The journey had brought them close to evening. The landscape was all wilderness and weeds, occasionally broken by fences of barbed wire. As the sun set in the west, releasing its red glow, the scene could have inspired a poem from York:
"The setting sun and the lone wild duck fly together."
The scene was apt, though he seemed to be the only one with the leisure to appreciate it. The others were consumed by the stress brought on by the corrupted one.
The vehicles sped on, never stopping the constant jostling. By the time the sun had disappeared, they arrived at their destination: the school.
Three vehicles slowly stopped at the school's main entrance. Upon arrival, except for York, everyone's heart inevitably sank a little.
The silence around the school was unnerving.
The school, not yet enveloped in complete darkness, seemed gloomy and oppressive. It appeared to all as if shrouded in a thick shadow.
In the dimming light, the rustling leaves in the breeze sounded like low murmurs, adding an eerie and terrifying atmosphere to the environment.
"Father York."
All eyes involuntarily turned towards the priest standing at the center.
"Let's go in. The demon is here."
York, looking at the school made up of only four low buildings, took the lead and entered.
In his mind's 3D map, everything was under his control.
The demon was here.
Even without the 3D map, just by comparing the environment and feelings, everyone could sense that the demon, or the corrupted one, was present here. It was darker and more dreadful here than outside.
This stark difference directly impacted everyone's senses.
Diana, the farm owner Antonio's wife, was already holding her arms in fear.
Antonio held her tightly to comfort her, his expression vigilant.
Pedro, his brother, and the two officers, Rack and Ryan, surrounded them, slowly drawing their shotguns and pistols.
Mirta silently followed a step behind York.
Upon entering, the school was eerily empty, as if haunted by specters.
The remaining light on the walls seemed like the last vestiges of sunlight, reflecting the sky ready to turn dark, blood-red like fresh blood, casting twisted and sinister shadows on the ground.
At the same time, the air was filled with an old smell, damp and musty.
"There's a smell of blood."
Pedro, with the nose of an experienced hunter, spoke words that struck fear.
"A very strong smell of blood."
Antonio clenched his teeth slightly, instinctively looking towards the priest leading the way.
Not only him, but the protective Rack and Ryan also looked towards the suddenly pausing priest.
"Mirta, pay attention to how I fight, you'll use this too in the future."
York stopped in place, looking at a low building deep within the site.
In his eyes, the curtains of this building were all drawn, obscuring the interior.
But in his 3D map, all the students sat quietly on their seats, as if attending a class without a teacher.
Except for this building, the surrounding two buildings were the same.
The building at the center, set up like a stage, was filled with one corpse after another of teachers, and beneath a pile of bodies, one particularly swollen corpse, twice as big as any other, was all darkness in the 3D map display.
"Yes, Father York."
Mirta responded respectfully, her eyes serious.
York, expressionless, pulled a thick Bible from his bag.
"Our power comes from God, so the Bible is like our staff and caster."
York quietly opened the first page.
"Just like the spells well-known to magicians, the Bible is indispensable."
His steady voice was not only heard by Mirta but also by everyone behind her.
Somehow, just because of these words, the group, previously shaken by the environment and pressure, calmed down.
Just then, they heard some noises.
The wind from afar brought indescribable whispers, and the whole school seemed enveloped by some unspeakable dark force, filling the atmosphere with an eerie vibe.
The whispers grew louder.
Everyone tensed up, their minds suddenly filled with chaotic thoughts.
Die!
Die!
Kill that damn man!
Kill him!
Hurry! Shoot him!
Kill!!!
The intrusive thoughts filled their minds, causing everyone, including Mirta, to show agonized expressions.
Even armed Pedro and his brother, along with Rack and Ryan, who was recording, had eyes red with blood, all turned their gun barrels towards the priest in front.
Ultimately unable to resist the overwhelming pressure, they were controlled by an unknown force.
A voice rang out.
"Disperse!"
Everyone's eyes instantly cleared.
"This... this is..." Mirta, overwhelmed with fear and heart palpitations as a Purifier, had her thoughts momentarily controlled.
Such a thing had never happened to her before.
And Pedro and his brother, along with Chief Rack and Officer Ryan, also realized belatedly, quickly shifting their gun barrels away, faces showing fear as they stepped back.
The chaotic thoughts pressing down had boiled down to a single voice commanding them to kill Father York.
"Father York!"
Mirta clutched at her chest, her breathing becoming heavy.
"Just now..."
"It's okay." Only York was unperturbed, gazing at the central building set up like a stage, smiling lightly.
"Is this your response? It seems you still react to God?"
As he spoke, the whispers intensified.
The curtains in the other three buildings suddenly flung open.
With a swish, everyone's attention was drawn.
"All the students here..."
Using the still-visible surroundings, Mirta and the others saw through the windows that students stood one after another.
The students in white uniforms had a numb look on their faces, which, though originally fair, now bore sinister, evil masks.
"Have all been turned into evil spirits."
York held the Bible and calmly spoke, walking towards the darkened building filled with infected students gazing out the windows.
"Let's go, exorcise them."
Mirta took a deep breath and hurriedly followed; she hadn't forgotten the priest's earlier words.
"Learn!"
As Mirta moved, the rest of the group hesitated no longer and followed closely.
Ryan's body camera continued to record everything clearly.
The bizarre sight, the fierce faces of the students, and the figure of York providing a strong sense of security, like a broad mountain.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At the same time, the fierce-faced students started moving, picking up various items.
Fire axes, sharp iron bars, sharpened wooden sticks, small knives, and other easily lethal weapons...
"Mirta, you see, this demon doesn't know the church has been revived."
Watching the students start to leave the classrooms, compared to the hesitant and unsure others, York's face remained calm.
