Chapter 56
"My God, please punish me for disturbing your slumber."
At the moment when they felt the chill, they realized something. When they heard His Holiness the Pope speak, their curiosity disappeared completely, and they didn't dare to look up to see what was happening...
It was very strange. The Lord of Light was a benevolent and fair god who had done great favors for the human race. They should have expressed their feelings enthusiastically and devoutly, and then the god would be pleased. The master and servant would have a pleasant conversation, just like the scene I had imagined before coming to the temple today...
But in fact, that powerful pressure brought a fear of seeing the sky collapse and the earth splitting. Everyone's heartbeats were unstable and they wished they could disappear on the spot and quickly avoid this dangerous existence... Gods are gods after all, how can ants approach them!
As I was afraid, my respect for him also deepened—this was the being I believed in. He was a powerful, omnipotent God! I was proud to believe in the Lord of Light!
Hundreds of white spots of light floated up into the sky, but did not fall on the statue. Instead, they flew into the gap above the temple.
The Pope breathed a sigh of relief in his heart without showing it. This way, the Holy See would still appear to be loyal and would not be abandoned by God.
Everyone only heard the Pope speak, and after a few breaths, they finally received a belated response -
"Xia Zuo?"
The voice seemed to come from above the statue which was over ten meters high, or it seemed to come from a higher place. The timbre was slightly low and magnetic, but the distance reduced the heaviness, making it sound lighter and more ethereal, out of reach. On the contrary, the divine might was actually oppressing everyone!
Being watched and called by name, the man tightened his fists in his long sleeves, his nails digging into his palms, but his face showed just the right amount of joy. He placed his right hand on his heart, bowed, restrained and calm, "Yes, I'm Xia Zuo, I'm honored that you remembered my name and responded to the believer's call."
The god's response was still a beat late, as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep...
"How many years has it been since we last met?"
When everyone heard this question, they only had one sigh in their hearts - it turns out that the ancient gods can really sleep for a thousand years...
They don't really care about the changes of all things and the disappearance of their subordinates. The life of most living beings, full of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, is just a short nap for the gods to kill time...
Elphis buried his head and thought a little more than his colleagues: Oh, no wonder the archbishops dared to do those things behind the scenes, it turns out that they knew that the gods were not watching them at all.
I think that after these cardinals return and their selfish desires ferment for a few years, most of them will be bold enough to break free from the shackles of dogma.
"It's been one hundred and forty-seven years, my God. I hope you had a good dream." While replying, the Pope held up his head and looked up into the spiritual eyes of the statue.
"It seems like a long time has passed for the human race, and you are still alive..."
There was no malice in his words. The Pope knew that his god rarely woke up to see the same person several times in a row, so he just sighed casually.
"Yes, my God, thanks to you, the protection you granted me helped me survive a fatal crisis."
The god didn't care about the believer's experience. He didn't ask what kind of crisis it was. His eyes fell on the young man's long hair that had turned snow-white. "Dear child, the light element likes you very much. This is very beneficial for your breakthrough. Believe me, the next time I see you, it will be in the God's Domain, right?"
Because of excitement, the Pope's sickly pale face flushed a little, but his expression remained calm and solemn. He looked at God and made a promise, "I won't let you down."
As early as the beginning of the conversation between the Pope and the god, Elphis was extremely curious - what happened? Did the God of Light really appear? Does he look like the statue?
However, Abner and Daphne in the corner of his eye both lowered their heads obediently, and he didn't want to stand out too much and attract attention, so he could only kneel down and look at the floor in front of his knees.
It's tiring to keep my hands in front of my chest in prayer posture, and I don't know how long the two of you will continue to chat... As the leader of the fan base, the Pope has finally gotten to see his idol, so he must not forget the important things.
Although Al didn't want to face this serious matter, he was already here, so it was better to die early and be reborn.
Knowing that God would not be in the mood to talk to an ant, the Pope took the initiative to mention the reason for summoning Him in his next sentence:
"The position of Holy Son has been vacant for a long time. After I leave for the Divine Realm, you will need a new Pope to lead your followers to continue fighting against darkness. Although these three children are not at a high level, they are very talented. They will definitely become qualified leaders before I leave."
As soon as he finished speaking, Abner and the other two once again felt that dangerous scrutiny like a knife cutting through their necks.
The man glanced at the three young men behind him, his brows softened. He turned and walked to their side, put his hand on the top of the head beside him, touched the candidate's head affectionately, and looked up at the god, "My God, let me introduce them to you."
