Chapter 20: Black Death and Deities 02 Part 3

【So the wife wasn’t an angel after all, but a little scheming, alluring little succubus!】

【Ahh, I also want to stand beneath that platform and be looked down upon by the wife from on high!】

【Whoa, Mianmian’s action reminds me of Martin Luther. You all know him, right?】

【Of course. He was the first person in history to crash that booth, haha. While others sold Indulgences, he stood nearby proclaiming you could get salvation just by reading the Bible. And in the end, he actually succeeded.】

【This instance hinted its background referenced medieval Europe. Could the clearing clues be hidden in history itself?】

Jian Bumian climbed back through the window onto the spiral staircase inside the church.

The players were naturally very grateful to Jian Bumian, especially some of the new players, who were itching to immediately go cling to his thigh.

But Jian Bumian was also a new player…

He wasn’t very used to exposing himself to so many gazes, so he headed back up the spiral staircase, intending to return to his bedroom.

There were sections of the spiral staircase that brought one extremely close to the church’s Statue of God.

Because the players were all busy struggling for survival, none had the mind to pay attention to the church’s furnishings, including this statue.

Jian Bumian was even less so. He rarely even went to the church hall, always staying in his bedroom or the baths.

Jian Bumian stood on a stretch of stairs extremely close to the statue. He couldn’t help but pause, his gaze falling on it.

The statue was very handsome: short hair, thin lips, a high nose bridge, and resolute features. The parts of its body not covered by fabric revealed lines of robust muscle, like a lazily sleeping lion, exuding profound intimidation.

It was different from the Noble Guest of the previous instance. That Noble Guest evoked the image of an elegant vampire holding a black umbrella on a rainy night. This statue was more like a valiant warrior from ancient Roman myth, perfectly embodying the captivating power of masculine strength.

Jian Bumian wasn’t shallow; he didn’t have any particular feelings for good-looking things.

Perhaps because he’d been an instance NPC for so long, he’d seen all manner of grotesque monsters and couldn’t appreciate human features. Although he’d lost his memories after his revival, various habits from before ran deep in his marrow.

Even so, he still couldn’t help scrutinizing the statue for a long time.

…If deities truly existed in this instance,

He wondered how God would react upon hearing the insincere, flattering nonsense he’d just spouted in front of all the residents.

God wouldn’t blame him, right?

—After all, this was a kind, merciful God. Oh, and God also didn’t like naughty children who ran around.

Jian Bumian raised his hand, wanting to touch the statue. His pinkish fingertips could only reach the Adam’s apple area.

His small frame formed a strong contrast with the overly tall statue. As he stared at the statue’s muscular body, his eyes were clear and pure.

He was like a weak little animal cub that had strayed into a beast’s den, naively and innocently going to touch the other’s sensitive spot, oblivious to the danger.

When Jian Bumian touched its throat, his brow furrowed. He felt the texture wasn’t quite right.

Not like a cold, hard statue. Nor like a living person.

It was somewhat like something between a statue and a person.

It might be slowly transforming from a statue into a person.

Jian Bumian: “……”

He pulled his hand back and wiped it on his clothes with a hint of disgust.

【Damn, Mianmian is too bold. Don’t just casually touch someone’s Adam’s apple!!】

【One of the laws of the Infinite World: if you see a humanoid statue, it will definitely move and come to life.】

【This statue is so handsome, worthy of my Mianmian. But too bad it’s stone. Don’t want Mianmian using cold, hard things.】

Jian Bumian had long grown used to the bullet comments. By now, he also didn’t understand most of them.

It was just this last comment that he didn’t quite get…

Jian Bumian couldn’t be bothered. He went straight into his bedroom, washed up simply, and fell into a deep sleep.

A dreamless night.

~

The next day, Jian Bumian was again woken by the hushed murmurs of the players.

He suspected these players never actually went back to bed at night, just stayed in the hall discussing the instance plot. Even the NPCs would feel inferior.

Jian Bumian left his bedroom and descended the spiral staircase. From his high vantage point, besides seeing each player slumped over in despair, looking half-dead, he could also clearly see the large, blood-red script on the dome.

Just moments ago, the instance had issued the main storyline mission.

【Congratulations to all players for passing the first round of selections on Day One. The main storyline mission is now announced:】

【—The concept of “God” held a critically important position in true medieval history, and had a significant mutual influence with the Black Death.】

【Each player, before midnight for the next three days, must find and identify a “Deity” within the church (Note: must be a “Deity” capable of eliminating the Black Death).】

【Incorrect identification will not result in Erasure (Note: incorrect identification may result in identifying an unknown creature. Its attack may lead to your death).】

【If the identification reasoning is unreasonable, Erasure will occur.】

【Failure to make an identification before midnight each day will result in Erasure.】

【If players fail to identify the correct Deity by the end of Day Three, all players will be Erased.】

【Even if the correct Deity is identified, failure to perform the correct sacrificial ritual will result in the Erasure of all players.】

Looking around, all the players saw was a dense mass of “Erasure” warnings.

“Damn…” A player couldn’t help but widen his eyes, his face full of terror: “What’s with this instance? I’ve been through three instances and I’ve never seen so many death-trigger conditions! I don’t even recognize the word ‘Erasure’ anymore!”

“What kind of God can eliminate the Black Death?? This is beyond my knowledge!”

“Heavens, I’m most afraid of group Erasure. What if there’s a traitor among us? We’ll all be finished!”

It wasn’t just the players discussing; the viewers in Jian Bumian’s stream also erupted.

Simply put, this instance required players to find a “Deity” within the church capable of eliminating the Black Death.

Each player, every day, had to identify something they found, stating whether or not it was a Deity.

If the reasoning for the identification was unreasonable, regardless of whether the thing was a Deity, Erasure would occur.

