Chapter 1491 Escalation of Events <TOC> Chapter 1493 Father Bertrand
Translator: SumTLMan
Alex understood clearly that Anthony’s death marked a watershed moment.
It signified that once-stable events were beginning to show variances, and tensions were escalating. No one knew what terrifying developments would occur next.
This sense of impending dread hung over the town of Ghust like an impenetrable cloud of darkness, suffocating Alex momentarily with its oppressive atmosphere.
“Is this an isolated incident?” Alex inquired softly to Angel, who was lurking nearby, after returning to the church in Ghust Town.
“Don’t you already have the answer in your heart?” Angel responded.
The day after Anthony’s death, a gloom still enveloped Ghust Town. Upon waking, Alex found that Father Bertrand had spent the entire night in the church, praying silently in front of the statue of the Father God. His face was pale and tinged with sorrow.
“Where are you planning to go?” Father Bertrand asked, finally turning his gaze towards Alex.
“I’m going to the riverbank to recite the Holy Scriptures,” Alex replied.
Father Bertrand pondered for a moment, then nodded, “Go ahead, but be careful. Ghust Town is not a safe place these days, so don’t stray too far off.”
Acknowledging the advice, Alex left the church under Father Bertrand’s watchful eyes.
Unbeknownst to Alex, the priest’s gaze turned murky and contemplative after his departure, ending with a deep, resigned sigh.
“You previously implied that Father Bertrand’s core beliefs aren’t quite genuine. However, I recently saw him praying devoutly for Anthony, and it didn’t seem insincere,” Angel curiously inquired. Last night while Alex was sleeping, Angel had wandered around the town. When he left, Father Bertrand was praying earnestly in the church. When he returned in the morning, the priest was still praying silently. To Angel, this dedication seemed entirely genuine.
Alex replied, “As a clergyman, Father Bertrand is qualified, and he holds a deep reverence for death.”
As for other matters, Alex chose not to elaborate. After all, Father Bertrand had saved him and even adopted him.
Angel didn’t press further about Father Bertrand.
Two hours later, Alex arrived at Lady Connie’s forester cabin.
Lady Connie had not left; she was still lying in bed. Her face was pale, her eyes seemed vacant, and her cheeks bore the evident marks of tears; it looked as though she had cried the entire night.
Alex brought food and medicine and also recited a Holy Scripture with Lady Connie.
Though Alex himself didn’t believe in the Holy Scripture, he found it suitable for giving hope to someone in a state of utter despair.
After the recitation, Lady Connie’s expression finally eased a bit.
“Alex, when can I return to the town?” Lady Connie couldn’t help but ask.
Alex’s face showed hesitation. Only after heightening Lady Connie’s curiosity did he slowly say, “I was initially skeptical about what you told me yesterday. However, when I went back last night, I realized that something major had occurred.”
Alex then detailed the death of Anthony and the disappearance of Mrs. Martin to Lady Connie.
While Alex did not specify who was responsible for these events, he subtly guided Lady Connie to connect them with her own experiences.
After hearing what was said, Lady Connie was trembling with fear, even though Alex had not provided a full chain of evidence linking Anthony’s death to the two ghosts who were after her. However, Lady Connie’s own imagination took over, intensifying her fears.
“In these turbulent times, it’s best for Lady Connie not to return to Ghust Town. Rest assured, I guarantee in the name of the Father God, that as soon as the disturbances subside, I will bring Lady Connie back to the town.”
As a clergyman invoking the name of the Father God. Lady Connie naturally took him at his word.
Unbeknownst to Lady Connie, Alex might wear the cloak of a priest, but at his core, he was a non-believer. His assurance in the name of the Father God was as hollow as empty talk.
By noon, Alex returned to Ghust Town, his face etched with seriousness.
Upon entering the church, he was surprised to find it brimming with people, all silently praying to the statue of the Father God.
Clearly, the recent series of events, including incidents involving Knight Reven, had affected the townspeople.
In the absence of apprehending the culprits, all could only pin their hopes on divine intervention — even if such miracles had never manifested.
Alex effortlessly mingled with the praying crowd. Standing before a window, he closed his eyes and muttered Holy Scriptures. Bathed in sunlight filtering through the window, he appeared sanctified, as if the Son of God.
