Church split

The street lights flickered as if they had poor contact, barely illuminating the narrow road.

As a few shadows flashed by, the light of the street lamps went out completely. Panicked shouts, painful groans, and horrifying tearing sounds echoed. When the lights came back on, only a pool of bright red blood remained on the ground.

The residents of the surrounding houses then cautiously poked their heads out to observe the situation outside. The Holy Patrol arrived late and sealed off the scene. They registered and questioned the residents with tired faces and recorded the incident in the book.

A resident asked cautiously, "Sir, has something happened?"

"As long as you follow the rules and don't open the door to strangers, nothing will happen. This is the church's territory, and it is guarded by the nobles. You are safe."

The Bloodline hurriedly took notes, said a few words of comfort, and rushed to the next house. The residents who heard him were unsure. The church's reputation had already sunk to the bottom. If it was as easy as the other party said, would it still take so many people to seal off the scene?

After several similar incidents occurred one after another, the rumor spread like wildfire.

It is said that the church has offended the gods and has been abandoned by them. The gods today are nothing more than false gods, and the strange deaths of these people are a sign of this. Only by believing in the true God can we escape the reckoning and regain the favor of the gods.

Countless intelligence was gathered into the church and was judged as an important event, which was decided by the bishops.

The bishop in charge of reading the documents reported: "Recently, there have been several missing persons cases around the holy city. There was a lot of blood at the scene, but no bodies were found."

"I guess someone committed suicide again and the body was stolen. This is not uncommon nowadays."

"It's different. According to our judgment, there were signs of a struggle at the scene. The victim should be a bloodline."

Since this was a matter of bloodline, a careful investigation was still needed. The bishops discussed it for a while and made a choice.

"Let Rocco do it."

Bishop Rocco stood up and said, "I will definitely live up to everyone's expectations."

Fink said, "I'll go too. Judging heresy is my responsibility. In this case, this is a serious provocation to the church. I don't want more imitators to come out and cause trouble for me."

Unexpectedly, someone spoke up before everyone else: "I agree with Bishop Fink. He is a great fit for this trip."

The speaker coughed, his tone gentle and peaceful. Even among all the bishops, Byron was a bishop with almost no presence. He was usually a good guy and basically never spoke on his own initiative. People's impression of him has always been that he is ordinary and weak, and his sudden opening of his mouth this time really surprised everyone.

Byron continued slowly: "Bishop Fink, I hope you can bring back satisfactory results after leaving this time. Whether it is for the church or for yourself."

People got the hint from this sentence. Bishop Byron was in charge of the nursing home. The old, weak, sick and disabled people rescued by the church were sent to the nursing home. Fink was very fierce, and every time he attacked, he would add a lot of burdens to him. Coupled with the emotional conflict during this period, this was a subtle reminder to the other party.

Fink sensed something was going on and secretly gritted his teeth. He smiled for the sake of the other party's support and said, "Since Bishop Byron has said so, I must be careful in my words and deeds and complete this mission successfully."

The other bishops nodded, briefly discussed other matters, and declared the meeting over.

…

The darkness enveloped everything.

Because of the incident a few days ago, the doors and windows of the houses nearby were tightly closed, and there was no sign of anyone coming out. This just made the investigation easier.

Rocco checked the scene and found that there were not many remnants left. He sighed and said, "Trouble, it seems that we still need to start the ceremony."

Fink frowned and said, "It's just a missing person case. Isn't it a bit of a waste of talent?"

"This incident happened near the holy city and has posed a serious threat to the safety of residents. Now that we are here, we must not let the murderer get away. If anything happens, I will take care of it."

Rocco was very determined. Seeing this, Fink had no choice but to obey. They quickly laid out the materials, the feathers of the multi-winged beast that symbolized purity, the beautiful and brilliant petals of the silver rain flower, and two drops of blood from devout believers.

Both of them cut their fingers and a drop of blood flowed out at the same time.

Blood dripped into the ceremony like boiling water dripping into a frying pan. Many materials exploded directly, and billowing black smoke rushed into the sky. Under the cover of black smoke, the two weapons collided with each other, making a clanging sound.

"You are indeed a traitor! Fink, why did you do this! Are you worthy of the trust of these believers!?"

