"No... let me go! Lord! Save me! Save your faithful follower, Lord..."
This man was unceremoniously slung over Lin Xiao's shoulder and, in the next moment, tossed into the room of the High Judge.
He looked at the person he had placed on the ground with some curiosity.
The power of faith emanated from this individual, though only a faint trace. Yet, this sliver was enough to set him apart from many others.
As he prayed, this man closed his eyes in despair, his lips moving. *Lord, will you abandon us? Will you truly stand by and do nothing...?*
"Open your eyes and look," Lin Xiao's voice resonated.
The man instinctively opened his eyes, and what met his gaze was a familiar face.
"Lord... High Judge?!"
He gaped, looking at Lin Xiao beside him in disbelief. Had this demon from the East truly brought him to the High Judge?
"Xiu, what is the matter?" The High Judge recognized this follower. Xiu was typically at the chapel every day, always appearing kind, neat, devout to the Lord, and consistently maintaining an air of decorum.
But the current Xiu looked exceptionally disheveled. His hair was messy, his spirit listless, and his clothes were crumpled, as if he had just been through some conflict.
"High Judge! The demon! The demon has appeared! The demon is stripping away our faith, forcing us to believe in him!" Xiu's hands suddenly grasped the High Judge as he said in a flustered tone, "They've all been taken! Their faith has collapsed! Only I, I have steadfastly believed in the Lord, believing the Lord would come to save us!"
"Where."
The High Judge's face instantly darkened. He glanced at Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao and Qi Tian, too, felt a surge of anticipation. It seemed they would soon encounter a part of this Dark Archmage.
According to the manual, the Dark Archmage still had a hand, a foot, a torso, and a head yet to appear.
They wondered which part of the Dark Archmage was manifesting here and decided it was the perfect time to go and see.
Upon hearing the High Judge, Xiu scrambled to his feet without a word and hurried to lead the way.
Lin Xiao and Qi Tian followed closely behind.
Soon, they arrived at a chapel.
Chapels like this were common sights in the Vatican – neither too large nor too small, and well-equipped.
Under normal circumstances, the area around this chapel would have been enveloped in the power of faith. However, Lin Xiao noticed that this particular chapel was devoid of even a trace of it.
Within the chapel, the presence of over a hundred people could be felt.
Without exception, the auras of these individuals were all in a state of chaos.
"Darkness shall descend. The Almighty Lord will punish all injustice. The Omnipotent God shall manifest a divine miracle..."
A mesmerizing chant emanated from the chapel.
Lin Xiao instinctively sealed Xiu's senses with his spiritual energy.
"I... I can't see..."
Xiu cried out in shock.
Then, Lin Xiao's voice transmitted into his mind: "Follow us. Do not stray. You are not suited to hear or see anything from inside right now."
Xiu nodded, indicating his understanding.
He had witnessed the darkness within. If his faith had not been sufficiently strong, he too would now be in that chapel, undergoing the demon's transformation.
"Now, someone outside is attempting to obstruct the true God's descent. Do you know what you must do?"