Chapter 19: The Cult (Seeking Collections)

Ever since discovering this survivor Shelter, Aaron had almost abandoned everything in his territory, entering dreams daily to observe everything with full concentration.

On this day, he witnessed the biggest dispute in the Shelter.

The cause of the dispute seemed to be the evolution of monsters and food shortages.

……

"We can't go on like this!"

A man with golden hair screamed intensely, waving his arms wildly as if to increase his persuasiveness; several times he swung through Aaron, passing directly through him.

"Those monsters are getting stronger, the food we can obtain is getting scarcer, and if this continues, everyone in this Shelter... will die!"

He spoke a cruel truth.

"Suolun, then what do you intend to do?" Xiu asked calmly, pulling the two children behind her.

"Relocate! Relocate to the north; I heard there is already a larger gathering point there, and they have mastered extraordinary power! It is very safe, and food is plentiful!"

Suolun answered without hesitation.

"That group from the north?" The people in the Shelter were somewhat agitated, as if they had heard this news before.

"Yes, among them, there are even superhumans who can kill Dangerous Species with their bare hands!" Suolun said: "If we join them, we can obtain the same power!"

"Those cultists who call themselves the 'Black Sun Cult'?" Xiu sneered: "I heard they burn people alive as an Offering!"

"So what? To survive, one must discard something." Suolun suddenly grinned hideously: "He is there, He is in the sky, He is watching us... don't tell me you have never heard those... Divine Oracles!"

Aaron was startled; he had only heard some gibberish when the Black Sun and those terrifying existences were born, and then he had not received any information again.

But looking at the expressions of the people in the Shelter, they seemed to be able to hear them occasionally?

"Yes, the Black Sun is above our heads, but I have not heard any 'calling'; all there is are chaotic roars and gibberish like that of a madman... When I resisted it, I never heard it again."

Xiu sneered: "Are you sure you want to worship those crazy things? I can guarantee that the black sun in the sky definitely doesn't know there is a Black Sun Cult on the ground..."

"You are right, the Black Sun does not need us, but that does not prevent us from worshipping Him."

"Just as the sun does not intend to nurture all things, it simply radiates Light, and the gods do not intend to call upon believers; He simply radiates power naturally, while we pursue His Tao, His radiance, and pray for protection."

A solemn and grave voice suddenly sounded outside the Shelter.

Aaron looked over and saw three figures in black robes standing outside the Shelter, all of them emaciated, like resurrected skeletons.

The sentence just now was spoken by the leader of the three, an old man with many Weird tattoos carved onto his bald head.

"People from the Black Sun Cult? How did they find this place? Suolun! Did you betray us?"

Xiu already had a Flintlock in her hand, pointing it at the old man who had spoken.

"My child, put down your weapon, the Black Sun will forgive you."

The old man wore a gentle smile on his face: "You are right, the Lord of the Eclipse does not care about the faith of ants, but such an existence, merely by naturally radiating Light and heat, is enough to protect us; we are all just... poor people trying every way to survive in this cruel world."

"Sophistry!"

Xiu moved her position, leaning toward the window, seemingly wanting to wait for an opportunity to escape.

But the old man did not take out a weapon, only smiling as he looked at everyone: "The Black Sun needs offerings, the Black Sun needs an Offering! Only by suffering great hardships can one achieve great things! Ignorant lambs, you will one day understand that the Black Sun is the savior of all!"

"The radiance has passed, never to return, the Black Sun descends, the bell tolls long, all things perish, and I remain!"

Behind the old man, the two black-robed figures opened their arms and began to chant strange Curses.

Their language seemed to be an alien tongue, and it also seemed to be mixed with some strange vocabulary; it was the supernatural language from the Black Sun's gibberish that Aaron had heard before, which allowed one to fully understand its meaning.

And at this moment, this language seemed to carry a strange power.

A black wind blew toward the Shelter.

This wind seemed to have a life of its own, binding Xiu who wanted to escape, and even making her unable to pull the trigger.

Xiu's expression became incomparably painful in an instant, her eyes bloodshot, and blood vessels squirmed at the edges of her ears, as if she were enduring some kind of torture.

As for Aike and Lin, they fainted in an instant.

……

"Is this... a Curse?"

Aaron felt nothing at all, looking at this scene, his eyes becoming incomparably complex: "True supernatural power, extraordinary power that can be mastered by people! These Cults... are quite interesting!"

Although it sounded like these Mysterious Cults were spontaneous organizations formed by being called, there was no doubt that in the process of constantly approaching those terrifying existences, they had indeed achieved some results.

When the chanting stopped, there was no one left standing inside the Shelter.

Even the traitor Suolun had been knocked unconscious as well.

The old man's gentle gaze swept over; for some reason, this empty Shelter gave him a Weird feeling.

It seemed that there was still some person or 'Artifact' present, casting a gaze.

He did not stay long, ordering: "Take everyone away, our Cult will have another batch of brothers and sisters."

Soon, many cultists in black robes came from all directions; they had solemn expressions, carrying the unconscious survivors and supplies, and the arms and necks they occasionally exposed had hideous burn marks...

A fully loaded convoy set off immediately, and not even the High Priest discovered that an invisible ghost was following behind the convoy.

……

In reality.

Aaron woke up, his expression playful.

Suddenly, he opened his mouth and uttered a string of strange syllables: "The radiance has passed, never to return, the Black Sun descends, the bell tolls long, all things perish, and I remain!"

This was the Curse he had memorized, and a few of the pronunciations were simply challenging the limits of humanity.

But under the effect of 【Supernatural Memory】, it was still recorded.

"Lord?"

The door opened, and the maid Daili rubbed her eyes, looking at Aaron with a confused expression.

"It's nothing, you go out first!"

After dismissing the maid, Aaron sighed: "Even if I learn the same thing, is it of no use at all? Could it be... that this world is truly a world without magic?"

He felt a bit of frustration.

Perhaps, wanting to be immortal in this world is an impossible thing.