[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-elf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree":3,"chapter-elf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree-elf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree-chapter-462":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1153963,1499,"Chapter 462 - 444: The Fallen Church","elf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree-chapter-462",462,"\u003Cp>The gray sky loomed overhead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cracks, like serpents of lightning, snaked menacingly across it, constantly twisting and shifting, as if the entire sky might shatter at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was not a hint of wind in the air, creating an inexplicable sense of oppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The desperate cries and pleas only added to the growing restlessness and suffocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a small village, situated by the main road leading to Segis City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the village entrance, a woman dressed as a villager, who looked to be around twenty, clung to the leg of a man in Priest Robes, crying and begging as she spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Priest, Lord Priest, my child doesn’t want to be a Child of Nature, truly doesn’t want to be. Please don’t take him! Please don’t take him! He’s only four years old!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The priest remained expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him stood a line of fully armed soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers were escorting a carriage loaded with young children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The children were locked in the carriage, their cries echoing distantly, yet the soldiers and priest remained unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A considerable number of villagers stood around, watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked at the carriage and the woman with complex sympathy, but their gazes toward the priest and soldiers were filled with anger and hostility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, they were furious but dared not speak up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stood silently around, watching with open eyes as a young child was pushed into the carriage by the soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cries filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the priest kicked the weeping woman away, his hollow eyes staring ahead as he spoke, his voice devoid of any emotion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All children blessed by nature are naturally the clansmen of the Creator God under the Divine Crown.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Becoming a Child of Nature and contributing to the revival of the True God is his honor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he gestured to the other soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Receiving his order, the equally expressionless soldiers changed formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They drove the carriage, flanking the priest as they turned and left...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the woman kneeling on the ground, crying in despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the priest and the soldiers left, the villagers helped up the hoarse-voiced woman, and sighs arose among the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, there’s another one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The church has become more outrageous over the years. How are we supposed to live like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shh, keep it down; it’s not good for opportunists to hear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nina is pitiful, but it’s her child who’s naturally affiliated with nature... \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just hope her child can become a priest and not a sacrifice...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who knows? So many children are forcibly taken each year, but how many become priests? And look at those cold-hearted guys; would you want your child to become like them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, better pray not to have naturally affiliated children.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers sighed and shook their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None noticed an inconspicuous carriage nearby that had observed the whole incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the carriage, Hu Lu withdrew his gaze, frowning slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell is this Creation Church doing? How come every place we go, we see them forcibly recruiting children?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other players looked displeased as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been away from Divine Grace Town for three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During these three days, in almost every human settlement they passed, they witnessed similar scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even knowing this was a game, having immersed themselves deeply, they couldn’t help but grow disgusted with these church clergy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the task at hand naturally made the players see these ordinary people as their allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their guess was right, once everything was settled, these humans might become followers of the Goddess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could say these humans were potential allies for the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why, initially, the players disguised themselves, secretly rescuing the children they encountered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm... that’s how you build faction favorability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after a few attempts, they aroused the vigilance of the Creation God Sect, which then assigned soldiers to guard the clergy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fearing their interference might alert the enemy, they had to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, they grew increasingly disgusted with the so-called Creation Church.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the players’ words, the coachman explained while driving the carriage:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, sirs, you may not know, but this is how the church expands its clergy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Back when the Divine Race was still around, the church was highly revered, and many aspired to become priests as it was the highest honor...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, since the Divine Race receded, the church has become more and more arrogant and corrupt... They started forcibly recruiting all children with natural attributes into the church.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Children with potential are trained to become priests dedicated to the Divine, while those without are sacrificed as offerings to the Divine...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the coachman sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nowadays, aside from the secluded Divine Grace Town in the Elf Forest, no one isn’t worried about their child having a natural affiliation...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The church is no longer what it used to be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why not resist?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The optimist asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do we resist?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coachman shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The church wields the most powerful forces; almost all second-tier or higher professionals come from the church. Who has the power to resist?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the coachman’s words, the players glanced at each other, falling into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the humans in this half-plane had elven blood, most had a tiny bit of extraordinary power, but at most at an apprentice level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rarely did anyone step into Black Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Black Iron Middle Rank individuals they encountered, except for the Divine Grace Elder Rueger, were all church clergy or soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this the church established by those who betrayed the Goddess? To me, this church is no different from a cult.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chopin shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others shared approving expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were no longer greenhorns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, if they still didn’t understand what these church officials were doing, they would have wasted the guidance they received from the leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this church had long deviated from the path of a normal church.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had shifted from preaching faith to forced indoctrination, from benevolent rulers to cruel exploiters, even directly sacrificing suitable children to the Divine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, with the exploitation of life potential from the half-plane beings, it was evident that this \"Creator God\" was entirely opposed to the Goddess...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage continued for fifteen more minutes before coming to a gentle stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the coachman’s voice came from the front:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sirs, ahead is Segis City. I won’t be escorting you into the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no knowledge of the players’ true identities, only that the players were entrusted by the elder to handle matters in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the coachman’s words, the players looked out of the carriage window, seeing a grand city with a discernible elven style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They disembarked from the carriage and, after saying farewell to the coachman, watched him drive away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain, what do we do next?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several players turned to Lunchbox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lunchbox reached into his coat and drew out a crystal-like sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the sphere glowed with a hazy light, seemingly summoned by some force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the tool given to the players by the Divine Grace Elder Rueger, capable of sensing the presence of the Heart of Life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its glow indicated that the players were close to the Heart of Life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lunchbox clenched the Crystal Ball and closed his eyes to sense it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few moments later, he opened his eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Follow the signal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group adjusted their gear and headed towards the city gate.\u003C\u002Fp>",1232,"2026-06-03T12:38:19.556Z","2026-06-03T12:38:27.253Z",1,"novelbin.me","57ce0c9b6c8856ad808f35c759a42e79e556a2dde33f7c82108b79f46f185046","elf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree-chapter-463","elf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree-chapter-461",1431,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Felf-kingdom-game-of-the-world-tree-cover.jpg"]