Chapter 472: Hide Again

While Yu Lin's side was bustling with a lively gathering, across the ocean, in front of a remote church in North America, a completely different scene unfolded.

Hong Yu sat alone on the steps at the church entrance, his back to the silent statue of the suffering Jesus inside, facing the sun.

The golden sunlight fell on his jet‑black robe, yet could not dispel the fabric's light‑absorbing quality, making him appear as a silhouette in the sun.

He squinted slightly, his gaze fixed on the distant barren wasteland, his pupils actually dilated, immersed in deep contemplation.

He was reviewing, deducing, scheming.

How could he actually get Longinus' Gun into his hands?

During the last operation at Westminster Abbey, he admitted that he had indeed been greedy.

He not only coveted the Spear of Destiny, but also wished to seize the legendary Holy Grail.

Now that he thinks back, had he withdrawn decisively the instant he obtained Longinus' Gun, perhaps…

But he immediately smothered that thought.

Was the mission's failure due to his greed? Is that to blame?

Or should he also blame the Lord for ordering a retreat at the crucial moment, when there was clearly an opportunity to seize it…

No.

Hong Yu's eyes did not waver at all.

He had never, and would never, entertain such a notion.

He will not now, nor ever later, question the Lord's will; that is the greatest blasphemy and betrayal.

His creed is simple and extreme: listen to the Lord's commands, execute the Lord's will, fulfill the Lord's mission.

He is not a good man; the blood and conspiracies on his hands are countless, yet he is the purest, most loyal true believer.

If the Lord now commands him to die, he would obey without hesitation, even feeling it is the utmost honor.

In fact, he has not been without having "died".

In previous extremely dangerous, near‑certain‑death missions or accidents, his "Lord" personally intervened, using unimaginable means to pull him back from the brink of death, even from a certain degree of "annihilation".

This is precisely why the upper echelons of the Worship of God Sect have been replaced time after time, yet Hong Yu's position remains rock‑solid and unshakable.

It is not because his ancestors are Hong Xiuquan, bearing such blood, but because he is wholly loyal to his Lord.

He is a believer personally chosen and repeatedly protected by the Lord.

"Arthur King…" Hong Yu's lips moved slightly, uttering the name; his tone revealed no joy or anger, only calculation.

He did not continue; that name signifies not only a revived legendary monarch, but also the guardian of the Holy Grail, and… a series of possible variables.

He slowly rose from the steps, his movements neither hurried nor sluggish, brushed a few specks of dust from the hem of his robe, turned, and entered the dimly lit interior of the church.

He did not pray at the altar; instead, he walked straight to a side bookshelf, took down a thick, pitch‑black volume with no adornments.

The cover felt ice‑cold to the touch, as if it were not leather or paper but the hide of some creature.

He returned to his usual high‑back chair, sat down, placed the black‑skin Holy Bible on his lap, and opened it casually.

Yet, as soon as the pages were opened, a sudden mutation erupted!

The ancient characters, once neatly arranged yet obscure and twisted in meaning, suddenly writhed and morphed like black tadpoles come to life!

They peeled themselves off the paper, turning into strands of black smoke that swiftly gathered and intertwined in the air.

In the blink of an eye, a vague, wholly formed humanoid outline composed of flowing black text and shadows appeared above Hong Yu.

It had no facial features, no substance, yet exuded an aura Hong Yu knew all too well.

Hong Yu sprang to his feet, stepped back half a pace, knelt on one knee without hesitation, bowed his head deeply, and his voice was filled with absolute reverence:

"I have seen my Lord."

"Hmm." The silhouette gave a soft reply, the voice echoing directly in Hong Yu's mind, calm and indifferent.

Although no eyes manifested, Hong Yu could clearly feel a "gaze" upon him, as if it could pierce flesh, bone, and stare into the depths of his soul.

The voice sounded again, unhurried, as if stating a fact unrelated to him:

"Yesterday's order for you to retreat was neither because of your fault nor a punishment."

"It is because Heaven has already sensed that the angelic intellect power I granted you is manifesting in the mortal realm."

Hong Yu felt a slight tremor in his heart, remained kneeling, and focused his mind to listen.

"To counter my actions, as balance and response…"

The silhouette's tone remained flat: "On Heaven's side, Lafeier has also sent his divine power down to the mortal world."

"Though not his true form, its essence of power is not to be underestimated."

"If you had not withdrawn in time yesterday, you would have encountered the 'Messenger' bearing Lafeier's divine power; then you would be outnumbered, facing the Holy Gun, the Holy Grail, plus his divine intervention… your defeat would be almost certain."

The silhouette paused briefly, that intangible "gaze" seeming to grow heavier:

"I have no patience left to waste long periods cultivating new, qualified believers from scratch."

The words were calm, yet made cold sweat instantly seep down Hong Yu's back.

He understood the implication — the Lord's tolerance for his "failures" was waning, or rather, the Lord was displeased with his now‑radical methods.

He was not irreplaceable, merely convenient for now, and re‑cultivating a replacement would be too costly.

"I see." Hong Yu lowered his head, his voice even more deferential:

"It is my folly, failing to discern Heaven's movements, causing the Lord concern; I thank the Lord for the timely warning that preserved me."

In his heart, it was not his own greed that erred, but a higher‑level power struggle already underway, with the Lord making the most advantageous move at the crucial moment to safeguard strength and long‑term plans

"Then, my Lord," Hong Yu lifted his head, his gaze burning as he looked at the vague silhouette:

"How shall we proceed from here?"

The silhouette was silent for a moment, the body formed of text and shadow seeming to ripple slightly.

Then, it repeated the words from their last parting, the voice still flat:

"I have already told you before."

"Still need time, still need to endure."

"Strength needs accumulation; opportunity needs waiting."

"The true showdown is not in the mundane church and temple."

"Go, go do the preparations you should make; when the 'time' arrives, you will naturally know."

"After the words fell, the human figure formed from black text began to slowly dissipate, turning back into strands of black smoke, as if rewinding, returning without a trace to the opened black-covered Holy Bible on Hong Yu's knee."

"The text on the page returned to its original state, as if everything just now had been merely an illusion."

"Inside the Church, silence returned; only Hong Yu remained, kneeling on the cold floor, facing the closed Holy Bible, not rising for a long time."

"Still need time, still need to endure..." He softly repeated the Lord's admonition, slowly rose, and tightly held the Holy Bible to his chest.

"In that case."

"Then let us hide once more in the darkness."

"Hong Yu summoned a magic array, issuing orders to all the believers:"

"Hide."