Priest

At the base of the Steel Pyramid stood an arched door several meters tall—the entrance to the Main Church.

Church clergy in long robes hurried beneath the metal archway.

The colors and styles of their robes varied—this was the best way to distinguish the ranks of the clergy.

As far as the eye could see, most of the clergy passing beneath the metal archway wore white robes.

Chen Fan subconsciously glanced at the "guide" in front of him.

Mm, same white robe, same style...

Chen Fan nodded to himself. It seemed these clergy members, like his guide, were all low-ranking church officials—deacons.

Although Chen Fan's movements were discreet, the White Robe Deacon leading the way still noticed him looking around.

He could not help but frown.

This batch of God Chosen should have visited the Main Church long ago. Although the God Chosen before him had missed two divine decrees, he should not have been acting like this, right?

Could it be...

Thinking of Chen Fan's behavior along the way, the White Robe Deacon subtly shook his head and cast aside the fleeting thought.

Perhaps, just as the God Chosen's mother had said, the status of God Chosen had placed considerable pressure on Chen Fan.

"Stay close to me."

The White Robe Deacon, who should have silently completed his guiding task, reminded him in a low voice, "Don't look around."

"As a God Chosen, you should carry yourself with the dignity of one."

Chen Fan's expression stiffened, and he quickly stopped his little movements.

Just as he was about to follow the White Robe Deacon, a dark figure entered his view head-on.

The White Robe Deacon, who had been walking normally, stopped as well.

He bent his knees slightly, placed his right hand over his chest, and respectfully bowed toward the figure ahead. "Greetings, Priest."

A priest?

A new kind of clergyman?

Chen Fan quickly raised his head for a glance.

It was a tall man dressed in black robes.

The broad black robe and hood concealed him entirely in darkness, while a pair of glowing red Mechanical Eyes stared fixedly at the world beyond the robe.

Unlike the plain white robes, the black robe was made from finer material and embroidered with countless mysterious patterns and designs in silver thread.

Whether judging by his attire or the White Robe Deacon's behavior, there was no doubt that the Black Robe Priest held a higher position within the church.

"Carlisle, well done."

A hoarse voice carrying the tang of heavy metal came from beneath the black robe. "The Third Divine Decree has not yet begun, and you are not late."

"Go. The Lord will remember your diligent service."

"When the time is right, the Lord will naturally bestow blessings upon you."

At those words, a delighted expression immediately appeared on the White Robe Deacon Carlisle's face. "Thank you for the Lord's grace!"

Chen Fan, standing behind the White Robe Deacon, was dumbfounded.

Not a single tangible reward, yet a few empty words were enough to make someone so grateful.

Damn, what top-tier empty promises?!

Just as Chen Fan was stunned by this masterful display of empty promises, the Black Robe Priest suddenly turned his gaze toward him.

Under Chen Fan's watchful eyes, he extended his right hand from his broad black robe, turned slightly, and gestured toward the steel archway ahead. "God Chosen Esteemed One."

"Please come with me. The Third Divine Decree is about to begin, and the other God Chosen have already arrived."

Seeing the arm's unmistakable metallic sheen under the sunlight, Chen Fan's pupils widened slightly.

A Mechanical Prosthetic!

Like the White Robe Deacon named Carlisle, the Black Robe Priest had also undergone Human Body Mechanization Modification!

But that was not the real reason Chen Fan was so horrified!

Using the reflection from the Mechanical Prosthetic in the sunlight, Chen Fan had caught a glimpse beneath the black hood in that brief instant.

It was a face that had been modified completely into machinery!

Slightly different from Carlisle's, this face showed no skin whatsoever—only a tangled mass of pipes and cold metal plating engraved with intricate patterns.

At first glance, Chen Fan had even thought he was looking at a robot!

"God Chosen Esteemed One."

The Black Robe Priest's tone was icy. Apart from the honorifics, there was not the slightest trace of respect in it. "Please hurry. You do not wish to miss the Third Divine Decree either, do you?"

After saying that, the Black Robe Priest did not pause at all and turned directly toward the metal archway.

Chen Fan watched the Black Robe Priest's retreating back, then instinctively turned to the White Robe Deacon before him. "Carlisle..."

"God Chosen Esteemed One, go quickly."

Carlisle wore an ugly but gentle smile. "My task is already complete."

He hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice in warning:

"Lord Quinton is rather strict. Please be careful."

Chen Fan stared at Carlisle in astonishment. Even he had not expected this White Robe Deacon to say such a thing. "You..."

After a brief moment of surprise, Chen Fan came to his senses and expressed his gratitude to Carlisle. "...Thank you. I'll be careful."

Carlisle said nothing. He merely bent at the waist and backed away several steps.

After bowing to Chen Fan, he turned without hesitation and hurried toward a Steel Pyramid not far away.

Watching Carlisle's gradually receding back, Chen Fan's eyes revealed a hint of gravity.

It sounded like this Black Robe Priest named Quinton was not someone easy to deal with. He wondered whether Quinton would affect his plans going forward...

Suppressing the unease in his heart, he turned and quickly caught up with Quinton.

The steel archway, over three meters tall, stood quietly at the base of the pyramid. Countless intricate patterns were engraved upon it, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight and lending the Main Church an added air of sanctity.

Although the Main Church's appearance differed somewhat from what Chen Fan had imagined, he still sincerely believed that its interior should be a magnificent holy site steeped in religious and cultural atmosphere.

Given the Main Church's enormous exterior, even if it did not contain grand murals and sculptures, it should at least have some murals rich in religious meaning, right?

After all, there was a portrait of the Goddess hanging in his home that covered an entire wall. Surely such a massive church could manage a few murals?

At that thought, a faint sense of anticipation and excitement rose within Chen Fan—this was undoubtedly the best way to gain a deeper understanding of the "false god."

If he was lucky, he might even uncover some clues about the false god's origins and its "achievements."

Thus, while following Quinton, he instructed Yi in his mind:

'Remember to record everything we see in the Main Church. We might be able to analyze quite a bit of information from it!'

Naturally, Yi readily agreed to Chen Fan's request:

Rest assured, this unit is equipped with ultra-high-definition holographic recording capabilities. The footage will absolutely exceed your imagination!