Chapter 37

The Vice Minister pointed at the diary, his expression calm and composed. “From this point on, Yue Yin never wrote in her diary again, and her behavior drastically deviated from the norm.”

This situation was unprecedented, though he had read about similar cases.

A divine entity, responding to the fervent call of a fanatical follower, descends from the cosmic void… If his suspicions were correct, Yue Yin’s body had become a vessel, housing the will of a god.

Captain Li and the others struggled to accept this. Stunned, they asked, “Then what about Yue Yin herself?”

“If I’m correct, she’s likely dead,” the Vice Minister replied offhandedly.

That’s why he found Captain Li and the others’ efforts to protect people like Shen Hao Ping utterly absurd.

Everyone stared at him in shock, unable to process this reality.

Meeting their astonished gazes, the Vice Minister found himself puzzled by their lack of awareness.

He raised an eyebrow, looking at the officers in front of him. “A true god stands before you, yet none of you noticed?”

A normal person undergoes a personality shift, and then awakens with abilities, escalating from an average individual to an A- or even S-class ability user.

How absurd is that?

And yet, Captain Li and his team had found a way to rationalize it, confidently keeping it from their superiors.

Smiling at his team, the Vice Minister was now certain they were utterly incompetent. He’d told the old minister not to recruit fools, but the man insisted these people were loyal and principled, deserving of a chance.

Little did they know that, in that moment, all their performance reviews for the year had been tanked by the Vice Minister, with bonuses disappearing in an unending string of “zeros.”

The Vice Minister’s casual revelation left them stunned, grappling with an intense sense of disbelief.

Yue Yin… a god?

How could that be possible? She’d seemed as human as anyone else, her life story thoroughly documented. How could she transform into a god out of nowhere?

Xiao Jun immediately rejected the idea, blurting out, “That’s impossible! She talked nonsense, like something from an online joke. We didn’t believe a word of it.”

Even Captain Li wanted to ask, Sir, could you be mistaken?

The Vice Minister scoffed, almost amused. “Use your brains, she’s an S-class ability user.”

The words struck like thunder, dizzying everyone to their cores.

Yue Yin had said so many times that she was the ‘Thousand-Faced Moon.’ Why hadn’t anyone believed her?

Maybe it was because her words sounded too absurd, like something from a scammer online.

But if Yue Yin was truly an S-class ability user?

There were only eight S-class individuals worldwide, each transcending human limits, capable of godlike feats. According to legend, hey can even communicate directly with gods and have the power to make gods walk and descend on earth.

Why did they naturally disregard the words of someone with such powers, brushing them off?

Where did they get such confidence?

Prompted by the Vice Minister’s reminder, Captain Li and the others finally woke up to the truth, their expressions a mix of disbelief and denial.

Every member of the team had been chosen by their gods, yet none had ever seen a god descend directly.

In their minds, gods were supposed to be lofty, pure, unsullied, and immeasurably powerful.

But… Yue Yin?

They recalled their first meeting with her—a high school girl squatting on the ground, eating street food. At this moment, they felt a complex and surreal sense of dissonance.

The Vice Minister tapped his fingers, raising an eyebrow. “S-class ability users are like agents of godly will on Earth. They never speak of faith lightly, much less make declarations about divinity.”

“Based on what you’ve told me, Yue Yin claimed allegiance to the Thousand-Faced Moon. How could she then declare herself the god herself, a blasphemy she would pay for with her life?”

If she were a true believer, she wouldn’t have lived to tell it.

The Vice Minister understood things about the world at the S-class level that others couldn’t.

With his revelations about the hidden nature of S-class abilities, any remaining doubts in their minds faded.

The team members who had interacted with Yue Yin before now looked back on those memories, sweat trickling down their backs.

If Yue Yin truly was a god…

They’d once shut down her preaching account, held her at gunpoint, brought her in for questioning, and recently even planned to arrest her. Xiao Jun had just suggested to the Vice Minister that they pursue her…

No wonder Yue Yin never seemed afraid, even saying, “The choice is yours.”

