This Is Fate's Arrangement; Fate Is Ever-Changing

Mike, who had been waiting in line at the back, witnessed this scene.

He finally understood where the strangeness that every believer possessed came from.

That bowl of water with unknown ingredients is definitely problematic!

However, he knew there was something wrong with the water, but in the enemy's stronghold, under the watchful eyes of so many members of the Eternal Kingdom, he had no choice but to drink it.

This was also a huge psychological challenge for Mike.

The number of people ahead of him decreased, and soon it was Mike's turn.

He had to control his expression to avoid looking stiff.

Mike took the bowl containing water of unknown composition and forced himself to drink it down in one gulp, suppressing his nausea.

He felt the thick, strangely-tasting water flow down his throat, a sensation that sent chills down his spine.

Mike cursed inwardly.

After the entire ceremony was completed.

More than the slight stinging pain from his cut finger, he was worried about the possibility of infection from the dagger being used by so many people, and what if someone carried a disease and infected him?

And that bowl of water.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt his stomach and abdomen twitching slightly.

Soon, all the new members completed the ceremony.

Only the One person standing alone to one side, dressed in elaborate wizarding attire, remained.

The believers were naturally no match for the shaman who possessed miraculous divination abilities.

The rituals performed by the shaman were naturally different from those of the believers.

Fuerdu stepped forward and personally performed the initiation ceremony for him.

Fuerdu chanted a divine hymn, he respectfully held a statue in his hands. The statue looked solemn and dignified, but a hint of evil in its eyes ruined its overall sacredness and made it appear sinister.

Mike involuntarily held his breath. This statue was the same as the one his mother had brought home, but it looked more exquisite, and the expression on its face was more vivid and lifelike.

The craftsmanship and materials used are definitely better than the one in his house.

He saw again that the statue's eyes were moving, as if it had sensed his gaze and was looking in his direction.

Mike quickly lowered his head, his back drenched in sweat.

The statue glanced at the believers, and seeing that it hadn't noticed anything amiss, it turned its gaze back to the shaman.

The shaman possesses an unseen spirituality. Having made a pact with the supernatural, his body has been transformed by it, becoming vastly different from that of ordinary people.

This constitution is a rare tonic for other strange beings.

The statue stared intently at the shaman, its eyes brimming with greed.

A member of the Eternal Kingdom handed over the dagger.

Fuerdu, holding the statue, said, "Drip a drop of blood onto the statue."

The dagger had been used by many believers. Although it had been disinfected with flame and alcohol, the shaman stared at it for a moment, then took out a delicate little knife from his wide sleeve.

Fuerdu smiled sheepishly, knowing that the shaman was disgusted by the dagger, but he wasn't angry and had it taken back.

The shaman pricked his finger with his dagger, forcing out a drop of blood, which he then dripped onto the head of the idol.

The blood was absorbed by the idol.

The statue's eyes gleamed with a reddish hue, making it appear even more sinister.

Unseen by the other ordinary believers, a phantom emerged from the statue and eagerly lunged at the shaman standing in front.

The witch's hair seemed to be blown by the wind, fluttering a few times.

Fuerdu saw this, his smile widened considerably, and his attitude towards the witch became even more genuine.

It seems they have fully accepted the witch as a member of the Eternal Kingdom.

The ceremony is almost complete.

Led by Fuerdu, the crowd gathered in front of the altar and whispered a few lines of poetry with strange pronunciations and difficult pronunciations.

The blood on the altar flowed slowly, gradually seeping into the interior, while the divine runes engraved on it brightened slightly from their dimness.

All of this seemed bizarre to Mike, sending chills down his spine.

However, his mind seemed to be filtered through a strange lens, as if everything before him was normal.

Two different ideas intertwined, constantly tearing at each other.

Mike's original thoughts were no match for the force that was forcibly inserted into him later, and he gradually became confused and disoriented.

He thought, "Wow, that's amazing! This kind of power is something I can't resist at all. No wonder I couldn't escape from that crystal ball no matter what kind of resistance I made."

Mike looked again at the silent witch standing to the side.

Only he—no, only the organization behind him—could stand against the Eternal Kingdom.

Mike had a relatively good ending in the crystal ball, where he saw a glimpse of the mysterious organization, and that glimpse solved the problem plaguing the entire Australia.

Mike did not share all the information he obtained from the crystal ball with the Investigation Team.

The ceremony ended quickly, Fuerdu instructed the believers to leave the stronghold and await the next meeting.

Mike was supposed to leave with his mother.

But he stayed, because he said he knew the witch.

Out of respect for the shaman, the other members did not make things difficult for him.

Mike quickly walked over to the witch before he could speak.

The witch interrupted him, "Come to my place."

There are many members of the Eternal Kingdom here, and each of them is an informant, so it's not convenient to talk to them outside.

Mike nodded and followed the witch back into the room.

Mike remarked with feigned surprise, "Fortune teller, I never expected to meet you here."

"This is fate's arrangement," the witch replied with a profound statement.

Mike's heart skipped a beat. "You know?"

The witch took out the crystal ball, which was blank. "Knowing or not knowing, seeing or not seeing, choosing or not choosing."

What you see as destiny is merely a small part of a vast destiny.

Mike didn't quite understand what Wu was saying. "Then, will the ending I saw really happen?"

"Fate is unpredictable."

Mike made countless choices in his attempt to survive the clutches of the demon that haunted him, but having already been ensnared, he had long been chosen by the demon as its prey.

Therefore, he always died suddenly, unexpectedly, and in all sorts of ways.

This included his family; ever since his mother brought the idol into their home, the entire family had been regarded as sacrifices to that demon.

Their lives have become food for this devil.

No matter where Mike goes, he can't escape the devil's clutches.

Joining the Investigation Team doesn't actually affect his chosen fate; it just means that by joining, he has the backing of the country and can receive some support.