Only God
Chapter 298 - 256 A Story About Marriage

Chapter 298: Chapter 256 A Story About Marriage

The village hidden in the Secret Forest had been deserted for who knows how many years, and the surrounding area looked chillingly desolate.

As time passed by, through the cracks in the leaves, Bennice could clearly see the twilight fading away bit by bit, until the last ray of sunlight was about to leave the earth.

The priestess beside her was also pale, her eyes revealing a touch of panic.

In their hearts, they both had the same question...

Was this really the place to gather materials for the ceremony?

Would the precious materials used in the sacrifice to the Water God really grow in such a chill place?

The pitch-black road ahead, all the doors of the village houses were wide open, the interiors dark as pitch. The open doors were like gaping maws, and as Bennice advanced, they witnessed a horrifying scene.

Crows gathered on an old, broad, and stout tree, with twisted branches and all its leaves withered. The ground was covered in crisp, dry leaves, and above the pile of leaves, a strange black shadow swayed in the wind.

It was a rotten corpse that had been hanged, decayed so much that it was impossible to distinguish between male or female. On its strangled neck, it wore a wreath of dead flowers.

Bennice and the priestess’s pupils constricted in fear, and they nearly screamed out but, when they turned their heads, they suddenly found the old priestess Lula staring at them like a ghost.

Lula’s eyes were bloodshot.

Bennice and the priestess clamped their mouths shut, not daring to utter a word for a moment.

Under the dim light of twilight, the shadow of the rotting corpse stretched long on the leaf pile, elongated in a sinister fashion.

The old priestess Lula made gestures of prayer to the Water God, clenching her thin fingers tightly, continuously with force.

Not long after, she signaled for the two priestesses to stay put and then Lula turned her head to step deeper into the Secret Forest.

Bennice’s small hand clenched tightly, her palm full of sweat; gusts of cold, damp wind struck her, giving her goosebumps.

How much longer did the old priestess want them to wait here?

Bennice’s lips turned white as she looked around the dilapidated village, muttering and praying in her heart,

"Water God... this place is covered in ashes, as if it had been through a great fire, but why are all the doors open... Did no one lock them after leaving?"

Bennice glanced fearfully at the interior of one of the houses, seeing tables and chairs, torches nailed to walls, and a large pot set up, with food still stewing inside... It all seemed as though someone still lived there,

"As if... it’s a village for ghosts to dwell in."

Bennice’s scalp tingled, and her heart pounded furiously.

Beside her, the priestess looked around, her feet trembling in the gloomy village.

"It’s okay... I am a priestess of the Water God, I am a maid of the Mother of All Waters, Angel... truly, even if there are ghosts, they wouldn’t dare offend us..."

Bennice comforted herself, anxiously awaiting the return of the old priestess Lula.

However... since Lula had stepped into the deeper parts of the Secret Forest, she hadn’t returned, and only the rustling of the cold wind could be heard between the trees.

Bennice was nearly beside herself with anticipation, her palms sweaty.

The priestess beside her seemed unable to wait any longer and tugged at Bennice’s hand, pointing toward the deeper part ahead.

After hesitating, Bennice was about to nod slightly.

At that moment, she suddenly felt a chill creep up her neck.

Bennice turned her head abruptly, her pupils quivering slightly.

The hanging corpse on the dead tree had somehow twisted its direction, previously facing away from them, but now facing sideways, its hollow eye sockets as if peering intently at them for a long time.

"Is this... Is this the work of the wind?"

Bennice knew there had been a strong gust of wind just now. She had never seen such a thing before and had never been to such a terrifying place.

She stood rigid on the spot, the priestess unable to drag her a single step further.

Cold sweat covered Bennice’s back.

She stared intently at the rotting corpse, afraid it would move again.

Now twilight was gradually passing by, the village growing even colder, silent to the point of being unimaginable. The crows perched on the eaves and branches, yet not a single cry was heard from them; they seemed mute.

