Compared to entering the completely unknown interior of the metal structure, Lin Ye would rather climb down using those small metal crosses.

But the problem now was that the distance between those small metal crosses and the metal plane was too far, and they were also impaled with potentially squirming living people. If he jumped down from above, his chances of survival were extremely low.

Lin Ye could only walk to the vicinity of the gap located at the center of the plane. Inside was a gleaming metallic space, about three meters high. This space was completely empty, and in one corner of the metallic space, there was a gap leading to the lower level.

'... It doesn't seem particularly dangerous.'

Lin Ye jumped into the metallic space. The moment his entire body fully entered the interior of the metallic space, the gap above suddenly closed.

A small metal cross appeared near the gap leading to the next level, and a still-struggling living person was impaled on the metal cross.

Lin Ye recognized the other person; it was a customer he had encountered before.

"Ugh... ugh..."

The customer made sounds of agony, seemingly begging Lin Ye to put him out of his misery.

"Don't look at me like that. It was your own choice to come here that led to this state. I can't save you either."

Lin Ye bypassed the metal cross and jumped through the gap behind it into the next level.

The gap on the upper level closed. Lin Ye landed in the metallic space. This time, there was a gap on each side of the metallic space, with a metal cross impaled near each gap.

Living people were impaled on both metal crosses, one male and one female, both customers Lin Ye had previously encountered.

'Is this some kind of test? But I can't help them either. What does gender have to do with it?'

Lin Ye couldn't quite figure out the purpose of these metal crosses.

He glanced at the gaps on both sides. Below were completely identical metallic spaces, and each had four gaps.

'2, 4, 6... or 2, 4, 8? Following this pattern, it feels like there won't be enough room in just a few more levels.'

Ignoring the screams of the two survivors, Lin Ye randomly chose a gap and entered the next level.

The answer was 2, 4, 6. Lin Ye stopped paying attention to those metal crosses and began descending rapidly. As the height gradually decreased, the rule power that suppressed Lin Ye's spiritual energy and mental energy also gradually weakened.

The metallic spaces seemed to be compressed spaces similar to spatial items. New gaps were appearing according to the sequence 2, 4, 6, 8, and the capacity of the metallic spaces here had already exceeded the volume the giant metal cross structure displayed to the outside world.

When Lin Ye descended to the bottommost level, he finally returned to his normal state.

The bottommost level was already filled with metal crosses. By this point, there were no longer any people Lin Ye recognized around.

This level had no downward gaps, only a small door opened in the metal wall.

Lin Ye passed through the metal crosses emitting screams. An old man wearing golden robes appeared in front of the exit, blocking the path to leave.

"You are the first person to be able to come down from above."

The old man spoke.

"Because I'm holding the Cross Scepter? Honestly, I never really understood the purpose of creating these gaps. Is it some kind of psychological test?"

Lin Ye took out the Cross Scepter and asked with some confusion.

"It has nothing to do with that scepter. Every choice is a test. If you have any inappropriate thoughts about those people, you will replace them and be impaled on the metal cross."

The old man explained.

"Inappropriate meaning?"

Lin Ye hadn't expected those metal crosses to be so dangerous. Thankfully, he usually rarely thought about things unrelated to himself.

"For example, wanting to save them, or feeling pity, or similar emotions... Do you have no emotions at all?"

The old man observed Lin Ye. He hadn't seen such an interesting young man in a long time.

"No, I'm the type with fairly rich emotions... It must be that the judgment system of those metal crosses has malfunctioned, right? After all, they're all old things."

Lin Ye lightly tapped the ground with the Cross Scepter, considering the timing to take action.

"I advise you not to act here. Because if you affect those metal crosses in any way, you will be impaled on them."

The old man stepped aside. The metal door opened. Through the small door, the distant general store could be seen.

Lin Ye raised his right foot, but he hesitated for a moment and placed his right foot back in its original position.

"So this is also a test? My choice will determine my fate?"

Lin Ye looked at the old man with a half-smile.

"... That's right. If you choose to go out, you will be judged the moment you step outside. And if you choose to stay here, you must deal with all the humans impaled on the metal crosses inside this building."

The old man no longer concealed his intentions. He gazed with fanatical eyes at the Cross Scepter held in Lin Ye's hand.

"So wouldn't I end up impaled no matter what I choose?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Lin Ye spun the Cross Scepter casually as he spoke.

"If you are unwilling to be impaled, I can give you another choice. Let me handle it. I will clean up all these people for you."

The old man's gaze followed the Cross Scepter, but his mental energy locked onto Lin Ye.

"And then I would lose control of the Cross Scepter for violating my bottom line, and you would become the new Pope of the Orthodox Cross Church? Is this how your Orthodox Cross Church operates? Judging by the name, I thought you were a proper church."

Lin Ye took off the Disaster Hazmat Suit, then retrieved a deep red polygonal gift box from his loot space.

"The Orthodox Cross Church is the Pope's Orthodox Cross Church. All followers must implement the Pope's will. Therefore, when selecting a Pope, we are more stringent."

The old man's gaze shifted to the deep red gift box. Looking at the box, he vaguely felt a sense of foreboding.

"Heretic, you've misunderstood one thing. It's not that the chosen person can obtain the Cross Scepter, but rather that the person who holds the scepter is the Pope of the Orthodox Cross Church.

So if you want to become the new Pope, you must step over my corpse to take the Cross Scepter.

If you don't even have that level of resolve, you'd better kneel on the ground right now and let me cut off your head to impale on a metal cross."

Clang!

Lin Ye forcefully struck the ground with the Cross Scepter. The lid of the deep red gift box automatically opened, and the phantom of a bloody fleshy mountain appeared above the box.

"What have you done?"

The old man sensed that the surrounding rule power had undergone some kind of change. Two types of rule power became entangled, making the space in this area extremely unstable.

"Of course, I'm changing the rules here. I don't like fighting on someone else's turf."

Lin Ye gave the old man a deep look and put on the Disaster Hazmat Suit once again.