The young warrior’s face changed dramatically.

He hurriedly reached out to grab Catherine, struggling to help her up, trying to take her and keep running.

However, even though he reacted quickly, he was still a step too late. In the blink of an eye, those soldiers had already caught up, surrounding them like wolves closing in on their prey.

They were all the direct private soldiers under Baron Gandeyar.

“Hahaha~ Little girl, weren’t you running pretty fast? Keep running~”

The bearded leader let out a lewd, mocking laugh, advancing toward them step by step with a gleaming cold spear in hand. The spear was still stained with fresh, crimson blood, sending a chill through their hearts.

“Get lost!”

The young warrior’s heart tightened. He immediately pulled Catherine behind him to shield her, brandishing his sword with a fierce glare, and growled at the bearded man, “Catherine is a nun, a servant of the God of Light. How dare you commit blasphemy!”

Although he no longer believed in the God of Light, at a time like this, he couldn’t care about that. He decided to use whatever leverage he could.

“Blasphemy?” The bearded man was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing as if he’d heard a joke. “Fool! His Majesty has already publicly declared the fall of the God of Light, and the edict to eradicate the Church of Light has been issued nationwide. You still dare to worship that so-called God of Light? Ridiculous.”

“Impossible, Father Luke received the divine will of the God of Light just over a year ago!” Catherine’s face turned deathly pale, and like a lioness cornered, she struggled desperately, her voice filled with grief and anger. “The great Lord of Light—how could He have fallen?!”

A year ago, it was before William Clark had inherited the position of God of Light.

“Father Luke?” The bearded man sneered. “You mean that lunatic who dared to preach heresy in the Holy City? Hahaha, if the God of Light was really still alive, when that madman was judged in the Holy City square half a year ago, why didn’t He perform a miracle?”

Hearing this, Catherine’s face grew even paler, and tears uncontrollably streamed from the corners of her eyes.

She had already heard troubling rumors, but she never dared to believe them. She never imagined it was all true. Father Luke—he really… was martyred…

Catherine clutched the silver cross that Father Luke had given her before he left, tears streaming down her soft, fair cheeks.

“Hahaha~ Little nun, you’d better give up! If that so-called God of Light was still alive, would He let us destroy the temples and monasteries so recklessly? He would have punished us with miracles long ago.” The bearded man cackled. “I advise you to stop resisting and have some fun with us brothers~ If we’re satisfied, maybe we’ll spare your life.”

“Shut up!!”

The young warrior could no longer hold back. With a furious roar, he charged forward, thrusting his sword at the bearded man. “Catherine, stop wasting words with them, go! I’ll cover you!”

His swordsmanship was impressive, clearly the result of systematic instruction and long-term training. His strike was as swift as lightning and so fierce that it actually forced the bearded man back a step.

Unfortunately, his injuries were too severe, and he was outnumbered. Even though he managed to push the bearded man back for a moment, he had no strength to press the attack, and in the blink of an eye, he was surrounded again.

Under the combined assault of several soldiers, it wasn’t long before he suffered two more wounds, and the gushing blood nearly dyed his entire outfit crimson.

“Merciful and great God~ are You really going to abandon Your people?”

Watching the young warrior’s blood-soaked back as he fought, Catherine’s tear-filled eyes brimmed with deep despair.

By now, it wasn’t just that she couldn’t escape—even if she did, what then?

Outside, soldiers from all sides were hunting so-called “remnants of the Light.” She was just a powerless little nun. Without protection, she wouldn’t survive the soldiers’ pursuit, and she might not even make it out of this beast-infested forest.

Was there really not a shred of hope left?

Catherine bit her lower lip so hard that it bled, but she seemed not to notice, still clutching the silver cross in her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

One last time.

Let her try one last time.

If it didn’t work, then so be it—she would become a martyr like Father Luke today!

At this thought, a surge of courage welled up in her heart, and her gaze became incomparably resolute. She suddenly closed her eyes, gripped the silver cross with both hands, and, through her tears, began to sing a hymn of hope.

“Great Lord of Light~ You are the only star in the eternal night, guiding Your lost children toward the light. I praise You, great Lord of Light…”

Her ethereal singing drifted through the dim forest.

Strands of sunlight filtered through the treetops, falling on Catherine’s mud-stained body and face. Though she was in a sorry state, in that moment, a faint aura of holiness seemed to emanate from her.

Unconsciously, her bent back slowly straightened, and even her voice stopped trembling, becoming firm and unwavering.

“Catherine!”