Whoosh, whoosh...

Bennice’s hair stood on end, and she whipped around again.

It was the Main Priest Lula, slowly walking towards them from the depths of the Secret Forest.

This time, the girl’s lifted heart slowly settled.

Chilling winds howled, the sound of leaves brushing all around; Main Priest Lula held a burlap bundle in her hands, filled with materials meant for the ceremony.

Main Priest Lula’s complexion was extremely pale as she silently stared at Bennice and another priestess. After a long while, she continued forward, leading the two out of the Secret Forest.

Bennice breathed a small sigh of relief; they could finally leave this place.

The girl didn’t know why Main Priest Lula had brought two priests into this forest. It seemed they hadn’t done anything but stand in the eerily atmospheric village for a long time, waiting. Then, Lula had already collected all the materials.

Bennice followed Main Priest Lula, not sure why, but the longer she stayed there, the more she felt as if something was watching her.

She glanced back slightly, the corpse was unmoving, and the ravens paid them no mind.

Sticking close to Lula, Bennice wrinkled her nose.

It seemed like... there was a faint scent of decay on the old woman’s clothes.

Bennice didn’t know if it was her imagination or something else...

Gradually, their group left the dilapidated village and the Secret Forest behind.

The chill wind swept through the trees, leaves scattered in response, and Bennice dared not look back.

Not even a second glance...

Because she heard again...

A disturbing laugh mixed with the wind, creeping up from behind her.

The laughter became clearer than before, as if someone was slowly moving closer to her ear...

Bennice’s hands clenched tightly; she stayed close to the old priestess. Slowly, their group finally emerged from the gloomy forest.

The sun had set, and Main Priest Lula pulled out a flint, igniting the torch she carried.

Having left the Secret Forest and with the light of the torch, Bennice felt much of her panic subside.

She noticed sharply that Main Priest Lula also slowly relaxed her furrowed brows. It seemed everything was over.

Bennice still felt a chill in her heart, thinking it was just the aftermath of fear, she forcibly calmed herself.

As they slowly returned from the Secret Forest to the curfewed city-states, Bennice followed Main Priest Lula, step by step, up the long staircase to the Temple. At that moment, Main Priest Lula finally spoke:

"Go back and get a good night’s sleep. Don’t talk about tonight’s events to anyone."

Hearing this, Bennice wanted to ask something but was met with the old woman’s unquestionable gaze.

For a moment, nodding was the only choice Bennice had.

So, back at the Temple, Bennice quietly returned to her room. The walls were a deep, mystical blue, and under the scattering moonlight, they suddenly looked faintly red, and something flashed across the wall, like some reflection.

The girl looked several times, yet nothing happened, leaving her inexplicably more panicked.

The reflections on the floor accelerated Bennice’s heartbeat. Shortly after leaving the forest, her arms were covered with goosebumps again.

After hurriedly wiping her face, Bennice buried herself in the straw bed, clutching the blanket, breathing in small gasps.

"It’s all right, Bennice, don’t scare yourself,"

Bennice whispered to herself.

In the pitch-black, cramped room, the air was damp and cramped. Bennice breathed deeply, trying to calm down.

She curled up on the bed, lying on her side, her heartbeat gradually calming with her breath, ready to reset.

Maintaining the same position was tiring, so Bennice slowly turned over, stretching her curled body, then her eyes casually drifted towards the ceiling joists.

Creak...

A corpse wearing a garland hung from the ceiling beams!

And what was even more unsettling...

The corpse had no head!

Goosebumps rose with escalating terror, and Bennice’s legs trembled uncontrollably.

The... the head... where was it?

Bennice’s mind went blank, the chilling doubts echoing relentlessly.

Suddenly, it felt like her right side bumped into something hard.

Bennice froze.

The head of the corpse was right beside her pillow, the putrid stench facing her ear, and a chilling female voice sounded close to her ear.

"Let me tell you a story about marriage..."

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