Rocco shouted angrily. Fortunately, with the reminder from the gods, he was able to prepare in advance. The other party was obviously coming to kill people. If he was not prepared, he might be killed.

Fink was a little surprised. He didn't expect the other party to react so quickly. He panted, a sick smile appeared on his face, and he raised his hands with a look of enthusiasm.

"Of course I am worthy. I will never be bound by you again. The church will become strong, we will kill the false gods and save our Lord!"

Something sounded. It was a trap that Fink had prepared in advance. A dark figure jumped out of it and approached Rocco, forcing him to retreat.

Behind it are believers - although it is difficult to call them that now.

These attackers were on all fours, with bright red patterns growing on their skin. They were like thorns entwined and roses swirling. Their muscles were bulging and their skin was incredibly hard. They were like wild beasts in groups, roaring at the Hierophant.

Among these monsters, Rocco saw some familiar faces. He looked gloomy and said, "It turns out that you are the murderer of the missing case!"

"Don't get me wrong, I only took care of the first few so they could join me. The rest were done by the kids themselves."

"See? This is my power now. As long as I want, I can create a strong and loyal army at any time. In front of them, you - and the current church, are completely vulnerable! The false gods should have died long ago, and you rubbish will also be destroyed if you don't change!"

Fink waved his arms, and the monsters rushed forward with roars. He was intoxicated with his own power and completely forgot the instructions of his collaborators.

Seeing this scene, Rocco did not retreat or evade, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"I thought I could still hold out hope for you, but it seems you've already fallen. It's disappointing, Fink. Now that this is the case, you should have realized what's next."

The well-trained patrol team broke out of the window and surrounded them in an instant. Fink's face changed drastically. He didn't expect this to happen.

His face was gloomy: "How did you know?"

Rocco smiled without saying anything, and said silently in his heart, it is naturally the protection of my Lord.

......

Go back in time.

For some reason, Rocco felt a little uneasy after the meeting. Clergymen are blessed by God, and their premonitions are usually accurate. This cast a shadow over the bishop's heart. After saying goodbye to his colleagues, Rocco hurried back to his room.

Despite all that had happened, he still kept the habit he had developed over decades of praying before going to bed. During this prayer, his consciousness was in and out, and in a half-asleep, half-awake state, he entered a land of blooming flowers.

The silver-haired god stood by the water, staring at him quietly. Rocco's eyes widened, and he was overjoyed. He subconsciously wanted to kneel down. A gentle force lifted him up, and the new god said calmly, "No need to kneel."

"I understand. This is all your will."

I don't know what Rocco was thinking about, but his expression became more and more crazy. People are creatures that can convince themselves. As long as you give them a little favor, they will think of a big drama.

Canaan tried to explain, but no matter what he said, the other party only had two expressions: "I am so touched that God talked to me so much" and "I understand that you have your difficulties", and the answers became more and more respectful and serious.

Silver-haired deity: “…”

It is difficult to wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep, and it is also difficult to wake up a fanatic.

He simply gave up trying to persuade her and returned to the point: "Fink betrayed me."

Before Rocco could feel happy, he heard the news. He opened his eyes wide and suddenly realized something.

"I understand. This is all part of your plan. I will never let that traitor go and let everyone know his true identity!"

“…”

There are some differences in the details, but it is good to understand. The god sighed silently and said: "Byron also betrayed."

"No wonder he was so abnormal today. It turned out that the two of them were colluding in secret. Nothing escaped your eyes, my Lord. You know the truth..."

The endless prayers flowed like flowing water. The bishop, who had not received a response from the god for a long time, wanted to take out his heart and put it in front of the god. The silver-haired god had to stop him and said, "Don't tell others, this is what I said." Then he sent him away.

Rocco opened his eyes and found himself kneeling before the statue. His eyes were filled with enthusiasm and joy. The god had given him a command alone, warning him of the danger. Wasn't this a sign of favor?

Those people were wrong, all wrong.

The gods never leave!

He wanted to tell everyone about this immediately, but due to the god's request, he could only keep it to himself and act according to what the other party said.

On the one hand, Rocco informed the church and sent reliable people to ambush. On the other hand, he entrusted several friendly bishops to track Byron. Once the other party made any suspicious moves, they could be arrested.

