Ren Yi realized things had gone south the moment he saw Lu Zihan's message.
The vow about "not finding a girlfriend for ten years" flashed through his mind.
But that doesn't really count as me saying it, right? He's the one who deduced it himself, so it shouldn't count.
【Shut up! Don't you dare go around spreading that! If the class monitor finds out, she'll absolutely kill me!】
Lu Zihan replied instantly with a zipped-lips emoji, his tone incredibly sincere.
【Don't worry, don't worry. Wild horses couldn't drag it out of me!】
【You'd better keep your word, for your own sake,】 Ren Yi said earnestly.
【But that's not the point. I'm just glad you're okay, but don't let your guard down!】
【If they have an Esper who can track you, you'll be in big trouble if they find you again!】
Ren Yi felt like a worried mother, nagging away.
Then he thought about it—they were Anomalies anyway. Even if something went wrong, it wouldn't be a permanent goodbye. At worst, they'd just return to the Alliance and start over...
It shouldn't... be a big deal, right?
The two chatted for a bit longer. Lu Zihan repeatedly guaranteed that for the next few days, he would treat "staying low" as the primary tenet of his life as an Anomaly.
He would hide in the sewers, keep his head down, and stay out of trouble. Only then did Ren Yi feel at ease and end the chat.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Gawain's large face right in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Ren Yi asked, startled.
"Lord Son of God, something came up at Nest 4. I'm afraid we won't be able to move out until tomorrow morning," Gawain said, his eyes shifting nervously.
Ren Yi stared into Gawain's eyes.
He was lying.
Ren Yi could tell at a glance; this guy couldn't lie to save his life.
Being stared at like that, sweat immediately broke out on Gawain's forehead, and he quickly added more.
"It's the Pope's wish. He wants us to return to camp and rest. He also wants to join you in tormenting 'Extinction' to avenge Tarol."
The Pope's wish? Now he understood.
Beside them, Zhang Qiuqiu, who was playing dead and eavesdropping inside the earth cage, didn't make a sound.
"I'm not in the mood," Ren Yi refused coldly.
"This... no, no. The Pope's meaning was that he just wants me and you to bring Extinction over to have a chat with him," Gawain wiped his sweat, his tone becoming increasingly flustered.
The Pope wanted to talk to him? And he chose the moment when only one nest was left?
What was he planning? Was he going to drop the act and ask "Extinction" about the method of salvation right in front of him? Or was this another test?
Fine then. Now that Lu Zihan had survived his crisis, it was his turn to face trouble head-on.
Ren Yi glanced at Zhang Qiuqiu in the earth cage, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.
The Pope had no idea that the "Extinction" before him now had a different soul inside.
What if he had the class monitor cooperate with him? They could act out "Extinction" suddenly regaining her human will and then have her repeat his version of the method of salvation.
Double the deception, double the fun.
Realizing that this conversation was likely unavoidable, Ren Yi quickly used the Anomaly Web to explain his double-deception plan to Zhang Qiuqiu.
【What do you think, class monitor? Do you think it's feasible?】
Zhang Qiuqiu was still inside Gawain's earth cage with her eyes closed, playing dead, so she replied very quickly.
【It's mostly feasible, but there's one small problem.】
【I don't have Extinction's basic memories. Do you think the Pope might have known the original 'Extinction' before?】
Ren Yi froze, instantly understanding Zhang Qiuqiu's point.
When she said "before," she didn't mean the mutant beast "Extinction," but the human "Extinction" from before the apocalypse.
With a willpower as formidable as Extinction's, that person definitely wasn't a nobody before the end of the world.
If he and the Pope had known each other long ago, pretending to regain consciousness would be an easy way to get caught.
【How about this: after I give you the signal, you just repeatedly recite the method of salvation. Don't answer anything else. Act like your mind is damaged.】
Ren Yi immediately thought of a backup plan.
【I think that works. We'll stay in touch on the Anomaly Web and play it by ear.】
The two discussed a few more details. Meanwhile, the convoy carrying them finally returned to the camp.
Ren Yi stepped off the vehicle, with Gawain following closely behind, carrying the earth cage containing Zhang Qiuqiu.
The Pope's tent was right next to Ren Yi's. As they approached, he noticed that the surrounding followers were staying far away; there wasn't even anyone on guard duty.
"Lord Son of God, Lord Gawain," a Priest stepped forward and bowed.
"The Pope is waiting for you inside the tent. He said he has important matters to discuss with you and asked us all to withdraw."
So cautious? Ren Yi felt a bit uneasy. Would fifty axemen jump out from behind the door the moment he opened it?
But no matter how the Pope tried to verify his suspicions, with "Extinction" as his witness, the answer would always be that the "method of salvation" was real, and he, the Son of God, was real too.
Ren Yi walked to the front of the tent. Just then, he frowned.
There was a smell of blood.
Ren Yi paused for a moment, but he still reached out and pulled back the tent flap.
Things had already come this far; there was no reason to back down.
Only the Pope was inside the tent. He was sitting with his back to them. Upon hearing the sound, he tilted his head slightly.
"Gawain, Lord Son of God, you've arrived?"
As he spoke, he slowly turned around.
The moment Ren Yi saw the Pope's face, his pupils constricted, and his eyes widened in shock.
On the Pope's face, where his eyes should have been, there were only two bloody, hollow sockets. Viscous droplets of blood were still trickling down his cheeks.
And in his hand, he was clutching a blood-stained dagger.
He had actually gouged out his own eyeballs!
He's been found out!
Ren Yi's first reaction was that such a ruthless move by the Pope was clearly intended to avoid being influenced by their Anomaly abilities.
But he couldn't understand—even if the Pope had discovered he was a fake, couldn't he have just ordered the main force to blow him away with rocket launchers?
Why go to such an extreme and gouge out his own eyes?
Did he do this because he had a reason to face him personally?
Ren Yi glanced at Gawain beside him, secretly sensing the illusion seed inside his body.
No matter what, if he really had to run, he had to find a way to rescue Zhang Qiuqiu first.
Inside the earth cage, Zhang Qiuqiu also snapped her eyes open, her gaze filled with wariness as she looked at the Pope.
At this moment, the only person in the tent who was utterly bewildered was Gawain.
"Lord Pope?" Gawain looked at the Pope in horror, clearly unaware of what had happened here. His eyes trembled, and his voice began to shake as well.
"What happened to you? Where are your eyes? Who did this!"
He casually tossed the earth cage containing Zhang Qiuqiu aside and rushed to the Pope's side, his face full of anxiety.
Hearing his voice, the Pope tilted his head up slightly.
He said in a very gentle tone, "Gawain? Good child, come and help me up."
Without a second thought, Gawain hurriedly reached out with both hands to support him.
Immediately after, Ren Yi heard a soft squelch.
It was the sound of a sharp blade plunging into flesh.
Rate on N.U.
