Chapter 375: Holy City (I) The Holy

God said, “I am going into slumber, and I do not know how long I will sleep. Perhaps for endless ages, perhaps I will wake tomorrow.”

The young priest bowed before the Idol, asking humbly and timidly, “Great Holy Lord, are you abandoning your believers?”

“I never collected your faith, so there is no question of abandonment.” God’s gaze was devoid of emotion or desire, reflecting the shadow of no existing being. “I am merely tired and seek rest. When I awaken, a new doctrine shall be rebuilt upon the ruins.”

The priest said, “Lord, while you sleep, may I proclaim your existence to the world? I hope the old doctrine becomes purer, and all devout people will love you, awaiting and welcoming your return.”

The divine oracle said, “You may record, but you may not preach.”

…【Random instance generating…】

【instance loading… Loading complete】

【instance Name: “Holy City”】

【instance Type: Faction Conflict】

【Prerequisite Hint: The shadow of death hangs over everyone’s head; crisis lurks in the darkness and may strike at any moment. What you need to watch out for may be more than just Ghosts.】

Silver-white system prompts appeared line by line in the darkness, then dissolved into scattered light particles.

A narrow slit suddenly tore open in the pitch-black sky, and golden light, ten thousand feet high, poured down like a waterfall. A corner of the religious city revealed its grandeur; medieval-style buildings shot up from the ground, reflecting bright and dazzling brilliance.

Asakura Yuko, dressed in a white tracksuit, instantly changed into a linen black robe fitting the instance background the moment she entered the instance. The heavy, non-breathable fabric made her frown slightly—it would be very inconvenient for fighting.

Although she was a clerical worker, her combat strength was not poor; White Crow had taught her a few fighting moves. Furthermore, since she didn’t believe in any god, she had never worn the uniform white robe, even when attending Balance Church sermons.

—This was the first time she had worn such elaborate clothing.

“I hope the combat requirements for this instance are low, but this outfit seems like it could be taken off or tailored…” Asakura Yuko thought aimlessly, rolling up the wide cuffs of her sleeves.

Ostensibly, she was a member of the Tingfeng Guild, so naturally, she had started a live stream. In her education, image management was a crucial part, and she definitely didn’t want to show a distressed side to her audience.

In just a few seconds, the surrounding scenery was fully set up. The boundless light cast a sacred aura over the buildings, making people subconsciously want to pay homage to the gods high above the sky, generating an urge to prostrate themselves.

Asakura Yuko was naturally immune to religious ideological contamination; she only frowned slightly, then composed herself and moved her gaze according to the sequence of left to right, top to bottom.

The players in the live stream followed her perspective and saw the full scope of the scene:

The oval plaza was surrounded by double layers of marble colonnades, and the dense columns cast light and shadow patterns on the ground resembling piano keys.

The terrain of the plaza gently rose from near to far, forming a natural viewing slope that forced everyone standing at a lower elevation to look up.

A tall and majestic Temple dominated the far end atop a high marble platform. Between the walls inlaid with colored gems, enamel stained-glass windows filtered the golden sky light into vibrant sacred radiance.

This was a Roman-style Temple that incorporated some characteristics of medieval churches. A towering Clock Tower stood on the left side, its sharp roof piercing the sky, and the hands on the clock pointed exactly to the twelve o’clock mark.

A black cross stood at the highest point of the main building’s dome, and below it was an archway framed by a bronze door, extending forward dozens of steps of snow-white stairs, which spread out straight to the center of the plaza like a ribbon draped from the clouds.

A dense mass of believers filled every gap below the steps. The surging tide of black robes stopped abruptly before the staircase. They stood shoulder to shoulder, craning their necks in anticipation, as if something important was about to happen here… Asakura Yuko’s live stream was very popular, mostly filled with casual viewers.

Recently, the vague information on the Revelation Fragment had caused widespread panic among players. Virtually no one dared to actively match into an instance, and the number of active live streams in the broadcast hall had plummeted to a historic low.

