The Deacon's Attitude

God Chosen Esteemed One...?

Hiss...

Chen Fan could not help but suck in a sharp breath inwardly.

He had misunderstood.

So his status as a God Chosen was actually above that of a Church Deacon!

Then what the hell was he panicking for?!

With a little more confidence in his heart, Chen Fan slowly raised his eyes and looked once more at the terrifying face of the man in white before him.

"God Chosen Esteemed One, please return to the church with me as soon as possible."

Surrounded by silver-white mechanical devices, those sallow, wrinkled lips trembled slightly as they issued a completely emotionless reminder. "You have already missed two divine revelations."

"If this continues, the Lord will be displeased."

As he spoke, those Mechanical Eyes glowing faintly red stared directly at him.

That gaze... was practically observing a corpse!

Not only that, but there was not the slightest change in that face assembled from countless mechanical components.

His words were respectful, yet his tone carried not a trace of reverence—only impatience and indifference.

The nerves Chen Fan had just relaxed instantly tightened. At that moment, he felt a chill rise along his back.

This was not how one treated a God Chosen!

He could not help recalling something the original owner had written in his notes—the church's attitude toward him was somewhat strange.

Somewhat strange, my ass.

This guy simply looked down on him as a God Chosen!

Chen Fan could not help complaining inwardly.

What were you going to do?

Yi's voice rang out in his mind. This unit should make one thing clear first: this unit could not help you beat him up right now.

Besides... theoretically speaking, mechanical augmentation could improve physical capabilities across the board. That guy was probably not someone a weakling like you could casually provoke.

Chen Fan: *...*

Great, great. Meeting an Intelligent Terminal that threw the blame onto him before anything even happened was truly a blessing earned over two lifetimes.

What else can I do? Chen Fan replied irritably in his mind. Go with him, obviously!

It's the perfect chance to look into the city history Xu Huai mentioned. Maybe I'll actually find something.

That makes sense. This unit fully supports your decision in spirit.

Chen Fan: ...6.

"God Chosen Esteemed One?"

Just as Chen Fan drifted off, the deep voice sounded again.

The White Robe Deacon stepped forward, closing the distance between them and bringing an even stronger sense of oppression.

"What are you thinking about?"

Suppressing the discomfort welling up inside him, Chen Fan looked straight into the deacon's Mechanical Eyes and slowly shook his head. "Nothing."

"Let's go. I'll go to the church with you."

Upon hearing this, a hideous smile finally appeared on the deacon's indifferent face—his sallow, deeply wrinkled skin tugged faintly, distorted by the pull of the machinery beneath it.

"Then, please follow me."

The hum of mechanical devices began again as the deacon took exceptionally steady steps toward the front door.

"Xiao Fan..."

His mother called out from the living room.

Chen Fan instinctively stopped and turned toward her, meeting that heart-trembling gaze.

Under the joint gaze of Chen Fan and the White Robe Deacon, his mother hesitated to speak. In the end, she murmured softly with a complicated expression, "...Be careful."

Chen Fan felt his heart tremble.

Before he could say anything, the White Robe Deacon beside him urged him again.

"God Chosen Esteemed One, please hurry."

Click.

The front door closed once more, completely sealing that faint yet unsettling mechanical hum outside.

The living room returned to its usual quiet.

Mother Chen stood there blankly for several seconds. Then, dazed and unsteady, she staggered toward the nearby idol.

Chen Fan's behavior had completely shattered her illusions and made her recognize one fact: the Chen Fan of today was no longer the Chen Fan she knew.

By all rights, she should have immediately reported Chen Fan's abnormality to the church's White Robe Deacon.

Perhaps the White Robe Deacon could drive out the "Evil Spirit" occupying her son's body—

Of course, a more likely outcome was that Chen Fan would be sent straight to the church's judgment rack and subjected to the harshest punishment.

At the thought of that possibility, her heart suddenly trembled, and her intention to report him to the church instantly vanished.

So...

She chose to conceal it.

This was the first time in her life that she had deceived the church, and also the first lie she had ever told.

Once she confirmed that the White Robe Deacon had left, she collapsed pale-faced onto the Prayer Mat before the idol. Trembling, she raised her callused, wrinkled hands above her head and let out a sorrowful sigh that sounded both like laughter and weeping.

"Lord..."

Elsewhere.

They traveled in silence.

Chen Fan silently followed the White Robe Deacon downstairs and headed toward the church along the uneven concrete road.

Yi, do you think there's something wrong with this guy's brain?

He had a perfectly good face but insisted on replacing it with machinery. And those legs—buzzing every time he walks. Could that really be safe...?

Chen Fan lowered his eyes, keeping his face calm as he quietly complained inwardly about the deacon.

This unit is not equipped with medical diagnostic functions and cannot make an accurate diagnosis of the target's brain.

Choked by that response, Chen Fan cursed inwardly in annoyance. ...Was that what I fucking asked? Is something wrong with your brain too?

...This unit does not have a brain.

Chen Fan's expression stiffened.

Just as he was about to have a serious talk with Yi about brains, the deep voice suddenly came from ahead. "God Chosen Esteemed One, are you very curious about my legs?"

Chen Fan shuddered all over upon hearing that. ???

Big Brother, where did that come from?!

"Ever since we left your house, you have been staring at my legs."

The White Robe Deacon stopped walking. His reddened Mechanical Eyes turned slightly as they stared directly at Chen Fan. "If not curiosity, I cannot think of any other reason."

The corner of Chen Fan's eye twitched violently.

That was a bit of a difficult question.

Those gleaming Mechanical Legs that shone brightly beneath the sunlight while constantly humming—anyone passing by would have to take a second look, right?!

Fine, he admitted it. Other than him, probably no one would dare scrutinize a Church Deacon like this.

Well, never mind then.

Seeing the White Robe Deacon's expression grow increasingly grave—although eighty percent of his face was mechanical equipment, Chen Fan could indeed read gravity in the remaining twenty percent of sallow skin—Chen Fan quickly came up with a plausible excuse.

"Ahem, I was just thinking of something that happened this morning."

"This morning?" The White Robe Deacon's interest was piqued. He lifted his chin and asked curiously, "Tell me."

Chen Fan recounted everything he had seen at Aunt Shen's home that morning, thus fulfilling the promise he had made to Aunt Shen.

Naturally, he omitted all information related to Xu Huai.