Chapter 318: The Book of the World (Part 3)
"Cough..."
Jolan used the Holy Nail to support himself on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood: "I might not... be able to leave. I only hope the others can evacuate safely."
His chest heaved violently; it looked like he had reached his limit.
"Hey... what's with that look."
Jolan turned his head, only to see the gate giving him a "side-eye" glare.
"You aren't planning on playing the heroic sacrifice card, are you?" Valac had a look of utter disgust.
"With your current physical condition, as long as you stop fighting, you can still hold on for a good few days."
Jolan shook his head helplessly: "You demon, you really know how to ruin the mood."
"You humans always love these meaningless sacrifices," Valac showed no mercy.
"In this regard, that annoying guy is much better than you."
"That is true..." A young face surfaced in Jolan's mind. "Given his personality, he's probably hiding somewhere right now."
Valac continued its analysis: "Not long ago, at the cost of a powerful holy artifact, you temporarily sealed those 'villains.'"
"But the current situation is completely beyond your ability to handle. Even with me here, we cannot fight against a true angel for too long."
"Don't forget my identity as a demon. Once that fallen angel is truly liberated, I will abandon you without hesitation."
For those few bottles of Holy Water, it had truly made a decision that went against its "ancestral teachings"—speaking the truth.
Jolan remained silent.
Of course he knew this, but the existence before them absolutely could not be allowed to enter the human realm, otherwise the entire world would be destroyed.
Therefore, he had long made up his mind that he would stop it even if it cost him his life.
"Mr. Demon, he won't listen to you." At this time, a voice suddenly came from the mist.
Jolan immediately heightened his vigilance.
"Hey, you actually let that kind of existence use your body as a vessel." Valac looked opposite them in surprise.
"This can indeed bypass many rule restrictions, but your soul will similarly be unable to bear it."
A figure slowly walked out of the mist; it was exactly Lucifer.
At this moment, his body was covered in black and white colors, divided down the middle, as if he possessed both darkness and Holy Light simultaneously.
And behind his back, two wings of different colors had actually sprouted.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Demon," Lucifer smiled slightly.
"But there will always be sacrifices on the path of reform. Archbishop Borgia can certainly understand this point."
Jolan snorted coldly: "If you are looking for a kindred spirit, you've found the wrong person."
"Oh~ I thought a Holy See Archbishop who chose to cooperate with a demon would be able to understand," the sarcasm in Lucifer's tone was undisguised.
Jolan turned his head and did not respond, but his gaze grew even more solemn.
"A seal at the cost of a Pioneer Spirit's soul actually couldn't restrict him for long...?" His heart sank.
"I smell despair," Lucifer seemed to be able to hear the former's inner thoughts.
"You shouldn't blame yourself. As a member of the Holy See, you are far superior to the vast majority of the Church's fools."
"They are merely slaves to power and desire, whereas you, even facing a desperate situation, only think of risking your life to change things."
Jolan frowned: "Are you trying to win me over?"
Lucifer nodded with a smile: "The world's reform is already irreversible. Even without the flames of the Wings of Vengeance, the Demon God's army will set foot in the human realm."
"The Church's corruption is known to all. For a talent like you to remain there is simply a waste of life."
He snapped his fingers as he spoke.
The mist nearby parted slightly, revealing ten unconscious figures. It was exactly the four Holy Clan members, the Priest Order squad, as well as Caroline and the others.
"How could this..." Jolan looked toward Valac.
Valac frowned: "Hey... although I am a demon, usually delighting in lies and deceit, and haven't kept my promises more than a few times since my birth..."
It originally wanted to give examples to exonerate itself, but the more it spoke, the less confident it became. It could only say directly: "I didn't fool you."
"This Mr. Demon did indeed keep his promise and sent these people to a safe location," Lucifer said. "But beneath the majesty of the True God, any escape is completely meaningless."
Jolan narrowed his eyes: "Are you planning to use these people's lives to blackmail me?"
"The others might not be important." Lucifer beckoned with his finger.
One of them was immediately swept up by the mist and flew to his side.
"But this member of the David clan... is the most promising candidate to inherit the position of Pope. If something really happened to him, even a Holy See Attendant would find it hard to explain."
"The Lord has long arranged our destinies." A fierce glint flashed in Jolan's eyes.
"Since they chose to walk the path of Holy Clergy Members, they should have expected this day would come."
Lucifer sighed: "Then that is truly a pity."
"I was still looking forward to you taking the Church to even greater heights after becoming Pope."
He snapped his fingers again.
"Since that is the case... let your subordinates see with their own eyes how you abandoned them."
