Jia Xiu Understood Cults Better Than Cultists

This was Jia Xiu's first time seeing a high-value target prompt.

Because every spellbook he had scanned in the Association library had returned low-value feedback, he had even briefly suspected that the skill did not work.

Even low-value spells could earn at least a few hundred experience points if he dug deep enough.

So a high-value target had to be worth several thousand at the very least.

Tempted by the experience, Jia Xiu decided not to fight back for now and instead check out the Cult of Deceit and Curses.

He quickly assessed the risks.

It was a small cult operating in a remote town. It had never caused any major trouble, had not attracted a crusade from the Church of Light, and the quest posted at the Adventurer Association was not highly ranked either.

Its strength should be fairly limited.

More importantly, he had already set up a Teleportation Anchor in the laboratory. The moment anything went wrong, he could teleport away.

The Teleportation Anchor skill was extremely convenient. It required neither incantations nor channeling, and was much like Apparition in Harry Potter. As long as he was within a range of 120 kilometers, he could instantly teleport without a sound. It was the ultimate escape skill.

Having made up his mind, Jia Xiu deliberately began walking into narrow alleys, creating an opportunity for the two not-very-bright-looking cultist kidnappers to act without witnesses.

He even slowed down on purpose.

It could not be helped. Creekwood Town's streets and alleys twisted all over the place. If he walked too fast, those two would not be able to keep up.

After Jia Xiu had diligently acted out "I'm so stupid, hurry up and kidnap me" for more than ten minutes, they finally made their move.

Jia Xiu heard hurried footsteps behind him. They were running so frantically that he could even hear one of them trip.

It made Jia Xiu seriously question these cultists' intelligence and professionalism.

More specifically, he wondered how they could possibly be connected to a high-value research target.

As the footsteps drew closer, the long-awaited sack was finally pulled over Jia Xiu's head. A rope was haphazardly tied around him, and then he was hoisted onto someone's shoulder.

"Bro, the money's ours now! Let's hurry up and find a place to kill this brat."

Jia Xiu was somewhat surprised when he heard the kidnapper speak.

He had assumed they would only kidnap him, beat him up, threaten him, or rob him of some money to scare him. He had not expected them to go straight for murder.

Hannas seemed a little too extreme.

Jia Xiu prepared to activate the Teleportation Anchor.

Then another voice rang out. "Idiot! It wasn't easy kidnapping someone. Carry him back and use him as a sacrifice! We haven't performed a sacrifice in a while. There aren't many people around right now, so move!"

Three hours later.

Jia Xiu had never expected this.

The kidnappers had meant "move" literally.

Forget ox carts or horse carriages—they did not even have a handcart. They had carried him on their shoulders for a full three hours.

Jia Xiu was certain that at this pace, they had absolutely not traveled beyond the 120-kilometer range. His safety was still guaranteed.

His biggest problem right now was that being carried in this position had jostled his stomach sore, and he was hungry too.

If he had known it would take this long, he would have eaten breakfast before getting kidnapped.

Since the journey had been unbearably boring, all he could do was silently recite exam material in his head.

Just as he reached the four methods for treating Frenzied Swamp Frog toxin, he heard the footsteps change.

A hollow echo appeared. They had probably entered a cave somewhere, which most likely meant they had reached the cult's hideout.

Sure enough, not long afterward, Jia Xiu was set down, and the hood was roughly yanked off his head.

After his eyes adjusted, he gradually saw clearly.

Before him stood an altar, upon which rested a small statue. It was undoubtedly the God of Deceit and Curses. The carving was not particularly good, and its facial features were terrible as well.

Before the statue was a sacrificial magic circle drawn with some unknown kind of blood, giving off a thick, fishy stench.

Materials for the sacrificial ritual had been placed around the magic circle.

A Human Bone Flute, a Human Skin Scroll, a Skull Bowl...

Wait, why did this setup feel strangely familiar?

While the cultists prepared the preliminary steps of the ritual, Jia Xiu surveyed the small stronghold.

The cave was not large, and there were not many people. Aside from the two who had kidnapped him, he saw fewer than ten others.

It was even smaller in scale than he had expected.

No wonder the Church of Light could not be bothered with them. Sending people to wipe them out would have been more trouble than it was worth.

These people did not eat well, either. Half-eaten black bread lay on the table, and judging by its color, it was probably the cheapest kind.

They had fallen this low, yet they still steadfastly performed sacrificial rituals for some god or other.

Did that count as a kind of "devotion"?

The shorter of his kidnappers was probably the leader of this group of cultists. He lit candles with eerie green flames at several corners of the magic circle, then began chanting an incantation.

As the ritual was about to begin, Jia Xiu only wanted to know where that high-research-value target was.

As the incantation was recited, a phantom gradually condensed above the magic circle.

The cult leader was thrilled. The ritual preparations were complete.

Jia Xiu was even more thrilled. He had finally found the high-value target.

[Using talent "Insight"]

[A person who died filled with regret, whose profound resentment twisted their soul into a powerful Undead. Deceived by the God of Deceit and Curses, once the sacrificial ritual is complete, it will descend upon the world bearing surging power of curses.]

The legendary high-value target turned out to be an Undead.

Although he still did not know what he could research from this thing, Jia Xiu was sure he had to find a way to acquire it.

Judging from its current state, there was still quite a ways to go before it could be summoned.

Jia Xiu used the Rune Eye and began studying the entire sacrificial ritual.

"A magic circle combining multiple spells..."

"The constants referenced by the magic circle are wrong?"

Thanks to his extensive programming experience, he quickly found the problem with the ritual—and it was an obvious one.

"These variables correspond to..."

"Those materials. The materials have been placed incorrectly!"

Besides the materials, Jia Xiu also discovered that this summoning did not necessarily need to be completed through sacrifice. Faith could be used as well, though sacrifice was more efficient.

After roughly figuring out the ritual, Jia Xiu considered how he should proceed.

This was a poor, small cult. They lacked money, which was why they had accepted Hannas's job.

They were also utterly incompetent. They did not even know how to properly arrange ritual materials.

And they were idiots.

What kind of sane kidnappers did not even prepare transportation before an operation?

Once he had summarized those conditions, a plan gradually took shape in Jia Xiu's mind...

At the same time, the cult leader finished preparing the ritual. He picked up an Obsidian Dagger and walked toward Jia Xiu.

"If you become an Undead, don't blame us. Someone wants you dead."

The cult leader waved the dagger through the air, trying his best to look vicious.

But then he suddenly noticed that the sacrifice before him, who was about to be offered up, was not afraid in the slightest. Instead, he wore a smile as though everything were under his control.

"What are you laughing at?" the cult leader asked unhappily.

He felt that his evil-faction identity had been challenged.

Jia Xiu answered with a question of his own. "How many sacrifices have you offered?"

"Eight!" the cult leader answered proudly.

"Not bad." Jia Xiu's smile grew more mysterious. "What about yesterday?"