manynovel Chapter 360 Rats in the Wall
Chapter 360 Rats in the Wall
Chapter 360 Rats in the Wall
Thick, grayish-green vines climbed all over the church's dark, cracked walls.
The church's enormous stained glass windows were all shattered, like a gaping maw baring its fangs at those who were peeping in.
Ahead lay a cemetery, with square, oval, and cross-shaped tombstones, growing like a forest on the slightly smelly earth.
Despite it being broad daylight, Aaron still felt that the place was eerily gloomy.
Aaron stepped forward, and the black-feathered ravens that had landed on the tombstone reflected his face in their blood-red eyes.
This gave Aaron a feeling that he was being watched.
He didn't like this feeling.
Aaron waved his staff and chased the crows away.
"Giggle giggle~"
The crow flapped its wings and flew away in a hurry.
As Aaron walked toward the church's main entrance, he recalled the legends surrounding this ancient religion.
The Cult of Shadows does not appear to be a cult, despite its ominous name.
However, according to rumors, this religion has never guided people toward negativity and malice.
The Shadows believe that light and shadow are two sides of the same coin.
Only by experiencing and understanding the shadows can one feel the true light.
Try to face it head-on, rather than running away.
Therefore, the doctrine of religion is, "Look at the shadows."
gaze—
The thought of that word intensified Aaron's feeling of being watched.
We arrived at the church entrance.
The door was made of rosewood, tall and heavy.
It was covered in scratches and some kind of fishy, foul-smelling grime.
The door lock had been broken, and the door was ajar.
The fact that there was no dust at the entrance indicates that someone has recently come in.
Just then, Aaron heard a sound coming from inside.
"Ugh—"
"Hmm...—"
"hurry up"
That sounded like a woman's voice.
Just by hearing that sound, Aaron could guess what was happening inside.
Pushing open the door, he saw exactly what Aaron had predicted.
A man and a woman are playing a fascinating game of chess.
This place was specifically chosen because it has a nice ambiance.
Although Aaron wanted to give them some privacy, he was also in a hurry.
He then pushed the door open and went in.
"what!"
"Who?"
They both looked at Aaron.
"Don't worry about it, you can continue."
But they had no interest in the game at all; clutching their captured pieces, they slunk out of the church.
Aaron then resumed his work at the church.
He touched a brooch that was stuck in his chest, and it immediately shone brightly, illuminating the darkness ahead.
The church was quite empty.
There was a stage in front of us, and rows of seats below.
Deep inside the church, there is a dilapidated statue.
The remaining part of the statue is a strange cloud of shadow or liquid.
At the top of the shadow was a huge eyeball.
His eyes were fixed on the front, on Aaron.
The feeling of being watched intensified.
But when Aaron tried to look into it, he found there was no reaction; it was just a sculpture.
Aaron attempted to continue the investigation.
A small door was found on the side of the podium.
Pushing open the small door, you'll find a ceremonial room inside.
In the very center of the room is a sacrificial pool.
What's shocking is that the pool is filled with bones.
Furthermore, the surface of the sacrificial pool was covered with a thick, suspicious layer of scarlet grime.
Fortunately, Aaron soon discovered that they were the bones of rats or similar creatures.
Aaron continued his investigation and found a staircase leading to the second floor.
Upon reaching the stairs, Aaron saw a living room with a broken bed.
It is estimated that this was the church priest's bedroom a long time ago.
After searching the living room for a while, they found nothing else.
Aaron could only temporarily return to the church lobby to begin organizing the current clues.
He found nothing useful in the church, which either meant the rumors were wrong or Aaron was looking in the wrong direction.
After the meeting, he discovered that all the unusual occurrences seemed to happen at night.
Nighttime is a time shrouded in shadows.
Suspicious individuals identified by Alves' intelligence also typically operate after nightfall.
Could it be that we can only investigate at night?
As long as there is a possibility, Aaron will not miss it. Aaron went out of the church again and searched the cemetery outside. After confirming that there was nothing there, Aaron hid nearby.
Now that he knew there were suspicious people in town, Aaron still needed to be careful.
Night falls.
The crescent moon, like a plate, hangs alone in the sky.
The entire church was shrouded in mist.
All the crows that were there during the day have disappeared.
Instead, bats flew around the area.
Suddenly, Aaron heard a noise.
He squinted and stared, and saw a person in a cloak walking towards the church.
The person's head was covered by a hood, so Aaron could not see what the person looked like.
The other person walked straight into the church, and Aaron immediately followed.
Judging from how familiar the other person was with the place, they had obviously been here many times before.
Aaron could use the other party to help him pave the way.
However, when Aaron pushed open the door and entered, a strange thing happened.
The cloaked figure from before has vanished!
Not in the lobby, not in the ceremony room, and not in the bedroom.
So, where else could he go?
Just then, Aaron seemed to hear a sound.
He listened intently, and it sounded like countless tiny running sounds.
It looks like a mouse running around, or a cockroach scurrying away.
He recalled the bizarre stories he had heard before. Could it be true that there were millions of rats hiding in the church?
But why didn't Aaron see a single mouse?
Aaron listened carefully to the sounds of the mice.
Those rats—running underground, running on the walls, running on the roof!
He ran in places where Aaron could not see.
But that damned spying only intensified.
Just like those invisible places, yet one can easily peek into the space where Aaron is.
Just then, Aaron suddenly realized that his thoughts and emotions were becoming chaotic.
What voices influenced this?
Aaron's heart tightened, and he quickly composed himself.
He pretended to be able to breathe and adjusted his breathing.
After he calmed down, he was able to look at those voices more objectively.
If these rats can move within solid surfaces, then they are certainly not ordinary rats—
etc-
mouse?
Aaron remembered that the sacrificial pool was filled with the bones of rats.
This was the only connection Aaron could think of that could be made to the strange rat in the wall.
Without much thought, Aaron immediately walked towards the spot.
When he looked at the sacrificial pool, Aaron felt a chill run down his spine.
The sacrificial pool was now teeming with live rats.
They made muffled squeaking noises and even gnawed at each other.
The unusual connection point really is this sacrificial pool.
What to do next?
Aaron remembered the cloaked figure who had disappeared earlier.
Could it be...?
Aaron mustered his courage and made a firm decision.
He lifted his foot and stepped into the swarm of rats.