Devotion for the Purpose of Blasphemy-Can It Still Be Called Devotion?

Cleaner, a warrior of [Annihilation].

In the [Annihilation] Faith profession system, the destructive and annihilating desires are second only to the [Annihilation] Singer's Doom Herald Declaration.

The Doom Herald is a mindless outburst of venting. They chant hymns of destruction, practice the will of Annihilation, and devoutly and continuously offer sacrifices to their Lord of Grace, adhering to the principle of destroying without mercy and trampling without forgiveness.

But they are, after all Singer, and the means they use to destroy everything is often to incite the destructive desires of others and then recklessly sing praises of this feat of Annihilation.

Cleaner, on the other hand, have the power to destroy everything themselves and are happy to create destruction.

Just like the name of this profession, they walk the path of "Annihilation," casually dragging everything they see into the Abyss of destruction. Every move they make seems to be clearing away all impurities from the world, which is why they are called Cleaner.

Cheng Shi was clearly taken aback when he heard his profession, because he found that this teammate named Mo Shu did not seem to have a strong desire to destroy the surrounding tables and chairs since he arrived. Not only that, he was actually creating.

What did he say, pastries?

He also made pastries?

Just then, Mo Shu casually placed his box on the table next to him and opened it with a "click." Inside the box, the players saw five neatly arranged small compartments, each containing a beautifully wrapped little gift box.

As he took the gifts out and placed them on the table, he introduced them with a smile:

"This is it. Today's menu is Shenila mutton fat cake, with a filling of extracted Xuenila Mutton Blood Wine. I used some tricks to Annihilation the alcohol in it, only retaining the flavor of the wine but not making people drunk, so it won't affect the Trials. Come on, everyone, have a taste."

As he spoke, he opened one of the boxes and took out a cream-colored cake.

Looking at all this, Cheng Shi felt that he still lacked experience.

It's rare to find someone who stays true to their original aspirations and uses the power of their Faith in their profession. The last time I heard of such a thing was when Xie Yang brought back a pile of books for himself.

In this magical place Kanliwal, there are a bunch of ordinary people who apply the concept of "life" to their production and daily life, and today I've encountered a Pastry Chef Faith in "Annihilation."

This is hilarious! He said he Annihilation the alcohol in the drink, which sounds like an offering to his Lord of Grace, but then he "created" a new cake. So... wouldn't that be considered blasphemy?

Can an offering made with the intent of blasphemy still be called an offering?

But putting aside these Faith beliefs, the pastries made by this Pastry Chef are really tempting; they look delicious.

Normally, he would never touch something of unknown Cheng Shi without confirming its safety, but today was different, because under the protection of [Endless Life], he was fearless.

Poison can't kill instantly.

Even a curse can't kill someone instantly.

It's even less likely that a cake will choke someone to death.

So Cheng Shi was tempted. After all, the sherry mutton fat cake looked pretty good. Even if it tasted terrible, it should still be better than Finger Bread and snot, right?

But apart from him, the others were clearly very wary. Their gazes swept over the cake and then over Mo Shu's face, as if they were trying to figure out what the Pastry Chef was up to.

Just then, the [Folly] Believer who had been silent for a long time spoke up again.

The moment he opened his mouth, the room was filled with Yin-Yang.

"Ha, foolish flattery."

How could anyone eat food of unknown origin given by a stranger in an unfamiliar environment? Uncertain enthusiasm often harbors ulterior motives. Your methods of attracting attention are too..."

This Folly Believer had finally found a new opportunity to express his contempt, but before he could finish speaking, Cheng Shi, who was standing next to him, Cheng Shi stepped forward and, as if he were at home, unceremoniously picked up the opened cake and swallowed it in a few bites.

"Smack smack, your mutton fat cake doesn't have a strong muttony smell, is it fake mutton fat?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Everyone was stunned. Even Mo Shu himself was taken aback for a moment, then nodded with a hint of surprise in his eyes and said:

"I masked the muttony smell because I was afraid some people wouldn't like it."

Cheng Shi smacked his lips, seemingly still wanting more, and said with a hint of regret:

"Well, that's a bit of overkill, it ruins the flavor, but I'll still give it a good review since it's free."

Everyone's expression changed as they looked at Cheng Shi.

The little Assassin swallowed hard and took a small step back. The [Folly] Believer's gaze narrowed, lost in thought. Chief Gou Feng scratched his head, wondering how this Mage could be even more reckless than himself. Moreover, they all shared the same thought at that moment:

Mage really not afraid of death?

Even the usually composed man with squinty eyes widened his eyes slightly upon seeing this scene.

He carefully examined Cheng Shi's physical condition, then picked up a piece of cake, conjured a delicate little spoon out of thin air, scooped out a small piece, and put it in his mouth.

