Chapter 139: Odd Place
The truck drove another 15 kilometers, navigating through rough terrain until it reached the base of a small mountain.
Surprisingly, the mountain was adorned with lush trees, untouched by the miasma that surrounded the place.
It resembled a snow globe, but without the snow, presenting a safe haven from its desolate and dreadful surroundings.
What was even more impressive was the fact that there were no corrupted at all within the perimeter of the mountain, which was unusual given that it looked out of place with all this black miasma.
"Impressive, right?" Vincent spoke as he drove the car towards the barrier.
When they reached the edge, he felt like they passed through a hot mist, and what greeted him on the other side was a warm, inviting place.
"Is this the same barrier that was protecting Summit City before?" Reign asked, as it was the only explanation he could come up with.
Looking at the place, he sensed that it had the same feeling as before the Corrupted invaded the City.
The sun shone above, the air was fresh and cool, and it felt like paradise.
Vincent took off his mask, opened the window, and breathed in the fresh air.
He had short brown hair, black eyes, a sleek jawline, and thick eyebrows.
Seeing this, Reign also removed his mask.
He still had a bandage over his eyes, so only his white hair was visible, along with his fake nose and lips.
With improved control over his bones, he created small joints around his face, enabling him to manipulate his facial expressions, so there was no need to conceal his mouth with his long collar any longer.
Of course, he was still far from mimicking the real facial expressions of a human face.
But, at least now he appeared as an antisocial person who could only awkwardly smile, rather than looking creepy.
"No, it's not. This barrier was created by the Priestess of the light," Vincent responded.
Now that his face was no longer covered, Reign could see Vincent smile and fanaticism.
In fact, he looked too happy; he was smiling from ear to ear.
'Is this guy okay?' Reign thought to himself, sensing that something was off.
His suspicion increased after he saw many civilians planting in the field.
Despite doing manual and hard labor, each wore a smile as if they were the happiest people in the world.
While such happiness wasn't impossible, Reign found it difficult to believe that these people, who had just endured an almost apocalyptic event, could all be genuinely content.
Regardless of their living conditions, it was unlikely that every single one of them would be okay with their circumstances.
'This priestess is weird. How powerful can she be to create this barrier?' Reign asked himself, realizing he might be entering a lion's den.
However, his curiosity got the better of him.
The miasma was something even he found to be a hassle, and if he could figure out how this barrier was created, it would be a big help to him in the future.
At the same time, he was also interested in what powers he could gain if he devoured this priestess.
He might have been afraid before about confronting unknown enemies, but now he was confident in his power, especially with his domain.
After they reached the top of the mountain, he saw a large cabin.
This place must have been a vacation resort before, because there were pools and multiple small cabins surrounding it.
"The priestess is inside. After you receive her blessing, you will finally be one of us," Vincent exclaimed, his smile growing even wider.
'The heck is this guy saying? I never said I would join this cult,' Reign grumbled to himself, though outwardly he maintained a smile.
His fake face did have some advantages after all.
When he reached the huge cabin, he was guided into what seemed to be a multi-purpose hall.
There, he saw 20 people praying, and on the stage was a beautiful woman clad in a white robe. Her face...
'That bitch,' Reign's mood instantly turned sour after seeing this supposed Priestess.
It was the same woman with the golden chain, but this time she looked more mature and immaculate.
Her silver hair with a hint of gold seemed to gleam with light particles, while her skin emitted a radiant glow, as if surrounded by fireflies.
He remembered how this woman had bound him and almost killed him.
But now he was no longer afraid; he was now a Middle Upper Demon in terms of power, plus he already have his domain.
If he get serious, even this whole mountain would be gone.
The Priestess, sensing his killing intent, opened her eyes, revealing their golden color.
"All of you, Leave us," she commanded, her gaze not leaving Reign at all.
The civilians stopped their prayers and walked away without any question.
Even Vincent did the same without speaking.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" he chuckled as he casually approached her.
Though he appeared to have lowered his guard, he was ready to unleash his domain at any moment.
"I don't want any trouble with you. Besides, you're not my enemy," the Priestess spoke, her voice melodic and comforting to the ears.
"You look like an angel, while I look like a demon. Pretty sure we are enemies just from appearance alone," Reign replied, his tone guarded.
The Priestess paused for a moment.
"Don't lie to me. I can smell demons, and you're far from being one. Besides, you're also not from this world, right?" She replied with a knowing smile .
"Also?" Reign's voice trailed off.
"I myself am not a native of this world. I'm what these people call an Angel, though unfortunately, they have long forgotten about us," the Priestess revealed with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"That make sense," Reign nodded, accepting her explanation right away.
"That was fast," The priestess giggled .
"I mean, demons, divergents, and corrupteds exist, so an Angel was not that shocking," Reign shrugged his shoulders dismissively.
"But that doesn't change the fact that you almost killed me," Reign's voice turned cold, and a dark red aura began to envelop his body, radiating his anger and resentment.
"Bold words from someone who ripped the neck of my vessel," The Priestess responded, and a golden aura also covered her body. It was in no way weaker than Reign's aura.
Both of their auras clashed, neither one relenting.
However, when Reign added his electric attribute, the tide of the clash turned in his favor, and the Priestess struggled to keep up.
"You're very weak for an Angel," he taunted, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Don't be too arrogant. If I retract the barrier around the mountain, I can overpower you right away," the Priestess replied, her voice brimming with confidence. And, Reign sensed that she was telling the truth.
"So what do you want?" Reign asked, sensing that she was not here for a fight.
He decided to hear what she had to say first.
Both of them retracted their auras at the same time, but neither lowered their guards.
"Do you want to know more about the black Miasma and the corrupted?"