Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 182: The Fake (2/2)
“Praise the Lord of the Lost!”
His voice was muffled yet filled with authority, and the crowd below echoed with their own praises.
“Praise the Lord of the Lost!”
Lilian had wanted to speak out too, but Irene reached out a hand to stop her and shook her head gently, passing her thoughts to Lilian through Mental Speak.
[To praise our great Lord together with them is a desecration.]
Irene also noticed that not far away, the girl with the wolf tail did not openly praise but pretended to murmur softly, just skimming by.
The names of gods are meaningful; most dare not speak them lightly.
Yet, there are always some who, brazen and lacking in mystical knowledge, dare to deceive the masses in the name of divinity. They are usually rogue Extraordinary Exponents with little understanding of mysticism and lacking in reverence.
The leader on the platform continued speaking.
“The Lord of the Lost, who created the world, is our only sovereign and the origin of all extraordinary powers in the world. If you are devout enough, you may receive power from Him!”
“We are part of the great Lost Cult, and by joining our ranks, you will have the chance to be reborn!”
At the leader’s solemn and authoritative voice, the hundreds below were almost all stirred with excitement.
Obtaining the legendary extraordinary power was something everyone dreamed of!
Irene just silently watched the man’s performance, her gaze cold, without uttering a word.
Yet Lilian understood very well that Aunt Irene’s anger was blazing fiercely, and it was not just her; deep inside, Lilian felt furious as well.
That trash-like being was using the great divinity to scam others! An unforgivable act!
A person clothed in a black robe then approached the bonfire below the platform, removed his hood to reveal the face of a young man, and calmly looked at the people kneeling on the ground.
He spoke slowly, “I used to be just an ordinary farmer, just like you ignorant folks, oppressed by nobility every day, without any chance of resisting…”
“Numbed, living in a world as miserable as hell!”
“Until one day, I was called by the divine, came here, showed sufficient devotion, and followed the Great Priest in the sacrifice.”
“After that, the Lord of the Lost, the creator of the world, bestowed upon me mighty extraordinary power!”
The young man calmly outstretched his hand and the bonfire danced according to his will. Seeing the extraordinary power, people exclaimed in awe, wild with excitement.
He controlled the flames briefly and then let them return to their original state, speaking wearily to the crowd, “Thanks to the Lord of the Lost, creator of the world, I have been reborn, finally a re-created individual!”
“So, I used my power to make those who once oppressed me pay. I am no longer bound by the constraints of the false gods. And if you too wish to be like me, you must show even more devotion!”
“Ding!”
A bell rang.
An old man, holding a strange bell scepter, came over and skillfully collected the offerings. Everything was done voluntarily without any coercion.
The villagers seemed well acquainted with the process, but once they were swindled of anything valuable, they could only offer up what little food, heirlooms, and even their children they had, delivering them devoutly to the robed figures.
People hoped to gain real power from the divine to change their fates that seemed so set in stone.
And there were those who, unable to present offerings, unable to show devotion, could only cry in anguish.
Irene and Lilian silently observed this scene, neither of them intervening, both knowing deep down that it was not yet time.
Suddenly, the leader standing on the platform began to speak slowly, coldly addressing the crowd:
“There is a traitor among you.”
“The Lord of the Lost has granted me the eyes to see through betrayal, and one of you here has come to destroy the Lost Cult, a desecrator.”
“He says that this person must become the offering in this sacrifice, her soul atoning for her sins, or else we all shall be deemed guilty, no longer considered devout.”
The people became tumultuous, casting suspicious glances at each other, all wondering who the traitor was.
Gradually, more and more eyes turned towards Irene and Lilian, who dressed differently and were attending the sacrifice for the first time.
“Could it be them who have desecrated the Lord of the Lost!”
“It’s very likely them!”
“Shall we capture these two?”
Irene’s heart heard the malice of the crowd, yet she had long learned to remain calm. No matter how fierce those ignorant ones were, they simply couldn’t affect her.
She quietly observed the crowd’s gaze, then again looked towards the leader on the platform.
“No, it’s not them.”
The leader shook his head lightly and then extended a pallid, bloodless hand, pointing at the wolf-tailed girl.
“She’s from the Fein City Police Department, the evil lapdog of the gods and the church, the cruel henchwoman of the Extraordinary nobility!”
“Seize that girl! Offer her to the Lord of the Lost!”