Correspondingly, more and more players were infected by anxiety, either running around aimlessly in the Ruins of the Sunset or watching live streams without purpose in the Game Space, hoping to learn the latest developments of the Eerie Game.

Consequently, a few live streams garnered massive traffic, and the viewership of Asakura Yuko’s live stream quickly soared to one thousand.

“This girl is strong. She dares to enter an instance at this time. Isn’t she afraid of being dragged into the Final Dungeon?”

“You wouldn’t know, would you? The Final Dungeon might be a disaster for ordinary people, but it might not be a bad thing for the big shots.”

“I can tell you haven’t carefully studied the Revelation Fragment. I just checked. This is Asakura Yuko, holder of the 【Forbidden Scholar】 Identity Card, a member of the Tingfeng Guild, ranked 917th on the Comprehensive Strength List. She probably wants to make last-minute preparations and accumulate more life-saving items.”

“Entering an instance now truly shows great skill and courage. After leaving, she’ll have less than a day of rest before entering the Final Dungeon. Isn’t she worried about making a mistake if her mind gets fuzzy?”

…Asakura Yuko couldn’t see the bullet comments, but based on her past experience handling public opinion and integrating information, she could guess what the audience was saying.

Her entering the instance at this critical juncture was not, as others speculated, a desperate measure, but rather following White Crow’s advice.

“Yuan” had already taken control of Xiang City as the Governor. Internal struggles within the Balance Church were intensifying, and many people were eyeing her 【Forbidden Scholar】 Identity Card and the smaller cards under her command.

White Crow hoped she would remain in the instance until the Final Dungeon began. At that point, whether she returned to reality or was directly pulled into Babel, it would be safer than staying in reality.

After all, in reality, she was only within the scope of humans who could fight a little. If they swarmed her, attacked her en masse, or even just used a bomb, they could easily harvest her life.

—Humans have always been a fragile species.

Of course, entering an instance was not entirely safe either. Firstly, she could die due to the instance’s own mechanics. Secondly, other players might very well covet her Identity Card.

Asakura Yuko immediately thought of this and said expressionlessly to White Crow, “Leader, this is indeed the decision with the least loss. Analyzing the current situation, even if I die in the instance and my Identity Card is obtained by someone else, it is better than falling into the hands of the ‘Yuan’ faction.”

White Crow paused for a second, then laughed lightly. “Yuko, I want you to live. You must at least live longer than me so you can write my biography.”

And how did Asakura Yuko reply? She said earnestly, “The manuscript up to noon today has been organized and placed in my office drawer. If I die, my assistant can continue writing it.”

This infuriated White Crow, who immediately issued a death order: “Asakura Yuko, you must come back alive!”

At this moment, a solemn narration sounded in her ear.

【This is the sacred land of religion, a sanctuary where people hide from danger in the darkness, the Holy City in the hearts of believers.】

【Historically, it was destroyed in a great catastrophe. You, as historians, came here for investigation but were drawn into a time rift, returning to the time before the Holy City’s destruction.】

【The crisis of death is imminent. Only by uncovering the truth before the end comes can you find a sliver of hope.】

【main quest triggered】

【main quest: Investigate the truth behind the Holy City’s destruction】

【Note: main quest priority is higher than faction tasks】

Historian—Asakura Yuko liked this identity.

She had always been obsessed with getting to the bottom of things belonging to the “past” dimension, digging up forgotten and concealed matters from the dirt and bringing them back to light.

The faction quest had not yet refreshed, but based on the information currently provided, Asakura Yuko already had a general plan for clearing the instance: abandon the faction quest and participate in the instance with the goal of completing the main quest.

White Crow wanted her to “live,” so she didn’t need to proactively stir up trouble and bloodshed. Of course, if someone was foolish enough to provoke her, she did possess some killing techniques.

