Under the control of Judgment Chief Bai Qingshuang, the Dawn Disc completed nine rotations.

After nine rotations, the disc began to vibrate.

The black clouds in the sky, as if finding an outlet, started to converge towards the center of the white Dawn Disc.

These clouds, like an auger, fiercely pierced the earth of the Inner Ring.

Then, the ground began to crack!

Qi Gefei stared, dumbfounded, at the scene before him, especially the Inner Ring earth, which had split in two, utterly speechless.

Dust filled the air, and everything seemed to have been destroyed and decayed by the black clouds.

But what emerged from beneath the ground was also something Qi Gefei had never seen before.

Ancient, worn metal staircases and clustered gun turrets, resembling doomsday air raid shelters, emerged.

Most of these turrets were thoroughly destroyed; Qi Gefei could even see what looked like animal bite marks on them!

Additionally, various statues and runes adorned the walls—none of which he had ever seen before, at least not in the Inner Ring's textbooks.

This place seemed to hold a history completely different from that of humankind.

He subconsciously looked at the surrounding guards, but these powerful Inner Ring Believers of Light seemed completely oblivious to everything before them.

Their gazes remained deep, fixed straight ahead.

Qi Gefei didn't know if these people were simply accustomed to such scenes.

But even if one had witnessed this many times, wouldn't they still be awestruck?

These people are truly calm. They can maintain their composure even in this situation. It seems I'm still a long way from these Believers of Light who guard the Inner Ring.

"Judgment Chief, what is this place?"

"The Doomsday Sanctuary!"

"The Doomsday Sanctuary?"

Qi Gefei looked at Bai Qingshuang with some confusion, as if not quite grasping her meaning.

"Knight Qi Gefei, what do you imagine doomsday to be?"

"The intelligent machine crisis? An invasion by Dark Energy, something like that?"

"Those don't count as true doomsday, because at that time, humanity still had hope."

Qi Gefei didn't know precisely what Bai Qingshuang meant by "hope," but he was willing to listen.

"True doomsday is despair and struggle, without a single trace of light, an inability to escape the darkness. People yearn for a glimmer of life within the darkness, but true darkness holds no life whatsoever. The Wasteland Alliance is a place that has truly experienced doomsday! Only after humanity experienced the advent of doomsday did they enter the Post-Apocalyptic Age. Doomsday did not defeat humanity; as time passed, humans established the Alliance. That is how the current Wasteland Era came to be. Humanity has never directly entered any era! In the darkest of times, this place was humanity's hope, their final sanctuary."

Bai Qingshuang's expression remained very calm, but Qi Gefei, standing beside her, could sense the emotion and impact in her words.

Is it possible to feel the despair and fear of an era one didn't live through?

However, he was somewhat puzzled as to why Bai Qingshuang had brought him here.

This must be a secret guarded by the entire Alliance, right? Was someone like him truly qualified to be here?

"So, humanity has such a rich history. These events don't seem to be recorded in the Alliance's textbooks. But this place is truly spectacular!"

"Everyone has such thoughts when they see it for the first time. I was also astonished when I first came here. Alright, stop spacing out. Let's go; we have much to do."

"Oh, okay!"

Qi Gefei followed behind Bai Qingshuang, slowly walking into this last refuge of humanity.

RUMBLE.

After the two entered the sanctuary, the Dawn Disc began to rotate again.

The sundered earth rejoined, and only then did the surrounding guards seem to stir from their daze.

One of the guards looked at his companion and asked with some confusion, "Hey, did something just happen? Did you feel it?"

"No, it might just be your imagination."

"Enough talk. Guarding the Dawn Disc is an honor; this is no place for idle chatter."

"Yes!"

If Qi Gefei were here, he'd be utterly astonished. These people seemed completely oblivious to what had just transpired. Whether it was the cracking earth or the sudden appearance of the Doomsday Sanctuary, they hadn't perceived a thing. Even their memory of the Judgment Chief bringing him here had grown faint. However, this memory was merely hazy, not entirely erased.

"I remember the Judgment Chief was here just now. Where is she?"

"The Judgment Chief? Here? I don't think so. You must be mistaken."

"Perhaps I haven't rested well lately."