If the identification was wrong, although not instantly Erased, the player might be attacked and killed by the identified monster.

If by the end of the third day, not a single player among them all had found the correct Deity, all would be Erased.

Even if the correct Deity was found, failure to perform the sacrificial ritual capable of eliminating the Black Death would also result in the Erasure of all.

The instance finished displaying the main storyline mission.

Finally, at the end of the main storyline mission, a new line of text appeared.

【All missions in this instance are rooted in humanity.】

This text was actually a lustrous, vivid green, like a fresh sprout after rain, seeming to hold vigorous life force.

Amidst the blood-red main storyline mission, it appeared remarkably out of place.

However, the players were completely immersed in their terror of Erasure and had no mind to consider why it would be such a jarring green.

Jian Bumian wasn’t particularly frightened by the massive list of Erasure conditions, even feeling genuinely accustomed to it.

He only wondered whether this main storyline mission would hinder him from eating Malicious Ghosts.

In this instance, he was absolutely determined to eat a Malicious Ghost. Absolutely, definitely, no more delays.

Any more delays and the child would starve to death.

Jian Bumian stood quietly to one side. Suddenly, alongside the players, he heard the church door being knocked upon.

Remembering yesterday’s lesson, the players’ first reaction was that this couldn’t be good.

Jian Bumian had already ordered the residents to stay at home yesterday. How could there still be people knocking at the door?

One player peeked out the window. He didn’t see the same massive, swarming crowd as yesterday, only a sparse group of a few individuals waiting outside the church doors.

Even so, two-thirds of them were already infected, just a step away from completely turning into Ratmen.

Seeing someone poke their head out the church window, they ran over and said: “Hello, sir. We are refugees who drifted to this city from elsewhere. We have no homes to return to. But yesterday, the new Priest said we must stay at home to receive forgiveness.

So, might we be allowed to temporarily treat the church as our home? Let us inside, please? We beg you.”

The player who heard the refugees’ request turned to look at the other players: “Should we let them in?”

Some of these refugees were already infected. Leaving them out on the streets would make them new sources of contagion.

If those among them who weren’t infected yet couldn’t find a safe quarantine point and continued to wander the streets, they too would become infected. The results would be as above.

The player count in this instance wasn’t large. Most of them quickly made a decision.

Only let the uninfected ones inside.

Kill the infected ones.

A player with a firearm item didn’t hesitate to kill the refugees who had already turned into Ratmen.

The few uninfected refugees didn’t know their companions had been infected, much less understand why the church members would kill them. Their faces were filled with terror.

But thankfully, the church door was pushed open a tiny crack, and they were ultimately allowed into the church.

Jian Bumian wasn’t interested in the players’ actions, let alone bothered to see what new characters had entered the church.

He was more concerned with the breakfast he was eating.

A sandwich with vegetables and meat, and a cup of steaming hot milk.

The sandwich was made very large; he couldn’t eat it in one bite, so he had to take small mouthfuls slowly.

He lost his grip, and the sandwich tumbled to the ground, picking up quite a bit of dust.

Jian Bumian: “……”

He was reminded of the custard bun similarly dropped on the ground in the previous instance.

But this unlucky sandwich didn’t end up like the custard bun, lying on the floor alone to be trampled upon.

It was picked up by a pair of small, grimy hands.

Jian Bumian: “?”

He looked over and saw a little boy.

This little boy was from the refugee group that had just entered the church.

The little boy was in tatters, his clothes torn beyond recognition. His skin was also caked with dirt, gray and dusty, like a little mud figure just unearthed from the soil.

But even so, the boy’s striking features weren’t hidden.

He was around eleven or twelve years old, with short, pale golden hair and blue eyes. His cheeks were slightly chubby, his features young and delicate. He evoked the image of a childlike angel from medieval oil paintings.

He had picked up the dropped sandwich and was holding it in both hands, looking up at Jian Bumian expectantly.

The little boy’s eyes were a sea-blue, clear as crystal, cleaner than any ocean in the world.

It was very easy to read the emotion in his eyes at a glance.

He wanted to eat this sandwich.

But he didn’t dare ask Jian Bumian directly, so he could only stand there awkwardly holding the sandwich.

Jian Bumian: “……”

He deeply understood the distress of an empty stomach. He said blandly: “Don’t eat that sandwich yet; it’s dirty. Wait here a moment, I’ll get you a new one.”

There was plenty of food in the church kitchen, just sitting there uneaten.

Soon, Jian Bumian brought back a new sandwich for the little boy. The sandwich was even bigger than the one he’d been eating, full of meat and vegetables, hot, fragrant.

The little boy saw the sandwich and his eyes immediately lit up. Yet he still stood obediently in place, waiting for Jian Bumian to hand it to him.

“Eat up.”

The little boy took the sandwich, mumbled an indistinct thank you, and gulped down the sandwich in a few bites, at an astonishing speed.

It was clear he was truly ravenous.

Jian Bumian gave a helpless, soft laugh: “Once you’re full, shoo. Find a clean place in the church and stay there.”

But the little boy didn’t leave.

He stood beside Jian Bumian, his fluffy golden head reaching only the other’s waist.

He lifted his head, wiped his hands, and gently tugged at the corner of Jian Bumian’s robe. His eyes were very pure, clean. No matter what request he made, one would feel unwilling to refuse.

A warm, soft, well-behaved child’s voice rang out.

“Can I stay by your side? Mama.”

Jian Bumian stiffened: “???????”

He made sure he hadn’t misheard.

This little brat had indeed called him Mama.

He didn’t think he looked like a girl? And why spontaneously acknowledge a relative!

The System, silent for a long time, quietly spoke up.

【Jian Bumian, do you remember the name of the robe you’re wearing?】

【Item Name: Holy Mother’s Robe.】