No wonder she remained so composed.

In the presence of a true god, all seemed insignificant.

Their arrogance and bravado now filled them with profound dread, goosebumps prickling their skin.

Recalling the night of the dark surge, when they’d prepared to apprehend Yue Yin—before they’d said anything, Yue Yin had whispered as if she knew, “Are you sure?”

Are you sure?

Are you ready to face me as your enemy?

Have you thought about the consequences? Could you take responsibility for the lives lost or the devastation that might follow?

Someone whispered, “What did she mean that night?”

Cold sweat dripped down their faces. What if they had pushed her further…

Yu Yu murmured, “Oh god, she almost destroyed the world.”

“What do we do now?” Xiao Jun asked, swallowing nervously. “Should we… apologize?”

The Vice Minister alone remained unfazed.

He looked at his fearful subordinates and sighed, disappointed but resigned.

Guess they’ll have to do.

Although not exactly brilliant, he reasoned, the Paranormal Incident Management Department was severely understaffed. Who knew if the next batch would be any better?

The Vice Minister stood up, his voice measured. “Please, everyone, calm down.”

His gaze was steady, his demeanor unshaken. “She is a god. But aren’t each of us here chosen by our own?”

Thinking of the gods they revered, everyone’s anxiety slowly settled.

Every ability user had once offered unwavering faith to their god, a pledge made in childhood to follow in their god’s footsteps.

With that profound belief, the team felt a renewed sense of purpose.

The Vice Minister surveyed the newly reassured team, smiling. “So what if she is a god? Even if we aren’t, even if we cannot match her strength, do you think our gods would allow her to roam this land—one blessed by many—killing as she pleases?”

Not so easily.

While gods might be indifferent to the mundane struggles of mortals, they held a certain protective loyalty to their chosen followers.

And gods, too, held rivalries. None would allow another to slay their disciples.

The Vice Minister perused Yue Yin’s records in detail, observing her actions over the past few months.

Within a short span, she had read a thousand novels, bought hundreds of comics, and spent lavishly on in-game skins…

The Vice Minister coldly concluded that this ancient entity, likely, was simply here to “play” on Earth.

He wouldn’t be sharing this revelation with Captain Li and the other survivors, in fact, he planned to send in a hypnosis specialist after this meeting to erase any memory of Yue Yin’s divinity and the distressing knowledge they now held.

The truth about Yue Yin’s nature was too critical to risk—if leaked, it would bring unimaginable complications. This was a preventive measure, meant to keep Captain Li and the others from unintentionally alerting the undercover agents within the department.

With a few words, the Vice Minister managed to allay everyone’s fears and panic. Their faces relaxed as they took in his reassurances.

Every follower harbors a deep, almost blind devotion to their chosen god. For these men and women, the Vice Minister’s words acted as a fortifying injection of faith, grounding them with the reminder that the world was not quite yet on the brink of destruction.

However, just as they were beginning to regain composure, an emergency call came in.

On the other end, someone cried out frantically, “There’s been a murder! In Xinghu Park—a girl just killed seven or eight people! Bodies are scattered everywhere!”

Xinghu Park was near the Shen family’s residence, and from the description given by the witness… the Department agents exchanged uneasy glances, realizing who the suspect likely was.

Meanwhile…

Captain Li and his team had just managed to convince themselves that, even if Yue Yin was a malevolent god, she probably wouldn’t obliterate the world anytime soon.

The Earth still had hope for a bright future!

Yet, to the members of the Life Association, it appeared that the end was, indeed, upon them.

Just half an hour earlier, their forbidden item, the Swollen Ghoul, had burst in, babbling frantically.

Through its garbled speech, the congregation learned that Li Shushu and Uncle Li had defied the High Priest’s orders, secretly preparing a human sacrifice. According to the Swollen Ghoul, Li Shushu and the others had even selected a victim—one of the former high priest’s chosen sacrifices who had previously escaped.