A commotion suddenly arose in the crowd. Asakura Yuko looked over in response and saw a figure, also wearing a black robe, appear out of thin air among the people.

It was a well-featured man, appearing to be in his thirties or forties. His eyes, obscured by gold-rimmed glasses, were completely devoid of emotion, giving off a sense of cold detachment.

“Fu Jue.” Asakura Yuko recognized the person immediately.

As an intelligence officer, skilled in information gathering, she was familiar with celebrities at all levels of the Eerie Game, let alone the hot and famous chief player.

Considering her public identity as a Tingfeng Guild member, she couldn’t act too distant, so she walked over and extended her hand, saying, “God Fu, hello. The Final Dungeon is about to begin. I thought Kyushu would be very busy internally.”

Fu Jue didn’t shake her hand, only nodded slightly as a greeting: “Asakura Yuko, hello.”

…The bullet chat in Asakura Yuko’s live stream was lively:

“What did I see? Fu Jue actually entered a new instance before the Final Dungeon. He couldn’t possibly be short on items, could he? Is there some trick to it?”

“With Fu Jue here, this instance has no suspense. He definitely won’t allow players to kill each other. It’s estimated that it will end up being a NE route completion of the main quest.”

In just a few seconds, thousands more players flooded into Asakura Yuko’s live stream.

“It’s Senior Fu Jue! He didn’t start a live stream, I thought he hadn’t entered the instance!”

“Quick, spread the word! If you want to see God Fu, come to Asakura Yuko’s live stream! The instance name is ‘Holy City.’ I just checked, and it seems there are no clear records yet!”

“This time it’s really weird. Not only did Fu Jue not stream, but among so many people in this instance, only Asakura Yuko is streaming.”

Fu Jue’s appeal as the chief player was still strong. Most of the players watching live streams came to Asakura Yuko’s live stream, whether they were his supporters or opponents.

Millions of eyes wrapped around him like a spider web, greedily trying to capture more information as Chips to face the unknown future.

About five more minutes passed, and all players gathered in the plaza in front of the Temple, all wearing the black robes provided by the instance.

These players were male and female, of different races, and ranged in age from about sixteen to forty. The youngest was a white-haired mixed-race boy, and the oldest was a middle-aged Malaysian man.

The faction quest had not yet refreshed, the main quest hung over their heads like the Sword of Damocles, and with Fu Jue present, temporary cooperation was the best choice.

But the atmosphere among the players was not harmonious. Careful observers could easily detect their hostility through the live stream. This hostility was not due to distrust, but simply dissatisfaction directed at a certain person or event.

Many of these people were representatives sent by the Bureau of Anomaly Affairs from various counties to Jiangcheng. Donning the Team Ring and following Fu Jue into the instance, they harbored thoughts of replacing him.

They were well-informed and could vaguely guess that the twenty-two Identity Cards were competing for the qualification to become a god. Failing to become a god in the Final Dungeon meant being annihilated by the devouring rule.

At their position, they represented not only themselves but also the forces that followed them; they needed not only to enter the Final Dungeon themselves but also to bring those followers onto the final stage together.

The Immortal Witch Priest card, with its small cards already dealt, was half-waste (waste – useless), and the Fallen Savior card, bound to Fu Jue, was their only choice.

Fu Jue deliberately gave them this opportunity, so they naturally had to take it; even if they didn’t want to, the forces behind them would push them to do so.

Asakura Yuko could feel the tension among the players, knowing that this instance would not be easy and that many unnecessary sacrifices might occur.

She suppressed a sigh and glanced at the motionless Clock Tower hands, then appropriately suggested, “The task mechanism of this instance is quite complex. I suggest we get to know each other first and decide in advance whether to abandon the faction quests.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the doors of the Temple in the center of the plaza opened from within, and a white-robed, bearded priest emerged from a blind spot in their vision.

He was tall, an silver chain cross swinging on his chest with each step. His high cheekbones cast deep, ravines-like shadows into his sunken eyes, yet his pupils were like indigo glazed glass, clear, pure, and holy, making one instinctively trust his benevolence.

