The Cult

Ever since discovering this survivor camp, Aaron had practically abandoned everything in his territory, entering a dream state daily to observe everything with focused intensity.

On this day, he witnessed the greatest dispute within the shelter.

The cause of the conflict seemed to be the evolution of the monsters and the shortage of food.

"We can't go on like this!"

A man with golden hair screamed intensely, waving his arms wildly as if to add weight to his persuasion; a few times, his hands swung right through Aaron, passing straight through him.

"Those monsters are getting stronger, and the food we can obtain is getting scarcer. If this continues, everyone in this shelter... will die!"

He spoke a cruel truth.

"Soren, what do you intend to do then?" Xiu asked calmly, pulling two children behind her.

"Relocate! Relocate to the north. I've heard there's already a larger gathering point there, and they possess extraordinary power! It's very safe, and food is plentiful!"

Soren answered without hesitation.

"That group from the north?" The people in the shelter were somewhat stirred, as if they had heard this news before.

"Yes, among them, there are even superhumans who can kill dangerous species with their bare hands!" Soren said. "If we join them, we can obtain the same power!"

"Those cultists who call themselves the Black Sun Cult?" Xiu sneered. "I've heard they burn people alive as sacrifices!"

"So what? To survive, one must discard something." Soren suddenly grinned hideously. "He is there, He is in the sky, He is watching us... Don't tell me you've never heard those... divine oracles!"

Aaron was startled to hear this; he had only heard some gibberish when the Black Sun and those terrifying entities were born, and he hadn't received any information since.

But looking at the expressions of the people in the shelter, it seemed they could hear them occasionally?

"Yes, the Black Sun is above our heads, but I haven't heard any 'calling.' All I hear are chaotic roars and gibberish like that of a madman... Once I resisted it, I never heard it again."

Xiu sneered. "Are you sure you want to worship those crazy things? I guarantee that the black sun in the sky definitely doesn't know there is a Black Sun Cult on the ground..."

"You are right; the Black Sun does not need us, but that does not prevent us from worshipping Him."

"Just as the sun does not intend to nurture all things, it simply radiates brilliance; the gods do not intend to call upon believers, they simply radiate power naturally. Yet, we pursue His path, His brilliance, and pray for protection."

A solemn and grave voice suddenly rang out from outside the shelter.

Aaron looked over and saw three figures in black robes standing outside the shelter, all of them gaunt and emaciated, like resurrected skeletons.

The words just now were spoken by the leader of the three, an old man with numerous strange tattoos carved onto his bald head.

"People from the Black Sun Cult? How did they find this place? Soren! Did you betray us?"

A flintlock pistol had appeared in Xiu's hand at some point, pointed at the old man who had spoken.

"My child, put down your weapon; the Black Sun will forgive you."

The old man wore a gentle smile. "You are right; the Lord of the Eclipse does not care about the faith of ants, but such an existence, merely by radiating light and heat naturally, is enough to protect us. We are all just... poor people trying every possible way to survive in this cruel world."

"Sophistry!"

Xiu shifted her position, leaning toward the window, seemingly looking for an opportunity to escape.

But the old man did not draw a weapon, merely smiling as he met everyone's gaze. "The Black Sun needs offerings, the Black Sun needs sacrifices! Only by suffering can one achieve great things! Oh, ignorant lambs, one day you will understand that the Black Sun is the savior of all!"

"The radiance has passed, never to return; the Black Sun descends, the bells toll long, all things perish, and I remain!"

Behind the old man, the two black-robed figures spread their arms and began to chant strange incantations.

Their language seemed to be an alien tongue, yet it also appeared to contain some strange vocabulary—it was the supernatural language Aaron had once heard in the gibberish of the Black Sun, allowing one to fully understand its meaning.

And at this moment, this language seemed to carry a strange power.

A black wind blew toward the shelter.

This wind seemed to have a life of its own, binding Xiu, who wanted to escape, and even preventing her from pulling the trigger.

Xiu's expression turned incomparably painful in an instant; her eyes were bloodshot, and blood vessels squirmed at the edges of her ears, as if she were enduring some kind of torture.

As for Aike and Lin, they fainted in an instant.

"Is this... sorcery?"

Aaron felt nothing at all. Watching this scene, his eyes became incredibly complex. "True supernatural power, extraordinary power that can be mastered by humans! These cults... are quite interesting!"

Although it sounded like these mysterious cults were spontaneous organizations formed by being "called," there was no doubt that in their constant approach toward those terrifying entities, they had indeed achieved some results.

When the chanting stopped, there was no one left standing inside the shelter.

Even the traitor Soren had been knocked unconscious.

The old man's gentle gaze swept over the room. For some reason, this empty shelter gave him a strange feeling.

It was as if someone or some 'thing' still existed, casting a gaze down.

He did not linger, ordering, "Take everyone away. Our cult is about to have a new batch of brothers and sisters."

Soon, many cultists in black robes arrived from all directions. With solemn expressions, they moved the unconscious survivors and supplies. The arms and necks they occasionally exposed bore hideous burn marks...

A fully loaded convoy set off immediately. Even the High Priest did not notice that an invisible ghost was following right behind the convoy.

In reality.

Aaron woke up, his expression playful.

Suddenly, he opened his mouth and uttered a string of strange syllables: "The radiance has passed, never to return; the Black Sun descends, the bells toll long; all things perish, yet I remain!"

This was a spell he had memorized, with several pronunciations that practically challenged the limits of human capability.

Yet, under the influence of [Supernatural Memory], it had been recorded perfectly.

"My Lord?"

The door opened, and the maid Daili rubbed her eyes, looking at Aaron with a confused expression.

"It's nothing, you may leave!"

After dismissing the maid, Aaron sighed: "Even if I learned it exactly, is it of no use at all? Could it be... that this world is truly devoid of magic?"

He felt a touch of frustration.

Perhaps, seeking immortality in this world was an impossibility.