Elphis felt his scalp tingle when the warm hand touched his head...
"This is Elphis Lancaster, 21 years old. He was raised by a priest since he was a child. He is the youngest believer in the Church and has a full elemental affinity..."
The silver-haired young man was hesitating whether to look up and say hello. The Pope briefly introduced him and encouraged him, "Don't be nervous, Al. You know that our God is tolerant and merciful, right? Raise your head and let Him take a look at you."
“……” He seemed to have become a piece of merchandise being selected and compared.
Elphis looked up obediently. There was no god in sight. The only change was the statue's eyes, which had turned dark gold. The statue, which was already lifelike, seemed to be turning its head away indifferently in the next moment, not paying attention to the ants under its feet...
"Great Lord of Light, believers are honored to hear your voice."
Because of something special about this human race, the gods looked at him more carefully than they looked at the Pope... There was obvious tension, joy, and admiration on that handsome face - but there was no faith in Him in his heart.
Al hesitated whether to share a faith float to the sky in person, but he noticed that Daphne and Abner had not condensed it, so how could he be the first to take action.
The gods are not unaware. There are many false believers in the Vatican, and even they themselves may not realize that their intentions are not sincere.
He has no shortage of that one or two powers of faith, so he doesn’t care. He thinks it’s just a tool, and it’s enough as long as it can do its job. As for Elphis, who is more useful, the gods will be more tolerant—
"It's rare to see such a talented child. This is your race's luck."
The Pope raised his lips and said with relief, "Thanks to the favor and guidance of the light, Al was adopted by our priest when he was young."
Then, the Pope mentioned Abner and Daphne, and introduced the three of them impartially, "My God, we need you to show us the way. Do you think there are any children among them who are suitable to be my successors?"
Bishop Edgar was at the back, with a bitter look on his face. He sighed silently. Daniel had just been killed by the enemy. He had been looking forward to meeting the Lord of Light, but now he was not even qualified to be mentioned...
The gods did not need to know more. After simply examining the situation for a few breaths, the distant voice finally delivered its will.
"I saw a child with a pure heart, loved by all living beings..."
"Elphis, you should become an honest, fair, and compassionate Son of Light."
"You should not let down the favor of the light element. You should purify your mind and practice, and become a powerful protector and guide for the believers."
"You must swear to take it as your lifelong duty to suppress the evil dark race. You must be brave and fearless, always stick to your original intention, and not be contaminated by darkness."
“Can you do that?”
The young man looked up in disbelief: "..."
Ah? Me? Why?! I don’t know what they saw in me. Is it too late to change it now?
“My God, I am glad to receive your recognition, but I am not sure…” The silver-haired young man lowered his head hesitantly, “If nothing unexpected happens, I will live for at least another two hundred years. During these long years, I don’t know if there will be any special experiences that will change me and make me no longer possess the virtues favored by light. I also don’t know if I can become an excellent leader…”
The subtext is that I am not firm enough and may betray my duties at any time. I also do not have the ambition to control the Holy See. If I become the Son of God and succeed the Pope, this power may dissipate in the future.
Abner and Daphne beside them felt nervous, fearing that the position of the Son of God would fall on them, but they did not have the courage like Al to try to refuse!
The bishops behind him were all amazed - if they just agreed, they would become the successor of His Holiness the Pope, how could he say such a thing under such circumstances? !
The god was silent for a moment and chuckled, "For any intelligent race, time will always change some things. The fact that you took the initiative to bring it up proves your courage and honesty." He praised gently, with no emotion in his eyes.
"Xia Zuo, you have an outstanding successor. Teach him well, and you won't have to worry about him after you go to the Divine Realm."
The Pope bowed and said, "Yes, Xia Zuo will teach the child wholeheartedly."
Al's eyelids twitched. He didn't seem to agree yet? You guys just made it up like that! Is this considered forced buying and selling? !
It would be too ungrateful to refuse openly, and he didn't want to gamble whether doing so would anger the gods. Seeing that the result was already decided and he was clearly arranged, Al was so angry that his mind was confused!
At this time, a large piece of white feathers floated down and sank into the bodies of many bishops. Three special pieces of gold entered the bodies of the three young men. They could not see that a circular mark appeared on their foreheads and quickly disappeared.
Without feeling anything unusual, Elphis stroked his chest that was touched by the feather, his eyes darkened. This should be the blessing he had heard of before... He didn't like this form, it was like he was marked.
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