see the kill line.

Empty?

Kong Jiu reluctantly searched the entire box carefully, and his fingertips were not even touched by a speck of dust.

Even if a note was left behind, even if it rotted into mud, surely there would be some trace of it left behind?

Could it be that the 'concept' representing faith is not here?

The Iron Curtain's plan clearly states that, apart from the concept of the subspace, which can exist directly in the form of spiritual energy flow, the other three "concepts" in reality must rely on spiritual objects in order to survive in the present world.

In other words, these three concepts must be some kind of spiritual entity.

But the box was empty?

The concept that sustains the existence of the Iron Curtain should exude an extraordinary spiritual aura.

But where is the breath?

Kong Jiu's face darkened, and he ran his fingertips over the patterns on it.

The patterns on this box exude a very heavy and ancient feel.

If the lid is closed again, sealing it tightly, an unsuspecting psychic would definitely think that there is some precious spiritual object hidden inside.

But inside, there was truly nothing, not even a speck of dust.

Indeed, the spiritual energy was very strong, and it was somewhat similar to the emblem on his palm.

Could it be that this box itself is a spiritual object?

Kong Jiu picked up the box and examined it carefully.

No, despite its rich spiritual energy, it is still just a stone box in essence.

Like the welcoming mat in front of a perfume shop, it is soaked in fragrance day and night. Although it has acquired a few intoxicating scents, it is still essentially a carpet that can be trampled on.

However, it is certain that this box once stored or came into contact with that "concept"!

Kong Jiu looked around, trying to find other sources of spiritual energy within the church.

But apart from this stone box, there was no other object that carried a trace of spiritual power.

Not to mention, apart from this box, the church was almost completely destitute.

Staring at the stone box in his hand, Kong Jiu was at a loss.

"Evil!"

Suddenly, a shout pulled Kong Jiu from his reverie as he stared at the box.

He turned his head and saw old Henry struggling to get up, swaying unsteadily.

[Strength 13 (+20), Agility 6 (+20), Intelligence 40, C-rank psionicist, a saint in name only.]

Since leaving Lixin Township last time, he discovered that the system's reconnaissance could detect units with a comprehensive level of 30 or higher.

[It can sense units below level 50 within a kilometer and add tags.]

Old Henry was the second unit he encountered that was above level 30 but still detectable.

The first one is Eller, who is only level 31. It seems that as the head of the Stuart family, old Eller is indeed not very proficient in psionic abilities.

As for Squich, Abel, Winchester, and others, Congo still could not determine their ranks.

With the blessing of "from the heart to the object", old Henry was not as old as he looked. In less than half a minute, he woke up shakily.

Kong Jiu regretted not having gone all out earlier.

Perhaps killing old Henry first would make this job much easier?

"How dare you open the secret box! You are desecrating the love and trust that the Lord has given to humanity!"

Old Henry roared and pointed his gun at Kong Jiu.

When Kong Jiu saw Henry point the submachine gun at him again, a flash of understanding appeared in his eyes.

What is that gun?

At first it was a scripture, then in an instant it became a machine gun, and in the moment it fell, it became a bone saw.

That must be a spiritual object, right?

However, before Conju could think further, Henry pulled the trigger.

The gun muzzle spat out flames, and streaks of golden light condensed into bullets that shot out rapidly.

Kong Jiu's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly rolled away to dodge.

It's true that the Rat God's blessing allowed Congo to steal many of Henry's attributes, but the gun that spewed golden light remained completely unaffected.

It was as if the book that could change at will was not part of the psionic energy, and would not fluctuate with changes in the overall attributes.

Kong Jiu dealt with this armed enemy with considerable caution.

Whether it's weapons or armor, the attributes of spirit items are not reflected on the character panel, so they cannot be stolen by Kong Jiu.

During simulated combat exercises, Squich cautioned against being overconfident about being able to respawn when facing enemies with long-range firepower.

"In the past, just giving those rats an incurable spell was enough to make them fight the regular soldiers for a long time."

"Ever since we got guns, sigh, the casualty rate of my men is almost as high as the birth rate of mice."

Squich once sighed like this.

Firearms, the most efficient killing weapons for individual soldiers that have evolved over thousands of years of human history, are nothing short of a "truth".

After all, each resurrection results in a decrease in attributes.

With a gun, one can inflict fatal wounds at a high frequency, ranging from suppression to the possibility of irreversible death.

Not every chosen one blessed by Squich can resurrect infinitely by consuming sanity.

Bullets whizzed past as Kong Jiu dodged and closed in on Henry.

"Damn it, what kind of priest would carry a gun and indiscriminately spray bullets at people?"

Holding the box, Kong Jiu crouched low and swooped down, getting close to Henry.

"Lamia, Domini misericordia non tibi est (Vampire, you have no share in the Lord's mercy!)!"

Henry shouted in Latin, veins bulging on his forehead.

Forty years later, he finally met the demon who would rebel!

I am right. All those who enter the sanctuary are demons, demons disguised as humans!

As the machine guns spat fire, Kong Jiu dodged most of the bullets, but a few still pierced his chest, causing a trickle of blood to seep from the corner of his mouth.

However, despite enduring several bullets, Congo managed to reach Henry's side.

Seven paces away, the gun is fast!

Within seven steps, well, that's hard to say!

As Henry closed in, the speed at which he turned his gun was no match for the speed at which Kong Jiu circled around him. One after another, the holy bullets struck the church floor, kicking up clouds of dust.

[Blood Magic - Blood Rush]

Blood from the bullet holes inside his body gathered in his palms, his veins bulged, and his forearms instantly turned red.

Driven by the Blood Technique, fresh blood instantly concentrated in his hands, greatly increasing Kong Jiu's arm strength.

He seized the opportunity to get close and suddenly slammed the stone box in his hand down on Henry's face.

In the same situation, Henry, being an older man, was still a step too slow and could only watch helplessly as the box hurtled right in his face.

In that instant, the submachine gun in Henry's hand flashed with golden light and shot straight at his face.

clang!

With a crisp sound, the golden light transformed into a rather imposing knight's helmet, protecting Henry and blocking the stone box.

Before Kong Jiu could be shocked, the golden light flashed again, transforming into a sharp dagger in Henry's hand, aimed straight at Kong Jiu's throat.

Kong Jiu had no choice but to lean back and dodge, narrowly avoiding the still-golden blade.

"Is this what a C-rank psionicist is like? Even with their attributes stolen, they're not at a disadvantage at all."

Feeling the gentle breeze brush against his neck, Kong Jiu felt a little scared.

He composed himself and began to speak:

"Father Henry, let's be frank, where did you hide your 'exhortation to good'?"

"Encouraging goodness" is the concept name that should be placed on the faith side in the Iron Curtain plan.

However, whether the person who actually placed the Iron Curtain altered it is unknown to Kong Jiu.

"Goodness resides in the heart of every upright person, for there is no blood-sucking demon!"

Father Henry's eyes widened in anger, and he swung his dagger at the target again.

Kong Jiu flashed forward and struck the wrist with a palm strike, attempting to shake off the strange weapon.

But the moment his palm touched the other person's, Kong Jiu's expression changed.

That aura concerning the continuation of the "concept" was actually lingering around this old priest.

Could it be that this priest has absorbed the concept of storing spiritual objects and made it reside within his own body?