How Did I End Up Joining a Cult?

Lynch said that and reached for his gun again. The man hurriedly dodged, and only relaxed when he saw Lynch hadn't actually fired.

"All right, all right. We were just a little confused. Besides, we were only testing you. Before we came to find you, we'd already tested Klein. He really is a Beyonder, but it seems he only drank his Potion recently, probably within the last few days.

"It's even possible that he and Welch's group found the Seer Potion formula in the Antigonus Notebook and handed it over to the Nighthawks, earning him the chance to become a team member.

"As for him being influenced, that's normal too. We've learned that Seers don't have much in the way of offensive abilities, and divinations are often inaccurate and easily disrupted. He's nothing to worry about. If you choose a Beyonder Pathway, make sure you don't choose Seer."

The man smiled.

Only then did Lynch feel the tension ease from his heart.

Fortunately, Klein had woken up early and taken the Potion today. Otherwise, he would definitely have been exposed when these people tested him.

But he immediately thought of something else.

"Beyonder? What does that mean? Could I become one too?"

He put on an excited, eager expression. The man looked at him enviously. "Yes, you can. Mr. Z plans to give you a great merit, so you can officially join the Nighthawks."

Mr. Z?

Why did that sound so familiar?

Before Lynch could wonder for long, the man explained.

"Your loyalty means you can learn more. My Lord's true name is the Lord that Created Everything, the Lord who Reigns Behind the Curtain of Shadows, the Degenerate Nature of all Living Things, the True Creator."

Oh, hell no!

Stop talking!

The True Creator was looking over here!

Lynch suddenly felt the energy inside the Stone of Myriad Phenomena rapidly draining away.

He immediately shut down the two active projects generating Beyonder items and the full text of Lord of the Mysteries. He let the Stone of Myriad Phenomena focus all its power on breaking through the Sequence 9 Potion formula, while also doing its best to help him evade the attention of a God.

He felt as if he were about to explode.

He had no idea how long it took, but the gaze finally moved away. The man before him, meanwhile, wore an ecstatic expression.

"Excellent. You passed my Lord's test. You didn't even mutate. What a promising prospect! Mr. Z was right. He plans to put you in charge of the underground church in Tingen. As for Upton, who knows your identity, we'll leave him to you. Killing him will earn you the merit you need to join the Nighthawks."

Lynch groaned inwardly.

He remembered now. He remembered everything.

The Aurora Order's higher-ups were all called Mr. X, and they worshipped the True Creator.

They spread their faith among the public, often using blunt, straightforward names like the Big Meat Church, the Eat Your Fill Church, and the Lots of Meat Church.

And now he'd gotten mixed up with this God.

Why couldn't they just take his life and get it over with?

Lynch let out a breath and looked at the man before him, feeling utterly helpless.

Still, he forced himself to ask, "Is the True Creator the Lord I worship? What does He want me to do? And if I join the Nighthawks and become a Beyonder, how am I supposed to choose the Pathway my Lord personally bestowed upon me?"

The man looked at Lynch enviously again.

The Lord was truly too good to this fellow.

"The Lord said that once you become a Sequence 5 of the Church of the Goddess, He'll personally bestow a demigod Potion upon you and help you switch back to the Pathway He granted you."

Lynch: ...

To hell with the True Creator!

He'd never heard of anyone being able to switch between those two Pathways. Forcing a change of Pathway would leave you dead or half-mad.

No wonder it was called the Lunatic Pathway. It was all the work of lunatics.

But Lynch had no way to refuse. He gritted his teeth, took a breath, and said he had no problem with it.

He'd agree for now. Once he was close to becoming a demigod, he'd run for it. With the Stone of Myriad Phenomena, if he couldn't win, he could at least get away, couldn't he?

"I agree. I'm willing to contribute to the Lord!"

Lynch looked utterly devout, making the man even more pleased.

"Excellent. I'll give you Mr. Z's contact information now. He's about to leave Tingen, and you have a lot to do here. Arranging the descent of the God is our top priority!"

Lynch: ...

Wait, he had to do that too?

Did the Aurora Order really not worry about people turning against them when they made them do all the work?

"The descent of the God is extremely important. And you, my friend, are embedded in the Nighthawks. You can surely get inside information and stop them from discovering our arrangements in advance. What a brilliant idea! The Lord and Mr. Z made such a shrewd decision!"

Lynch: ...

Wait, had anyone even asked him what he thought?

"Mr. Z said we'd work with you to stage a scene and gather the church's people in one place, then make them burn themselves alive. You'll bring the Nighthawks to stop them. We'll let Upton enter the Lord's kingdom, so he won't disrupt your life anymore!"

The man grinned.

Lynch's mouth twitched.

The threat posed by Upton might be gone, but why did these people talk about human lives so casually?

Still...

It didn't matter.

He'd wanted Upton dead anyway. It was even better if he didn't have to kill him himself.

"There's a Mystery Pryer among the Nighthawks. He knows a lot of rituals. I spoke with him today, and he said you can learn things from the mouths of the dead."

The man smiled.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of everything. You won't get dragged into it. Your infiltration of the Church of the Goddess is extremely important. Mr. Z will make sure everything gets out of your way, me included!"

Lynch breathed a sigh of relief.

But another question came to mind.

Who was this guy, anyway?

It was awkward. When the man first appeared, Lynch had known he was from the Big Meat Church. He hadn't dared ask his name then, and he didn't dare ask now, afraid he'd give himself away.

"When are you planning to make your move?"

"In three days. As soon as possible! Once you become a Beyonder, you'll be able to do more for us. This merit will be enough to make you a full member of the Nighthawks."

The man imagined how things would look in the future, as if the Aurora Order had already taken over the world.

From his expression, Lynch could tell the man was seriously unwell.

How was it that they'd joined a cult before the revolution was even halfway won?

Whatever the case, of course he still had to go through with it.

Lynch sighed and devoutly joined the man in thanking the True Creator for His generosity and Mr. Z for his careful planning. They were only a celebration away from holding a whole thanksgiving party.

"Right, I'm leaving to help you handle these matters. For the next few days, you'd better have someone keep an eye on Upton. If he goes to Caven Street, notify the Nighthawks immediately. That'll mean our plan is underway."

"Understood. Don't worry. For the glory of the Lord, I'll do everything I can, shining brightly within the Nighthawks and helping the Lord achieve even greater glory!"

Lynch thumped his chest, looking utterly devout. He was only a heartbeat away from cutting it open to prove his loyalty.

But as soon as the man left, his expression turned bitter again.

How had he ended up joining a cult?

Though he had to admit, the cult was offering quite a lot.