Chapter 4
POV: Li Yun
I calmed myself down as I peeked out the corner of the alley and saw Zhang Wei harassing a girl roughly, pulling her as she tried to resist.
Seeing this, as well as his irritating smile, I gritted my teeth as I left the corner and confronted him.
"Hey, leave her alone,"
I called out in anger as I sped towards him and, without hesitation, punched him in the face.
"UGH!"
He grunted in pain as he flew backwards from the force, blood dripping from his nose.
Taking this opportunity while he was distracted, I pulled my leg back and kicked him hard in the stomach.
"Orgh!"
He spat out saliva as he clutched his stomach hard, but I didn't stop. My hate for him burned.
I sat on top of him and punched him repeatedly.
*Pak* ×5
"Repent, repent for what you've done!"
I demanded as I kept punching him, letting out all my hate for their disrespect toward God.
"I am God's favoured! I am His sword! And I will punish those who desecrate His name!"
I said, and after three more punches, I held the hem of his shirt and whispered to him, hate radiating from my being.
"I am His executioner. So now, you will be the first of the many heretics I will purge."
I slammed him into the ground, cracking the pavement as I pulled my hand back and focused my qi into it, strengthening it.
And without hesitation, I punched down.
"Wait!"
*BANG*
A loud bang sounded out as the girl I had saved pulled my hand back, causing me to miss. My punch landed beside Zhang Wei's head, punching a hole into the pavement.
He passed out from fear and shock.
I turned my gaze towards her in anger as I questioned,
"Why did you stop me?"
She got startled from my tone. Seeing this, I tried to calm myself and asked again, more gently,
"Why did you save him? Didn't he try to harass you?"
She meekly lowered her head and replied,
"He did, and he deserves the beating you gave him. But… that doesn't mean you have to kill him, right?"
Her words caused me to freeze. I gazed at my hand and the hole right next to Zhang Wei's head.
After a bit of contemplation, I sighed. I stood up and helped her as well, thanking her.
"Thank you for stopping me… I don't know what I would've done if I disregarded my God's teachings."
Hearing me talk about God, her eyes sparkled with interest. She was about to open her mouth to ask something.
Suddenly, my body started to heat up.
"Urgh…"
I grunted as a burning sensation encompassed my body. Smoke seeped out.
"Huh? W-What's happening?"
I wondered in pain as I collapsed to the ground. Suddenly, I could feel my right hand—the one that almost killed Zhang Wei—tremble, as thorn-like tattoos wrapped around it, causing me unbearable pain.
"ARRRGGGGH!"
I screamed in pain. The girl, worried for me, urgently asked what was going on, but I didn't pay her any mind. The pain was disrupting my thoughts.
The pain continued as the thorn tattoo snaked around my arm. As it reached my wrist, it suddenly stopped. The pain subsided, causing me to breathe out in relief.
"A-Are you okay?"
The girl asked me as I tried to get my bearings. Hearing her, I just nodded and asked her to help me up.
"Can you help me up? We need to get out of here. The guards may come because of the commotion we've made."
She nodded and wrapped my arm around her shoulder so that she could carry me. We left the alleyway, leaving behind the battered Zhang Wei.
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**POV: 3rd Person**
Within the confines of Elias's home, he was kneeling before a cross, praying solemnly as the radiance of peace and tranquility covered his home.
But with that silence emerged something dark and sinister. Amidst the tranquility, Elias didn't feel the growing malice around his room.
That malice was ultimately rejected by the holy presence surrounding Elias.
The dark presence, sensing it couldn't do anything to Elias, grew rampant. It gathered around the origin of that dark energy—
Elias's book suddenly opened, flipping through every page. As the pages turned, the dark aura thickened.
Finally, it stopped on a specific page. The paper looked dark, with blood flowing across it. In the middle, a title stood out:
**THE BOOK OF ENOCH**
Suddenly, a dark smog rose, its form reminiscent of a man with wings. It turned its head and looked toward Elias. Its eyes glowed red.
After a few minutes of watching, it turned away. Its giant wings grew wide, and with a single flap, a portion of Elias's home blew open as the figure suddenly disappeared.
The only thing left was rubble mixed with dark feathers.
Elias, as if nothing had happened, continued praying—unbothered by what had just transpired.
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