The Path of Faith

"You're right. Unfortunately, I can't sense your faith. Otherwise, I'd certainly want to see what's inside your box."

The gray-robed figure was very interested in Lin Ye, but it could not sense his faith, so it could not act against him.

"It might not be as interesting as you think. Can I leave now?"

Lin Ye did not think he could complete the simulation so easily, but he had to try leaving this place.

"Of course. Take that box with you as a gift from me. But even if you leave this church, you won't be able to leave this place alive without choosing a god to believe in."

The gray-robed figure was very friendly toward Lin Ye. After all, Lin Ye did not believe in its god, which made him a guest of the church, and it always treated guests this way.

"Thank you."

Without saying anything more, Lin Ye went over, picked up the box containing his companion, and left the church.

The instant he picked up the box, a notification flashed before his eyes:

[You have received a gift. Complete the simulation while carrying the gift to bring it back to the shelter.]

Lin Ye stopped just outside the church. Instead of the prison transport and guards, or the outskirts he had been in before entering the church, he saw a broad road paved with white stone slabs, lined on both sides with various church-like buildings.

"Sigh. I knew I wouldn't be able to get out."

Although Lin Ye had already suspected as much, the situation still gave him a bit of a headache.

In other words, I have to choose a god to believe in before I can leave.

But once I believe in a god, I'll become a member of the church, and the things inside will be able to act against me.

And believing in a god probably involves the mind. Even returning to the shelter might not free me from these so-called gods.

That isn't even the biggest problem.

Lin Ye clutched his hair, looking troubled.

He did not think he could believe in a god.

It was not a question of willingness, but of ability.

Even if Lin Ye wanted to believe in a god, he did not think he could do it.

Faith was not something mere words could accomplish. It required wholehearted devotion. If he tried to fob a god off by believing just a little, his fate would definitely not be much better than his teammate's box.

Forget it. I'll take it one step at a time.

Lin Ye followed the stone-paved road toward the next church. The two churches were not far apart, only a few hundred meters, but for some reason, he could only see a church in full once he got close.

The second church was a creamy-white domed building. A pale-faced priest in black vestments stood outside its doors, looking a little like a girl touting for customers outside a barbershop.

"Hello. Would you like to come in and take a look?"

The priest seemed unable to leave the church grounds. He stretched out both hands with an exaggerated gesture, trying to grab Lin Ye.

"Get to the point. I'm busy."

Lin Ye stepped back to keep the priest from touching him.

"All right. You don't have a god you believe in yet, do you? Nonbelievers cannot leave this place. Believe in my Lord, and not only will I send you away safely, but my Lord will also grant you supreme power."

The priest wore an exaggerated smile, his face full of eagerness.

He looked less like someone recruiting a new member and more like a starving man who had stumbled upon a feast.

"Tell me the actual benefits. Spare me the useless stuff, and don't treat me like a newbie. What tier is your god? Do you hand out runes? Are there evolution paths? What tier can you support me up to?"

Lin Ye did not stand on ceremony at all. He planned to try joining a church in a little while, so he was getting a feel for the market first.

"Huh? Gods have tiers too? You get things for joining? How come I didn't get any?"

The priest was clearly overwhelmed by Lin Ye's technical jargon. For a moment, he even felt that he was the newbie Lin Ye had mentioned.

"Oh, so you're a scrub who knows nothing. What a waste of time."

Lin Ye walked around the priest and continued toward the next church, leaving the priest deep in thought outside his church.

The third church was built from piled-up corpses and bones. Even from far away, Lin Ye felt a deep sense of unease.

So he did not approach it at all, simply going around it.

The next few churches he passed all looked sinister as hell, as though failing to hang a few corpses outside a church would be unfashionable.

Only after walking for half an hour did Lin Ye encounter a church with a reasonably acceptable exterior.

It was a pure black church with a pointed roof. Its architectural style leaned toward the conservative, giving it a simple, clean beauty.

This church gave Lin Ye a strong sense of familiarity, but he could not remember where he had seen it before.

As soon as he entered and saw the enormous hollow at the center of the church, Lin Ye instantly understood why it had felt familiar.

This was a church connected to the Abyss.

Lin Ye wanted to turn around and leave, only to find that hollows had already filled the space behind and around him.

Apart from the spot beneath his feet, there was nowhere else to stand in the church.

A nun fell headfirst in front of Lin Ye. Hanging upside down like that, she met his gaze without a word.

"Do all you nuns dislike talking?"

Lin Ye deeply regretted it now. Ever since the system had chosen him, he had never encountered anything good. The moment he had felt that familiarity, he should have turned around and left.

"You are closely connected to the Abyss. Sooner or later, you will fall into the Abyss. Would you like to believe in my Lord and secure a backer in advance?"

Like Mr. Gray, the nun was very friendly.

"Not for now. Let's talk after I fall into the Abyss."

Lin Ye did not dare get involved with the Abyss again. He would rather find a god who was not so powerful and join in name only.

"What a shame. You may leave, then. Just jump down, and you'll be able to get out."

The nun watched Lin Ye, seemingly urging him to hurry up and jump.

"..."

Lin Ye looked at the pitch-black void below. He neither jumped nor answered, simply staring down and waiting as time passed.

Five minutes later, the nun finally lost patience. Apparently, maintaining this state was not entirely without cost.

The floor returned, and the church doors appeared before Lin Ye.

Lin Ye still did not move. He had no way of knowing whether the floor would disappear again, or even whether what he saw was actually a floor.

Ultimately, Lin Ye had no way of knowing how to leave this place.

Could he leave by opening the door? Or was jumping down the correct way out? How was he supposed to jump?

Besides, even if he left this place and entered another church, it would still be difficult to end the simulation without believing in a god. This place seemed to offer an opportunity.

So Lin Ye decided to take a risk.

Looking straight into the nun's eyes, he spread his arms and fell backward into the Abyss behind him, feet up and head down, just like the nun.

Since you won't let me leave, I'll just have to come closer.

The nun could not help marveling at Lin Ye's courage and good fortune. The exit really was below, but he had to leave upside down.

Many guests had visited this church, but very few had dared leap into the void, and those who managed to leave upside down could be counted on one hand.

"As expected of one favored by the Abyss. May we meet again in the Abyss soon."