The light seemed to have solidified; Meng Yi felt like a tiny insect trapped in amber, unable to move.
Not long after, the binding force on his body gradually receded, and his mobility was restored.
He did not attempt to escape again; in the face of this binding ability, there was simply no way to escape.
He turned his head to look at the source of the light, and an eyeball emitting dazzling light floated in mid-air above the park, the light gradually receding into it.
The Adjudicator tilted his head slightly, and the eyeball spun back, embedding itself into his dark, still bleeding left eye socket.
The blood beads that had been circling him on the ground now seemed to have received a summons, flying up from the ground and forming a thin line of blood, filling his eye socket.
He raised a hand and wiped his cheek, then spread his gaunt hand before his eyes, examining the bloodstains all over it, lost in thought.
Silence fell over the park under the night sky.
Everyone stared at the Adjudicator, waiting for his final judgment.
The Divine Grace Users who had just fled the park returned one after another after noticing the light here, now standing by.
It seemed they weren't deserting after all.
Meng Yi took a small breath, ready to attempt to enter the Red Mist Space if anything went wrong.
They couldn't possibly chase him into the Red Mist Space, could they?
The Adjudicator seemed to have figured something out and turned to look at Meng Yi.
"What do you remember about the process of gaining your Divine Grace?"
His tone was inquisitive, not accusatory.
Meng Yi immediately decided to align with Cen Qiyun; with so many people present saying it was the God Kingdom, he could say the same.
It was just about devotion, right?
Can't I believe in myself?
He tried his best to appear fervent:
"I... entered the God Kingdom and saw Salvation."
As for Divine Grace, he would stick to his previous statement:
"The process of gaining Divine Grace... I'm really not very clear about it."
The Adjudicator's bleeding eyes stared at him, this time not using the "searchlight" mode, seemingly just wanting to discern if he was lying through his expression.
Meng Yi felt uneasy...
The Adjudicator's withered hand tightened its grip on the cane and sharply tapped it.
Thump—
The sound echoed in everyone's hearts.
"After review by the Adjudication Department, the ritual was a great success. These three hundred and twenty-four people still retain their human identity."
"Cen Qiyun, report to the Punishment Department yourself. I don't want to waste manpower detaining you."
After saying this, the Adjudicator turned and walked away, his frail, withered body moving with considerable difficulty.
Suo Mingcheng, covered in blood, exchanged a look with Li Hao, remained silent, and turned to follow the Adjudicator's footsteps.
Meng Yi was somewhat at a loss; this was too anticlimactic!
He found it hard to adapt to these people's way of doing things.
He ranted inwardly:
"Shouldn't you arrest me, a potential suspect?
Did you figure things out before leaving?
I haven't figured out anything!"
The hundreds of Believers around began to disperse, and Meng Yi's expression became even stranger... Why were these people so calm?
Also, he stared at the departing Cen Qiyun, unsure whether to call out to her.
We're under the same God, right?
Don't we need to connect, discuss how to carry out our duties?
Don't we need to proclaim the God's name and expand His faith?
Oh... it seems He hasn't named Himself either.
He looked around blankly; those people even took the torches with them as they left.
Meng Yi stared at the last lonely torch and composed himself.
Alright, first, go home and slowly sort out my thoughts.
He recalled the original owner's address: Outer City, Sixth Block, No. 102.
It wasn't close, about six kilometers from here.
He walked here barefoot all the way?
Oh, it seems Cen Qiyun said before the ritual that one needed to be devout.
He walked to the last torch and pulled it out.
The lightless night was somewhat dangerous, and as for streetlights, Jing'an City had none.
He walked barefoot towards the dark street...
The dozen or so people from the Adjudication Department were now in their respective cars, starting to drive towards their headquarters.
Aside from Li Hao and the others' initial minivan, the other cars were also varied.
They differed in size, height, and shape, but most were quite dilapidated.
Li Hao, sitting in the driver's seat, curiously asked the Adjudicator:
"What did you see just now? Meng Yi waking up alone seemed very suspicious."
The Adjudicator held his cane and closed his eyes to rest, shaking his head slightly at Li Hao's question:
"Like a Favored One."
Suo Mingcheng, sitting in the back, took off his clothes, extended a bone spur from his fingertip, and was slowly picking out the flesh and blood remaining in his body. Hearing this, he looked up in astonishment:
"A Favored One?"
It was well known that every Divine Grace User had to pay a price to the God; they were all "incomplete people."
Either in body or mind!
This was a twisted, pain-filled path.
But a Favored One was different.
They were beloved by the God, gaining power without needing to pay a price, or even needing to please the God.
Their power would steadily increase over time.
They were the lucky ones, the chosen ones; the God's gaze was constantly upon them, providing protection.
The Adjudicator's voice contained a hint of envy:
"I saw a magnificent palace on the peak of a mountain in him, with a mighty God served by angels... I only glanced at it and suffered severe injury."
From the Adjudicator's tightly closed eyes, tears of blood flowed again.
"He is a true God! An evil God would try to devour the power of grace on me, and an evil God's power would not be enough to injure me with just a glance."
"The others also showed no signs of contamination; a simple Spiritual Vision could determine that those people had all received blessings, and Cen Qiyun even received Divine Grace power."
"As for Meng Yi... he just received Divine Grace, and his power is already almost at the eighth-tier strength."
"Very much like a Favored One!"
At this point, his voice became somewhat joyful: "If it's true... this is a great thing! Another Favored One has appeared among humanity."
Suo Mingcheng secretly shook his head, continuing to pick out the flesh and blood embedded in his body with the bone spur.
This had nothing to do with him!
He didn't believe humanity had Salvation, not even with one more Favored One.
This Adjudicator, who worshipped a righteous God of light, was himself so hunched and shriveled.
If a righteous God was like this, how could humanity have Salvation? They were merely clinging to life.
The Adjudicator raised his sleeve and wiped the blood from the corners of his eyes.
"I'm giving you two a new mission: closely monitor Meng Yi."
Suo Mingcheng didn't even look up, "Understood."
For him, doing anything was the same.
Li Hao was somewhat puzzled:
"Why should we monitor a Favored One? Wouldn't it be best to let him grow on his own?"
The Adjudicator finally opened his eyes; his eyeballs were now covered in cracks.
"From the video you gave me, that ritual seemed to have communicated with two Gods."
The Adjudicator seemed somewhat unsure, his tone slightly doubtful:
"Initially, red mist spread, indicating the ritual's success; this could be determined based on past experience."
"Later, everyone fainted, claiming to have entered the God Kingdom... I think... two Gods must have appeared."
Li Hao asked with interest: "The latter one, did he really take everyone to the God Kingdom?"
The Adjudicator shook his head: "I don't think that's possible. He probably took Meng Yi inside, and the others, being in the ritual, might have seen some projected illusions."
A group of ordinary people who weren't even Divine Grace Users entering the God Kingdom?
How could that be?
He himself had never seen what the God Kingdom looked like.
Light began to seep from the cracks in the Adjudicator's eyeballs, seemingly undergoing some kind of repair.
He murmured, "Two Gods... regardless, let's pay more attention to him first."