Chapter 2: Myriad Manifestations

Lin Xun noticed a thin rectangular sheet of paper in his left hand.

It seemed to be… a page from a book?

Lin Xun suppressed the shock within him and carefully examined the page. The page was about the size of his palm, seemingly made of some sort of leather material. It was soft yet durable, and the yellowed page was filled with a dense array of strange characters that looked similar to the words on the cover of the Book of Salvation. The entire page emitted a faint glow.

“An item I obtained in the game appeared in reality… this game is definitely fishy!”

Lin Xun had no intention of continuing to play the game. He opened up his browser and searched for information on the Book of Salvation.

After searching online for a while, he couldn’t find any related information.

As a top-ranked game, this was definitely abnormal.

Lin Xun clicked on his phone’s app store and discovered that the number one spot was occupied by King of Glory, while the Book of Salvation had disappeared without a trace. He couldn’t find it even in the search bar.

If not for the icon still on his phone’s home screen, Lin Xun would have thought this game never existed.

“Is this a ghost?”

His first instinct was to call the police. The items from the game suddenly appearing on the screen clearly defied common sense.

Just as he was about to dial 110, Lin Xun suddenly stopped.

“As a web novel author, I’ve also once fantasized about being able to obtain various exaggerated plot armor like the protagonists in my stories.”

“If the items in the game can materialize, perhaps this will be an opportunity to change my life…”

His gaze gradually became more determined.

With a sense of foreboding, he tightly held the soul page.

The page transformed into countless streams of light, and the sparkling light merged into Lin Xun’s body.

At the same time, the words on the phone screen began to appear one by one.

【 You have used the soul page. 】

【 You have obtained the soul talent: Myriad Manifestations (unique). 】

【 Myriad Manifestations: Your soul has a unique taste that encompasses everything. You can easily possess any body. Talent effect: Greatly enhances compatibility with bodies, +1 body slot (can be upgraded). 】

Lin Xun felt a strange power flow into his body, as if it were nothing. After feeling it for a while, the fatigue from writing and playing games before this vanished. His entire person was full of energy, and he could even be described as being in a state of excitement.

“This soul ability…”

Lin Xun looked at the screen. The compatibility of the two remaining bodies in the church had changed.

【 The black-robed priest’s body. The old priest’s posture was hunched over, and he held a prayer book tightly in his arms. The corners of his mouth were red, and there was a spray of organ fragments on the ground in front of him. It seemed that his body was empty inside. Compatibility: 94% (+15%) 】

【 The choir nun’s body. The young and beautiful nun’s lower body was covered in blood, filthy and unsightly. Her face was twisted and insane, and two streams of blood tears flowed from her despairing eyes. This tragic scene reminded you of the saintess rescued from the goblin cave. Compatibility: 87% (+15%) 】

Myriad Manifestations had raised the compatibility of both bodies to over 80%, allowing them to be possessed.

【 As a talented Apostle, you may choose to consume some of your soul strength to reshape the body of the Guardian Knight, or you may choose to possess one of the two bodies before you. 】

【 Because of your unique talent, your number of available body slots has increased by one. Your current number of body slots is 1/2. 】

【 If your number of body slots is full, you will need to abandon one of your existing bodies before you can possess another. 】

Lin Xun quickly understood the rules. The body slots were similar to the item inventory in a game—if he wanted to pick up more items, he would have to throw away something first.

The body of the ‘Guardian Knight of the White Moon Church’ occupied one slot, and there was still one remaining.

“Reshaping the knight’s body requires consuming some soul strength, but possessing it doesn’t. There are two bodies left, so my soul talent essentially gives me two extra lives,” Lin Xun thought.

“Since I can abandon bodies, I might as well try out the nun first and learn more about her class characteristics. Then I’ll return to the church and pick up the priest’s body.” In accordance with the player mentality of taking advantage of every opportunity, Lin Xun chose the ‘choir nun’.

【 A weak wandering soul possesses the body of the choir nun. 】

【 Current body: 2/2, Guardian Knight, Choir Nun. 】

【 You have taken control of this strange body. The memories within the body are similar to those of the Guardian Knight, but more specific. 】

【 You are in a church located in the Town of Moonlight—Saint Rance. This once prosperous town has fallen to the Blood Sun Church’s pollution. Even the Church of the White Moon, which is the most heavily fortified in the center of the town, has not been spared. 】

【 You have unlocked the body panel. 】

“Oh, new features?” Lin Xun clicked on it.

【 Body: Choir Nun 】

【 True Name: Unknown 】

【 Compatibility: 87% (+15%) 】

【 Body Quality: Wretched Grade 】

【 Body Level: 1 】

【 Body Equipment: Bloodstained Cleric Gown (Wretched). Other than its aesthetic appeal, it is worthless. 】

【 Body Skill: Hymn (Wretched). Can slightly heal the faithful of the Church of the White Moon and cause a certain amount of damage to heretics. 】

“A noob healer,” was Lin Xun’s assessment of this body.

Looking at the string of “poor” qualities, even if he didn’t understand the game’s level settings, he knew this was a trash shell.

“I’ll toss it after playing for a while,” he decided.

【 Unlike the frail wandering souls, the beautiful nun’s body allows you to feel the heavy strength of your flesh. 】

【 When you lower your head, you cannot see your toes. This makes you feel incomparably powerful and invincible. 】

【 Brave Apostle, are you going to push open the church doors and explore the source of the Apocalypse? Or will you stay here and search for useful items? 】

“So that’s how you become incomparably powerful and invincible.” Lin Xun let out a scornful laugh and chose to stay.

【 You’ve learned from your previous death and didn’t recklessly push open the doors. Instead, you chose to stay in the church and search for useful items. 】

【 Exploring… 】

【 The weapons and armor scattered around the church have already been destroyed in the previous battle. There are no usable items. 】

【 Exploring… 】

【 You discovered a woman’s bandage in the drawer of the podium, within which was half a bottle of healing holy water. 】

【 Exploring… 】

【 You have turned the church upside down. There are no usable items. 】

He opened his inventory and checked the description of the holy water.

【 Healing Holy Water (Item): A viscous, oily, milky-white holy water with a very slight healing effect. But for some reason, it was mixed in with the bandage. Perhaps there are other unknown uses for this holy water. 】

After a moment of thought, he realized that the normal route to clear the dungeon should be: Possess knight’s body—choose to stay in the church and find the holy water—cure the body’s injuries—then go out and fight monsters.

In a daze, a glass bottle appeared in Lin Xun’s hand.