They all call me an Outer God.

Chapter 26 Sacrificial Lamps

Although she was unwilling, Lia still had to admire James. Without him, she might have been captured and turned into a specimen for people to see.

"The rest will be easy. Just ask each of the four mysterious items to prove their authenticity, and the answer will be revealed in no time. We will know the truth soon."

It will be over soon.

He revealed a confident expression, divided the mysterious items in front of him into two groups, and asked each group of the mysterious items represented by the words on the Batantusa coin if they were the targets he was looking for.

The coin was tossed up and fell back down, and the truth of the answer made Liya's face grow paler and paler.

The first answer.

【no】

The two mysterious items have been ruled out.

Next, inquire whether the single mysterious object in front of you is the target you are looking for.

The answer was still "no," which gave Ria a completely new understanding of her luck.

Two questions, two consequences... plus the first question, a total of three organs were paid for.

Three eyes.

"Uh--"

The feeling of having one's eyes taken away from one's body is not pleasant. In just a moment, Ria was already drenched in sweat and holding onto the corner of the table. If she were any weaker, she would fall to the ground.

He never imagined that the coin could take away the eye on his knee, nor did he realize that there was an eye there as well.

The knee is an important joint that supports the body's balance. The lost eye seemed to have been settled on the joint bone for a long time, so when the eye disappeared, Ria almost fell.

Thanks to his quick reflexes, he managed to brace himself against the table the instant he lost his balance.

"...knees, shoulders, and back—for the first time, I hated how clearly I could feel myself." Ria remained motionless for a long time before her complexion gradually returned to normal.

It's all worth it.

After eliminating three incorrect answers—[Crystal Mushroom], [Inedible Gold Foil], and [Fragment of a Cross]—the only remaining mystery item is [Dream Lamp].

The mere smell could induce hallucinations, leading Ria to speculate that it must be something flammable, emitting a unique odor when lit.

"Speaking of lamps that can be lit, kerosene lamps are one type, but the kerosene lamps in the house have no kerosene at all, so they cannot be lit."

"The church did see many different kinds of lamps."

The Church of the Sun worships the radiant sun, and naturally also worships fire.

Their lamps were placed on the walls of the long corridor, with the flames covered by crystal domes, and the light shining through the crystals created a colorful illusion.

Even during the day, believers can feel the beautiful light of the crystal chandelier.

Most importantly, the church's lamps have a highly distinctive scent. Whenever you pass through that corridor, you can smell a light woody fragrance, which is completely different from the smell of the streets outside the church. It makes you feel more at peace, as if you have truly stepped into a peaceful kingdom under the protection of the gods.

Perhaps the mysterious item remains in the church.

Ria ran his fingers over the coin's surface, wanting to ask it for an answer a few more times, but this time, he couldn't bring himself to do it no matter what.

The pain in the body does not lie to the brain; its instincts prevent it from continuing to harm itself.

No one can remain indifferent to the pain of losing their sight, and at least not today.

With that thought in mind, he simply put away the Batantusa coin and headed straight for the church.

There was indeed a unique magic there that could calm people's hearts. Thinking of the help He had given her when she prayed to the Radiant Sun last time, Ria's goodwill towards Him increased even more.

There is a reason why believers spend a lot of money to repair churches for God. When a deity can truly respond to believers and solve their problems, they will do anything to become God's most obedient lambs.

For this reason alone, Rising Sun truly deserves its name. Ria thought to herself.

Several tens of minutes later, he stood in front of the church again and followed the pastor's guidance to enter and attend the service.

Lia blended into the edge of the crowd, listening to the people around her praising the sun, closed her eyes, and tried to find a different, unique burning sensation.

But the sound of people praying around her was so loud that it was easy to get distracted, and the church's architecture caused these sounds to bounce back when they reached the top, creating an echo that gave Leah a strange sense of unreality.

In a daze, he looked up at the perfectly sculpted statue of the rising sun and began to chant His call in his heart, hoping to receive guidance from the rising sun.

"A newly discovered star in the land of life and death."

"The center that all things seek in their cycle."

"Borrowing flames to bisect day and night."

"I am waiting in an endless place."

After reciting a few incantations, the woody scent on the side of the nose became stronger with each recitation, almost to the point of being undeniable.

As if sensing something unusual, Ria quickly finished reading the last few sentences.

"Sing praises to the rising sun, offer tributes to the rising sun, and become the rising sun—"

The woody aroma is almost tangible.

"Got you!!!"

He took a deep breath, his whole body trembling, and suddenly turned around, reaching out his hand towards the direction where the smell was strongest.

There, a priest was performing a soul purification ritual with a torch. When someone tried to snatch the torch from him, his first reaction was to protect it, his face full of disbelief.

Why did you steal a lamp?!

The pastor's voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone stop the service and turn to look in their direction.

Ria's gaze was calm, but her tone revealed a startling stubbornness: "That thing is a dangerous item and must be destroyed immediately!"

As he spoke, he rushed forward, grabbed the lamp, and smashed it to the ground, shattering it into pieces. The loud shattering sound echoed throughout the hall.

"Snapped!!!"

For a moment, the entire hall was eerily quiet.

But Ria didn't care about any of that. He had destroyed the mysterious item and no longer had to worry about being harmed by it. As for what others thought of him, what did it matter to him?

Human beings instinctively seek out directions that are beneficial to their survival, and what Ria needs to do is eliminate anything that threatens her.

“You don’t even realize you’re being used.”

The strange woody scent in the air disappeared, and Ria was kicked out as a mental patient. He wasn't angry; on the contrary, he felt refreshed.

The pastor frowned: "I don't understand what strange things you're talking about. That lamp is a ritual item we usually use for purification, and it still retains the original scent of burnt redwood."

"Really? What evidence do you have to prove it wasn't switched?"

Lia laughed in anger. Perhaps the original owner of this body came to the church seeking help, but was used by someone because of the unique scent of the Dream Lamp. In a daze, she had a hallucination and ran out of the house, which is why she was caught and stuffed into the coffin.

A lamp may not work when it's lit normally, but if someone is willing to pay the price for its function, the consequences could be dire.

I have to thank the Radiant Sun for its guidance; if it weren't for Him, I wouldn't have discovered the Dream Lamp was right behind me in an instant.

"Praise the rising sun."

(End of this chapter)