Encounter

When Catherine looked directly at the Mother Buddha, her naked eyes took in the face of the enormous statue.

Catherine's whole body shuddered.

Because she had previously absorbed the replica statue from a villager's home, and after traveling through the eerie caves while being continuously infected by the voices, Catherine's thoughts were completely integrated at that moment.

Even William holding her hand was useless.

Grain-sized bumps began to appear in her pupils, rapidly blooming under the statue's stimulation.

Using her eyeballs as the foundation, two brilliant, moist blue flowers quickly blossomed, replacing the function of her eyes. The densely packed stamens at their centers could also provide vision.

She suddenly tore herself away from William's arm and walked toward a prayer mat at the very front of the temple, then knelt and began to pray.

"Catherine!"

No matter how loudly William shouted, he received no response.

Faced with the situation, William was drenched in sweat with anxiety. He was even preparing to hoist Catherine onto his shoulder and force his way out of there.

Buzz!

A wave of spiritual pressure swept over them.

The corpses sitting on the prayer mats raised their heads one after another, staring at William with flower eyes, as if warning him not to touch the Mother Buddha's sacrifice. Otherwise, he would bring disaster or a curse upon himself.

William slapped himself directly on the head, doing his best to stay conscious as he continued toward Catherine.

Such a touching scene naturally did not escape the Mother Buddha's notice. It further strengthened her resolve to use the two of them as sacrifices.

William trudged forward with difficulty, yet his gaze repeatedly flicked toward the "Flooded Passage" leading to the temple, as if waiting for something to arrive.

Just as he was about to touch Catherine's arm,