Hearing this, the High Priest turned to the congregation, his hawk-like eyes flashing sharply as he scoffed, “Such audacity.”

Everyone fell silent under his cold gaze.

Tonight, the High Priest was scheduled to lead an initiation ritual for new followers, offering fresh, living hearts and flesh to the Great Eye of Destruction.

If sacrifices were made too frequently, the Eye of Destruction could grow displeased and withhold its blessings, drastically increasing the risk of ritual failure. This was why the High Priest had previously denied Lei Shushu’s request to hold an additional sacrifice tonight.

According to association rules, unauthorized sacrifices are strictly forbidden, so Li Shushu and Uncle Li’s actions were clearly a grave violation.

The High Priest sneered, “Uncle Li, as a veteran of this association, would dare to challenge my authority?”

Kicking the bound sacrifice lying at his feet, he listened as the unfortunate captive pleaded in agony, “Please, please let me go! I can pay you—I have lots of money! Just let me go, I beg you!”

Men and women alike sobbed pitifully, but none of the congregation paid them any attention. All eyes were on the Swollen Ghoul, who had fled in terror.

Its comrades, Li Shushu and Uncle Li, were nowhere to be found, likely having met a grisly fate.

The congregation looked expectantly at the High Priest, awaiting his orders on whether to attempt a rescue.

Then, the Swollen Ghoul, still shivering, stammered, “They’re… all dead!”

The girl had killed them all. Claiming to have barely escaped under the guise of “running errands,” the Swollen Ghoul had managed to survive.

The High Priest and the others were stunned by this revelation.

Frowning, the High Priest asked, “Didn’t Uncle Li have access to Forbidden Item A98?”

Uncle Li was a respected elder within the association. As a devout follower, the Archbishop had even once lent him a powerful A-level forbidden item, stirring envy among many.

An A-level Forbidden item should have allowed for an escape, if nothing else—how could they have all died?

The congregation could hardly believe it, though the Swollen Ghoul’s terror seemed genuine.

One of the members, noting the time, whispered to the High Priest, “The hour is near.”

Nearby, several well-dressed middle-aged people looked on nervously.

The Eye of Destruction granted extended life, and many new followers had joined specifically for this purpose. Tonight’s ceremony was to help them obtain it.

Those gathered had all reached the end of their rope, fearing death and looking to the High Priest in hopes he would proceed with the ritual.

Glancing at the clock, which ticked closer to the designated hour, the High Priest announced, “Prepare for the ceremony.”

The initiation ritual commenced.

Several neatly dressed individuals, clearly from affluent backgrounds, followed the High Priest to the ceremonial platform, where a stone slab awaited. At its base lay several black-bagged captives.

With a gesture from the High Priest, a follower hoisted one of the black bags onto the slab.

When the bag was unzipped, it revealed a blindfolded woman in her thirties, her hands and feet tightly bound.

The High Priest handed a three-foot dagger to a woman in high heels who stood at the center of the ritual circle. She, too, was around thirty, wearing designer shoes, and trembling as she held the blade.

Calmly, the High Priest said, “Begin.”

The woman in heels hesitated, the blade in her hands trembling as sweat poured down her forehead.

The woman on the slab seemed to realize her fate and screamed in terror, “Please! I’ve done nothing wrong! I’ve donated to poor children—please, don’t kill me!”

Her desperate pleas echoed throughout the vast underground hall, where the old followers sat impassively, awaiting the inevitable.

Sweat dripped from the blade-wielding woman’s fingers, mixing with the tears of the woman on the slab.

The High Priest waited patiently, speaking softly, “Kill her, or forfeit the ritual.”

Hearing the words “forfeit the ritual,” the woman in heels broke down completely, sobbing.

She couldn’t fail. She had been introduced to the association through numerous contacts.

She had terminal cancer, she was close to death.

But she didn’t want to die. She had a loving husband, a newborn child. She had only recently begun to enjoy life. She still had so much money, so much left to experience!