"Exactly. I certainly didn't see her."

"Quiet! Do I need to repeat myself?"

The guard captain was stern, but he, too, felt a flicker of doubt.

He thought he'd seen the Judgment Chief just moments ago, but his subordinates said they hadn't. Could he have been mistaken as well?

At the same moment Qi Gefei and Bai Qingshuang opened the Doomsday Sanctuary, in a humble wooden house in a corner of the Inner Ring's Dawn Church district, an old man, bedridden for nearly three years, suddenly awoke.

His hair had all withered and fallen out, and the wrinkles and age spots on his face were as distinct as seals. His entire body exuded an odor peculiar to the dying, making it hard to imagine this man had once stood at the very summit.

The old man's clouded eyes looked as if his life might flicker out at any moment. Yet he strained to open his eyes wide, his focused will gradually bringing clarity to his gaze.

"Three years... she finally went through with it."

Xinzhu, I'm afraid I must burden you this time!

The old man tremblingly lifted his hands. This movement startled Believer Zemo, who was dozing beside the bed, abruptly awake.

"Your Holiness the Pope, what are you doing? Are you trying to get up?"

"Get out!" Pope Fan Zhen spoke sternly. At this moment, he once again seemed like the man who had stood at the pinnacle of the Alliance's power.

The Believer beside him was startled at first, then his expression turned unsightly, a mocking smile even touching his lips.

"Your Holiness the Pope, what are you intending to do? Can you tell me?"

Seeing this, Fan Zhen knew instantly this man had betrayed him. He was now Bai Qingshuang's pawn. In the past, he could have dispatched such a person with a mere wave of his hand. But things were different now; his energy was insufficient. He had no desire to speak further.

He simply pressed his palms together, and Holy Radiance began to slowly emanate from them.

Zemo immediately took out his phone, intending to call and inform Bai Qingshuang.

But Pope Fan Zhen, as if sensing his intent, caused the Holy Radiance in his hands to erupt. A white shockwave blasted Zemo, sending him flying and crashing heavily to the ground.

Zemo was quite strong; such a blow hadn't seemed to knock him unconscious. He stared at the Pope on the bed in horror and turned to flee.

But Pope Fan Zhen gave him no such chance. A beam of white light shot from the Pope. The radiance poured into Zemo's body, causing his seven orifices to emit light, making him resemble a luminous figure.

The light did not last long.

Soon, Zemo, pierced by the beam, calmed down, his eyes gradually regaining their clarity.

"Lord Zemo, what happened inside?" the other guards outside, having heard the commotion, called out.

Zemo glanced at the Pope on the bed and suddenly spoke, "It's nothing. His Holiness the Pope just turned over and shifted a little. Just continue your watch. I'm here; there's no issue."

"Yes. We appreciate your hard work, Lord Zemo."

Zemo's gaze was steady. After speaking, he slowly walked to the Pope's side, knelt on one knee, and looked up at him.

"Your Holiness, is there anything else I need to do?"

Pope Fan Zhen looked at Zemo without expression and shook his head with some effort.

"Not for now. Just wait."

"Yes."

The Holy Radiance in the Pope's hand grew dimmer. It wasn't dissipating but gradually condensing, forming a small orb of light in his palm.

This orb of light... If Lu Luo were here, he would undoubtedly be astonished. Because this object and a Dark Energy Seed were remarkably similar. Their properties were almost identical; the only difference lay in their attributes.

The orb of light solidified, becoming the size of a marble.

This form was much smaller than the Dark Energy Seed Lu Luo had previously obtained.

"Zemo, open the window a bit."

"Yes."

Zemo obediently went to the side of the bed and opened a small gap.

And the orb of light in the Pope's hand seized the opportunity to fly out at great speed.

Having accomplished this, Pope Fan Zhen finally let out a strained sigh of relief. At this moment, a faint smile at last touched his lips.

Bai Qingshuang, you've finally grown impatient! Qi Xinzhu will be your poison.

The Inner Ring was not large, and the orb of light moved very swiftly. Consequently, Qi Xinzhu, who was with Wan Jing listening to Yu Luo's report, quickly sensed it.

This feeling... Is it Teacher?