These arrangements worked, and Rocco was extremely grateful that he listened to the gods and was able to avoid the opponent's backstab.

In front of the well-prepared clergy, this hasty sneak attack was quickly resolved. Fink was angry and resentful, while Rocco shrugged his shoulders and said, "Don't worry, you are not alone, someone will accompany you soon."

The bishop felt deeply ashamed. His eyes were like fire, imprinted on the other person, which was extremely intimidating.

Fink was stunned for a moment, then he heard a shrill scream.

On the other side of the holy city, a black shadow flew across the sky, but was caught by a large net. The escapee braked in mid-air and snorted coldly: "Come out, there's no need to dodge like this."

"I didn't expect you to make such a decision, Byron."

Several figures appeared in the air. Looking at their former colleagues, the clergy were full of disappointment. Byron grew wings and floated in the air, showing a devilish smile and madness in his eyes.

"It's all your fault. You all look down on me. I'm a bishop of the church, but you all treat me like dirt. I'm going to make you all pay the price! Haha, I'm going to make you all pay the price!"

Like Fink, his half body was wrapped in red lines. It penetrated deep into his body, and his huge wings flapped, stirring up gusts of wind. If there had been no warning, the church would have been caught off guard. But now, they were prepared in advance. It became easy to solve this matter.

…

Someone hiding in the dark changed his expression slightly, cursed "idiot!", and immediately left first. The worn belt around his waist exuded a faint breath, and his figure fled a thousand miles, crossing a long distance in an instant.

This was undoubtedly a smart decision, but unfortunately it was still a step too late.

A ray of light pierced through the clouds, followed by a pillar of blazing sun. A holy aura poured out from the Kingdom of God and fell directly on him.

In an instant, all the movements of the hidden person were restricted. The arrow came like a meteor, and its fate was doomed when the string was released. The person shot groaned, gritted his teeth and continued to run.

The hood was lifted by the branches, revealing a weak face. Half of the face was covered with twisted red lines, like spiders. These lines were intertwined with the flesh and skin, jumping like a living thing. And if you look closely at the outline, it is actually somewhat similar to Orelius.

He endured the pain with a twisted expression and sped up his pace. His right arm was completely shattered by the arrow, and blood flowed out of the wound, which was very shocking.

Even though he was seriously injured, the people behind him still fled as soon as possible. This was undoubtedly a very smart decision. After escaping the spawning range, he became water that merged into the sea, and his aura melted into countless people. After losing the thread of faith, it was indeed difficult for Canaan to locate him.

But there's more than just one vest here.

The hounds growled from afar, they smelled the soul of the prey and became restless. Margarita patted the other's head until the escapee fell into the trap. The latter stopped and stared at the approaching hounds with an unpleasant look.

The lantern light was soft, reflecting a cute little face, but in his eyes it was as scary as a devil. The girl tilted her head and looked for a long time, then released her left hand. The black-robed doll rose in the wind and let out a deep laugh.

"Do you want to make a deal?"

A strange voice came from under the mask, and the scales were placed between the two of them, flashing a terrifying light.

"What would you like to exchange for yourself?"

…

The news came into the church one by one. As everyone had been prepared, these things were not sudden, but they still made everyone's expressions a little ugly. Another clergyman rushed in and brought new bad news.

"It's bad, Bishop. Many people in the church have suddenly mutated and turned into monsters. What should we do next?"

The bishops looked at each other in bewilderment, and the archbishop suddenly remembered something: "Where's Santo? Go and call him over!"

A clergyman left in a hurry, and after a while, he came back with a pale face.

"Your Excellency, there is no one in Bishop Santo's room, only a letter."

Very bad thoughts arose in everyone's mind. After reading the letter, several bishops could no longer hold on and slowly sat down on the ground. The letter fell to the ground, revealing a few lines of words. When people who were closer saw the content on it, their faces also turned pale.

After a long while, someone whispered, "Bishop, what should we do?"

"What should I do?"

The bishops smiled bitterly, their eyes full of bitterness. They were even a little confused. The invisible giant hand pushed them forward, destroying all their persistence. Only they were left to persist in the ruins, trying to rebuild their past glory by their own strength.

