The voice inside suddenly changed, and then a darkness enveloped Lin Xiao and the other two.
"A grand welcoming ceremony."
Lin Xiao looked at the darkness, the military knife in his hand trembled, and his body tensed with excitement. He relished this thrilling sense of danger that made his hair stand on end.
Qi Tian, however, frowned. The armor on his body instantly protected him. "This thing's aura is rather nauseating."
Meanwhile, the Grand Inquisitor had already drawn his Sword of Judgment a moment ago, a milky white light enveloping him and shielding him from external influences.
Then, the church doors opened.
A group of people emerged, swaying unsteadily. They were all clad in pitch-black cloaks.
Upon closer inspection, one would notice that these cloaks were not made of fabric but were composed of a layer of energy, protecting the believers within.
The Grand Inquisitor’s eyes blazed with fury at the sight.
These were once their followers! Their congregants!
"It seems this fellow has indeed found his most suitable method," Lin Xiao remarked, casually waving the military knife in his hand through the air.
With that single strike, he shattered the cloaks on everyone.
As the cloaks were destroyed by his blade, they turned into black smoke, engulfing Lin Xiao and the other two.
"Lord… please grant me strength, grant me the power to contend with demons!"
The next second, he plunged the Sword of Judgment in his hand decisively into the ground.
Holy light shone forth, and the pure, immaculate holy radiance instantly repelled all the black mist.
Lin Xiao seized this opportunity, his military knife cleaving through the air once more. This time, all the believers staggered and finally fell to the ground.
"They…"
"Don't worry, I'm not one to kill indiscriminately. They aren't dead, just temporarily asleep."
Lin Xiao spoke as he stepped out from the protection of the holy light.
Qi Tian blinked, following Lin Xiao with a puzzled expression. The current Lin Xiao was quite different from before; those recent strikes were also things he had never seen.
Thinking of this, he immediately pulled out his laptop to record Lin Xiao's present state.
It seemed the separate database he had created for Lin Xiao was serving its intended purpose.
The two entered the church.
Inside the church, only one person remained standing, unentangled by any black mist.
"Archbishop Andrew."
The Grand Inquisitor also hurried into the hall after Lin Xiao, but when he saw the last person inside the church, he froze.
This was their Cardinal, one of the bishops who had gone missing a few days prior.
"Grand Inquisitor, long time no see. I hope you've been well."
Andrew took off the cloak from his head and spoke to the Grand Inquisitor with a friendly demeanor.
"Andrew! You have betrayed your faith!"
"Faith? Betrayed? What are you talking about, Grand Inquisitor?" Andrew’s face wore a mocking expression. "I have always believed in the true god. It's just that the 'Lord' you speak of cannot provide me with the opportunity to become a god, nor will he help us resolve injustices."
"In fact, I now doubt if the 'Lord' you speak of truly exists in this world." Andrew spoke with remarkable calm. The smile on his face led Lin Xiao to a firm conclusion.
This fellow had clearly been brainwashed by the Dark Archmage.