Chapter 64: The Lickers' Relief Society

Judging by the functions of the “Bloodstained Thorn Branch,” this embedded item was indeed of great value. Not only could it enhance the rating or quality of a melee weapon when attached, but it could also actively boost the wielder’s strength and the weapon’s power. Moreover, this artifact even possessed the potential for further advancement.

Of course, the item had its flaws. Firstly, the so-called special knot was exceedingly complex; at least, after several attempts, Li Nanke still failed to form an effective knot with the thorns. He would have to seek out the relevant knowledge in the future to fully unlock the item’s potential. Secondly, the item had a severe masochistic inclination—it traded pain for power, which was evidently an expression of divine favor from the God of Suffering. Few ordinary people could endure such a method, though it matched perfectly with Li Nanke’s amplified sense of synchronization.

For now, Li Nanke put the item away. Since it was not a node reward, he could only carry it with him for the time being.

He was now near the Great Stone Bridge, not far from Soros Village. After successfully evading pursuit, thanks to his “Breath of the Lake” and “Abyssal Depths” abilities, he could have crossed the river directly, bypassing the bridge and avoiding a confrontation with the Penitent Army stationed there.

But Li Nanke had no intention of letting them go.

Beneath his feet, the river rushed in a torrent, while the setting sun cast a golden hue that painted the water’s surface like an oil painting. Using both hands and feet, Li Nanke quietly climbed up behind the bridge’s pier. And then—came the shriek of the chainsaw sword’s teeth and the thunderous roar of the shock rifle, echoing across the bridge!

The Penitent Army never expected an attack from the rear; the heretic they thought drowned had somehow returned from the dead. Serrated blades tore through metal armor, ripped flesh, and shattered bone. Blood sprayed like ink across the stonework!

Caught off guard and attacked from behind, the Penitent Army lost several men immediately, but they recovered quickly—madness and pain were their sources of strength. Favored by the divine grace of the God of Suffering, each soldier of the Penitent Army was formidable in their own right, and they seemed to possess a supernatural ability to recover from injuries, their wounds closing and bleeding ceasing with remarkable speed.

This made the Penitent Army extremely difficult to deal with. If it weren’t for his armored protection, Li Nanke would have been wounded already.

A subdeacon raised his staff, chanting a prayer in strange syllables, his cold gaze fixed on the heretic locked in combat. Suddenly, he struck the ground with his staff—a cluster of dusky flames sprang up beneath Li Nanke’s feet.

Li Nanke was fighting with everything he had, unable to spare any attention. The flames climbed rapidly up his boots, and in the blink of an eye, his entire body was engulfed. The outer shell of his power armor was made of high-strength alloy, resistant to high temperatures, corrosion, and impacts, with excellent protective capabilities. Yet these flames were clearly supernatural in nature, heating the armor to a glowing red and draining the power reserves at an alarming rate.

With a fierce glint in his eyes, Li Nanke ignored the swords coming at him from all sides, bracing himself against their attacks as he broke through the encirclement. Like a wild tiger, he lunged at the subdeacon, dragging his enemy with him as they both plunged into the river!

The Penitent Army soldiers panicked, not even bothering to remove their armor as they leapt into the water one after another.

But underwater, Li Nanke reigned supreme.

Bright red blood quickly floated to the surface, carried further and further by the swift current…

When Li Nanke emerged again, the squad of fifteen Penitent Army soldiers had been completely annihilated!

[Primary Substance: Blood Moon]
[Level: 1 (79%) → 2 (3%)]

Scattered along the road to Soros Village were a handful of deranged cultists—some still retained human form, while others had mutated into monsters. Yet none posed any real threat to Li Nanke.

The buildings in Soros Village were low, old, and dilapidated, as though a terrible plague had swept through. Everywhere, villagers cloaked in black robes concealed their faces. Occasionally, the wind would lift a hood, revealing a grotesque half-face pocked with nodules, sores, and tumorous growths of all sizes.

Those infected, shrouded in black, all wore bells that jingled as they walked, distinguishing them from the healthy.

