CHAPTER 168: CHAPTER 105: CHAPEL_2

The man in the night clothes said the next stop should be a town outside Babylon City. Charged with excitement, Yijie rushed straight to the military station, obtained some documents for leaving the city, and, dragging along a half-masked woman from the military station, relayed the message to Number 0 before hastily exiting the city.

After leaving the city, Yijie, under the starlight and moonlight, traversed the vast forest outside Babylon City and soon encountered a fork in the road.

One path was the official road, on which several footprints of varying depth were left, while the other was a hidden trail within the bushes, showing no traces of anyone having passed by.

Despite not being a Reconnaissance Soldier and having a less-than-ideal sense of direction, Yijie had still experienced numerous military inspections. The man in the night clothes rarely confronted enemies directly; their encounters involved unintentional attacks and deliberate evasions. When the man seized the Xuanwu stone pillar, he made no sound upon landing, and no footprints were left on the ground. Thus, these footprints were likely deliberately left to mislead others.

That man was extraordinarily elusive; even the most agile person couldn’t truly move without touching the ground like a bird. Yijie didn’t believe that within Military Road, any ghosts or demons existed; the problem must be with the night clothes he wore.

In the year 2064, due to work, Yijie had come into contact with a Flying Suit developed from extreme sports enthusiasts’ equipment. Those wearing the extreme Flying Suit, as long as they mastered the physics of human force and aerodynamics and adjusted their breath in between, could achieve actions close to true flight.

Since modern military weapons could be incorporated into the "Military Road" system, a Flying Suit might also exist. After assessing the options, Yijie abandoned the official road and followed the barely-visible trail through the overgrown grass and ultimately found the castle.

The ancient castle, unguarded and neglected, had an entry restriction.

As Yijie approached the castle, he saw a few words inscribed on a slab: "Only players above Sergeant level may enter."

In Military Road, Yijie’s capabilities already met the school-level standard, so he ignored the requirement and went right in. No sooner had his hand touched the castle’s stone door, he was rebounded several steps backward.

After several attempts and growing impatient, Yijie shot directly at the castle’s stone door.

The gunfire blasted a hole in the stone door, after which he was ejected from Military Road?

"It’s already noon!" Lu Xun knew it was Sunday today, so Ding Ling hadn’t bothered him.

His back somewhat sore, he took off his clothes and checked again in the mirror. There was a new bruise on his back from when his body hit the bed frame earlier. His right arm felt sore and swollen, much like the fatigue after multiple sessions of gun training.

This was the first time Lu Xun had been injured by his own bullet.

"Young Master Lu, the lady called and said she will finish the sermon at three in the afternoon, and she has asked a friend to invite you for tea at Lanting?" the servant knocked on the door holding a phone.

"Understood," Lu Xun lay on the bed and closed his eyes, a smile appearing on his face. Good, he had finally found a place to start over. Next time he approached that ancient castle, he would definitely blast open that stone door.

****

After meeting with Li Zhen, Xia You took a taxi to the church where they attended the sermon that day.

Xia You thought the church for the sermon was located within Qingyang City, only to find that just the taxi ride took an hour and a half.

The David Sect’s church was built in the suburbs. Just by its appearance, it differed from any church Xia You had seen domestically and internationally.

"This church was a villa refurbished half a century ago by an entrepreneur who was close to death. Before dying, he donated the villa to serve as a place of activity for the followers of the David Sect. Also, the venue for our sermons isn’t typically referred to as a church by the public. Followers call it ’David Church,’" Li Zhen at the sermon was different from how she appeared in KTV; she wore no makeup and had dark circles due to staying up late.

Nevertheless, her complexion was much better than when she was in KTV; she was more talkative, though mostly discussing matters related to the David Sect. It was evident that Li Zhen was a devout believer. Her speech and demeanor made Xia You more intrigued by the David Sect, which had significant influence both nationally and globally.

The villa was constructed upwards following the terrain. Three or four villas from low to high, with all nearby plants and flowers neatly arranged by voluntary sect members.

Outside the villa, only about a dozen private cars were parked. Most followers, to not disturb the air and quiet near David Church, took public transport.

The number of believers walking towards the villa was about several thousand. While they might not know each other’s names, all greeted one another warmly with smiles.

The so-called sermon was held on an outdoor lawn, without any obstructive long benches or excessive crowding. David Sect followers, mostly in groups of three or five, found their spots to sit on the ground, chatting and laughing easily, devoid of any stiffness typical of religious ceremonies.

Although Li Zhen and Xia You had left early, traffic congestion on the way and a few acquaintances Li Zhen greeted on the road meant they arrived late, resulting in seats in the last two rows.

"You’re lucky today," Li Zhen picked a spot on the grass and gestured for Xia You to sit with her, "Today, the Holy Daughter of our David Sect will come in person to preach." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote at Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)