Chapter 57: I'll Make You Embrace the Universal Church

In the Fourth Monster World, Duan Wenxuan stepped into the Night Church’s Westphalian branch for the second time, but this visit was vastly different from his first. This time, he stormed in by force.

The disappearance of Wyda and Vena to the real world was no small matter. Complicating matters further, significant changes were also occurring in the real world. Although saving Grandpa like the gourds’ tale seemed noble, there was simply no time left now.

Without resolving the situation in Westphalia, Duan Wenxuan couldn’t proceed confidently into the Sixth World or tackle issues in the real world. If he didn’t act swiftly, even his base in the Fourth World would be at risk. Thus, the best course of action was direct confrontation; Duan Wenxuan chose to forcefully confront them head-on.

The Nightwatchers have always been few in number. Even within the Westphalian branch of the Night Church, there were only eight Nightwatchers in total. Among these eight, Hu Fu had defected, while the fat man and Vena had vanished without a trace. Despite the remaining ones having peculiar abilities, Duan Wenxuan wasn’t overly intimidated.

“Wh-what exactly do you want?” The clergyman glanced uneasily at ‘the doctor’ quietly standing beside Duan Wenxuan. After Vena and the fat man failed to return within the designated time, the clergyman had sent the doctor to investigate the manor.

The clergyman was aware of the risk that dispatching individuals one by one could lead to continuous losses. However, the issue was that their department simply didn’t have enough manpower. Following the loss of contact with Vena’s group, even sending out the doctor was a tight squeeze in terms of timing.

Before departing, the clergyman instructed the doctor only to gather information without confronting the manor’s owner directly. Additionally, he urgently notified Headquarters overnight, requesting immediate assistance as this particular branch of the Universal Church seemed genuinely significant.

But before anyone from Headquarters arrived, it was the doctor who returned first, accompanied by the landowner himself. Clearly, the doctor had defected.

The church doors were already closed, turning away potential donors for the day. In the slightly dim interior of the church, Duan Wenxuan’s expression appeared enigmatic and indiscernible.

“You ask what I want to do? Weren’t you the ones who disturbed me first? Shouldn’t it be me questioning your intentions?” Near Duan Wenxuan, the bloody slime writhed, firmly controlling two individuals. At his feet, four or five distorted dolls with scarlet lips held short swords and emitted eerie laughter.

The clergyman suppressed his shock. He had already considered it miraculous when Vena and Winter brought a young man capable of manipulating unique items. Now, he was witnessing someone able to control monsters?!

Monsters frequently emerged in this world, their conflict with humans spanning thousands of years. However, according to the clergyman’s knowledge, he had never seen such rule-defying monsters being controlled by humans before.

Taking a deep breath, the clergyman tried to compose himself. “Sir, there may have been some misunderstanding. We lost a rather significant mutant item, which led us to disturb you. If we’ve done anything wrong, please accept my apologies. Additionally, I can offer you compensation. So, might I suggest that today’s incident ends here?”

Duan Wenxuan smiled and found a seat, while the doctor stood beside him with a grin, signifying his complete defection.

“No.” Duan Wenxuan’s expression suddenly darkened, his gaze cool as he met the clergyman’s eyes. “I detest complications, and you have thrust me into one. Therefore, I’ll give you two choices: either die or, from today onwards, become followers of my Universal Church.

“The Night Church’s Westphalian branch will continue to appear as before, maintaining its current relationship with Headquarters. However, privately, I want all of Westphalia to become the ‘Heaven’ of the Universal Church.”

The doctor cheerfully produced a scalpel, smiling at the clergyman.

The clergyman’s face changed, stammering, “That’s not possible.” Suppressing his anger with difficulty, he continued, “Most Nightwatchers do not voluntarily assume their role, and once they become Nightwatchers, their lifespans significantly decrease.

“Why do we believe in the Night God? Because every year, Headquarters grants us ‘holy relics’ imbued with divine properties. These divine properties can suppress the mutants within our bodies to some extent, prolonging our lives.

“Outside the cities of Westphalia, numerous small cults exist. Why don’t they prosper? It’s because these small cults lack the means to infuse holy relics with divine properties, naturally leading no Nightwatchers to join them. The Universal Church is only just emerging; if your church lacks such holy relics, changing our faith would merely hasten our deaths.”

“Holy relics? Divine nature?” Duan Wenxuan heard something intriguing once again.

This world truly was a vast treasure trove. Previously, despite searching through various books, he had never found any records of miracles or divine occurrences. Yet both the Night Church and the Cult of Light clearly worshipped deities.

If the Nightwatchers’ power came from mutants and peculiar entities, why would they join religious factions? Their strength did not originate from divine beings. Now, it dawned on Duan Wenxuan; no wonder the Night Church could attract Nightwatchers to its fold.

“Let me see it.”

The clergyman glanced at Qiao Si and Bai Di, still under the slime’s control, along with the doctor who had defected, while Vena and her companions had vanished outright. Of the eight stationed Nightwatchers, only Winter remained away on duty, yet to return. The entire branch was practically decimated by Duan Wenxuan’s actions. Under these circumstances, what choice did the clergyman have?