"Qi Xinzhu, what's wrong?" Wan Jing, seeing Qi Xinzhu still looking at the window on the other side, asked with some curiosity.

"Lady Wan Jing, I feel my teacher calling me."

"Your teacher? His Holiness the Pope?" Wan Jing found it somewhat incredible. The Pope had been bedridden for a long time; how could Qi Xinzhu have sensed him?

But just as she was about to object, that power of Holy Light—not overwhelmingly strong, yet quite distinct—also entered her range of perception.

Is this power truly the Pope's?

The orb of light suddenly burst through the window and, before anyone could react, shot into Qi Xinzhu's already raised palm.

"UGH!"

As the light source entered her body, Qi Xinzhu's seven orifices erupted with a radiance dozens of times more intense than Zemo's had been moments before.

At this moment, she resembled a being of pure light!

The council hall was very crowded, and Qi Xinzhu's current state seemed somewhat peculiar. Not just peculiar; it should be described as sacred and divine. She appeared as a sacred icon of the Dawn Church, the very Saintess the Church should revere!

"My Holy Light!"

Many Believers watched Qi Xinzhu, unsure how to react. By now, Yu Luo's report seemed to have lost its urgency. The matter of punishing Lu Luo could also be temporarily deferred. After all, within the Church, nothing could bring them more joy than witnessing the Holy Light manifest before them.

"Saintess Qi Xinzhu."

Some devout Believers actually knelt on one knee before Qi Xinzhu, in full view of everyone. This was the deepest wish of their hearts, for the current Qi Xinzhu was overwhelmingly holy and pure. Such a state was their ideal personified.

"Saintess."

"Saintess."

A large part of the bustling crowd knelt in waves.

This left those who either hadn't felt Qi Xinzhu's sanctity, or felt it but were unwilling to show deference, feeling quite awkward.

Wan Jing also felt awkward. After all, Bai Qingshuang had only instructed her to keep a close watch on Qi Xinzhu.

"Are you alright, Xinzhu?"

Bathed in radiance, Qi Xinzhu slowly absorbed the energy. She did not speak immediately, instead sensing the origin of this power.

She quickly returned to her normal state and turned her gaze first towards Wan Jing.

"I'm fine, Lady Wan Jing. However, I seem to have other matters to attend to now, so I must excuse myself."

Wan Jing frowned slightly. Bai Qingshuang had instructed her to watch Qi Xinzhu closely.

In Wan Jing's understanding, 'watching closely' meant not letting Qi Xinzhu out of her sight. So, should she follow Qi Xinzhu now, or let her leave?

"Oh, hehe," Wan Jing chuckled. "Although I don't know what just happened to you, I can feel the power of the Holy Light growing within you. You must have encountered some fortuitous opportunity or had an epiphany, correct? Such opportunities are rare; I understand that very well." Wan Jing then turned to the others.

"Everyone, it seems Priest Qi Xinzhu has gained new insight into the power of Holy Light. I believe we shouldn't disturb her now. Let Priest Qi Xinzhu fully absorb this opportunity. Perhaps she will become someone even closer to the Holy Light."

The kneeling Believers naturally had no objections. They continued to gaze at Qi Xinzhu with devout expressions, shouting loudly, "We respectfully send off the Saintess!"

Observing the shift in these people's attitudes, Wan Jing frowned slightly.

It was clear Qi Xinzhu's current state had completely altered the convictions of some Believers. Fortunately, not many had witnessed this. It was uncertain if it would affect Bai Qingshuang's authority. Such power, such pure light... Perhaps this is what it means to be chosen. Is this situation also related to the power the Pope displayed just now?

Wan Jing didn't know. She could only continue to observe.

Qi Xinzhu was very grateful for Wan Jing's actions and nodded slightly at her. "Thank you, Lady Wan Jing. I shall take my leave now."

"Go ahead."

Qi Xinzhu departed. In the council hall, the discussion about the capture of Lu Luo and Mu Fei continued.

But Wan Jing's attention had already followed Qi Xinzhu out of the room. She inconspicuously moved towards the council hall's entrance, slipped out quietly, and began to trail Qi Xinzhu from a distance.

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