In front of the sealed gate, Hades turned his head to look at Tis in a protective suit and nodded.

Snort - cold air erupted, the door opened, and Hades stepped inside, followed by Blake, who had re-pinched out the helmet Hades.

Blake closed the door behind him, they were now in quarantine, and there was a door, and after that was the patient area.

A small, groan-like voice came from in front of them, and Blake muttered quietly,

“…… So much. ”

He then knocked on the first door that he had closed, and motioned for the crew to open the second door.

Hades didn't turn his head sideways, he stared at the next door that slowly opened, "Many?" ”

Blake nodded,

"My father, as far as I know, immortal diseases are sporadic and sudden - often only one or two cases can occur within a few star fields."

Hades was silent for a moment, "You're saying that something went wrong with the Death Authority, that is, maybe something happened to Motarian?" ”

Blake hurriedly shook his head,

"I don't know, father, and—"

"It's not necessarily an immortal disease, other diseases may have similar manifestations." ”

Hades stepped forward, "Then we'll know if it's or not." ”

The door creaked open.

Hades' eyes widened,

As far as the eye can see, it is a long and narrow hall, which can be seen to be some kind of religious place, the walls and ceiling are painted black, and the black pressure is as if it is about to fall into the night, and some broken lamps stick out of the wall, like the treetops at night.

Countless improvised hospital beds were lined up in the hall, and in the low temperature, the shabby sheets were condensed with dirty pus, and under the thin cloth, human figures appeared.

Facing them, at the very end of the hall, the presence that anyone would immediately notice as soon as they entered the door was a pitch-black figure crouching close to half-kneeling, a cloak carved out of stone that fell heavily, like a real cloth.

And the shadow of the cloak, no matter which angle you look at, just covers the face of the figure.

The crouching figure, with its hand stretched out directly ahead, seems to invite a visiting visitor.

And in front of his lower knee was a giant dog proudly entrenched, with its head looking straight ahead, and a handful of ears of wheat in its mouth.

This is...... His own ......

Just in front of more than a hundred hospital beds......

As if to confirm Hades's suspicions, Blake behind him took a few steps forward and knelt solemnly on one knee towards the statue of Hades.

"Praise you."

Hades seemed to have done it thousands of times, and Hades tilted his head in some consternation, staring at Blake and getting up,

Aware of Hades' consternation, Blake whispered, "I'm sorry, my father, I ...... subconsciously"

Hades waved his hand and gestured to silence.

Blackton froze, realizing that Hades' focus was not on the church, but on the people who were lying.

"Explain that to me later." Hades' eyes swept over the church, and his eyes reflected the statue and the candles stacked in the corner, condensing into tears.

Blake instantly understood what Hades meant, and he was ashamed of his subconscious act of saluting Hades—but this reflexive gesture was deeply engraved in his instinct.

Hades gently walked over to the nearest hospital bed, and he saw a corpse, half decomposed and congealed in frost.

To prevent these people from continuing to decay on their own, Tis poured a large amount of liquid nitrogen into the chapel.

Hades carefully lifted the sheets that were attached to his body, he was sure that the "person" was still alive, and after receiving the stimulus, the person on the bed tried to move.

Blake stepped forward, and the son of Hades scrutinized the patient, even reaching out to remove some of the congealed flesh that Hades saw as the muscles tried to squirm.

He was trying to make a sound or trying to realize what was being said from the outside world, but his senses and vocal cords were so badly damaged that he could only slowly try to control his limbs, allowing his muscles to contract and relax.

Finally, Blake nodded.

"Immortality, my father."

"Please grant him a good night's sleep, Hades."

In the next moment, the person in the bed stopped struggling weakly.

Hades put down the bed, which was just a layer of cloth, covered the corpse's face, and walked to the next bed.

……

Hades wants Blake to confirm whether this is an undead disease.

At the same time, he is also using black domain perception to try to find some anomalies.

……

They slowly approached the massive statue, and the small moans of the patients faded as the sound of footsteps rang out again and again.

Some of them had almost rotted into a puddle of mud, with only a skeleton of flesh and blood attached, while others were intact but almost insane, muttering to themselves or staring at the ceiling in a daze as Hades and his party approached them.