Li Nanke soon found the so-called Lickers’ Relief Society—the church building was the most prominent structure in the village. Pushing open the door, he was hit by a pungent mix of herbal ointments and rot. All around, plague-stricken villagers lay groaning on the floor, while church members in gray robes tended to them.

Their methods were peculiar: these “Lickers”—the church’s ministers—would bend down and lick the patients’ wounds, cleaning them with their tongues. After being licked, the patients gradually relaxed from their pain, while the Lickers themselves frowned in apparent discomfort, as if enduring pain on behalf of others.

After this, ointment would be applied to the wounds…

[Nightmare, you have completed Key Node One!]
[Node Reward: ‘Holy Healing Balm’ (awaiting claim)]
[Key Node Two: Break through the Penitent Army’s blockade of Soros Village and eliminate the Penitent Army commander!]

“Edward? You’re still alive?”

As the synchronization prompt sounded, a surprised voice came from beside him.

Li Nanke turned to see another member of the Relief Society in a gray robe—a young face that seemed familiar. According to his memory, Robert had also been a member of the Grievers’ Fellowship and participated in the battle against the Penitent Church. However, the man’s abilities were mediocre at best, and his usual timidity marked him as unreliable.

The Grievers’ Fellowship upheld a creed of fighting to the death, never retreating until the last member had fallen. By all accounts, Robert should not have survived.

Li Nanke said, “The God of Suffering’s grace brought me back from the dead. Did the same happen to you?”

Robert hesitated, a bit embarrassed, and nodded. Yet he clearly didn’t believe in any miracle of resurrection, suspecting instead that both of them were simply deserters.

In recent years, the God of Suffering’s blessings had become increasingly rare. Even when granted to followers, they manifested not as blessings or grace, but as dire punishments and twisted mutations.

Robert quickly pulled him into a corner, whispering nervously, “Edward, I’m glad you’re alive, but we’re in serious trouble.”

“The Penitent Army has completely sealed off Soros Village. The Penitent Church will soon declare all the villagers and the Relief Society heretics.”

“When that happens, this village will cease to exist… We need to find a way out.”

Having survived as a deserter, Robert joined the Relief Society to hide his identity, only to find the society itself on the verge of destruction days later.

The plague ravaging Soros Village resembled leprosy. Infected patients developed skin lesions, and in advanced stages, nodules appeared on the face. These lesions could merge into large, uneven patches, disfiguring faces and deforming limbs.

Early in the illness, patients experienced a crawling sensation, as if ants were moving beneath their skin; in severe cases, they lost all sense of pain.

This last point was the most deadly. The Penitent Church’s faith in suffering had become so twisted that losing the ability to feel pain rendered the afflicted unable to participate in physical suffering—a certain sign of heresy.

Furthermore, the Relief Society’s president, Edel, ignored the church’s decrees and insisted on aiding the sick, an act seen as open defiance of the Penitent Church.

At this moment, all routes out of Soros Village were firmly sealed by the Penitent Army and monsters.

According to Robert, there were still several powerful knights within the Relief Society, and the number of Penitent Army troops enforcing the blockade was not overwhelming. Nevertheless, a handful of knights could not possibly protect both the village and the Relief Society.

Once the Holy King, leader of the Penitent Church, issued the order, both the village and the Relief Society would be doomed.

After a moment’s thought, Li Nanke said to Robert, “You’re right. Staying here is too dangerous. We do need to find a way out…”

“But before that, I want to meet with President Edel of the Relief Society.”

The second key node was to break the Penitent Army’s blockade and eliminate their commander.

Just dealing with monsters like the Devouring Bellringer had already required all his strength; the Penitent Army commander would undoubtedly be an even more formidable foe.

Robert’s abilities were far too weak—at best, he could serve as cannon fodder and would be of little help to Li Nanke. But perhaps the Relief Society could offer some assistance.

Robert led him toward the rear of the church. As they passed a comatose patient, Li Nanke, with a practiced hand, slipped a box of glittering balm from the patient’s robe into his own pocket.