Lord of Prayer

In a gloomy and ominous graveyard, a gaunt young girl hugged her arms, cautiously making her way past one burial mound after another. Her face was a mask of tension, fear, and helplessness.

She wore an ill-fitting, filthy overcoat. Her face, neck, and arms were covered in wounds and healed scars. A bone-chilling, sinister wind blew past, making the girl shiver. She looked around fearfully and timidly called out:

"Is anyone there...?"

In the distance, Zhou Chen gripped his Dream Light and Shadow, hiding behind a burial mound. He frowned as he watched the girl wander alone through the graveyard.

’She doesn’t seem like one of the Undead...’

Previously, Bai Qinyong, Jia Ran, and Tang Zhongwen had appeared no different from living people in their normal states. However, upon closer inspection, the differences were clear. The life-force fields, Spiritual Power, and soul fluctuations of the Undead were far lower than those of a normal person or a normal Ascender. This girl’s life-force field, on the other hand, was very active, and her Spiritual Power and soul fluctuations were both within the range of a normal Ascender.

That’s right. The girl was actually an Ascender.

’Maybe when Soul Rest Cemetery appeared, it trapped any Ascenders who were within its range?’

’But this girl is covered in injuries. She doesn’t look like she lives nearby... Or could there be a group of kidnappers in the neighborhood?’

’...I’ll use divination to find out who she is.’

[Wish Value -10]

[Sasha, female, 12 years old. Captured by the Soul Rest Cemetery killer and subjected to inhuman torture. Awakened as an Ascender during an experiment, after which she was locked in a dark, sunless place for a long time. The "cell" was likely destroyed by the recent Elemental Bomb, allowing Sasha to escape.]

’She was captured by the killer...’ Zhou Chen relaxed and stepped out from his hiding spot.

"Ah..." The girl named Sasha was startled by the figure that suddenly appeared.

Zhou Chen had just used a wish to gain the "Trust Aura," and his every move exuded affability and trustworthiness. He said gently, "Don’t be afraid. I’m not a bad person."

Under the effect of the Trust Aura, the wariness on Sasha’s face quickly subsided. She asked in a trembling voice, "Where is this place? Do you know me? Do you know who I am?"

’Amnesia?’ Zhou Chen shook his head. "I don’t know you, but I can get you out of here."

"Then... then please get me out of here. I... I..." Sasha suddenly clutched her forehead as if recalling some painful memories. A sob entered her voice. "I don’t want to stay here anymore..."

"Follow me."

Zhou Chen led Sasha to the clearing and began chanting in an obscure and difficult language. One by one, Abyssal characters exuding an aura of Darkness materialized out of thin air. These menacing Hell-script characters combined to form a Spell. Then, with a soft POP, the script exploded like a balloon, transforming into a thick black fog that swept out in all directions.

In the once-empty clearing, a hazy Light Gate appeared as the black fog swept over it.

’I’ll divine the danger.’

[Wish Value -10]

[Danger: None]

Relieved, Zhou Chen led Sasha into the Light Gate. With a single step, they returned to the residential complex in the real World. Looking back, the Light Gate rippled like the surface of water and vanished after only a moment.

Soul Rest Cemetery had been withdrawn.

’Track the location of Soul Rest Cemetery or the killer.’

[Insufficient Wish Value. Wish cannot be fulfilled—divination is being affected by an Extraordinary Power.]

"Hm," Zhou Chen grunted, not too surprised. It would be stranger if a killer who had evaded the Life Church’s pursuit for over a decade didn’t have some anti-divination measures.

He looked down at Sasha, whose face was a mask of confusion.

The young girl was covered in scars, including on her youthful face.

"I’ll take you to get treatment first."

Seemingly unaccustomed to the outside world, Sasha nodded sluggishly.

·

「Maple City Star Gathering, Medical Department.」

A doctor handed over a diagnostic report. "The test results are in. The patient has damage to seventy percent of her skin, and bones throughout her body have been broken on at least two separate occasions. It’s likely due to a subconscious self-preservation mechanism that she’s lost most of the memories associated with her pain. Since those memories also contained her sense of identity, she can’t remember her own name or where her home is."

Zhou Chen glanced at the report and asked, "Can she be cured?"

"The physical injuries are easy to treat, but the mental ones are difficult. We recommend starting with psychological counseling to stabilize the patient’s condition. After that, we can have a Dreamwalker perform Entering the Dream to help her recall her past."

The doctor continued, "The higher-ups said you’re on a case. Having the patient recover her memories as soon as possible should help your investigation, but you’d best not get your hopes up. Trauma in the Spiritual Realm is very difficult to heal."

"Okay, I understand."

"Also..." The doctor cleared his throat, glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, pulled a pen and paper from his clothes. He whispered, "My daughter is a huge fan of yours. Could you give me an autograph? A picture would be even better."

"..."

Zhou Chen scratched his head, not expecting to be so well-known now. He generously gave the autograph and posed for a photo, then sat down on a chair outside the hospital room and called "White Bird."

The call connected quickly.

"Ma’am, I’ve found something."

"I already know." White Bird was a Palace Mother of the Life Church and was extremely well-informed; she had likely known about it for a while.

"I killed quite a few Undead in Soul Rest Cemetery and brought a young girl out. Do you think she might be connected to the killer’s plan?" Zhou Chen asked.

"White Bird" was silent for a few seconds before sighing in resignation. "She was likely a sacrifice for the ritual."

"A sacrifice?" Zhou Chen raised an eyebrow. "What ritual?"

"Before I tell you, I have to ask you again: are you sure you want to keep investigating? This whole affair runs deeper than you can imagine, and you will likely face mortal danger during your investigation," White Bird said, her tone serious.

"I’ve already faced it. The killer himself even came to try and kill me."

Zhou Chen chuckled, twisting the Bonds Ring on his finger. "Since I’ve already started, I’m going to see it through to the end. Otherwise, wouldn’t I be betraying Father Daun’s trust?"

"Alright."

Having gotten Zhou Chen’s answer, White Bird no longer held back. "This matter is related to Dupe, a Grand Councilor of the Star Association’s Asian Region."

"..."

’The hell?’

Zhou Chen’s eyes widened, his face a picture of stunned shock.

"It’s not too late to back out," White Bird said, thinking his silence meant he was scared.

Zhou Chen gave a dry cough. "I’m fine. Please, elaborate."

"Are you sure?"

"I’m sure."

White Bird said no more, and began to explain:

"First, the contents of the ritual are as follows:

Nine pure virgins;

Eighteen betrayers;

Thirty-six devout Souls;

Seventy-two sinful persons;

With the sins of man, defile supreme good; with desertion and betrayal, blaspheme piety;

On the night of the Red Moon when the monster is born, use the spirits of the sacrifices to awaken the slumbering Evil God."