They had told her that the Eye of Destruction could grant life. That if she believed, if she sacrificed, she would live…

A man nearby muttered, irritated, “If you can’t handle it, leave. No point pretending otherwise.”

Turning sharply, the High Priest fixed his gaze on him and stated, “Silence during the ritual.”

The man bowed his head in submission, apologizing profusely.

The High Priest turned back to the woman and said gently, “Consider carefully, the choice is yours.”

But the woman was beyond consideration. Trembling violently, she clenched her teeth and clutched the dagger tightly, chanting softly as she raised it.

The woman on the stone slab continued her frantic pleas, begging for her life.

Oddly, though her hands and feet were bound, her eyes covered and ears blocked, her mouth remained free to plead.

Her cries no longer moved the woman in heels, who now looked down on her with bitterness and resentment, as if blaming her for the theft of her own life.

With wide eyes, she screamed and drove the dagger downward.

The woman in high heels stared intently, her gaze locked on the barely-alive woman on the stone altar. She raised the knife repeatedly, stabbing again and again, muttering fiercely, “Die! Just die already!”

Only after her victim fell silent, lifeless, did she drop the knife.

She sat down nearby, laughing hysterically, “Hahahaha…” Then, the laughter turned into soft sobbing.

In the corner, she touched her own face. There were no tears, just dried blood. It turned out that, when fear reached its peak, even tears would cease to flow.

Others waiting impatiently behind her eagerly picked up the knife, excited to approach their own sacrificial victim. As the ritual continued, the seated, seasoned devotees grew visibly more animated, watching each stab with unblinking, feverish eyes, yelling with each strike.

Amidst this grim fervor, the thick, underground door was suddenly nudged from the outside.

A girl’s ethereal voice called out, “Is anyone there?”

The atmosphere was so intense that many of the ritualists didn’t even notice the sound at first.

A persistent knocking echoed, each knock deliberate and eerie.

“Is anyone there?” she asked again, her voice steady but growing louder. This time, people began to notice.

The bloated demon in the corner jolted upright, its massive body quivering with disbelief as it glanced toward the door.

On the high altar, the priest continued his low chanting, surrounded by the dark-robed devotees, each smeared with fresh blood. The walls bore disturbing paintings, splattered with stains of unknown origin. This was an unmistakable scene of horror.

Yet something even more terrifying approached.

Outside, the girl seemed to lose patience. The heavy door shuddered as she kicked it hard.

Her voice, previously ethereal, was now piercing and filled with wrath: “Open up!”

The massive door wobbled, groaning as it nearly came unhinged, filling the room with shock.

“It’s freezing out here, you morons!”

The girl outside let out a wail that seemed to reverberate from every direction, an overpowering sonic force pressing down on everyone inside, driving a sharp terror straight to their core, instinctively urging them to run.

The relentless pounding continued. Despite its hundred-pound weight, the door buckled under her blows, dented with handprints and footprints.

This wasn’t a force any normal person could muster, and the cultists within exchanged wide-eyed, fearful glances.

Outside, the girl’s voice climbed, melding with an eerie, unearthly growl. Her rage echoed around the room, distorting the walls and rattling the ceiling, shaking loose dust from above.

Her voice grew louder, increasingly deranged. “It’s so cold out here! Why won’t you let me in?! Why are you making me stand in the rain?!”

All the members inside felt a shiver run down their spines, dread sinking in.

One cultist managed a nervous gulp, muttering, “Is it…a ghost?”

Others shared his fear, a prickling sense that something was deeply wrong.

They collectively held their breath, hoping the person outside, unable to break through, might leave.

Then they heard it—a heavy, chopping sound, like an axe hitting the door.

“Crack, crack, crack.”

With each swing, the door splintered.

And after a few strikes, the door burst open, revealing a face smeared with fresh blood.

No one inside dared to speak.

Someone dared a glance at the woman in the doorway, swallowing hard, their legs shaking uncontrollably beneath their seat.

One terrifying scene had just crashed headlong into another.