Abyssal Chronicles

Chapter 369 - 370: The Pope part1 [3/5]

--Red Leaf Empire - Asumos Church Headquarters-

Inside the holy cathedral,

*Rumble~*

’An ancient stone door, about twenty meters high, slowly swings open’

Guided by two white-robed messengers wearing golden masks from the church, Archbishop Nick leads several key members of ’Sunlight Squad’ into the core area of the church.

The holy cathedral,

As the heart of the Church, its grandeur and luxury are simply breathtaking.

The luxuriously spacious hall is adorned with dozens of stone pillars embedded with colorful gemstones and carved with gold. The place exudes a magnificent and majestic atmosphere.

Countless exquisite murals and skillfully crafted religious artifacts are displayed throughout the cathedral.

At the top of the cathedral, chandeliers made from pure crystal and white diamonds radiate a holy and luxurious ambiance.

Deep within the cathedral stands the goddess statue, a good thirty meters high, seemingly sculpted by divine hands from costly white gold. When sunlight penetrates the glass dome and lands on the statue, it radiates a mesmerizing golden shimmer.

The spectacular sight, almost divine, leaves one awestruck.

...

Although it’s not Mengxi’s first time visiting this central region of the Church, trailing behind Archbishop Nick, she can’t help but be astounded. Compared to the holy cathedral, Xue Tianao’s much-vaunted SkyDome Palace almost feels like a ’straw hut’.

Every time she comes here, to this magnificent and ancient cathedral, Mengxi truly realizes the powerful foundation of Asumos Church.

"Indeed... it’s a power that has stood the test of a millennium."

The wealth contained within this cathedral alone could probably match the treasury of a small country. Not to mention that this is merely the tip of the iceberg of the church’s wealth.

Over half the population on the continent are faithful believers of Asumos Church. The church also controls countless mining resources. It holds half of the empire’s education, healthcare, and luxury goods industries.

Every year, the contributions from believers and the profits from these industries amount to an astronomical sum.

On the Ancita continent, in terms of wealth, if Asumos Church claims second, no one would dare claim first.

Although the Church always claims that this wealth is used to worship the goddess and assist people in hardship, Mengxi dismisses such claims. As a lady who has once lived in a poor village, Mengxi knows very well how the church ’assists’ the people.

’As for worshiping the goddess?’

’How much could a few annual worship ceremonies really cost?’

"I just can’t figure out where they’re spending all this money..."

While walking through the cathedral, these thoughts occupy Mengxi’s mind.

Regardless,

Upon reaching the holy cathedral, Mengxi, as the Girl of Destiny, remains admirably composed.

However, compared to Mengxi, the expressions of Bai Yanluo and Archbishop Nick were filled with anxiety. Throughout their silent journey, a heavy, suppressive atmosphere hangs around them - a sharp departure from the typical enthusiasm and zeal displayed by devotees during their visits to the holy cathedral.

As the group delves deeper into the cathedral, Bai Yanluo’s complexion grows paler. She grips the hem of her skirt tightly, and her delicate body starts to tremble uncontrollably.

At this moment, Bai Yanluo displays none of the majesty and poise that a Heavenly Apostle should possess. Instead, she resembles a child who has committed a grave mistake and is anxiously awaiting reprimand from her parents.

On the flip side, while Archbishop Nick maintains a veneer of calm, internally, he’s riddled with panic. Beads of sweat, as big as beans, steadily roll down the forehead of this aged man.

"Four... all four are here..."

Nick’s heart almost skips a beat as he gazes at the two white figures beneath the statue of the goddess and the two other white-robed disciples leading the way. He knows all too well that these four seemingly indifferent individuals, who appear to be mere human puppets, are the Pope’s messengers - the Sacred Envoys.

The Sacred Envoys serve closely by the Pope’s side and are his most trusted confidants.

The Pope handles countless affairs daily and rarely appears before church members or followers. Even an Archbishop like Nick only sees the Pope a few times a year. They usually receive instructions from the Pope through these four Sacred Envoys.

And now,

The Sacred Envoys stand by the Pope’s side, serving as his most trusted aides.

Nick understands perfectly what this signifies.

The "big shot"... has truly arrived...

Nick initially held a faint hope that after coming to the holy cathedral this time, he would only need to meet with a Sacred Envoy and receive the Pope’s instructions from them. But it seems now that he is to meet directly with that person...

The thought sends a wave of anxiety washing over Nick, much like a breached dam.

As the two Sacred Envoys halt beneath the statue of the goddess, Nick’s anxiety reached its peak. But no matter how nervous he is, he knows he can’t afford to disregard etiquette, for the Pope doesn’t take kindly to rudeness.

However, just as Nick takes a deep breath and prepares to pay his respects to the Pope seated above, his brows furrow and his face displays a look of surprise.

"What?"

Because,

When the main seat is turned around, what appears above it is not the figure that he fears,

but a fluffy pink little furball with three small golden horns on its head?!

When the furball is exposed in everyone’s sight, it appears even more timid, curling up tightly. The panic in its adorable amethyst eyes makes the onlookers feel a hint of pity.

Even Nick was no exception.

However,

More than pity, what stuns Nick was complete confusion.

"What... what is this? Why... why is this creature on the main seat?"

Moreover,

’Does it look like... the Holy Beast?’

’No!’

’That’s not the main point.’

The real question is, if the Pope is not on his throne, then where is he?!

Thinking this, Nick shows signs of fear, searching left and right in hopes of finding that familiar, yet intimidating figure. But as Nick is frantically trying to find the Pope, a friendly, easygoing voice sprinkled with humor unexpectedly reaches his ears,

"Hey, Archbishop Nick, why so tense? I’m not going to eat you~"

’Wait, this voice!...’

Following the direction of the sound, Archbishop Nick hurriedly turns around to look behind him,

And in that moment,

Unexpectedly,

A young man, decked out in an exquisite white robe, has appeared behind Nick, even extending a warm greeting. The man’s sudden appearance slightly changes Bai Yanluo’s expression. Clearly, this Heavenly Apostle had no clue about the man’s arrival.