Assault

"Crimson Moon..."

Alan murmured. In this world, he had encountered many terrifying beings and heard the murmurs that accompanied the birth of various evil gods. Among them, the Black Sun and the Crimson Moon were the most unsettling.

The reason was simple: you could see them just by looking up. This indicated the horrifying influence they had on the world. Even the sane inhabitants carried latent madness, thus making them most susceptible to the effects of the Black Sun and the Crimson Moon.

At this moment, he noticed a trace of crimson in Lin's eyes. The little girl's Adam's apple bobbed as she swallowed, her small face brimming with longing — no, hunger!

She gazed ravenously at the sleeping Ike inside the cabin, barely suppressing an urge. She wanted to devour his flesh and blood, to savor the sweetness and freshness.

A crimson hue flowed in Lin's eyes.

However, she ultimately suppressed her desires with immense willpower.

The little girl turned away, transforming into a pool of red blood as she melted into the darkness.

Behind her, Alan observed everything, murmuring to himself: "The entity on the Crimson Moon—Mother of Flesh and Blood. Is its domain flesh and motherhood? It seems its followers are indeed interested in consuming flesh and blood. As for other aspects, further observation is needed."

...

The next day.

Ike woke up to find Lin lying beside him, sleeping peacefully. Her slightly chubby face held a trace of a smile, as if she were having a pleasant dream.

He stepped out of the room, only to find the atmosphere in Black Sun Town off.

Crowds gathered tensely, with patrols led by the Children of Fire running everywhere.

"Uncle Yigo, what's happening?"

Spotting a familiar face, Ike hurried over to ask.

"Intruders. There were intruders in town last night!" Yigo, with his thick beard, wore a grave expression: "They might be heretics worshipping other evil gods! He or they attacked our people... Poor Benji and Mary, their bodies are completely gone..."

"Heretics!"

Ike gasped, his expression turning fervent again: "The High Priest will deal with them."

The High Priest had achieved his feats, becoming a being beyond mortals.

"But... the High Priest has entered deep seclusion..." A bitter smile appeared on Yigo's face.

Ike was left stunned.

He couldn't help but think that he had given his all to help the High Priest become the Beast of Darkness, hoping to gain his protection.

However, now the High Priest's choice indicated everything!

The High Priest didn't care about a few mere followers, whether it was Shu or him!

...

When Alan 'logged in' again, the situation in Black Sun Town had deteriorated significantly.

Every night, cultists went missing, and analyzing the traces suggested they had been horrifically tortured, possibly even eaten alive!

Despite the efforts of Black Sun Cult's middle management to maintain order, it was in vain.

Today, Alan even heard rumors that there were defectors within the cult!

No one wanted to stay in a place with man-eating monsters!

"But now that the High Priest has intervened, Lin is in trouble..."

Alan saw a large group of cultists surrounding a bald elder entering a crime scene and couldn't help but sigh.

In his eyes, the High Priest barely maintained a human appearance; in reality, he was just an illusion.

His true form was still that of a beast with a human head, entirely engulfed in dark flames, hiding in the shadow of the 'High Priest.'

"It seems his seclusion was to create a human form...?"

Alan followed the High Priest into a crime scene.

Blood and flesh remnants stained the ground; the atmosphere was filled with unease.

"The perpetrator can fully control their flesh and pores; we can't even detect the slightest scent left by an outsider!"

A Child of Fire bowed.

"Although the assailant erased all physical traces, in mysticism, such traces are hard to eliminate..."

A faint smile appeared on the High Priest's face: "Prepare the ritual for me. I will use the Divining Rod to find the perpetrator directly! They will be subjected to the punishment of black flames, dying in painful wails!"

Excited expressions appeared on the faces of black-robed cultists as they began setting up the ritual.

"Begging our Lord...Lord of the Eclipse, God of the Black Sun..."

At the center of the ritual, a freshly broken rod stood upright due to some mysterious influence and was immediately held by the High Priest.

Thud!

The rod fell, pointing in a specific direction.

Only the High Priest could perform such advanced divination within the cult! Except for him, even the 'Dark Pursuer' would be interfered with!

"Let's go!"

Without hesitation, the High Priest followed the direction indicated, dropping the rod at another intersection.

Mingling in the crowd, Ike initially felt excited, even thinking about personally lighting the heretic's pyre.

But gradually, his expression changed.

How was the direction getting closer to his home?

Thud!

The rod stopped again, pointing to a small cabin.

"Whose residence is that?"

Black flames emanated from the High Priest's nose and mouth.

"It's Ike's house!"

At that moment, Ike felt like he had fallen into an abyss!

Without hesitation, the High Priest rushed into the small house.

Boom!

From the windows and door, thick black smoke and flames immediately billowed out, with a faint beastly roar echoing within.

Ike knelt on the ground, finding it hard to believe what he was seeing.

Soon, a beast shrouded in black flames emerged, carrying a small figure in its mouth.

Thud!

Lin's body fell to the ground like a broken rag doll.

However, despite the black flames' burn, her expression remained blank, and soon her skin peeled off, turning into a lump of flesh.

"A flesh puppet? This is blasphemy!"

The High Priest's head roared: "This is the power and path of our Lord's mortal enemy! That blasphemer isn't dead yet; capture her! Capture her!"

...

In a dense forest.

The trees had become dead white, some even translucent and ethereal.

Alan strolled leisurely, admiring the scenery.

"This world is becoming increasingly bizarre and fantastical... Is it the influence of the Sun and those beings? They subconsciously reshape this world... So far, it only affects the landscape, but later, time and space's order and rules might become chaotic..."

He quickened his pace and saw Lin ahead.

The little girl had seemingly accelerated her growth, transforming into a wild and alluring athletic young woman.

Long before the High Priest arrived at the cabin, Lin seemed to have sensed danger, leaving behind a flesh puppet and starting her escape...