[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-becoming-a-god-through-horror":3,"chapter-becoming-a-god-through-horror-becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-220":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Becoming a God Through Horror",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2273763,4441,"Chapter 220: The So-Called Elite, Clerical Ranks, and the Shadow of Curses (4k)","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-220",220,"\u003Cp>“Hurry! Get inside the house!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crowd rushed in in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kicking, tripping, abandoning, punching…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every trick was used.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These weren’t big names from the news, or celebrities from fashion shows, or heads of charities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They may have looked polished and proud, claiming their superior qualities justified their wealth, but right now, they were no different from ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as panicked, just as terrified, just as aimless as flies without heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth proved that so-called elites were nothing special.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis watched from above, amused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again, the world was just a giant shoddy operation; true human elites were far fewer than imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And most of these so-called elites on stage were fake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe luck, maybe backroom scheming, maybe rising through channels as insidious as AIDS…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how they got here, these people controlled society’s resources and were indeed better equipped to resist sudden crises than ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the house, under the leadership of what seemed to be the villa’s owner, each grabbed a cross and stepped into a circle drawn with salt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just checked—the dead all died suddenly, blood gushing from all seven orifices. Either poison, or some special method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These crosses I got from Father Patrick at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and these piles of salt are rare holy salt. As long as we stay inside, even demons can’t get in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was the owner himself—a middle-aged man with a stern face. From his words, he clearly belonged to the true elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, his feet were bloody, and a damp woman’s underwear hung from his head, making his forced calm look absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the others had no mood to laugh—he was just one more terrified than the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not the issue! What do we do now? That was definitely a terrorist attack! Yes, it’s Bohn! It has to be Bohn! That monster declared war on America last year and tried to assassinate the Pope this January!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Poison? Special powers? I think it’s some kind of terrorist attack—who knows what weapons those military terror groups have developed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little John! This is your villa—you’re responsible! Where’s your security?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why did my wife die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Motherfucker! I’m going home!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the arguing threatened to flare again, Little John’s eyes flickered with impatience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>God knew how a bunch of brainless, panicky, noisy idiots had more money than him—but no matter how much he resented them, he couldn’t let them die in his villa; the retaliation would be unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, quiet down. I’ve already called and activated the security system. Just stay calm and wait a little longer—it’ll be safe soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to soothe them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this group clearly had their own ideas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little John, where’s your underground facility? We should go there—this place isn’t safe.” Someone suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It instantly gained support from some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little John’s face darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Underground facility” was just shorthand—it was something only wealthy families with deep roots built, mostly to evade disaster, especially during the Cold War.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of their most private possessions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he still suspected this attack was some kind of mystical force, not advanced tech or poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving this sanctum for the underground facility now would only invite disaster—no, he couldn’t let them go. He had to assert control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little John quickly decided, stepped forward, and clapped his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, it’s not that I’m stingy—it’s that we’re safest right here. My underground entrance is at the villa’s corner; if we go out now and make that trip, what if something happens?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, since we came in, hasn’t anyone noticed—no one else has died?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That proves we’re safe now. We just need a little more patience and quiet waiting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, if anyone doesn’t believe me—go ahead. I’ll tell you the location. You’re free to leave anytime. I won’t stop you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mix of soft persuasion and firm logic calmed the dozens down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman suddenly collapsed, blood pouring from nose and mouth, her eyeballs popping out under pressure, hands stretched forward, “Aaah… help… help…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—screaming!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone went mad, bolting for the exit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Little John stood frozen, cold, staring at the salt circle—now blackened. The dead woman hadn’t held a cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was mystical power—real mystical power—he hadn’t been wrong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going to the underground facility was a mistake!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t let them go…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thought cut off. Little John’s expression darkened. He realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t say anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entity targeting them might be watching right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let these people draw attention—he couldn’t let all focus turn to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little John said nothing. He dialed a number, then poured holy water bought from a cardinal over himself, ate the communion bread, gripped a cross, and walked to the corner, sitting quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who ran outside searching for the underground facility met something far worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud-thud-thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One after another, people collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They groaned, writhed—but still died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crosses they held crumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could save them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the elite security team arrived—fully armed, trained to rob banks. They stared in horror. Surveillance, thermal imaging—all tech failed to locate the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty-six fully armed, bank-robbing security personnel were wiped out—entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even half a minute passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Modern technology, before fully understanding the mystical, held no advantage against certain special entities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, at Louis’s current level, it was a bit of a case of the mighty crushing the weak…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sky—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis tapped his fingers like a god playing a game—point, and that one died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t point randomly—he targeted list members first, then killed a few other billionaires to muddy the waters. As for accidental kills? Too bad—bad luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, the crosses they wore were oddly effective—when facing his Blood Curse Pearl, they actually worked!