A few others thanked them weakly, Blake looked at Hades, and Hades only nodded slightly, and then granted them death.

Eventually, they came to the bed closest to the idol, which, unlike the other standard hospital beds, had an extra blanket sewn with the word Wood sewn on it.

It was Ties's older brother, Shore, and the only Pluto priest in Aswan, who, according to Ties, was too kind and pious – and therefore took in the sick.

Shore was also the last person to catch the disease, and after him, Tis immediately cordoned off the area.

Listening to Ties, she could have heard her brother's daily and nightly prayers — but one day, her brother stopped talking.

Blake stepped forward and slowly pulled the blanket from Shore's face.

A pale face peeked out from under the blanket, but the level of decay was minimal, and Shore stared directly at the two visitors with his eyes wide open.

"I'm here to help you," Hades whispered, "to help you get rid of ...... Indisposition. ”

"Do you have anything to say to your sister Ties?"

"She doesn't want to see you just now — but you can communicate." ”

Shore's wide eyes rolled as he stared at Hades, who coughed and shook his head in horror, indicating that he did not want to communicate with his sister.

"Okay."

Hades said, and Blake, who was on the side, also spoke,

"In the name of the son of Hades, believer, the Lord in front of you is Hades."

"He wanted to ask you some questions."

Shore made a ho-ho sound, and then the hoarse words,

“…… Hades? ”

His pupils were out of focus, staring at the sculpture behind Hades, the idol of the god coldly and mercilessly reaching out to him,

Shore pulled out a forced smile, "You're the Immortal...... Not ......"

"No...... You're too late. ”

Hades squeezed Blake's outstretched hand, trying to teach Shore a lesson.

"Yes, I'm late," Hades said calmly, "and I can't be there every time." ”

“…… False gods. ”

Hades was silent, and Shore continued to struggle, "Why don't you send down your gift?" You...... I watched them rot...... I practiced kindness...... Why are you ......?"

"God is not omnipotent," Hades said, "and nothing in this universe is omnipotent, Shore." ”

Hades crouched down and placed Shore's hand on his, a futile hospice that would make everyone present feel a little better.

Hades continued, "I believe that it is not the doctrine that commands you to be merciful, you are a merciful person yourself, I have heard your sister cry, you are a kind and responsible person, and it is you who have chosen the Cult of Hades, which is consistent with your beliefs, not that it has chosen you. ”

"I accept your accusations, Shore Wood, and I hope that your suffering will end quickly—but if you tell me the details of this plague, I may be able to prevent the tragedy."

Shore gasped, and Hades wondered how a man whose heart had stopped could continue to breathe, but perhaps his throat needed air to make his vocal cords tremble.

"Good ......" Shore's weak voice rang out, he tilted his head slightly, staring at Hades, "I finally understand...... Why is Hades merciful and cruel......"

Shore smiled in vain.

"I ignored Ties's objections...... Took in those people, and she had planned to burn them...... to ensure the safety of others on board. ”

He stared at Hades in a daze,

"But in the end...... At least I saved them, didn't I. ”

Hades looked him in the eye, "I assure you, they have returned to true death—the most complete death. ”

This seemed to make the priest very happy, and Shore became a little more energetic,

"I'm glad I can finally sleep peacefully," Shore coughed, his eyes flashing with memories of the past, "I used to trespass on other people's territory when I was a child...... It was only after I caught a glimpse of ghosts in captivity that they went berserk, and only then did I realize how merciful true death was, and it was the original motivation for me to join the Cult - I feared that death was no longer death. ”

Shore let out a long sigh of relief, "My gods......" he said calmly, "Looking back on Shore Wood's life, I have a clear conscience except for the last harsh rebuke and betrayal of you. ”

"I accept your word,"

Hadiston paused, "Scold casually." ”

He continued, "You saved the lives of the one hundred and seven remaining people so that they would not have to suffer after death, and even though I know that you have guilt for your sister, I will help Tis afterwards to absolve you of guilt in conscience." ”

If it weren't for the fact that his blood was no longer flowing and his tear ducts were dry, Hades thought Shore was now in tears,

