Chapter 701: Where Is the Sin?

The dust from the meteorite had nearly dispersed, the street's clamor had gradually subsided, and the injured, having received effective treatment, had mostly escaped critical danger—though some still died, occasionally stirring sobs.

Inside Saint-Sien Church, Father Cali finished his confession, stood up, and turned to look at Lu Mi'an, who sat quietly in the front row.

Lu Mi'an let out a laugh and asked, as if chatting casually:

"Is confession still useful now?"

Before Cali could respond, he added, as was his habit:

"You know very well your fate of death is sealed—you won't live more than a few days."

Cali's deep-brown face turned slightly pale, yet his voice remained calm as he replied:

"If confession were useful, it wouldn't be confession."

After saying this, he seemed to relax slightly:

"I confess because I want to confess—not to exchange confession for forgiveness, or for a chance at salvation.

"Looking back, I made many mistakes. I craved higher status too desperately, craved the approval of people from the Northern Continent so much that I let desire blind my soul and obeyed the devil's whispers."

Hearing this, Lu Mi'an let out a scoff:

"Is that really true?

"Was it really desire that blinded your soul?"

Seeing Cali's expression slightly bewildered, Lu Mi'an leaned back in his chair and gazed at the Sun Symbol:

Did the desire for higher status and approval from the Northern Continent force you to collaborate with Tewanako, force you to become a vengeful spirit under the identity of an 'Eternal Sun' priest, force you to accept the devil's temptation, force you to molest little boys?

"No—it was your own choice."

Cali's lips moved, as if wanting to refute, but he couldn't form words.

Lu Mi'an smiled and continued:

"There are many others in this world who crave higher status and the approval of certain groups. Most of them simply work hard to contribute, strive desperately to purify evil, never communicate with devils, and hope to achieve their goals through proper means—even after repeated failures, they never sink into the abyss.

"Why can they control themselves, while you cannot?

"It wasn't desire that blinded your soul—it was your soul that chose to fall."

Cali was suddenly speechless.

Lu Mi'an sighed with a wry laugh:

"A relative of mine once told me:

"Intense desire is the driving force behind human progress—and the devil dragging humanity into the abyss. Whether it's good or bad, light or dark, depends on us, on a single thought in that moment."

Cali's face grew even paler; he bowed his head and spoke in a hoarse voice:

"I am guilty…"

Lu Mi'an placed his hand over his left chest, his expression growing solemn.

He looked at Cali and gave a self-deprecating smile:

"I, too, have intense desires. Everyone has their own intense desires.

"If having intense desire is sin, then you are a sinner, I am a sinner—we all are sinners."

Cali's expression went blank for a moment, then slowly turned back to his body.

He knelt again before the altar, gazing at the massive Sun Symbol, and said softly:

"You are not guilty. Intense desire is not sin. I am the true sinner."

He lowered his head, his body gradually becoming insubstantial, turning transparent.

Thus, Father Cali revealed his "vengeful spirit" form before the Sun Symbol.

A cold, sinister aura spread, stirring the Symbol and the altar.

The entire church trembled slightly; sunlight-like radiance seeped from the altar, the Symbol, the stained glass, and the religious murals, swiftly moving and converging toward the spherical dome.

A brilliant, majestic golden beam descended, accompanied by a chant-like voice, landing upon Father Cali.

Cali's vengeful spirit form trembled slightly, making no attempt to evade.

In the blazing sunlight, his body melted away, rapidly turning to ash.

Lu Mi'an watched this, his face expressionless.

He felt neither joy nor sorrow.

When the divine light from the dome faded and only candlelight remained in the church, Lu Mi'an still sat in the front row, silently gazing at the spot where Cali had been purified, not leaving.

After some time, Galm and Ria entered the church, having completed disaster relief.

Seeing Louis Berry seated in the front row, Galm visibly exhaled in relief.

He smiled slightly and said:

"We still lack composure—we panic too easily. We were only thinking of helping the injured and trapped, never considering that someone like Cali, who's damned but still alive, might suddenly go mad and drag more people down with him. Thank goodness you were here."

Ria glanced around and asked:

"Where's Father Cali?"

Lu Mi'an looked toward the altar and replied plainly:

"After his confession, he used the church's accumulated spiritual energy and the Symbol's unique power to purify himself."

Ria fell silent.

After a few seconds, she opened her arms wide and declared loudly:

"Praise the Sun!"

Then Ria sat down on the front-row seat on the opposite side of the aisle, clasped her hands, bowed her head, and began praying earnestly.

Galm was momentarily unsure whether to sit or remain standing.

Lu Mi'an glanced at him sideways:

"Have you secured Reysa's Exceptional Trait?"

Galm fell silent, then said after a long pause:

"We've secured it."

"What about Maxlo's?" Lu Mi'an withdrew his gaze and looked again at the Sun Symbol.

"We don't know where it is," Galm replied.

