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Chapter 40: Baptism
Viya descended deeper into the underground, her footsteps echoing behind Byron, the overseer. The silence between them was broken only by the dull thud of their shoes against the stone steps.
"It seems you haven’t undergone baptism yet," Byron said abruptly.
Every saint had to endure a baptism—a rite that granted clarity and understanding, guiding them toward their sacred purpose.
Byron could sense the purity of Viya’s aura, far surpassing any other saints he’d encountered before. Yet it lacked intensity, a clear sign she hadn’t been baptized.
"Mm," Viya replied simply.
"I won’t inquire about your origins. It’s out of respect for every saint we meet." Byron’s voice carried a tone of solemnity. "For us, the mark on your hand is proof enough."
Appearances could be altered, speech patterns mimicked, but the mark of faith was unforgeable.
"Mm," Viya hummed again. "Lead the way."
---
As they descended further, a thick fog began to rise around them. Whether this was a natural phenomenon or an intentional creation of the Esoteric Sect, Viya couldn’t tell.
By the time they reached the deepest level, the mist had grown so dense that visibility was reduced to mere meters.
"Graphics options… fog volume… turn off…"
"Done!"
Viya heard Lin Qi muttering in her ear as the scene froze for half a second. When it resumed, all traces of the fog were gone.
After the Banshee incident, she wasn’t particularly surprised by this sudden change.
"I’ll never understand the developers’ logic," Lin Qi grumbled. "They spend so much effort on detailed modeling, only to cover everything in fog—what a waste of resources."
With the fog cleared, Lin Qi finally took in the true nature of the area: an endless corridor stretching far beyond sight, with ceilings towering three to four meters high.
Viya followed Byron, unaware of the subtle shift in his expression. His face had darkened slightly, though she couldn’t see it from her position.
"Cough… cough…" Byron let out a few rasping coughs, glancing back at Viya. To his surprise, there wasn’t even a flicker of discomfort on her face.
This fog was the work of the bishop himself—a manifestation designed to amplify doubt and fear within those who passed through. Those harboring doubts, especially potential spies, would find the haze growing thicker, choking, disorienting.
Yet this saint showed no signs of being affected at all… Byron’s final suspicions vanished completely.
Soon, they left the foggy corridor behind and entered what could truly be called the "cult’s lair."
"If we’re going to proceed further, you’ll need to complete your first baptism," Byron said, leading Viya into a small chamber.
With that, he exited, closing the door behind him.
Baptism… how does one do that? I don’t know… Viya surveyed the room. It was bare save for a single bookshelf and a statue standing at its center.
The statue loomed silently, its features obscured by twisted leaves and flowers. Its robe was inscribed with dense holy texts, radiating both sanctity and an unsettling eeriness.
Should I scoop up some holy water—or perhaps blood—and pour it over my head while reciting prayers? Viya recalled vague rituals she’d read about in books as a child. Given the Esoteric Sect’s reputation, maybe holy water should be replaced with holy blood.
Her thoughts drifted aimlessly until she decided to leave it to divine intervention.
Of course, Lin Qi knew exactly how to perform the baptism.
After all—
There was a glaring interaction prompt hovering over the statue. How could anyone miss it?
A familiar sense of control washed over Viya as she watched herself approach the statue. She bowed her head, clasped her hands together in prayer, and waited.
No prayers were spoken, no elaborate rituals performed.
Suddenly, her vision went black.
---
After interacting with the statue, the surrounding environment blurred, and an unfamiliar UI appeared before her eyes.
It was a tree, its branches extending outward in multiple directions. Dozens of fruits hung lifeless on the limbs, except for two glowing ones near the base.
…
It was hard to describe Lin Qi’s feelings at that moment.
In this era of groundbreaking games, where masterpieces were abundant, who would expect a skill tree to appear as part of a side quest reward?
Lin Qi instinctively exited the game interface, staring blankly at his desktop. Then he remembered this wasn’t a Steam-platform title—he couldn’t check his exact playtime.
But surely, he’d invested at least ten hours already!
In most linear single-player games, ten hours would mean the plot was halfway done, if not nearing the finale. Even sprawling titles like Baldur’s Gate would have wrapped up Act One by now.
And yet here we are, just now introducing the skill tree… What does this even mean?
Deep breaths… deep breaths… This is the client… Don’t get angry… Lin Qi calmed himself down and turned his attention to the unlit skills.
Two sources were illuminated, likely corresponding to the blessings received in the Void Domain.
On the left stood the Tree of Cycles, offering five minor skills: [+1 HP], [+1 HP], [+1 HP], [HP Regeneration], and [HP Regeneration].
These seem kinda useless…
Lin Qi shifted his focus to the right-hand tree—the Tree of Sighs. It offered three options: [+1 Fire Resistance], [+1 Ice Resistance], and [+1 Wind Resistance].
Wow, these are even worse.
He glanced at the top-right corner. He currently had seven talent points—how they accumulated, he didn’t know.
"Let’s max out the HP boosts first; resistances feel too abstract."
To be honest, none of these skills excited him, but leaving them unspent felt wasteful.
He moved the cursor to activate the skills beneath the Tree of Cycles.
[Not aligned with corresponding deity; operation failed]
So I need specific statues to unlock related skills… Lin Qi griped internally.
With no other choice, he allocated all seven points to the Tree of Sighs.
As the last sub-skill lit up, the next layer unlocked, and the icon at the source changed dramatically.
"What does this mean?" Lin Qi hovered the cursor over the source, prompting an automatic tooltip.
[Mark of Sighs - Level 1]
[Grants the user "Half-Knowledge Eye." Upon activation, highlights all enemies, collectibles, and interactable objects in the vicinity.]
[Unlock next level when cumulative talent investment reaches 10 points and the quest “The Apostate Who Defected” is completed.]
[Next Level Preview: Expands scanning range, highlights enemy weak points, allows marking enemies through walls.]
Staring at this painfully familiar mechanic, Lin Qi fell silent. After sitting motionless for several minutes, he murmured, "It’s about time."
---
The Sea.
"Didn’t I just arrive at the Esoteric Sect’s hideout?"
Viya lay dazed, still reeling from the dizzying transition. She pushed herself upright, realizing she was floating atop water.
Water… surface?
An ominous feeling crept over her. She looked up sharply, taking in the dazzling sky, the endless expanse of water, and the figure lounging atop a swirling vortex.
"Believer, you’ve returned."
Minstrel’s voice was calm, almost indifferent.
No, please don’t say it… Viya’s heart sank.
"You must learn to perceive all things—not with your eyes, but with something deeper."
Minstrel smiled gently, raising a finger and shaking it lightly.
"Not with your eyes."
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