"Immortal...... "Shore said tremblingly, as if he had made up his mind, "I have tried to seek the help of the Grim Reaper during the time I have turned my back on you, and I have glimpsed some painful scenes on the line between life and death, that He is trapped, and that He needs faith. ”

"He is gradually losing the ...... of death"

Shore coughed, "I've read all about immortality in the Cult, my lord, never like this - such a plague-like outbreak of immortality, immortality is gradually gaining transmissibility, you need to help your friend Death." ”

Hades nodded, "I will." ”

Shore was silent for a moment,

"Then I have nothing more to tell you, please let me sleep, Hades...... I've suffered so much. ”

Hades blinked,

"Do you need to have a final chat with your sister? She's been bitter about abandoning you. ”

"Thank you, please tell her...... Shore slowly closed her eyes, "she did a good job, that's why she's the heir to the Wood family, not her overly weak brother, and I'm proud of her." ”

"Humanity will be proud of you, too."

Hades said, and the next moment, the water surged up.

Shore was silent, and Hades put a blanket over the priest's face.

Hades stood up, "I should probably let the siblings meet." ”

Blake shook his head, "This will make the living regret that you made the right decision, father." ”

Hades sighed, "I didn't expect to meet my mortal followers for the first time...... It's going to be this scene. ”

He still remembers debating with those two crazy believers and giving him a headache.

Hades thought for a moment, put down the picture just now, he raised his head and looked at his sculpture carefully,

"Why this pose?"

Hades asked suddenly, and Blake spoke, "Because the Golden Sage wins—no, because the Immortal Sect has always believed that this will show your benevolence, and that it will allow those believers with high understanding to deduce for themselves that you are human." ”

Hades stared at the sculpture's outstretched hand, as if interacting with worshippers who had come to worship.

He may have understood.

Blake continued, "The hounds in your sculpture are the three-headed dogs, representing the mortal one, and the other two are the Mechanics facing left and holding a wrench in their mouths, and the legions facing right with scythes in their mouths. ”

Hades nodded, walked around his sculpture, and then turned his back to the sculpture and looked at the beds where the corpses were placed.

"Blake."

Hades said suddenly.

Before Black realized what was going on, the next moment, a familiar feeling of suffocation enveloped him, and he instantly understood that Hades had resummoned his realm to make the blasphemy of this church clear.

In a trance, Blake seemed to hear the cries and screams of the navigator in the distant cabin.

Three seconds later, Blake's footsteps swayed slightly, and he stood in a trance.

"Alright,"

Hades said, turning on the com, "Ms. Ties, all the people here are asleep, I think you've seen all this through the surveillance?" ”

Tice's unsteady breath came,

"Yes—thank you, sir."

She sobbed slightly, "Thank you for your help to my brother. ”

"No worries," said Hades, "ma'am, your brother is proud of you. ”

Hades repeated Shore's words while giving Ties a minute to buffer.

In the meantime, Hades wandered the long, narrow chapel, gazing at its dark, blood-soaked walls.

"What are you going to do next, ma'am?"

Hades said casually, "On a subspace level, I can assure you that this place is completely safe - but I may know what you mean, and then you can burn this place, and I suggest you do so, so that everything burns down." ”

Tis immediately agreed with Hades, and after some time, the pipes that were constantly draining liquid nitrogen began to discharge the sultan.

Once there was enough fuel to accumulate, Hades snapped his fingers, and an arc of electricity erupted, and then—the flames quickly lit up the church, engulfing the silent beds.

Glancing at his figure sculpted in the flames, Hades turned around, took Blake, and left the place directly.

Motarian ...... Trapped...... This is indeed a projection of the subspace that Hades felt, not only is [Death] gone, [Death] is infected with other powers, most likely on Nurgle's side.

That's not a good thing.

Hades thought silently, but he raised his hand and stared at his palm.

Almost the next moment, a thought popped into Hades's mind-

Now, he absolutely cannot enter the subspace.

Almost as soon as the thought came to him, Hades felt the exclusion and screaming from subspace.

So how did he get out of this star field—and how did he get to Motarian trapped deep in the subspace?

(End of chapter)