"No! This time, the mission was successful. I must find a way to earn back the cost!"
York resolved in his heart as he spread his magic to Jesse's eyes, seeing the crimson magic flow from his hands...
"The Lord has granted my request, allowing you to see through the darkness..." York, unabashedly using the innocent Lord as the reason for this deed, withdrew his hand and proclaimed.
"Can you see now?"
"What?"
Jesse didn't quite understand what the priest was saying and blinked instinctively.
The next second, something incredible happened. She felt as if the darkness before her was being dispelled, one meter, two meters, three meters, suddenly she could see clearly...
"Incredible!!!!"
Jesse covered her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"It seems you can see clearly now," York said, returning to his usual demeanor, indifferently.
"There's nothing incredible about it. This is a miracle of the Lord. The Lord exists..."
Jesse nodded blankly, her previous worldview and understanding being completely challenged.
"Let's go! Following the will of the Lord, we must eliminate these damned murderers."
Hearing this, Jesse looked towards the increasingly clear figure of the priest and nodded blankly.
Being able to see the path made a world of difference. Jesse, for some reason, became unusually alert, a stark contrast to her previous self. She led the way while also pointing out the traps set by the cannibals.
"Father, this is a trap set by the murderers. Carly was injured by one of these traps."
York leaned in for a closer look. Indeed, there were remnants on the trap, a large piece of fabric and bloodstains.
"So, this is where Chris led the murderers away?"
York said, scanning the area. The ground was littered with disordered footprints amidst the trees.
"Yes."
Jesse's eyes filled with sorrow as she nodded. "If it weren't for Chris, Carly and I would probably have..."
Today was arguably the worst nightmare of her life. She had come camping here with friends, lured by the promise of a beautiful lake, only to witness the murder of her friends, be chased by the murderers, stumble into their den, and see how they divided up her friends...
In the end, only she and Carly remained.
York glanced at her and continued following the footprints without comment.
"Keep going!"
"Okay…"
Hearing this, Jesse quickly put aside her sorrow and continued to follow York, leading the way.
With footprints and a known direction, they quickly made their way deeper into the forest and soon arrived at a new location.
A beautiful lake appeared before them, unobstructed by dense forest, the not-so-bright moonlight reflecting in their eyes.
The scenery was beautiful, but York had no intention of admiring it. He looked towards a clearing by the lake, where several tattered tents were pitched, and nearby were traces of blood.
"Your camping spot?"
Jesse remained silent, nodding.
Seeing this, York didn't know how to react. They were deep in the forest, and without a signal, a cry for help would go unheard.
"Which direction did you run in at the beginning?" York put aside his thoughts and calmly asked.
Jesse obediently pointed to the right.
York led the way. He no longer regretted his choice. The dark forest at night was not a good place to explore. Without Jesse's guidance, it would have been impossible to find this place so quickly.
With Jesse, York discovered more clues. Thanks to his magically enhanced vision, he easily spotted some human remains and a swaying head hanging from a tree, its eyes gouged out, ears cut off, and tongue missing, presenting a face that seemed to accuse the living.
Judging by the fresh bloodstains, this head belonged to one of Jesse's friends who died today.
Immediately, York led the unaware Jesse in another direction, continuing forward. This was his mercy as a priest.
This scene indicated they were nearing the murderers' den.
Even without Jesse's guidance, York easily found the destination by following the remaining bloodstains and suspected drag marks of bodies.
An open area without dense forest appeared before them, at its center a small house ablaze with firelight. Around the house, scattered with wrecked cars and scrap metal, gave a surreal feeling of a woodland cottage surrounded by modern decay, highlighting the murderers' strength in moving their victims' cars here from not a short distance.
"Father!" Jesse clenched her teeth, gripping her pistol tightly, her tone full of hatred.
"This is the murderers' den!!!" Hearing this, York nodded indifferently, clutching the Winchester M1897 with its pump action ready, and stealthily approached with Jesse.
Hiding behind a pile of scrap and wrecked cars, York smelled a strange odor but held his breath, whispering to Jesse hiding behind an obstacle.
"Don't make a sound, just wait quietly."
Jesse licked her dry lips and obediently nodded.
York smiled approvingly, then grabbed a large piece of scrap metal and threw it towards the small house's entrance.
His strength was also considerable.
The advantage was his; in the dark, his eyes were as good as night vision goggles, making it easy to take down the carbon-based murderers.
In a flash, the scrap metal, propelled by a gentle force, crashed into the small house's wooden door, smashing it with a loud bang.
The noise stirred a furious conversation inside.
"Mm!!! Mm!!!"
"$%￥#&am!!!"
"…!"
York didn't understand the murderers' language, but he got the gist of it.
It was the rage before the "Who's there?!" and the grabbing of weapons to kill...
Sure enough, within seconds, two grotesque murderers burst out, one wielding a blood-stained axe, the other armed with a bow and arrows and a small knife.
Facing the enraged murderers, York grinned, muttered an amen, aimed at their heads, and pulled the trigger.
Boom!!!!! The gunshot echoed through the dark sky.
The murderer holding the bow and arrows had its head burst like a watermelon, splattering remains, while its headless body collapsed under the dumbfounded gaze of the other murderer…