Chapter 23: No Escape

Chen Lun pulled off the helmet of a heavily armored guardian, revealing the face beneath.

It was a face covered in tumors, grotesque and hideous.

He still had faint breaths, even though he had sustained such severe injuries, he had not died.

"Indeed, they are all freaks catalyzed by the Red Apple Church using diluted Mysterious Substance..."

Chen Lun thought to himself.

Just like the rotting hounds, products of the underworld, the Red Apple Church experimented on living people.

The monsters they created were immensely strong and resilient in their life force.

It could be said that these monsters were no longer human but should be classified as Supernatural Creatures.

Devoid of self-awareness and personality, they were like wild beasts.

Chen Lun violently stomped down, crushing the skulls of two creatures.

[You have killed Red Apple Church heavily armored guardians, gained 100 Experience Points]*2

Turning his head to look where the fat monk had been, he found it empty.

Chen Lun chuckled softly.

"Can you escape?"

"Escape! As long as I get to the Shelter, I won't die!"

Under the Purple Moon's night, Sturton ran frantically down the deserted streets, gasping for air.

He had run out of the back door of the church courtyard, heading straight for the Shelter in the town center.

Along the way, he continuously prayed to the Golden Goblet in his embrace.

But even though the blood in the goblet was nearly spilt, there was still no response.

At that moment, a stray cat crossed the street, nearly tripping Sturton.

"Damn it!"

He cursed angrily and continued to run forward.

But he suddenly realized that more stray cats had appeared in the middle of the road ahead.

Sets of green eyes stared at him, making his heart nearly stop.

Tap… Tap… Tap…

The sound of boots on the cobblestone road echoed slowly from behind.

Sturton spun around in a panic.

He saw a figure cloaked in a cloak, who had appeared at some point, slowly advancing towards him.

He shouted loudly, whether to boost his courage or to attract the attention of others.

He then quickly pulled out the hand crossbow and aimed it at Chen Lun as he squeezed the trigger.

Although there was no crossbow bolt loaded, nor did he draw the string, a crimson arrow flew out, streaking a straight red line towards Chen Lun.

Whiz—!!

Chen Lun had been on alert since Sturton drew his hand crossbow, but he still couldn't react in time as the arrow shot towards him.

The arrow was too fast!

Chen Lun could only violently twist his body to the side to avoid vital spots, letting the bolt only graze his arm as it passed.

The red line grazed the scales on the armor, sparking as it disappeared into the air behind Chen Lun.

A small cut was left on his arm, oddly, with not a drop of blood flowing out.

[You have been attacked by the C-level Mysterious Object Tongue of Gluttony, health -12]

[You are in an extreme state of hunger, health limit temporarily reduced by 23]

Suddenly, a strong sense of hunger surged.

Chen Lun felt weak as if he needed to have a huge meal right then.

Even if a live cow was placed in front of him, he could tear and devour it alive.

The wound on his arm began to worsen, the surrounding flesh as if being gnawed by an invisible maw, disappearing tracelessly.

Fortunately, the Mysterious Power attached to the wound was minimal, and the disappearance of the flesh soon stopped.

It was as if the invisible maw had stealthily withdrawn.

Chen Lun, enduring the pain, saw this happen and grew even more cautious of the hand crossbow-shaped Mysterious Object, preparing himself for Sturton to continue firing.

But after pulling the trigger once, the fat monk collapsed to the ground, out of breath as if lacking oxygen.

The hand crossbow and the Golden Goblet fell to one side, with blood slowly streaming out of the goblet.

Chen Lun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hmm… just a normal person, unable to bear the cost of using the Mysterious Object a second time."

His thoughts raced, and he violently charged toward Sturton.

But just then, the blood spilled on the ground suddenly boiled, flowing back into Sturton's mouth and nostrils like rivers returning to the sea.

"Ergh… Ahh!!"

Sturton's body convulsed, as if he was enduring unimaginable pain.

Whoosh!

He leapt up all at once, lunging at Chen Lun with more agility than before.

Clang! Hiss—crack!!

Five pitch-black claws scraped across Chen Lun's raised arm, sparking against the scales.

"Sinner! How dare you attack the Red Apple Church!"

The voice that came from Sturton's mouth had changed, as if it were another person, old and deep.

His face was contorted with bulging veins, his eyes were white, and he bared his teeth in a ferocious grimace.

"What's there not to dare..."

Chen Lun kicked him away.

"I'll also dig up your church's graves and burn your church down with fire!"

"Heretic!!"

The possessed Sturton no longer seemed human, but like a monster, he swung his sharp claws and attacked again.

During the battle, Chen Lun found that his opponent's strength and agility had been forcibly enhanced, making him extremely difficult to handle.

Hiss—!!

The claws scraped the ground, sending sparks flying and leaving several deep scratch marks.

Chen Lun narrowly dodged the claw attack, reaching out with both hands.

His arms, transformed into snakes, wrapped around the opponent's arms, immobilizing his most dangerous claws.

Sturton frowned deeply, sensing trouble.

Then, Chen Lun's serpentine arms violently churned, the sharp dark golden scales slicing through, instantly tearing off the claws.

Phut!

The corpulent monk retreated a few steps, lifting his bleeding severed arm with a ghastly expression.

"What kind of supernatural ability is this...?"

"Damned ratman! Whose grave did you dig up? Or was it some sort of alchemical potion?"

Watching the guy wildly speculate, Chen Lun sneered silently.

"When you're dead, you can go down and ask for yourself."

"You dare desecrate the Rose!?"

Sturton roared in fury.

"Ahhhh!!"

He began to scream hysterically, and the skin on his entire face peeled off instantly, turning into a bloody, skinless beast's head within moments.

"Shameless."

Chen Lun critically remarked.

"Die!!"

Sturton attacked again, his speed significantly increased.

The beast's head snapped viciously, the air exploded with a loud bang.

Chen Lun bent his neck to dodge the deadly attack and countered with a punch to his face.

Bang!!

Sturton's body swayed.

Chen Lun heightened his figure, and once more an elbow fell from above like a warhammer, striking the back of his head.

Bang!!!

Sturton faced down, smashing into the cobblestones and sinking deep into them.

His body twitched a few times, then lay still.

Chen Lun looked down at the corpse, the sound of snapping bones echoing in his ears, and a sudden sense of danger overcame him.

He swiftly dodged backwards.

Just as he leaped, Sturton's body suddenly swelled, and then exploded like a bomb!

Boom!!

Blood rained down like a shower, accompanied by fragments of bones and viscera, solemnly closing the scene of the battle on the desolate street.

Fortunately, Chen Lun was quick enough to avoid the blast.

Otherwise, with the power akin to real explosives, he would have been injured.

Gurgle gurgle...

Sturton's disfigured beast head rolled to Chen Lun's feet.

Its one remaining eyeball swiveled, locking onto the figure in the cloak, filled with rage and a hint of madness.

"'History and Ritual Association' scum, this battle is not our church's failure but merely the prelude to your sinners' judgment."

"Well, you better come find me then..."

Chen Lun kicked the head with the tip of his boot.

He then looked down from a height, staring into that eyeball, making eye contact.

"I'll be in Emerald Town waiting for you, if you dare come, I'll smash your brains out."

"Damn you! You..."

The beast head tried to say more but was suddenly kicked away with a foot.