After a couple of minutes, the clergyman brought forth a silver mirror. This mirror wasn’t intended for personal reflection, as evidenced by its rough surface, which barely provided any clear image.

“This is this year’s holy relic.”

“This year’s?”

Unaware of Duan Wenxuan’s thoughts, the clergyman explained, “Yes, the divinity on sacred artifacts does diminish over time. Generally, the more abundant the divinity, the better its suppression effect.

However, due to our unsatisfactory performance in Westphalia last year, the sacred artifact we received was only of moderate quality. Now, much of its divinity has already been depleted.”

If the clergyman hadn’t mentioned it, the defected doctor likely would have revealed this information.

Apart from the mutants wielded by Nightwatchers, silver items were necessary for harming monsters. Other metals did not match the effectiveness of silver, which is why silver is highly valued in this world. However, Duan Wenxuan didn’t expect that even attaching divine properties required silver-based objects.

Curious, Duan Wenxuan took hold of the mirror, feeling its slight chill upon touch, but nothing else initially stood out. Yet when he switched hands and held it with his left, the Greed Pot suddenly emerged spontaneously. Upon seeing the Greed Pot, the clergyman instinctively glanced at it. As expected, the item Hu Fu had painstakingly crafted ended up in the possession of this Landgraf.

Duan Wenxuan could sense the agitation of the Greed Pot… It was difficult to describe, but it seemed a mix of repulsion and withdrawal, yet also with some longing. This feeling resembled fear combined with a desire to confront head-on.

With a sudden thought, Duan Wenxuan crushed the mirror between his hands.

As the mirror shattered under Duan Wenxuan’s grip, he felt a slight chill in his left palm, as if something had been absorbed by the Greed Pot. Upon closer inspection, the silver mirror’s luster appeared dimmer, losing its previous shine.

“The divinity has disappeared,” the doctor explained from the side.

Without the divinity, the mirror ceased to be a sacred artifact. Duan Wenxuan casually tossed it onto the ground. The clergyman, pained, instinctively bent down to retrieve it but quickly realized it seemed truly rendered useless.

“As for divinity, I don’t currently possess any. However, if you’re seeking protection against harm caused by fused mutants within your bodies, I can provide that. The doctor here is proof.”

Originally, the doctor was simply a medical practitioner, having obtained a mutant surgical blade.

The ability conferred by his surgical knife was such that regardless of the wound’s size, any person pierced by it would slowly experience their injuries extending and worsening until death. The only difference lay in the duration of time before succumbing. Even monsters, when struck by his surgical blade, would gradually suffer its effects.

While this power had formidable lethality, the reverse impact severely afflicted the doctor himself—both physically and mentally—with constant torment. His skin on the back and abdomen showed extensive cracking. Mentally, his brain continuously received signals of pain, causing agony so intense that even breathing became excruciating. There was not a single moment of peace for him.

As for why he rebelled and pledged allegiance to Duan Wenxuan, the reason was simple.

Although the current Duan Wenxuan could not yet heal the physical harm inflicted upon the doctor by his mutant surgical knife, he could provide immunity against the mental anguish.

Paper figurines were masters at manipulating perception and thoughts. Duan Wenxuan utilized the paper figurine to temporarily numb the doctor’s sensation of pain.

After nearly a year of enduring constant pain, the doctor almost毫不犹豫ly pledged allegiance to Duan Wenxuan, displaying a loyalty far more genuine than the fat man’s feigned devotion.

For over a year, he had hardly experienced a peaceful sleep or even a moment of comfort and tranquility. The relentless torment from pain left him in a state of despair yet suppressed madness.

Once relieved of this agony, no one who hadn’t endured such suffering could truly understand his newfound happiness. To maintain this state, the doctor was practically willing to do anything.

Hearing Duan Wenxuan mention him, the doctor deeply exhaled with a contented smile and nodded towards the clergyman, “Yes, I am indeed the evidence. Right now, I feel unprecedentedly well.”

After a brief silence, the clergyman took a few steps back, ”…Most Nightwatchers join the Night Church primarily to extend their lifespan or alleviate their pain. If you can offer better assistance, there is no need for me to persist.”

Duan Wenxuan nodded satisfactorily, gesturing for the slime to release its hold on the two Nightwatchers.

One of these Nightwatchers was a cold-faced young man named Bai Di. With his jet-black hair and handsome yet distant features, he appeared to be someone with an ill temper, preferring solitude. The other was a hunchbacked old man whom the doctor introduced as Qiao Si, looking kindly in demeanor. Upon standing up, his expression remained unchanged, but he immediately smiled.

“So now we’re all part of the same family?” Hunching over, Qiao Si took a few steps, displaying a wise, world-weary countenance before finding a spot to sit down. “Since that’s the case, clergyman, you should also take a seat. This young fellow seems quite decent - a believer in the Universal Church, am I right? At my age, it doesn’t matter what faith I follow.”

Bai Di silently approached Duan Wenxuan, still wary of the slime but resolutely spoke up, “First, prove it.”