Chapter 80: Emerald God Cult
Ethan was about to speak when a gunshot suddenly rang out outside the church, followed by a violent explosion. The church doors were blown off their hinges as several spherical objects were simultaneously thrown inside.
Boom!
Without any delay, the spheres exploded violently upon entering the church, reducing the entire building to ruins. Lin Ye waved away the chaotic dust and spiritual energy, charging into the church ruins with a spiritual energy submachine gun in both hands, opening fire on the area where spiritual energy was most concentrated.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
Only after emptying an entire ammunition belt did Lin Ye cease fire, tossing two spiritual energy grenades toward the same direction.
Boom!
Just as Lin Ye prepared to reload for another round of suppression fire, a massive red-and-green tree suddenly burst forth from the church's center. Its multicolored branches thrust toward Lin Ye like sharpened spears.
Lin Ye activated his mutated spiritual energy shield and rapidly retreated. The branches easily pierced through the shield, but Lin Ye had already reached the church entrance.
"Cough cough... As expected of the Precinct's elite. If not for this tree, you would have killed me already."
Father Matthew emerged from the ruins beneath the tree, his body covered in wounds that were healing at visible speed. Ethan, who had stood beside him moments earlier, had been reduced to minced meat. "That spiritual energy barrier outside the church wasn't bad, but still too thin. This false sense of security is the most dangerous thing."
Lin Ye remarked casually while observing the two-story-tall red-and-green flesh plant before him. Earlier, Nora had fired a sniper rifle from a distance - a bullet enhanced with a collapse rune couldn't even breach the church's spiritual energy barrier. Lin Ye had to use a speed rune to rush the church entrance and supplement with two spiritual energy grenades to finally break through.
"A valuable lesson indeed. Psychological security truly is dangerous."
Father Matthew watched as Lin Ye reloaded his spiritual energy submachine gun, his lips twitching slightly. He'd never seen the Precinct use such weaponry within the city.
"Any last words?"
Lin Ye pointed the gun at Father Matthew, though he didn't actually believe a single ammunition belt could kill the priest. He wanted to create the illusion that he relied heavily on firearms.
"Sigh... You've won. Without enough nodes, the ritual can't be completed. I really shouldn't have killed the former precinct chief. Compared to you, he was much friendlier."
The priest spoke words that sounded like surrender, yet his mental energy and internal spiritual energy remained unusually active, causing the nearby flesh plant to twitch with anticipation.
"Between being friendly and staying alive, I had to choose one."
Lin Ye secretly carved collapse runes onto the first few bullets of his new ammunition belt. He wasn't in a hurry.
Yet the priest's attitude struck him as odd. The man seemed to be stalling, but Lin Ye couldn't detect any specific actions. Originally planning to delay longer before shredding both the flesh plant and priest with gunfire, Lin Ye now decided to act sooner.
"You're right about that—"
Before the priest could finish, Lin Ye opened fire on the flesh plant. The bullets sliced through its body like a lightsaber, piercing deep within.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
Father Matthew instantly teleported beside Lin Ye, drawing a ritual dagger aimed at Lin Ye's head. Lin Ye kept firing as multiple layers of spiritual energy shields materialized before the dagger, deflecting the priest's attack after several clashes.
The priest's strikes were lethally precise—ordinary spiritual energy shields couldn't withstand them. But he'd never encountered Lin Ye's unique shielding techniques and resorted to thrusting his left hand toward Lin Ye's chest.
Only after emptying his ammunition belt and shredding the flesh plant did Lin Ye reposition the submachine gun to block the priest's left hand. The priest shattered the firearm, prompting Lin Ye to draw Red Blade. Activating both speed and severing runes simultaneously, his blade moved lightning-fast, cleanly severing the priest's left hand.
The priest dropped his severed limb and retreated rapidly. Lin Ye produced a concealed spiritual energy machine pistol from his clothes and emptied its magazine at the retreating priest.
Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop...
While spiritual energy rifles packed more punch, Lin Ye's was stored in his loot space—retrieving items from there took precious seconds.
Blood sprayed from the priest's riddled body as he fell back near the withering flesh plant.
"You're strong. It's been years since I encountered such an outstanding young man. Pity time's up—you lose."
Despite missing a hand and being covered in grievous wounds, Father Matthew remained calm and composed, as if holding the advantage.
Lin Ye said nothing, simply retrieving his spiritual energy rifle from the loot space to continue firing. Yet no matter how many bullets struck home, the priest remained standing while the flesh plant gradually withered.
"Stop struggling. I share a life link with it. Until it dies, I can regenerate from any wound. Its roots extend dozens of meters underground—you could expend every bullet you have to no avail. You've performed admirably. Let's talk."
As a third-tier spiritual energy user, the priest hadn't been this humbled in years—especially by someone only at the first tier. This sparked his appreciation for talent. All believers were God's lambs, but some lambs stood above others.
"Talk about what?"
Discarding the empty rifle, Lin Ye contemplated his enemy's weakness and possible counters. Perhaps a powerful sedative could resolve this situation.
'But how to get close enough?'
"Do you have faith?"
The priest asked with pious sincerity.
"No."
'It's not like I can worship myself.'
Lin Ye thought.
"Then would you consider joining our church? This way I needn't kill you. With your talent and our resources, you'd reach mid-tier spiritual energy user soon—perhaps even advance to high-tier."
The priest enticed.
"What church is this? What benefits does joining offer? Is your deity reliable?"
Lin Ye wanted intel on the competition—useful reference for future scams.
"I belong to the Emerald God Cult, worshipping the Lord of Emerald Capital. As for benefits—spiritual energy potions and common resources go without saying. The church will also conduct rituals to help you find a symbiotic plant within the Emerald Capital. Thereafter, so long as your plant lives, you cannot die."
The priest raised his head slightly. Not only did the Precinct's basic provisions pale in comparison, even other cult organizations couldn't match the Emerald God Cult.
"What is this Emerald Capital?"
Lin Ye memorized this information before asking.
"A dangerous plane equivalent to the Abyss, filled with all manner of bizarre and hazardous flora. Thus there's minor risk during rituals—merely trials bestowed by our god."
Father Matthew extended his half-regenerated left hand toward Lin Ye in invitation.