Chapter 35 : Cultist Simulator?

Lin Ruo felt a sense of confusion wash over him.

He was left in a state of bewilderment due to a recent event. He had just killed the person who had taken on Lier's identity, a person who had exuded an unexplainable murderous intent.

Lin Ruo had orchestrated a ritual to connect with Lier's spirit, and everything had gone smoothly in the ritual. After successfully communicating with the remaining essence of "Lier," Lin Ruo's first priority was to ascertain the fate of the real Lier.

The outcome didn't catch him off guard. Lier had indeed met a brutal end at the hands of the imposter. Her lifeless body was abandoned in the Eastern District, and it remained uncertain whether it could still be located.

While Lin Ruo had anticipated this outcome, a twinge of sorrow still gripped him. His next concern was naturally about the identity of the imposter.

Through dream divination, Lin Ruo managed to gain insight into the situation. In a dimly lit temple, a peculiar girl knelt in deep devotion. Before her stood a grand and imposing statue.

As Lin Ruo scrutinized the statue, he realized that it was carved in the likeness of a blind man, covered in numerous scars, with no ears.

Startled, Lin Ruo had a moment of realization.

Wait, the Colonel?!

The old, scarred, blind man with a past full of combat expertise?

A devout follower as sharp as a weapon!

Church of the Bright Edge? Cultist Simulator?!

Lin Ruo's mind raced as he contemplated the staggering possibility. But just as he was immersed in his thoughts, the dream suddenly shattered, and along with it, the remaining essence of "Lier."

A sharp pain jabbed at Lin Ruo's head. He opened his eyes to find Lier's lifeless body before him, devoid of any lingering spirit. He couldn't help but wince, sensing that the abrupt failure of the spiritual connection and the complete dissipation of the imposter's spirit were far from ordinary occurrences.

Something or someone had interfered.

In the midst of this moment, the visage of the supposed "Lier" began to blur. Her entire appearance transformed from the brown-haired Lier to the girl Lin Ruo had seen in the dream.

Simultaneously, something detached from her face. Furthermore, Lin Ruo observed her neck, where the scarred skin emitted a faint radiance. A bony-white crescent-shaped object materialized in that spot.

Lin Ruo hesitated but ultimately decided to pick up these two mysterious items.

Before he could inspect the rest of the girl's belongings, his spiritual intuition alerted him.

Lin Ruo lifted his gaze and caught sight of members of the punitive squad racing down the street towards him.

Weighing the pros and cons of exposing his status as the goddess's Blessed against strategically retreating using his secret state, Lin Ruo stood up, tapped into his secret badge's power, and entered his secret state.

While he wasn't afraid of revealing his identity, Lin Ruo had no intention of dealing with the Mandated Punishers while under the guise of the goddess, unless it became absolutely necessary.

His intuition also informed him that there was likely no other valuable information to be gleaned from the girl.

Casting a final glance at the imposter who had, in a twisted way, become a pigeon, Lin Ruo, now cloaked in his secret state, exited the cafe.

Instead of heading home immediately, he embarked on a journey to the Eastern District.

He aimed to locate the discarded body of the real Lier.

...

As twilight descended, Lin Ruo's detective office was bustling with activity.

"Detective Ross, she's gone! She's disappeared!"

Ilimi Kati rushed into the detective office, visibly distressed. Without wasting a moment, he anxiously addressed Lin Ruo, seeking guidance on what to do next. His face exhibited both worry and an undercurrent of relief.

This reaction was natural. His anxiety stemmed from the fear that he wouldn't be able to find his true girlfriend once the false "Lier" vanished. On the other hand, the relief was due to the immediate cessation of the perceived threat.

"Calm down, Mr. Ilimi Kati," Lin Ruo advised, assessing the situation. He noticed that Mandated Punishers had likely suppressed the news concerning the afternoon incident. This was a typical approach taken by official Beyonders, and Lin Ruo was familiar with their methods.

He was well aware of the processes at play. The imposter's sudden disappearance would surely trigger an investigation into matters related to "Lier." And the first person under scrutiny would undoubtedly be Ilimi Kati, Lier's boyfriend.

Under these circumstances, Lin Ruo had no choice but to expose his identity as the goddess's Blessed. So he used his secret state, in order to avoid attracting attention from the Punishers. He couldn't risk drawing the Mandated Punishers's gaze until it was necessary.

Additionally, Lin Ruo's intuition suggested that the imposter's belongings held no further clues.

He poured Ilimi Kati a cup of coffee, adopting the role of a regular detective. With a sympathetic sigh, Lin Ruo said, "Mr. Ilimi Kati, I'm already aware of the situation, and I'm sorry for your troubles."

"I will continue my investigation to locate the genuine Miss Lier. However, given that the imposter has vanished, we've essentially hit a dead end... Be prepared for the possibility that we may not find any substantial leads."

Lin Ruo had no intention of revealing to Ilimi Kati that he had already taken care of Miss Lier's body, intending to notify her parents anonymously for collection in a couple of days.

Despite this, Lin Ruo didn't intend to abandon Ilimi Kati's commission. It was only natural for a regular detective to persist in investigating a case.

He aimed to appear as an ordinary investigator, minimizing the risk of arousing the Mandated Punishers's suspicion. In this world, low-level Beyonders wouldn't detect anything unusual unless Lin Ruo himself revealed his identity.

With a sigh, Lin Ruo reflected on his situation. He hadn't created an image for himself initially, and now he was left cleaning up the mess. His frustration couldn't be contained.

"I understand," Ilimi Kati responded, sounding somewhat crestfallen.

Seeing that his words had consoled Ilimi Kati, Lin Ruo initiated a hypnotic suggestion while pretending to go to the restroom. By the time he returned, he had simulated an aura similar to that of regular people, erasing the memory of the earlier conversation about calming down. After some casual conversation, he escorted Ilimi Kati out of the office.

Closing the office door, Lin Ruo stretched lazily after shedding the facade of a normal person. He retrieved a metal box from his pocket.

Upon opening it, he found the items he had acquired from the imposter earlier.

"What in the world are these..." Lin Ruo mused, perplexed. As he picked up one of the objects, the sensation of grass enveloped him once again.

After divining these items, he had ascertained their nature—they were not Beyonder characteristics or items, but rather "influences."

A level-three Moth influence, and a level-two Edge influence.

These were elements that undoubtedly belonged to a game Lin Ruo had played before—Cultist Simulator.

In Cultist Simulator game, influences held immense importance. They spanned a range from common influences like comfort, fear, and fascination, to legendary influences boasting unique attributes. The entire game revolved around these concepts.

The literary world and the secret world existed in tandem in this reality. Lin Ruo wasn't surprised by the appearance of Cultist Simulator. However, he remained puzzled as to why elements from Cultist Simulator had made their way into the secret world.

Could it be that these realms, mystery, and Cultistism had merged somehow?

No, that seemed unlikely. Lin Ruo had access to the original owner's memories as well as the knowledge he had amassed since then. There was no mention of Sichen and the Eight Roads in this world.

While it was possible that the lack of information was due to their unfamiliarity with the Beyonder Domain...

Moreover, why did the Edge believer suddenly target him?

Narrowing his eyes, Lin Ruo came to a decision.

He intended to visit the Saint Samuel's Church of the Evernight Goddess in Backlund, identifying himself as the goddess's Blessed. He aimed to gather information about the Cultist religion.

If the church held no knowledge, it would suggest a significant development.