"It's not fishy or greasy, and has a slightly sweet taste. It has a strong wine flavor but no alcohol, so it won't give you a headache. The sweetness comes from the sweet aftertaste flower powder. The cake is sugar-free, but it's high in fat, so it's not suitable for people with high cholesterol."

I don't have high cholesterol, so I can enjoy it.

As he spoke, he began to enjoy the cake in his hand, taking small bites at a time.

Seeing that the two had accepted his pastries, Mo Shu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense expression became more relaxed.

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that this 2100-point Cleaner is worried about the attitudes of the two 2400-point players whose Faith Opposition to his, especially after Cheng Shi discovered Scorpio's Faith, he became even more uneasy.

Fortunately, the conflict of Faith Opposition did not erupt immediately at the beginning of the game, and these two Believer in "death" did not seem to be so Indifference and ruthless.

Seeing that someone had accepted his pastries, Mo Shu quickly opened the other boxes and placed them in front of everyone.

He seemed to be trying to express his peace stance with this somewhat awkward sincerity, but in this situation, there were probably very few people who could believe him.

The crowd's expressions varied, but none of them made a move.

Only Cheng Shi, after finishing his cake, curiously observed the Cleaner whose expression had softened, and suddenly asked:

"Is this your understanding of 'Annihilation'? To let what you created with your own hands Annihilation in the mouths of your teammates?" Cheng Shi wiped the last bit of cream from the corner of his mouth and chuckled, "You're not acting like Cleaner, you're acting like a Doom Herald."

Mo Shu never expected that his little scheme would be seen through at a glance. He blinked in bewilderment, and then a sense of lingering fear rose in his heart.

Fortunately, this teammate with 2400 rating didn't seem like a mean opponent, otherwise I would have had a really tough time.

He nodded somewhat awkwardly and replied:

"Wow, you're amazing! You even noticed that."

Yes, that's exactly what I meant, but it's just my personal opinion.

I always felt that having others practice the will of Annihilation might attract His attention more effectively than practicing it myself.

Tsk, that makes sense, but your idea is a bit too "prosperous".

Cheng Shi chuckled lightly but didn't reply. Instead, he turned to the [Folly] Believer and teased him:

"Sharing a few words from Sharp Commentator?"

The Believer glanced at Folly Cheng Shi, snorted coldly, and walked away.

"Effortless communication is a waste of time."

He left, departing alone from the room that resembled a church lounge.

Seeing one leave, Cheng Shi looked at Mo Shu with great delight and said:

"If he doesn't eat it, it's okay if I eat one more, right?"

Mo Shu had never seen such a relaxed teammate. He nodded instinctively, and then watched as this "Mage" devoured another cake, this time in one bite.

He knew that sharing food at the start of the game would arouse his teammates' suspicion, but he didn't tamper with the pastries, so he wasn't afraid of being questioned or scrutinized. However, he really didn't expect that someone would trust him so much and even become addicted to eating them.

The little Assassin twitched his lips speechlessly upon seeing this.

"Brother, if you're really hungry, eat mine too."

Gou Feng scratched his head and laughed heartily, "I'll give you my share too."

Upon hearing what the others were saying, the squinty-eyed man paused in his cake-eating motion, then suddenly handed out the half-eaten cake, saying:

"The silver spoon is automatically sterilized; this half hasn't been touched. If you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Shi snatched the two half cakes and threw them into his personal space.

"I'm not hungry right now, but I can take it to go. Thank you all so much for your generosity!"

As he spoke, he even bowed in a mock manner.

"But I'm curious, Pastry Chef, what did you pray for? It couldn't have been just to enter a dungeon and feed people cakes, could it?"

Mo Shu smiled sheepishly, his reserved expression quite out of place with his outfit.

"I prayed for Lord of Grace's attention, but for some reason I was placed in the 'Birth' category."

A prayer for the gaze of Annihilation?

Cheng Shi frowned, feeling that this prayer was unusual, perhaps a bit too "grand" in a conceptual sense.

What must happen in this Trials to attract His attention?

How much would have to be offered to Him to Annihilation the entire Dolgo D?

It seemed this Trials was going to be unpredictable, but since the Trials had only just begun Cheng Shi couldn't afford to make any discouraging guesses right away. So he smiled casually and said:

"He truly is a devout Believer of His."

So, what did this fellow "life" person pray for?

Zhang Jizu narrowed his eyes as he looked at Cheng Shi and asked in return, "And you, aren't you going to tell us about yourself first?"

"Me? I came here to make friends Trials, and it seems that everyone here is someone I can make friends with. Oh, right, except for that nostril monster."

"Friend?" Zhang Jizu murmured a few times, then smiled and said with narrowed eyes, "Coincidentally, my prayer is also because of a friend, probably a friend I've never met."

Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow, his expression turning strange.