The clergy around them were at a loss, and no one knew what they would face next. Their faith was shaky, and the bishops took a deep breath and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"No matter what the future holds, we must fulfill the purpose of the church. On the one hand, we must promote ... the majesty of our Lord, and on the other hand, we must do our best to maintain order among ordinary people."

"Until the last second, I will never betray our beliefs."

The candles flickered, and the others said solemnly: "Until the last second, we will never betray our beliefs."

Although the church tried its best to salvage the situation, things did not go as they had expected.

Not only did Santo leave himself, he also took away some of the people who supported him.

Led by the escaped Santo, this group of people recognized the definition of Protestantism and chose to respond to the call and go to the south. After joining Protestantism, the current Pope claimed to have accepted the will of God and acted on God's behalf, ceding his position to Santo and voluntarily becoming a behind-the-scenes person. This bishop suddenly became a recipient of supreme grace.

The weather in Xincheng was sunny that day.

Santo walked up to the platform step by step, with the cheers of the crowd ringing in his ears.

He wore the Pope's tiara and a dark blue robe adorned with simple silver chains.

He was in a trance for a moment. He never thought that he would be standing in this place, overlooking the people at his feet.

But it all seemed so logical. From the moment the poison appeared in front of him, he vaguely knew that he had made a choice.

My Lord, will you also make a choice?

No, you've already made your choice.

Santo took a deep breath and spoke slowly. The sound spread throughout the square, then passed through the equipment and reached the ears of everyone who was listening.

This was called a glorious beginning in Protestant history.

From this moment on, they chose to give up worldly power and became a simple symbol of faith. They no longer believed in gods, but instead regarded human virtues as glory.

In the north, the holy city is no longer as brilliant as it once was, and is now desolate. Most of those who remain here are old clergymen. To them, the church is both a faith and a home. The bishops kneel in the church, close their eyes and pray silently.

Around him, those of his bloodline who remained here prayed quietly, filled with holiness and solemnity.

Even if the environment changes, the faith in their hearts remains steadfast. People living here are ready to sacrifice their lives for the church. If the church falls, they will be the first to be buried.

Rocco was the most serious and pious among them. Unlike the others, he believed deeply in the existence of God and stayed here only because of God's request.

Stick to your original beliefs and rather die than give up.

The rest are another group of believers who, with their pious ideals, embark on a path of anger and hatred and choose to plunge into the dark mist.

The white priest's robes turned red, and the sharp knives replaced the hands of redemption. They believed that the gods of today had fallen, and only by killing them could they regain the original omnipotent Lord.

The believers dressed in red priest robes were silent, but their eyes were burning like flames in the darkness, enough to burn all those who stood in their way.

Looking at the believers in front of him, the black-robed man laughed recklessly: "The craftsman welcomes everyone to join us. We have the same goal and our fates are connected. You can get everything you want here, and eventually kill the evil and the gods, and bring back faith."

If Mason were here, he would find that this man in black robe is very similar to the one he captured before, and his body is also covered with mysterious red lines.

Faith is a poison.

They could once dedicate everything to the gods, but now they can turn their bodies into candles and burn them to ashes. To do this, believers are willing to make a deal with the devil in hell.

At the invitation of the other party, the red-robed believers came forward one after another. The golden wine cup was filled with a deep red liquid, like blood and wine. A careful observation would reveal that each drop of it was condensed from countless tiny runes, which looked extremely strange. The drinker drank it all without hesitation, and dense lines appeared on the surface of his skin.

The believers' bodies twitched, and some of them fell down forever. The rest staggered to their feet, uttering terrible roars. Their expressions were extremely distorted. Their muscles began to swell continuously, reflecting a stone-like luster.

When the last red-robed believer finished drinking the liquid in the cup, everyone present was transformed into a strange creature. They looked at each other in amazement, felt the powerful force surging in their bodies, and couldn't help but smile.

One of them shouted: "Kill the false god and bring back our Lord!"

The remaining people were filled with enthusiasm and shouted at the same time: "Kill the false god and bring back our Lord!"

——Until now.

The church was completely split into three parts.

Protestantism centered in the South, Catholicism centered in the North, and apostasy that spread in between.

A large number of believers split up, and even more were taken in by the Noble Association, which expanded the power of the territory.

With this as a node, mankind truly entered the beginning of the next thousand years, entering the darkest, most turbulent, magnificent and dazzling era in history.