Three lines of prompt text appeared above his head:

【Name: Father Laki】

【Type: NPC (currently neutral faction)】

【Note: The divine agent in the human world, who will kill all those judged as ‘heretics.’】

Gods, this instance involves gods.

Players simultaneously caught the keywords. Some looked worried, while others were eager to try.

The presence of a god on the eve of the Final Dungeon could not just be a vague setting. It was highly likely one of the gods under the supreme World Rules of the Eerie Game. How should they deal with them then? And how much profit could they gain?

Father Laki ignored the varied expressions of the crowd below, a kind and benevolent smile playing on his lips, as he slowly spread his arms: “Children invited here by the Holy Lord, the Lord’s glory forever covers you, and the Holy Presence protects your destiny. Come in quickly, the Lord has been waiting for a long time in His Temple.”

At the same time, all players heard the system announcement:

【Current Task: Enter the Holy Lord’s Temple】

Holy Lord? Which god is this?

Everyone present was among the top thousand players on the overall rankings and knew many secrets about gods, but the most frequently heard names were Lord of All Gods, Lord of Time and Space, and Lord of Life. No one could recall where this “Holy Lord” came from.

Asakura Yuko was also absolutely certain that she had never heard of this name.

Was it erased from history? Or did it simply not exist?

As if sensing the players’ confusion, Father Laki smiled and said, “The Holy Lord is the master of the Holy City, protecting the Holy City with divine power, allowing His faithful people to bask in the light and be free from evil spirits’ harassment.”

Asakura Yuko asked, “Is He still in the city now?”

Father Laki said, “Ever since He drove out the evil spirits from the earth, led us to the Promised Land, and built the bright Holy City for us, He has fallen into slumber in the Temple.”

Upon hearing this, the players looked at the Temple with a bit more apprehension.

If Father Laki’s words were true, and a god slept in the Temple, then players would inevitably have direct contact with a god-level NPC. That was S-rank or higher contamination; a slight mistake could cost them their lives… “Children, please follow me and offer your most devout prayers to the Lord.” Father Laki said gently, turning and entering the bronze gate.

Fu Jue was the first to step forward and enter the Temple, followed by other players.

The moment they crossed the threshold, the players’ attire reverted to their entry-instance configuration. Not having to be cooped up in thick robes was, albeit marginally, good news.

They looked around and saw that beneath the hollowed dome of the Temple, a tall Idol was affixed to the bottom of the Temple, whose walls were built of colored glazed tiles. Its outstretched arms were entwined with vines on a cross.

The Idol emanated a cold light. Its long, flowing hair had characteristics of Eastern mythology, while the scattered white robes on its body had Western features.

Its eyes were covered with a white cloth strip, perhaps an allusion to “gods are blind” or some other intention.

In front of the Idol was a long black table, surrounded by thirteen high-backed chairs. In front of each chair lay a notebook and a quill pen.

And at the head seat, far from the Temple door and beneath the Idol, a young man in a black robe and hood was clearly asleep. His features were very familiar; it was none other than Qi Si, who had recently risen to fame in the game and for whom the Bureau of Anomaly Affairs had just issued a secret arrest warrant!

Perhaps awakened by the players’ footsteps, the young man suddenly opened his eyes, his crimson pupils reflecting the majestic Temple and the blood-colored Altar.

Eerie roses unfolded in layers within his eyes, conveying greedy, bizarre (bizarre – sinister), and chilling aura, as if they would devour the souls of past creatures.

In an instant, all players heard a piercing alarm.

【Warning! God-level NPC sighted, instance progression has undergone unknown changes… data error…】

【God-level NPC authority is second only to World Rules and can appear simultaneously in multiple instances, sharing memories. Players, please respond carefully and make cautious choices!】

【The last player who looked directly at its true form has fallen into madness. Suicide before encountering it might be a good choice…】