https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-115-Weakened-Preachers-Battle-Hellish-Xenomorphs/12850192/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-117-Ackerman-Town-Surrounded-by-Xenomorphs/12850194/
Chapter 116: Seal Like a Door, No Passage In or Out
Chapter 116: Seal Like a Door, No Passage In or Out
In the church, the Hell Preachers were also hung on the walls, of course, the dead ones. The living ones were still on the ground.
Out of fifty Hell Preachers, only three were still alive. The rest had all perished. If it weren't for the timely intervention of the Gospel Goblins, the remaining three would have met the same fate.
As for Mayor Laurence, the boy had escaped. No one knew what means he used, but he managed to flee despite being surrounded by the Xenomorphs. Even the Hell Preachers couldn't do that, which was enough to prove that this mayor had truly aligned with Hell, or perhaps he had some kind of advanced technology.
However, Qin Muye felt that, no matter how you looked at it, the possibility of him aligning with Hell was much greater than finding advanced technology.
"Mr. Preacher, it's our first meeting. I am Father Andrew," Qin Muye said with a smile, looking at the lead Preacher. The Preacher's skin had been completely corroded by Xenomorph blood, even his skull was pitted, and the iron nails were almost entirely corroded, leaving only a few bits embedded in the skull. Despite this, he was still alive and very resilient.
He must be the closest to the original version among the weakened ones. However, the Xenomorphs were a bit too strong. The Preachers seemed to be regenerating, but the highly acidic blood, which had fused with Hell's power, inhibited regeneration. That's why these three Preachers hadn't recovered.
"Why did you order your red-robed followers to retreat?" the Preacher asked.
"Because we couldn't win. Staying to die would be pointless," Qin Muye said matter-of-factly.
This was a very normal thing. He wasn't from this world, so why should he fight to the death with the Xenomorphs? Why die here as an unsung hero? If he really wanted to die over such a thing, he could have just ended his own life back then. Wherever he died, it would still be death. Why wait until he had grown strong before dying?
"If these insect demons are not stopped, the world will be destroyed! Can you bear that responsibility?" The Preacher's emotions were very calm, giving Qin Muye the impression that he had been stripped of his emotions, focusing solely on maintaining world peace.
"I can't, and I don't plan to. This isn't my doing, so what does the responsibility have to do with me?" Qin Muye shrugged, indicating that it was none of his business.
It wasn't his mistake, so why should he take the responsibility? If that were the case, the surrounding murderers and terrifying monsters wouldn't have seen the Hell Church or the Vatican take responsibility.
Whoever develops, protects; whoever pollutes, cleans up.
So far, he hadn't gained any benefits from the Xenomorphs. They wanted him to take responsibility in a world that wasn't even his. What did the fate of a strange world have to do with him? It was better to stay out of trouble and live longer.
As for the Predator? If it weren't for his strength, who could catch it? The Hell Church offered no benefits, yet expected him to risk his life, serving as cannon fodder for their interests. Qin Muye wasn't that stupid.
"I understand. I will report this to the Hell Church and the Vatican. They will make a decision afterward," the Preacher said, understanding Qin Muye's self-interest. He didn't argue because he knew it was pointless.
"Sure, I believe in you," Qin Muye replied, not really caring whether the Preacher could return.
"Before that, I hope you can cooperate with me on some research, such as the true situation of your Hell Preachers."
"You must be connected to the Cube, or perhaps you are a knockoff version of the Hell Preachers. Does the Hell Church have any high-ranking officials collaborating with the Hell King Leviathan?"
As Qin Muye spoke, he removed the Preacher's leather coat, revealing a body covered in scars. The Hell Preachers were symbols of pain and torment, and the transformation process was surely painful, as indicated by the marks of iron hooks.
"This is not something you should know," the Hell Preacher naturally wouldn't reveal it, as it involved the Hell Church's secrets.
"Since it's a secret, let it be," Qin Muye said, taking out a special surgical knife and making an incision in the Preacher's skin, beginning further dissection.