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm—normally one Blood Curse Pearl could kill three, now it could only kill one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the salt circle, he’d used a strengthened Blood Curse Pearl made with the blood of a Shiren Demon to break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against ordinary spirits, such a circle would fully protect those inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But against Louis, equal in rank to a true demon, it was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He killed one list member after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis felt bored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t a sadist who enjoyed killing for pleasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when they offered no resistance—it was dull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After killing the last name on the list, Louis turned and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than ten minutes after Louis departed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A car arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out stepped a man in a priest’s robe, from St. Patrick’s Cathedral—a bishop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Catholic hierarchy, below the Pope came the bishops, ranked from high to low: Cardinal (Cardinal Bishop), Bishop, Priest, Deacon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Bishop oversaw a single diocese, already part of the Church’s middle tier. In large dioceses, a Bishop might be promoted to Archbishop—above Bishop, below Cardinal—part of the Church’s upper echelon, qualified to attend secret meetings in the Vatican.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>St. Patrick’s Cathedral was one such major diocese, led by an Archbishop with two Bishops under him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, a Bishop came personally—proof of these billionaires’ influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, this was only because Little John and a few others had called—if everyone had dialed, even the Archbishop might have come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No joke—they truly had that kind of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every year, the Church doesn’t know how much they’ve donated, and how could they possibly refuse them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bishop had barely stepped out of the car when he froze in place; the several priests accompanying him looked at him in confusion, wondering why he wasn’t going inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bishop took out his Bible, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began devoutly reciting its words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he recited, he seemed to sense something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head, gazing at the sky above the villa, frowning. “Something powerful has descended here recently—very likely a demon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he felt it wasn’t precise enough, or perhaps he thought the priests beside him were too dismissive—he added, “A demon in its true form.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the priests’ faces turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference between a demon appearing in true form or not is enormous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bishop felt a bitter ache inside—he had just heard from the archbishop not long ago that darkness was returning, and now, today, he encountered what seemed to be a demon in true form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was just too unlucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no choice. “Let’s go in. May the Lord protect Young Master John.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they entered, they were overwhelmed by the gruesome, bloody scene and vomited uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the end of the Darkness a century ago, the Church had grown lax in its military readiness; driving away a mere spirit was now a rare event, and none of this new generation of clergy had ever seen anything like this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After struggling to enter the villa,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they finally found Young John, sitting silently in a corner with his eyes closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing them, Young John leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. “Thank God, you’ve finally arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master John, please tell us in detail what happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This incident was huge—after all, many wealthy men had died. As everyone knows, in this capitalist nation, the wealthy are the true masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though there were many masters, and their status varied from high to low, they were still masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The death of so many at once was absolutely major news!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yaoguan Bureau had to get involved, and even the Church had to take notice—especially since demons were suspected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, the bishop had to get a clear account.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the bishop, having heard the story from Young John, fell into confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This… was it really a demon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the dark, bloody, terrifying sensation he felt while praying with the Bible—what else could it have been?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be… some kind of curse?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master John, please bring the remaining people with us to the church—it will better protect you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, secure the survivors before they’re all wiped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young John had no objection. After this ordeal, he finally understood: these mysterious forces were terrifying. Even though he held a portion of the strongest secular power, before “them,” he was as laughable as cattle or sheep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bishop, just now—what exactly was it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bishop did not answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not give a definite answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, he had another suspicion about these wealthy men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, have you recently angered anyone? Or has anyone secretly performed heretical rituals?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young John froze, then his pupils widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It really might be!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this land, heretical rituals, mystical rites, and witchcraft flourished wildly—even among the wealthy class, secret experimentation was common.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them might truly have caused this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bishop shook his head. “Wait for the archbishop’s orders. Meanwhile, the Yaoguan Bureau will likely act too. Young Master John, prepare yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis, having finished his pointless killing, did not know that the bishop had mistaken him for a demon in true form. Right now, he was crafting a straw doll using prepared materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the wealthy, the FBI Deputy Director, who held an official position, was more troublesome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least Louis couldn’t just go over and curse him to death—he needed a more plausible way to make him die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could be more suitable than a curse?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Louis had once mastered a technique of yansheng—tying straw dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it came in handy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he confirmed the birth chart using celestial charts and data, then inserted the Deputy Director’s Mao Fa, purchased at great cost, into the straw doll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crude straw doll, about the size of a forearm, vaguely shaped like a human, took form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the doll’s body, the Deputy Director’s name was written.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Louis pulled out a silver needle and drove it sharply into the heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1974,"2026-06-19T23:34:31.517Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","93896cc974f5f53403d0ec60e38d4292a1c4fc60b3a78e2cd52a9299cb91231e","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-221","becoming-a-god-through-horror-chapter-219",253,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecoming-a-god-through-horror-cover.jpg"]