As soon as his voice fell, the ten unconscious people all woke up.
"Where is this... am I not dead?"
"Where is that monster from earlier!"
"Archbishop Borgia, what's wrong with you!"
"..."
The group quickly noticed the anomaly of the scene.
"Hey... quiet down." Lucifer frowned.
The throats of the Holy Clergy Members were instantly entwined by mist; they could only widen their eyes and stare at Jolan.
"I originally wanted to let you leave, but the devout Archbishop plans to sacrifice you all," Lucifer said.
"But God has always been fair, so I am giving you an opportunity as well."
He said this while walking past them.
"As long as you offer your souls to the True God and bend your knees beneath the Wings of Vengeance, you can leave here safely."
The Holy Clergy Members looked at each other, suspicion and uncertainty in their eyes.
Jolan covertly looked at Valac.
"I advise you to give up. I'm afraid Mr. Demon will find it very hard to help you anymore," Lucifer turned around and smiled.
"Tch..." Valac curled its lips.
"This guy used the angel's power to pin me down. Now, even if you want to leave, it's too late. Humanity's stupidity truly is hard to change; always wasting time on unsalvageable situations..."
It complained verbally, its gaze gradually turning cold.
Seeing this, Jolan also smiled bitterly inward. He understood that his brief cooperation with this demon was over.
"Then it's time to get to the main point." Lucifer walked over to Caroline.
The latter had a desperate gaze, her body trembling continuously.
"Don't be nervous, Sister."
Lucifer pressed his hand against Caroline's face, moving from the bridge of her nose to her lips, then to her neck, and finally pinched down hard.
Sharp fingertips dug into her pale skin, and several streaks of bright red blood seeped out.
"Cough..." Caroline's face instantly flushed red.
"I only need three people. The quota stops when it's filled," Lucifer stated calmly.
"But if no one expresses their stance within ten seconds, then I will crush you into meat paste first."
He naturally released the bindings on the bodies of the Holy Clergy Members.
"Damn it..." Jolan tried to get up, but a sharp blade instantly appeared before his neck.
"I advise you not to act rashly," a female voice suddenly rang out.
Jolan turned his head, only to see a beautiful, icy face.
"Sariel..." His gaze was grave.
At the same time, several figures appeared around them; they were the Wings of Vengeance members previously sealed by Jolan.
Obviously, these guys had regained their freedom.
On the other side, among the trapped Holy Clergy Members.
Kalvis's gaze flickered uncertainly, constantly darting back and forth between Jolan and Shiloj.
Lorcy frowned, trying again and again to mobilize her Holy Power.
Haggai turned his head to look at the massive silhouette in the mist, unable to conceal the astonishment on his face.
Shiloj's gaze was solemn. He clenched his fists, faint golden runes manifesting on his skin.
And within the Priest Order, besides Innocent, who constantly pointed at his mouth wanting to speak, the other three all wore expressions of accepting death unflinchingly.
Of course, due to prior warnings from Abraham and the others, Lucifer did not agree to Innocent's request to speak.
Only Bettis and Hugh looked anxiously at Caroline.
"Is there really... no other way," the former looked around, trying to find a certain figure.
Suddenly, Hugh raised his hand, drawing everyone's attention.
Lucifer smiled slightly and unlocked the seal on the former's voice.
"I... cough, please let her go, I'm willing to say anything," Hugh rubbed his neck.
"Idiot, to actually expose his own weakness. Now he's completely lost the initiative," Lorcy frowned and thought inwardly.
"Oh? I thought the relationship between you siblings was very poor," Lucifer's gaze shifted back and forth between the two.
Hugh's eyes darted around: "This person seems to understand the Church very well. Has he been undercover for a long time?"
But outwardly, he still bit the bullet and said: "Betray... I am willing to hand over my soul, but you must let her go first."
Lucifer laughed: "Don't be hasty. You must first provide something... of value."
"This! Your condition just now wasn't like this!" Anger flashed in Hugh's eyes.
"Although you are nominally the most legitimate heir of the Medici family, but..." Lucifer stopped mid-sentence.
But Hugh could hear the contempt in the other party's tone.
A sense of defeat instantly washed over him. To think that even a villain looked down on him.
"I am... not valued, I cannot produce what you want," Hugh clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"I only have one life. I am willing to use it as a bargaining chip."
Caroline's eyes were brimming with tears as she shook her head desperately.
Lucifer said with great interest: "Your honesty, however, is admirable."
"The True God gives an opportunity to every lost lamb. How about this: as long as you can endure the 'Casting' of my Lord, you will be considered to have passed the assessment."