Because the Master of Deception told him that the squinty-eyed man didn't seem to be lying.

This is interesting. This ambiguous and perfunctory answer undoubtedly shows everyone that Zhang Jizu doesn't want to share the secret with them. Since that's the case, Cheng Shi didn't press further. He glanced thoughtfully at the squinty-eyed man, and then said to everyone:

"Okay, I hope we can all find what we want."

Time waits for no one, and we really should get down to business. Even if the Trials takes a long time, we need to gather intelligence first, right?

Gou Feng burst into laughter at the sight, growing even more appreciative of his easygoing teammate. He scratched his head and said:

I really like you.

What are the rules? I think you, Mage, know this place very well. Perhaps you could offer some advice?

Cheng Shi froze for a moment, but quickly put on a smiling face, explaining everything to everyone like a truly learned Mage.

I wouldn't say I know it very well, I just have a basic understanding.

This is Dolgo D, a small southern town in the Dol Empire during the Life Era. It is not famous in history, but it is well-known within the Dol Empire.

Because this is a city that completely Faith "Birth," all the doctrines and laws here serve the purpose of gestation.

We are in the rest area of Divine Nurturing Church of Dolgo D, the ruling church in the area. The Divine Nurturing Church believes that all acts of conception are the highest form of worship to Him and advocates that everyone has an equal right to conception.

This is not a patriarchal society, nor a matriarchal society. Everyone here grows up under the Birth care of the church and then becomes a devout Believer in the work of conceiving and worshipping Him.

"?" The little Assassin frowned upon hearing this. "What do you mean by having the right to procreate? Isn't that just about giving birth? Does that mean people here can't have children without a church?"

Gou Feng scratched his head and smiled:

"Don't forget that this is my Lord's Trials. The conception you speak of is probably not as simple as an ordinary conception."

I guess people here, whether male or female, can have children?

This is the right that should be protected by the church.

To be honest, the fact that a man can give birth might be quite shocking in other places, but in His sight, it's probably just an ordinary thing.

But Gou Feng was wrong again.

Cheng Shi shook his head, pointed to the door, and laughed:

"You're half right."

Go out, turn left for 100 meters, then turn right, and walk straight to the end. There is a prayer room there.

When you walk in with the intention of conceiving a new life, the prayer masters of the Divine Nurturing Church will grant you the corresponding authority after listening to your prayer.

The right to conceive, or to help others conceive.

He phrased it tactfully, but some people still understood what he meant.

Zhang Jizu, with his narrowed eyes, looked at Cheng Shi, who was still smiling, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "If I understand correctly, you mean that the prayer masters here can change the gender of Believer?"

"Bingo, that's right!" Cheng Shi snapped his fingers and said happily, "The men here really can't have children, but they can become women and then have children."

So brothers who want to undergo gender reassignment surgery, hurry up! Don't miss this great opportunity. With just one prayer, you can transform from "he" to "she".

Most importantly, this is a civil right advocated by the Divine Nurturing Church, so it is free and requires no cost.

Of course, the loss of body tissue is not considered a price to pay.

"..."

Even Gou Feng, Believer in the Birth, had a strange expression on his face.

"Brother, how do you know this place so well... You weren't a girl before, were you?"

"..." Upon hearing this, Cheng Shi's face darkened, and he could no longer laugh.

Brother, if you really can't speak properly, you don't have to say anything. Thank you.

But if you were to ask Cheng Shi why he knows this place so well...

It's strange, because the solo Food Dungeon he prayed for always ended up in some weird places, and this Dolgo D just happened to be one of them.

Cheng Shi this small town where gender can be switched at any time, Cheng Shi has delivered countless babies for bewildered citizens. In fact, almost every underground clinic here bears traces of Cheng Shi's past.

Of course, these traces have long Annihilation in the Nothingness of history, but that does not prevent him from having a special feeling for Dolgo D.

Am I perhaps a... spiritual citizen here?

What a load of nonsense.

Cheng Shi shook his head, clearing these distracting thoughts from his mind, and then said:

"Any more questions? Let's talk as we walk; time waits for no one."

With that, he took the lead and left the lounge, heading towards the outside of the church.

Gou Feng and the little Assassin were taken aback, but quickly followed. Mo Shu hesitated for a moment, Annihilation the box of pastries he had brought and followed in silence.

Seeing that everyone had left, Zhang Jizu frowned, vomited up the cake he had just swallowed and threw it away casually. Then he wiped his hands and chased after them at a leisurely pace.

He watched Cheng Shi, who was leading the "shopping" and pointing out details as if he knew them all by heart, and shook his head and chuckled at the end.

"It looks like he's fighting on his home turf. Could the danger he's talking about be the danger he's bringing to others?"

So, should I be his bodyguard or his teammate's bodyguard?

Cheng Shi...

That's really interesting.