Blue Tang San instinctively raised his hand, trying to fight back.
But how could an incomplete form that had not even manifested its lower body be a match for the flaming Xiao Yan?
Before Tang San could even raise his hand, Xiao Yan had already slammed a fist into his head!
The next second!
The attack worked!
Lin Dong's attacks had hit like cannonballs, yet he had never managed to hurt Tang San.
But with a single punch, Xiao Yan sent Tang San's head flying!
That was no exaggeration!
He had literally punched his head clean off!
The head formed from azure smoke had virtually no defenses. Xiao Yan blasted it away with one punch!
And it was not just his head!
Blue Tang San's body also began to fade under that blow, finally turning into wisps of blue smoke and dispersing completely!
Only then did Xiao Yan return to Lin Dong's side with a relaxed expression, as though he had just wiped out some roadside nobody rather than the Sea God.
"Big brother, all done! A little thing like that can't hurt you!"
"A little thing?"
This was the first time Lin Dong had heard anyone call the Sea God's Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus a little thing.
Yet coming from Xiao Yan, it did not sound out of place at all.
Lin Dong clapped Xiao Yan hard on the shoulder and laughed. "My second brother is invincible!"
"You'll always be my big brother!"
Xiao Yan replied with a smile before continuing, "Big brother, my time is limited. I can't stay long. We'll meet again if fate allows!"
Caught up in his excitement, Lin Dong missed the deeper meaning of his words and nodded with a smile. "Second brother, see you later!"
"Take care, big brother!"
Xiao Yan respectfully cupped his fist toward Lin Dong. Only then did his figure begin to fade, until he vanished into the air just as Blue Tang San had.
Cough, cough, cough!
A series of sharp, dry coughs pulled Lin Dong back to reality.
He whipped his head around.
He found that Number Two could no longer hold himself upright. He lay on the ground, coughing incessantly and vomiting blood.
Looking closely, Lin Dong saw that Number Two had aged until his skin was dry and wrinkled all over, his hair was gray, and great patches of age spots covered his face and body. He reeked of old age.
Even so, Lin Dong did not rashly approach.
Number Two was at least a level 20 Warrior General. Who knew whether he had another trick up his sleeve?
Having made it this far, Lin Dong certainly did not want to fail at the last hurdle!
All he had to do was wait a little longer.
Lin Dong could afford to wait.
But although Lin Dong did not approach him, Number Two began crawling toward Lin Dong.
Old and close to death, Number Two crawled while muttering incessantly:
"It's true!"
"The high priest's prophecy was right!"
"Our God-Worshipping Cult can be saved! We can be saved!"
Lin Dong could not make out what Number Two was muttering and instinctively took two steps back.
"No!"
Seeing Lin Dong retreat, Number Two let out a wretched wail like an abandoned infant. "My god! Please do not leave me!"
"You're insane!"
Rather than lowering his guard at the sight, Lin Dong became even more wary.
Not one of these demonic cultists had a normal brain!
He was better off keeping his distance.
"Of course, of course. My god has yet to see my loyalty."
Seeing this, Number Two mustered every last ounce of strength and screamed himself hoarse. "My god! I, Er Lu, your servant and a level 29 Cloth Bag Elder of the God-Worshipping Cult, offer you my absolute loyalty!"
As he spoke, the man who called himself Er Lu plunged one hand into his chest and tore out his own heart!
But the eerie part was!
Even after tearing out his heart, Er Lu did not die. He could still speak. "My god, let this heart bear witness!"
"I entrust the God-Worshipping Cult's sacred relic to you!"
"My god!"
Er Lu raised his heart above his head, staring fixedly at Lin Dong with feverish eyes and an indescribably sickening fervor on his face!
"I have seen god! My god is eternal!"
Laughing wildly, Er Lu suddenly clenched both hands with all his strength!
Squelch!
The beating heart exploded in an instant!
Scarlet flesh and blood splattered everywhere!
Er Lu's body went limp as a noodle and collapsed to the ground, never to stir again!
[Ding! You have cleared an intruder. Progress +1!] [Ding! Congratulations on completing the mission "Clear the Infiltrating Mutants"!] [Ding! Congratulations on receiving the reward "Heavenly Blessing"!]
Only after the system notifications confirmed Er Lu's death did Lin Dong approach to inspect him.
"Hm?"
The first thing Lin Dong noticed was part of an atrium from Er Lu's heart.
It caught his eye because something else was mixed into it.
"What's this?!"
Lin Dong carefully extracted a silver coin the size of a baby's fist from the blood-soaked scraps of flesh.
Lin Dong examined it closely.
Its design was archaic, and it looked quite old. In particular, the side bearing the lettering and patterns was engraved with obscure, incomprehensible writing that looked like both an incantation and runes.
[Kill!] [Universal Salvation!] [Power!]
The instant Lin Dong grasped the silver coin, his aura surged. A vicious, savage force mingled with beguiling Buddhist chants assaulted his mind, tempting him to slaughter everything before him!
At that moment, Lin Dong felt as though he had become a true god!
Throughout heaven and earth, I alone reign supreme!
"You vile beast! How dare you hurt my big brother!"
Just as Lin Dong was about to succumb to that savagery, a clear, furious shout exploded deep within his soul!
The next second!
Lin Dong's eyes flew wide open. With lightning speed, he locked the silver coin inside the Silent Sleeve Arrow's ammunition case.
Clink!
The silver coin struck the wooden case with a crisp sound.
The intrusive thoughts flooding Lin Dong's mind vanished instantly!
Huff, huff, huff!
Lin Dong leaned against the carriage door, gasping for breath, his eyes filled with dread!
"What the hell is this thing?!"
For that brief instant, Lin Dong had seemed to lose all conscious awareness, becoming a beast that followed nothing but instinct!
Had Xiao Yan not roared at that critical moment...
Lin Dong would probably have become the coin's slave!
"Damn Demon-Worshipping Cult!"
Lin Dong cursed furiously. "You won't leave people in peace even after you're dead!"
"One day, I'll root out every last one of you!"
[Ding! Special notice from the Heavenly Dao!] [You have just borrowed against the future. The secret realm protagonist's affinity has decreased by 10%!] [Please increase affinity promptly, or the future secret realm protagonist's affinity will decrease permanently!]
"Holy shit!"
A moment ago, Lin Dong had looked relieved to have survived. Now he jumped straight up. "What the fuck is this?!"
Borrowed against the future?!
That warning came from the future?!
This...
Once Lin Dong seemingly confirmed that Xiao Yan's affinity toward him really had decreased, his expression instantly darkened!
Meanwhile.
In the outside world.
Inside a church in a certain city.
An elderly priest was distributing alms.
Suddenly.
The old priest's expression changed sharply, and he hurried away without offering any explanation.
"Damn you, Er Lu! If you were going to die, why did you have to drag me into it?!"
The old priest rapidly tapped at the air with both hands, his face utterly grim. "No matter what you say, I'm going to kill your entire family!"
The next second!
Er Lu, who had long since died, suddenly appeared in midair without any warning. He opened his mouth and shouted:
"God! I saw god!"
Before you continue