"Otherwise, the first thing it should have done would be to make the students slaughter each other, not come at us, trying to kill us."
As he spoke, a group of students ran towards them, their postures still childish, but their weapons, movements, and eyes were all marked with cruelty.
"Father York!"
Ignoring the anxious calls behind him, York flipped through the Bible, continuing to speak to Mirta.
"In situations like this, as God's spokespeople and clergy, we have many ways to resolve it,
either expel the source or purify it."
York stopped flipping through the pages.
As the students, silent and ready to charge, approached.
Behind them, Pedro and the others began to raise their guns, attempting to protect themselves and preparing to pull him away.
As Mirta watched with wide eyes, York spoke.
"Lord! I, York John, your faithful spokesperson, ask you to grant me the power to turn my voice into a divine weapon, to drive the darkness from this cursed place!"
A powerful burst of divine energy exploded from York, radiating out from him and filling the area.
Behind him, Mirta and everyone else who had been about to act were struck dumb, staring as the priest emitted a flawless divine light.
This light illuminated everything, brightening the faces of the grimacing students who were approaching.
"In the name of the Lord, I summon the power of holy light to bind evil and disperse all dark schemes with sacred words."
As these words were spoken, everyone instinctively looked up. A huge burst of divine light formed in the sky, larger than the buildings and the field, and slammed down directly over the central building.
Ripples invisible to the eye spread through the air.
Everyone could hear a painful, almost beast-like scream suddenly erupt.
But at that moment, the priest, now seemingly the center of the universe, again made a deafening pronouncement.
"In luce tua videbimus lumen, in sanctitate tua videbimus sanctitatem."
"In the name of the Lord, I cast these holy words to expel the dark forces from this space!"
The divine light exploded instantaneously, blinding everyone. Mirta and the others saw nothing but a bright white light.
This light replaced everything.
The reassuring silhouette of the priest, the school which had been terrifying and now seemed abandoned and forgotten, and the fearful students—all disappeared.
Only the light remained.
Mirta and the others felt as though they were in a vast expanse of white space.
They couldn't see each other, effectively blind in a sense.
All was silent.
"Father York?"
Only Mirta's tentative voice broke the silence.
The next second, a familiar, comforting voice responded.
"Yes, Mirta. It's over."
As the voice fell, Mirta and the others found their surroundings beginning to fracture and break away, and their vision returned.
Except for the priest's back still in view, providing a sense of security, everything had changed.
The school, which had been a source of dread, now seemed utterly peaceful.
Everyone instinctively looked forward.
The students, who had appeared monstrous and varied in size, all stopped in place.
Their faces showed confusion and bewilderment, as if they didn't understand why they were there.
The deadly weapons in their hands fell to the ground one by one.
Even the younger children, looking at the weapons on the ground, turned their heads left and right, crying out and calling for their mothers.
"Mr. Pedro, Chief Rack..."
York's voice fell gently at this moment.
"Here! Father York!"
Pedro and his brother, Chief Rack, Officer Ryan, and the couple Antonio and Diana, all snapped awake, looking at the priest with excited and thrilled eyes.
"You all stay here and comfort these students."
York closed the Bible, leisurely placing it back in his bag, looking at the confused and fearful students who were now gazing at him, and spoke calmly.
"Yes, Father York!"
Hearing the immediate and decisive response from behind, York shook his head slightly and stepped towards the building that was still bound by divine power.
"Mirta, come with me."
"Yes, Father York." Mirta quickly followed.
However, Ryan's hesitant voice also rose at this moment.
"Father... Father York, about the recording..."
He hadn't forgotten the earlier agreement that the priest had asked him to record everything, not to miss a single detail.
York turned back, looking at Ryan who seemed uncertain whether to follow or stay, speaking gently:
"Thank you, Officer Ryan, no need to record anymore."
"Yes, Father York!"
Ryan straightened up, instinctively starting to salute but then realized the absurdity since the man was a priest, not a superior officer, making his action somewhat comical.
Seeing this, York nodded slightly and continued leading Mirta past the bewildered students towards the building.
But internally, he was amused by the young officer's behavior.
He also drew a conclusion: the people of this world were longing for protection, craving leaders who could guide their spirits.
"This world is perfectly suited for the church's growth."
York looked ahead at the building, pondering.
He could feel that after today, the Pluto Church, or perhaps he himself, would attract global attention.
Because even the wealthiest and relatively peaceful town of Amara, including official personnel, had shown signs of devout faith,
What would areas frequently ravaged by demons think when they saw the miracles on the recordings?
He was looking forward to tomorrow, to the changes in the people of this world.
Unfortunately, apart from the world-triggered random tasks, this exorcism had not triggered a random task.
Of course, he felt somewhat nostalgic.
The exorcism method he had just used, he hadn't practiced it in a very long time.
At least not since he had gained external enhancements or faced formidable foes.
This was, in fact, the battle method of clergy or before he had his external enhancements.
The exorcism trilogy was only suitable for routine possessions; when demons were summoned or descended naturally, there were corresponding battle methods.
Recalling the past, he not only practiced chant-based styles but also close combat, plus precise gunplay learned due to the emergence of magical enhancements...
Close combat was where he was most fierce...
Before he could continue reminiscing, because he was feeling a bit sentimental, a respectful voice from behind interrupted his thoughts.
"Father York."
"Hmm?"
Mirta's voice trembled slightly.
"Can I also use this power? Or rather, do I qualify to use it?"
As a Purifier, Mirta had finally seen the true form of a clergyman.
York stopped in front of the main door of the building, reached for the doorknob, and spoke calmly.
"Mirta, you are now a part of the church..."
___________________
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