Lu Mi'an spoke calmly:

"It should be in the area directly struck by the meteorite."

Galm blinked in surprise:

"So the meteorite's purpose was to take away most of the dead?

"Is the power of 'Dream Festival' this strong?"

"Stronger than you imagine," Lu Mi'an said, as if discussing tomorrow's weather. "Reysa and Maxlo were both from the Royal Faction of the Spirit Sect. General Quilariel knew their identities, and knew Reysa had come to Tizamo Town to complete a mission assigned by the Royal Faction's high command."

Galm's expression shifted several times; he sighed slowly and deeply:

"Even if you hadn't told me this, I wouldn't resent or hate Captain Reysa—he saved me multiple times, and this time, on the surface, he didn't betray me but betrayed the Patrol. My sense of belonging to the Patrol isn't strong.

"Now, I'm relieved—he wasn't a traitor."

Lu Mi'an smiled with a teasing tone:

"Good for you—the Patrol of Pailos Port now has an open Deputy Captain position, and your rival is dead."

Galm wasn't provoked; he gave a bitter laugh:

"I plan to leave Matani Province.

"Thank you for your generosity—I've nearly saved enough money to advance to Sequence 6. Returning to my family and contacting the main branch is safer and simpler than searching elsewhere.

"The Patrol isn't a major organization—Sequence 6 is the limit. To reach Sequence 5, you must establish close ties with the Spirit Sect, the Rose School, Intis's Eighth Bureau, the Eternal Sun Church, or the Mother Goddess Church—or become General Quilariel's confidant. I carry the Castilla surname—why would I choose anything else?"

If you're truly accepted by the Castilla Royal Family, your ceiling will be much higher… Lu Mi'an laughed and said:

"I thought you were leaving because your secret crush had shattered, and you wanted to escape the place of heartbreak."

Galm suddenly choked on his saliva, coughing several times.

After finishing her prayer, Ria and Galm left Saint-Sien Church.

Lu Mi'an remained seated in the front row, as if savoring the empty space.

After a while, Amandina appeared at the church entrance, dressed in a black hunting outfit.

"Why are you the only one here?" the girl muttered.

Her eyes scanned left and right, as if searching for something.

"Why are you here?" Lu Mi'an asked casually.

Amandina sat beside him and grinned:

"I wanted to sneak in and see if Robert would come to visit the dying Father Cali—but I only saw you."

"Father Cali purified himself. Robert probably didn't come," Lu Mi'an replied honestly.

"Oh…" Amandina sounded disappointed. "If he'd come to beat Cali up, at least he'd still be a man…"

Lu Mi'an didn't respond to the girl.

Amandina faced the altar and the Symbol and made a simple prayer.

Afterward, her eyes flickered with quiet hope as she asked:

"Will there be another 'Dream Festival' next year?"

"Yes," Lu Mi'an didn't hide it.

Joy immediately brightened Amandina's brow and lips:

"Is the black tomb still there? Can I still gain Exceptional power by touching it?"

"Yes," Lu Mi'an turned his head and smiled at Amandina. "But next year's outsiders attending the 'Dream Festival' will be stronger, more terrifying—far beyond the evil dolls, crystal skulls, and skin-men you've seen."

Amandina's expression immediately fell.

"Then I'll just find an excuse to stay in Pelos Port next 'Dream Festival,' dragging my father and mother with me."

"Have you been back to Palm Estate?" Lu Mi asked instead.

Amandina sighed, "Ah," and smiled, "I went back to take a look, but didn't want to disturb their pretend affection, so I left again."

She paused, her eyes gleaming brightly as she asked:

"Besides touching the black tomb, do I have any other way to advance my Sequence?"

"Buy a formula, drink a potion—you can choose one of three paths: 'The Insomniac,' 'The Corpse Collector,' or 'The Warrior.'" Lu Mi did not conceal the corresponding occult knowledge, speaking slowly as he thought, "And fundamentally, it's not the black tomb that grants you transcendent power—it's that shadowy figure…"

"Buy the formula, drink the potion, you can choose one of three paths: 'The Insomniac,' 'The Gravedigger,' or 'The Warrior.'" Lu Mi did not conceal the corresponding esoteric knowledge, speaking as he pondered, "And fundamentally, it is not the Black Tomb that grants you transcendent power—it is that shadowy figure..."

What kind of relationship do Amandina, Robert, and Ming Dao Ren have?

Normally, a blessing is bestowed by a deity or an angel upon a believer—but Amandina and Robert do not worship Ming Dao Ren at all; they don't even know he exists.

According to the practices of various secret societies, and the customs Fulanka occasionally mentioned, Amandina ought to call Ming Dao Ren "Master"!

Following the practices of various secret organizations, and according to the custom Fulanka occasionally mentioned, Armandina ought to address the Man of the Mingdao as 'Master'!

(End of Chapter)