Chapter 10, The Church of Suffering

Although the church does not appear to be completely sealed, the accumulation of toxic gases inside, such as methane, is certainly greater than that in the outside environment

This is most commonly experienced when squatting in the restroom; after a while, one becomes desensitized to the odor. It does not mean that the smell has actually disappeared, but rather that your brain has filtered out the scent, leading to the perception that it is no longer foul.

Due to years of neglect, the decorative patterns on the wall have almost completely peeled off, leaving a layer of lime accumulated beneath the wall surface

This is a Gothic-style spire church, with gray-white walls, appearing to have only two stories

In the dim and hazy light, Colin was able to discern the appearance of the church

Although this Gothic-style spire church does not appear to be very large, it is at least comparable in size to an average shopping mall. Dozens to hundreds of "wailers" are scattered throughout in a haphazard manner, making the search itself a troublesome task

However, correspondingly, only 9 drops of blood were collected from the six corpses, a quantity that is pitifully small

Colin could not help but recall the words he had heard in a daze before, whispering softly to himself

A strong and pungent stench of decaying corpses emanated from within the church, and beneath this intense foul odor, the smell of the rotting animal carcasses outside became "mild".

At the entrance, several small corpses lying on the ground suddenly raised their heads, facing the ground.

Colin curiously peered inside and discovered that the interior of the church was also filled with a haze, making it difficult to see far ahead

Without exception, they are all covered in a thick layer of dust, appearing extremely gray and dilapidated

Their skulls began to tremble, and their mandibles shook rapidly, seemingly showing signs of wanting to open.

The long-sealed door, which had been closed for decades or even centuries, slowly opened

At the same time, a strong foul odor accompanied the wind

Colin felt that it was tricky

I hope this task can be completed safely

This thorny vine pattern repeatedly entwines the walls, resembling both a form of protection and a kind of restraint

As they approached, one of the servants proactively volunteered. After seeing Colin nod and remind him to be careful, the servant carried the wheel, transformed into a weapon by Father Cadis, on his back, and then placed both hands on the double wooden doors.

These seem to be the traces left by that priest's movement

According to this estimate, does it not imply that there are at least sixty 'wailers' inside the church

Subsequently, Colin opened the parchment and took a look, his brow slightly furrowing

Before long, the main door of the church was completely opened

However, he did not even dare to push open the main door

"Get to work," Colin said as he moved forward, taking a step with the axe in hand.

The human brain has a masking effect on odors; when you exhibit significant discomfort towards a particular smell, it is possible that after a period of time, you will adapt to it.

Gazing at the tightly shut door, Colin, after a brief pause, commenced his actions

Moderately rotten venison * 4

The foremost servant began to retch on the spot. Although he had made the necessary preparations beforehand, however...

Some disordered benches, a red carpet leading towards the back of the church, and several long-dead, emaciated skeletons

Bringing the final peace to the children is less of a systematic task and more of the last wish of the priest Cadis, who bears the wheels.

However, what Colin did not expect was that these distorted monsters were surprisingly weak, disappearing with a single axe strike

In the darkness shrouded by mist, the sound of rattling bones echoed incessantly

Mother of Suffering and Thorns

Under the obsession, Father Cadis became a monster, constantly worrying about the hunger of the children. He relentlessly hunted other beasts during his outings and brought back their flesh and blood

Colin couldn't help but gag slightly, then covered his nose and mouth, squinting his eyes as he saw a large pile of meat chunks stacked in front of the three-meter-high wooden door of the church

Then, he exerted force from his waist, leaning forward, amidst the tremors and the grating sound caused by the friction of the door hinge.

Colin collected the moderately decayed meat without any disdain

However, since people have already arrived here, they cannot return empty-handed.

At this moment, the church's main door had just opened enough to allow two fingers to be inserted through the gap

"Push the door open a little more, let the foul air out, and allow fresh air in; otherwise, we will be unable to proceed with our exploration," Collins instructed.

Colin entered with a lantern in hand and began to "clean" the church interior

The only advantage now is that Colin is not in a hurry; the blood he brought with him is sufficient to sustain a considerable amount of time.

With a loud bang, an axe swung down, directly shattering its skull

[Severely Decayed Rat Meat * 3]

A mound of severely rotting and foul-smelling meat chunks has accumulated, before which lies an innumerable number of shallow ditches resembling buckets

In front of the eyes, a tall cathedral stands amidst the withered forest, resembling a slumbering giant beast lying in the woods

It is truly too foul

All of this indicates that this church has not been visited by anyone for a long time

The blood-red, hollow, and penetrating features were fixed on Colin and the others outside the door

Colin certainly could not allow it to open its mouth and launch an attack

At this moment, he suddenly began to understand the meaning of the words he had heard in the dream of Kaidishi

In less than ten seconds, the three individuals effortlessly dealt with the six corpses at the entrance, to a degree that exceeded Colin's expectations.

Mechanically, numbly, and uselessly executing the obsessions within, firmly believing that the child inside is still alive

Da da da ... ...

"Deformed Beings - Suffering People - Wailers", just by hearing the names, one can discern their methods of attack

At that moment, as the door slowly opened, an unexpected event suddenly occurred

He cannot bring himself to do it

At this moment, as the door opened, Colin and the others were able to see some of the arrangements inside the door

However, Colin, who had once entered his dreams, knew that the priest had likely realized what had truly happened within the church before his death

As for other things, such as corrupt flesh and bones, Colin has already lost the desire to collect them; there are simply too many of these items, and they are almost entirely useless

The two Collins at the back felt somewhat better, after all, there were those decaying flesh and blood at the entrance serving as a buffer, and with some distance between them, the air diluted the odor, preventing an overly intense reaction

If we do not wait for the air to enter, it is estimated that not only will those 'wailers' be killed, but one would also collapse after just a few steps due to poisoning from unknown gases

[Severely decayed ... ... ]

My lord, I will push open the door; you may wait behind.

Through careful discernment, it can be vaguely perceived that the pattern on the wall is likely that of a type of vine plant filled with thorns

[Severely Decayed Wolf Meat * 4]

Kill six "Wailers"; the progress bar for the task is barely at a tiny fraction...

Moreover, due to the lack of light inside the church, it appears even more terrifying and unknown.

As the voice faded, in that moment, there was a faint sensation of a non-existent wind brushing by, causing a shiver to run down one's spine.

In comparison, those foul odors are of secondary importance