The service brought a sense of redemption to all attendees, but this feeling was short-lived.
It lasted less than half an hour before being shattered.
The church doors burst open, and the dim interior was instantly flooded with bright light. People rubbed their eyes, stinging from the sudden illumination, and turned to see a small silhouette leaping into view.
As their eyes gradually adjusted to the light, they noticed a young boy wearing a reddish-brown newsboy cap rushing toward a portly middle-aged man in the church. The boy’s face was pale, and his expression filled with panic.
The boy whispered something to the middle-aged man, who promptly fainted, his eyes rolling back in his head.
Panic and commotion ensued within the church.
Alex stepped back into the shadows. Angel, who hovered in the dimness, quietly said, “The boy mentioned that the man’s wife and daughter are both dead.”
Nodding, Alex, who could read lips, confirmed that this was indeed the message the boy intended to convey. The shocking news was precisely the reason the man had fallen unconscious.
Alex asked, “Do you think they are behind this?”
“It’s likely,” came the reply.
Soon, the sheriff’s report came in. Not only were the middle-aged man’s wife and daughter deceased, but also a next-door neighbor, making it three in total. All that remained of them were their skulls, eerily placed on dinner plates. The sheer gruesomeness of the news was chilling even to hear.
Moreover, there was a significant amount of splattered blood at the scene, making it highly probable that the murders took place in their home.
Upon confirmation of this news, the sense of salvation that had previously filled the church vanished. People were visibly trembling, their faces pale as ghosts. The audacity of these serial murders left everyone uneasy, wondering if they would be next.
People were on edge, and even those who lived alone didn’t dare to return home at that moment. Despite the bright sunlight outside, a bone-chilling coldness hung in the air.
Eventually, the sheriff had no choice but to send a troop of knights to escort the congregation out of the church.
Alex also left with the knights, intending to visit the crime scene himself.
As Angel was leaving, he took a final glance at the empty Church of Kruja. He noticed that Father Bertrand, who was standing at the front, had an extremely distressed look on his face…
Later that night, Alex climbed to the pinnacle of the church, standing in the watchtower.
Not only was this the highest point of the Church of Kruja, but it was also the tallest spot in the entire Ghust Town.
Standing there, feeling the cool night breeze, Alex surveyed the surrounding low-rise buildings. Most of the area lay in darkness due to the absence of night lights — a perfect breeding ground for malevolence and bloodshed.
Ongoing serial murders had indicated one thing: the perpetrator might still be lurking somewhere in Ghust Town. Alex had come to see if he could catch a glimpse of them.
Alex mused aloud, “Will they strike again?”
Angel responded, “As facts have shown, unless Lady Connie is found, the opened Pandora’s box will not close again.”
“And it may even escalate,” he added.
As they spoke, sudden footsteps echoed from behind. Alex turned around to see Father Bertrand slowly walking up.
“Alex, were you just talking to someone?” Father Bertrand inquired suspiciously.
Alex shook his head, “No, I was just talking to myself.”
Father Bertrand cast a skeptical eye at Alex, then looked around. The watchtower was far too small to hide anyone. So, without probing further, he asked, “What are you doing up here so late?”
Alex: “With all these incidents happening one after another, I’ve been feeling uneasy and can’t sleep. So, I came out to get some fresh air.”
Father Bertrand softly intoned, “The Father God will bless devout believers to navigate through these turbulent times.”
After a brief pause, Bertrand said, “The town of Ghust is not safe right now. You should go back and rest. Also…”
Alex looked puzzled and asked, “Also what?”
Sighing, Bertrand shook his head, “Never mind, just go back and rest. At least the Church of Kruja will be safe under the protection of the Father God.”
Just as Alex was about to say something else, a scream suddenly pierced through the darkness of the night.
Alex swiftly turned his head to see that the scream had come from the southern part of Ghust Town.
Alex was about to leave the watchtower to investigate, but Bertrand grabbed him and gently shook his head, “Go back and rest. I’ll handle things here.”
After a moment of silence, Alex finally nodded in agreement.
Chapter 1491 Escalation of Events <TOC> Chapter 1493 Father Bertrand