Attack

"Crimson Moon..."

Aaron murmured. He had witnessed many terrifying existences in this world and heard the gibberish uttered at the birth of various evil gods, but among them, the Black Sun and the Crimson Moon were the most heart-palpitating.

The reason was simple: one only had to look up to see them. This showed just how horrific their influence on the mortal world was, and the people of this world, even those who were awake, all possessed latent factors of madness, making them the most susceptible to the influence of the Black Sun and the Crimson Moon.

At this moment, he saw a trace of crimson in Lin's eyes. The little girl's throat bobbed as she swallowed, her small face filled with longing—no, perhaps it should be called ravenous hunger!

She stared hungrily at Aike, who was sleeping inside the cabin, nearly unable to suppress a certain craving. She wanted to joyfully devour his flesh and blood; she wanted to savor that sweetness and freshness.

In Lin's eyes, a scarlet color flowed.

However, she ultimately suppressed her craving with immense willpower.

The little girl finally turned to the side, transforming into a pool of scarlet blood as she walked, merging into the darkness.

Behind her, Aaron watched all of this and muttered to himself, "The existence on the Crimson Moon—the Mother Tree of Flesh—could Her domain be flesh and motherhood? It seems Her believers are indeed very interested in devouring flesh. As for the rest, I will need to continue observing."

The next day.

Aike rose and found Lin sleeping peacefully beside him, a trace of a smile lingering on her slightly chubby face, as if she were having a pleasant dream.

He walked out of the room, only to find that the atmosphere in Black Sun Town was wrong.

Crowds were gathered nervously, and squads led by the Son of Burning were rushing about everywhere.

"Uncle Igo, what happened?"

Aike saw an acquaintance and hurried forward to ask.

"It's an intruder. An intruder appeared in the town last night!" Igo had a thick, bushy beard, and his face was full of gravity. "It might even be a heretic who worships another evil god! He, or they, attacked our people. Poor Banji and Meili were left without even bones remaining..."

"A heretic!"

Aike gasped, his expression then turning fanatical. "The High Priest will deal with them."

The High Priest had already completed his great work and become an existence that transcended mortals.

"But... the High Priest has entered deep seclusion..." A bitter smile appeared on Igo's face.

Aike froze where he stood.

He couldn't help but think that he had offered up everything to help the High Priest become the Dark Beast, hoping to gain his protection.

And now, the other party's choice had already explained everything!

The High Priest didn't care about a few mere believers at all, whether it was Xiu or him!

When Aaron 'logged on' again, the situation in Black Sun Town had become dire.

Every night, believers went missing, and according to the analysis of the traces at the scenes, they had been treated with extreme cruelty—perhaps even devoured alive!

Even though the middle-ranking members of the Black Sun Cult tried their best to maintain order, it was to no avail.

By today, Aaron even heard people whispering that there were defectors in the cult!

No one wanted to stay in a place with a man-eating monster!

"However, the High Priest has stepped out. Lin is going to be in trouble..."

Aaron saw a large number of believers crowding around an old, bald man as they entered a crime scene, and he couldn't help but remark.

At this moment, in his eyes, although this High Priest was barely maintaining a human appearance, he was actually just a phantom.

The real him remained a beast-bodied, human-headed creature, his entire body burning with pitch-black flames, hiding within the shadow of the 'High Priest'.

"It seems his seclusion was just to conjure up a human image?"

Aaron followed the High Priest into a house of death.

On the floor, bloodstains and scraps of flesh still remained, and the air was filled with an unsettling atmosphere.

"The killer is someone who can completely control their own flesh and pores; we cannot even smell a single trace left by an outsider!"

A Son of Burning bowed and said.

"Although the attacker eliminated all traces, in terms of mysticism, such traces are difficult to erase..."

A smile appeared on the High Priest's face. "Prepare the ritual for me. I will use the Divination Rod method to find the attacker directly! He will be judged by the black flames and die in agonizing wails!"

Excitement appeared on the faces of the black-robed believers as they began to set up the ritual.

"I beseech my Lord... Lord of the Eclipse, God of the Black Sun..."

At the center of the ritual lay a piece of wood that had just been snapped. At this moment, as if influenced by some mysterious power, it stood straight up, and the High Priest grabbed it.

Snap!

The wooden rod fell, pointing in a certain direction.

In the current cult, only the High Priest was capable of such high-level divination! Aside from him, even the Dark Seeker would be subject to interference!

"Move!"

Seeing this, the High Priest followed without hesitation, and upon reaching an intersection, he dropped the wooden rod once more.

Aike mingled within the crowd, initially feeling a sense of excitement, even harboring the urge to personally light the heretics' pyre.

But gradually, his expression began to shift.

That direction—why was it getting closer and closer to his home?

Crack!

The wooden staff stopped once more, pointing toward a small cottage.

"Whose dwelling is that?"

Thick black flames billowed from the High Priest's nose and mouth.

"That is Aike's home!"

In that instant, Aike felt as if he had plummeted into an abyss!

Without the slightest hesitation, the High Priest charged into the small house.

Roar!

From the windows and the doorway, a massive amount of black smoke and flames erupted, within which the vague shape of a beast's roar emerged.

Aike knelt on the ground, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Soon, a monster cloaked in black flames ran out, carrying a thin, small figure in its jaws.

Thud!

Lin's body was tossed onto the ground, looking like nothing more than a tattered ragdoll.

Yet, even as the black flames scorched her, her expression remained wooden; before long, the skin on her body faded, dissolving into a mass of flesh and blood.

"A Flesh Puppet? This is blasphemy!"

The High Priest's head let out a roar: "This is the path and power of my Lord's mortal enemy! That blasphemer, she is not yet dead—seize her! Seize her!"

In a dense forest.

A vast number of trees had turned deathly pale, appearing almost transparent and illusory.

Aaron strolled leisurely through the woods, admiring the scenery around him.

This world is becoming increasingly strange and fantastical... Is this the influence of the Sun and those other existences? They are subconsciously reshaping this world... For now, it is merely the scenery that differs, but later on, I fear the very order and rules of time and space will fall into chaos...

He quickened his pace and caught sight of Lin up ahead.

The little girl now appeared as if she had undergone accelerated growth, transformed into a fit young woman radiating wildness and allure.

Long before the High Priest had headed for the cottage, Lin had seemingly sensed the danger, leaving behind a Flesh Puppet as she began her escape...