Those Who Play Tactics Have Dirty Hearts

"This... this is impossible, right?"

Looking at Chen Fan's certain expression, Isa stammered, "I, I specifically..."

"Specifically avoided other Church personnel?"

Chen Fan raised his hand and pointed towards the tightly shut door in the distance. "When you came in just now, didn't you notice the God Statue was right there?"

Isa: "..."

She fell silent.

When she entered, because she was too flustered, she hadn't paid attention to the location of the God Statue at all.

So, just as Chen Fan said, her actions had been completely exposed to the Church's eyes?!

Then, what awaited her next...

Thinking of the inhumane torture, the little bit of color left on Isa's face completely disappeared.

In front of her, Chen Fan sighed softly.

Now he was certain:

His previous premonition was correct; this Mechanical Little Potato was indeed quite slow.

He really didn't know how she became a Priest...

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Chen Fan reached out and gently rubbed the Mechanical Little Potato's head. "The Wallis Bishop you mentioned likely intended for you to come find me."

"To be precise, it was to test me."

Isa: "?"

Gao Yuan: "O.o?"

Chen Fan put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth in the not-so-spacious room. "Isa, you just told me to run away quickly, right?"

Seeing Isa nod, Chen Fan smiled instead. "That's right."

"That's the scene that Wallis Bishop wanted to see."

"Why would I run away? It's nothing more than a guilty conscience."

"Why a guilty conscience?"

"The answer is obvious, there's something fishy going on."

"As soon as I run, that Wallis Bishop will immediately order the stripping of my God Chosen status."

Isa's pretty face was filled with shock, and she swallowed. "I... I didn't think that much. I just felt that a good person like you shouldn't die so unjustly..."

As for Gao Yuan on the side...

He was currently in a state of confusion, probably unable to figure out the twists and turns of this for a while.

Chen Fan walked to the window and squinted, glancing downstairs.

More than a dozen Black Robe Priests were walking from a distance, their target clear: the residential building he was in.

"They're already here..."

Chen Fan murmured in a low voice, then turned to look at Isa. "Remember, no matter what happens later, you just need to say what you were thinking before."

"As for Gao Yuan..."

Gao Yuan looked at Chen Fan with a bewildered expression. "Huh?"

"...Forget it, just stay as you are now, it's fine."

"Remember to listen to my orders later."

Gao Yuan: "?"

He felt a little offended.

"What about you?" A hint of worry appeared in Isa's eyes. "When Wallis Bishop comes..."

"Me?"

Chen Fan twitched the corner of his mouth. "Of course, I'm going to start performing."

But then again, if things were really as he guessed, then the threat level of the Church would have to rise another notch—damn, they even knew how to play tactics!

And it was a straightforward, open scheme!

Damn it, people who play tactics have dirty hearts, gotta be careful!

Except for him.

Thinking this, Chen Fan reached out and rubbed the dusty windowsill, then vigorously rubbed his eyes with his dust-covered hands.

Stimulated by the dust, his tear ducts began to secrete tears, and the area around his eyes quickly became red and swollen.

Chen Fan struggled to open his eyes, which were blurred with tears, and grinned at the Mechanical Little Potato in front of him:

"Watch carefully, learn well."

Outside the room.

As the sound of a heavy door opening echoed, his mother's gasp followed.

"Lord, Bishop?!"

"You..."

"Stop the nonsense." A synthetic voice, full of mechanical coldness, echoed in the living room. "Sinner Chen Fan, where is he now?!"

"Sin, Sinner?!"

His mother's face turned pale, and her body went limp on the cold concrete floor. "Xiao Fan, isn't Xiao Fan a God Chosen? How could he suddenly become..."

Her lips trembled, unable to utter the two words that meant death.

"Hmph."

A cold snort came from the shadow beneath the purple robe. "He unauthorizedly accessed forbidden books. The Archbishop suspects he harbors ill intentions towards the Lord!"

"Speak, where is the sinner Chen Fan?"

"Church rule number eleven: Those who harbor sinners are equally guilty!"

His mother looked at the Black Robe Priests and Guards in bright silver armor entering their home, a hint of despair in her eyes.

"Creak..."

The sound of a door opening echoed in the living room.

A petite Priest in a black robe slowly walked out.

Under the gaze of the Priests and Guards, she bent down and performed a standard bow to the Bishop. "Lord Wallis, greetings."

"Priest Isha?"

Wallis, in his purple divine robe, paused, his voice full of surprise. "Didn't you go to announce the Divine Descent Ceremony?"

"Why are you here?"

At this point, Wallis "belatedly" realized a problem, his mechanical synthetic voice carrying a hint of anger. "Where is Chen Fan? Could it be that you..."

At this moment, Chen Fan, still hiding in the room, revealed a cold smile.

Keep acting, keep acting.

The Oscar statuette should be awarded to actors like you!

[You're good, kid!]

[You actually guessed it right!]

One's voice rang out in his mind. [Honestly, how about you reconsider my suggestion from earlier?]

[I'm serious, you definitely have the potential to be an investigator for the Dangerous Technology Administration!]

[If we partner up, wouldn't getting results be a piece of cake?!]

Chen Fan's mouth twitched slightly.

Ever since he had analyzed the Church's intentions in depth and formulated corresponding countermeasures, One had been enthusiastically introducing the so-called Dangerous Technology Administration and Dangerous Technology Investigators in his mind, trying to persuade him to join the Human Alliance.

Honestly, becoming an employee of a higher civilization sounded quite tempting.

But!

The words "Dangerous Technology" made Chen Fan feel a little uneasy just by hearing them.

Following the philosophy of "better to live a bad life than die a good one," he unhesitatingly rejected One's suggestion.

So...

One started its nagging persuasion mode in his mind.

'Shut up.' Chen Fan lightly tapped the Intelligent Terminal covering his right hand. 'The show is about to start. If you keep babbling, I'll throw you away.'

[...Oh.]

In the living room, the atmosphere was incredibly heavy.

Bishop Wallis stared directly at Isha with his red-glowing mechanical eyes. Although they were mechanical prosthetic eyes, Isha still sensed a dangerous aura from them.

"Priest Isha, why did you betray the Church?"

Wallis chose a question that contained a trap.

"I did not betray the Church." Isha, guided by Chen Fan, swallowed and answered with a trembling voice. "Chen Fan... Esteemed Chen Fan is still a God Chosen!"

"The Archbishop has not issued a clear order."

"Bishop, why are you slandering the esteemed God Chosen without authorization?"

Not only did he not gain anything, but he was even countered, causing Bishop Wallis to fall silent.