From this brief exchange, Qin Muye understood the character of these Preachers. They would speak when they could, but when they couldn't, they wouldn't budge even under duress.
Just from the emotional aspect, Qin Muye knew that this was no longer a normal person, even more extreme than the Goblins.
While the Goblins had their own thoughts and emotions despite the mental imprints, the Preacher in front of him clearly had none. He gave Qin Muye the impression of being numb, tortured into a state of numbness.
Even when Qin Muye cut open the Preacher's chest, there was no reaction, as if it had nothing to do with him. However, it was undeniable that the Preacher's regenerative ability was impressive, though slightly weaker than that of the Gospel Goblins. At least, there was a clear sense of regeneration after each incision.
Comparing the Hell forces in the Pumpkin-headed Wraith, the Bone Skinner, and the Hell Preacher, the first two seemed to originate from the same source, while the Hell Preacher, although similar, had distinct differences when examined closely. This feeling was akin to comparing peonies and peach blossoms; though both are plants, they are distinctly different.
"As for the Tall Ghost Shadow, it seems to be a third-party entity."
Later, Qin Muye discovered the Husky in the wolf pack, which was the Tall Ghost Shadow. He had no idea where it came from. If the witch were still alive, perhaps they could trace its origin, but unfortunately, she was likely long dead.
With the Xenomorphs having grown so powerful, how could she have survived? She might already be in Hell.
"The Hell force in you must come from the Hell King Leviathan. As for the Pumpkin-headed Wraith, it should belong to the Hell realm beneath the church."
"How did the witch summon this thing?"
Qin Muye was puzzled. The seal was still intact, though it leaked, but there shouldn't be enough of a gap to summon the Pumpkin-headed Wraith.
"The Hell entrance being sealed doesn't mean the wraiths inside can't get out. Witches, wizards, and other Hell-favored beings who return from Hell have special abilities," the Preacher explained suddenly.
"Returning from Hell? So even if the Hell entrance is sealed, they can still come and go?" Qin Muye asked, curious despite the Preacher's unexpected answer. Free knowledge was always welcome.
"The Hell entrance is like a door. Even if the door is sealed, there are still chimneys and windows to enter and exit through."
"And since they are deliberately summoned, it's like having a guide, making it easy to bypass the seal."
Listening to the Preacher's explanation, Qin Muye was somewhat incredulous: "So this thing is only good for keeping honest people out, not the dishonest?"
This feeling was quite unsettling. He had thought it was some grand and powerful seal, but it turned out to be so easily bypassed, making it seem rather cheap.
The Preacher didn't fully understand Qin Muye's last statement but grasped the meaning and continued: "It's not an easy task, especially to return from Hell. Since the founding of the Hell Church, only twelve people have been discovered to have returned."
"The witch you mentioned is the thirteenth."
"The Hell Church has existed for three thousand years, and only this many people have returned from Hell."
Qin Muye was speechless. Was it really that there weren't many, or just that they hadn't found them?
However, he believed the Preacher's words. There might be more than thirteen, but it wouldn't be many. If there were so many, someone would have achieved great deeds long ago.
Perhaps the founders of the Hell Church and the Vatican were among those who returned from Hell, which would explain their deep enmity towards Hell.
"Alright, that's enough for today." Qin Muye stitched up the Preacher's wounds and ended his research for the day.
To put it simply, the Preacher's structure was not much different from an ordinary person. The fusion of Hell forces gave him a powerful body and the ability to control iron chains and hooks. Other than that, there wasn't much to it.
However, the side effects were significant, and he had been brainwashed, leading to his current character and attitude. He was essentially a suicide soldier, or perhaps even worse, like a weapon without a self, only loyal in carrying out the Hell Church's tasks.
The utilization of Hell forces was also rather crude. The power provided by the Hell King Leviathan was relatively sufficient, and the medium of pain and torture made the integration more compatible, thus endowing him with such strength.
(End of Chapter)
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