He licked the residual blood on his fingertips as he spoke: "And you will also be able to gain incomparably powerful strength."
"Don't be stupid! This is making you use your body to bear the power that breaks free from the vows of that existence." Jolan shouted, "You will collapse!"
Lucifer curled his lips: "The choice is yours."
Hugh looked at Jolan, forcing out a smile: "I cannot refuse."
Jolan widened his eyes, momentarily speechless.
Subsequently, Hugh spread his arms wide: "Begin."
Valac suddenly spoke up: "Hey, since it's a transaction, there should be a contract, right? Verbal promises hold absolutely no binding power."
Hearing this, Hugh's eyes flickered. Of course he knew this too, but he didn't have the right to negotiate.
Lucifer drew a cross on his chest: "Of course, I swear in the name of the Lord."
"Who knows which 'Lord' is in your vows," Valac's tone was disdainful.
Lucifer's gaze turned cold: "Are you questioning my credibility?"
"First, no one here knows you, so your so-called credibility is entirely unconvincing," Valac rolled its eyes.
"Second, you can't even produce something convincing, yet you expect others to pledge their allegiance sincerely? In the business of bewitching hearts, demons are the experts!"
"Finally, even a demon knows the fairness of a transaction. For your organization to act like this... doesn't it seem too amateurish?"
Lucifer sneered: "Since that is the case, I wonder what guidance Mr. Demon has?"
Murderous intent flashed in his eyes. Right now, if it weren't for his concerns regarding the angel's liberation, he would have long used his power to annihilate the other party.
"Gulp... Bleh."
Valac spat out a puddle of liquid, mixed with a yellowed parchment.
"It's simple, sign a contract," it continued.
"If you plan to use 'questionable origin' as an excuse, I advise you to give up early. You and I both know the fairness of this contract."
Valac curled its lips, wearing a "gotcha" expression.
"I can only buy you this much time. If you still can't make it, then don't blame me..." it thought inwardly.
"Hehe... a demon's cunning truly lives up to its name," Lucifer sneered.
"Young man, you still have much to learn," Valac showed no weakness.
The air fell into a brief silence.
A moment later, Lucifer spoke again: "No problem, I agree."
He signaled Sariel with his eyes as he spoke. The latter immediately swapped positions with Abaddon, letting the latter continue keeping an eye on Jolan.
Sariel picked up the parchment, not caring at all about the filth on it.
She read it for a moment, then bit her finger to sign her name, subsequently handing the contract to Hugh.
The latter revealed a look of hesitation.
"What's wrong? Sariel is a very important companion of mine," Lucifer said calmly.
Hugh gritted his teeth, then grabbed the contract and similarly signed his name on it.
After this was done, Lucifer immediately raised his hand.
Immediately after, a bolt of lightning, wrapped in an evil aura, pierced through the mist, enveloping Hugh within.
"Ugh ahhhh—"
Hugh instantly screamed and fell to the ground.
His skin turned cyan all over, his blood vessels bulged prominently, and his entire person began to tremble uncontrollably.
Anyone with eyes could see that he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.
But Hugh still kept his neck stiff, his gaze staring resolutely at Lucifer.
Not long after, his skin began to seep blood, and the clothes on his back suddenly bulged.
Riiip—
A pitch-black flesh tumor grew from his back. Its surface was covered in a layer of slime, emitting a foul stench.
And Hugh's face turned deathly pale, his aura rapidly waning.
"Live... on." He opened his mouth, completely unable to produce a sound.
Teardrops rolled down from Caroline's eyes. At this moment, she finally felt the connection called "family."
The others present also turned their heads away, unwilling to witness this suffocating scene.
Just as Hugh's head began to droop limply, a sound of piercing the air suddenly rang out from the side.
They saw a glass bottle fly in from a distance, plunging straight into Hugh's mouth.
Lucifer watched this scene curiously, not making a move to stop it.
Crash.
Accompanied by the sound of breaking glass, the liquid inside the bottle flowed down Hugh's esophagus, and an extremely pure Holy Power spilled out into the air.
"Cough, cough... Bleh!"
Hugh revealed a pained expression and vomited a large puddle of pitch-black liquid.
"Huff... Hah... It hurts!"
He stuck out his tongue, picking out the glass shards in his mouth bit by bit.
Even Hugh himself didn't notice that his vitality was rapidly recovering, and the flesh tumor on his back automatically fell off.
The crowd watched this scene in astonishment.
Lucifer frowned even more tightly, turning his head to look in the direction the glass bottle came from.
Valac curled its lips: "Hmph, finally here."
The rest of them also looked in that direction, only to see a young, black-robed priest standing there.
☆☆☆
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