Free Web NovelChapter 351: 100 Billion Dollar Wish
As soon as Clara entered the room, it felt as though every sound around her vanished instantly. The parish was silent and empty except for a lone young man kneeling before the elevated altar where Faceless sat. One leg rested casually over the other as he occupied a magnificent throne, his masked face angled downward toward the kneeling figure before him.
"I have suffered long enough, Lord. I want wealth... No, I need it..."
The man’s voice trembled violently as he struggled to keep his body from shaking. Beneath his filthy, worn clothes, countless needle marks covered his arms, exposing years of substance abuse. He was unmistakably a drug addict.
"And what are you willing to give up for this life you desire?" Faceless asked calmly.
The man nodded frantically and shuffled forward on his knees.
"Anything. I will give anything. Just give me lots of money."
Clara frowned and slowly shook her head. The man was clearly not in his right state of mind. Even if someone handed him unimaginable wealth, he would simply burn through every cent feeding his addiction before finding himself back on the streets. No amount of money could solve the problem consuming him.
She quietly began walking toward the altar, but Faceless never once acknowledged her presence. His unwavering gaze remained fixed upon the kneeling man. He had no intention of taking this man’s soul while Clara was watching. Now that she belonged to the Order of Moses, she possessed enough spiritual sensitivity to distinguish between a miracle of light and one born of darkness.
At the very least he wanted it to appear as though the man had made his own choice.
"Let me make you a different offer."
Faceless adjusted himself upon the throne, his posture becoming slightly more relaxed.
"How about I rid you of your addiction?"
"No!"
The response came so suddenly that even Clara was startled. The man immediately shrank back, realizing he had raised his voice toward the deity seated before him.
"No... I just want money."
His breathing became uneven.
"A hundred billion dollars."
His voice was quieter now, almost pleading.
Faceless frowned briefly, but his attention soon drifted past the man toward Clara, who had already reached a position directly behind him.
"You can’t trust someone in his condition to make a sane decision," she said firmly.
Faceless slowly leaned back and folded his arms across his chest.
"Then would you say it is right for me to ignore his request and force upon him a miracle he clearly does not want?"
Clara’s expression tightened she wanted to answer but the words refused to come. The way faceless put it, he was clearly hinting that her demand was that of a tyrant.
Her eyes shifted toward the kneeling man, who seemed completely oblivious to her presence. His entire focus remained on Faceless as though nothing else in the world existed. He simply waited for the answer he desperately wished to hear.
"Money..."
His voice cracked once more.
"Please... give me money."
Beneath the mask a smile slowly formed.
"So what will you be?" Faceless asked as he returned his attention to Clara.
"Will you become the tyrant who controls the desires of mortals or the benevolent God who gives them exactly what they ask for?"
Clara felt her heart sink. She had never looked at the situation from that perspective before. Her cheeks flushed with frustration as she glared at the masked figure.
She knew exactly what he was doing.
He was exposing the flaws within her own beliefs. He was forcing her to confront a reality she had never considered.
She knew this was Damians way of calling her naive and he was right to an extent.
What right does she have to question the desires of another man and even worse, what right does she have to change it?
Yes, it is detrimental to his health but it is his health so it’s still ultimately his choice. Questioning it was wrong.
"Then send him away!"
She finally argued as the thought popped up.
"You don’t have to grant his request!"
Only then did the kneeling man’s face twist with rage. He slowly turned toward Clara, his bloodshot eyes glaring at her with naked hostility.
"And become the God who turns His back on the pleas of His own devotees?"
Faceless chuckled softly.
"Is that what you want?"
Clara hesitated. Then her eyes met the furious gaze of the addict before her. The hatred burning within those eyes made her instinctively take a step backward.
Only now did she realized the man she was trying to help despised her for her actions. This was exactly what Damian was trying to say!
"You truly do not understand the nature of man."
As those words left his mouth, Faceless slowly extended one hand toward the kneeling figure. Dark particles seeped from his palm like black mist, drifting silently toward the man.
[Dark Miracle Activated]
"I’ll give you what you wish for."
The man’s attention snapped back toward Faceless, excitement flooding his face. Before he could even speak his phone suddenly chimed.
He hurriedly pulled it from his pocket with trembling hands that nearly dropped it. His eyes widened as he saw the contents of the message he had just received. One hundred billion dollars had just been deposited into his account.
For several seconds, he simply stared. Then an uncontrollable laugh erupted from his mouth. A manic, broken laughter filled the empty church as tears streamed down his face.
He staggered to his feet before bursting into a frantic sprint toward the entrance while hurriedly dialing a number. He didn’t even bother thanking Faceless.
The massive church doors flew open beneath the force of his kick and he rushed straight into the road without ever looking ahead.
A deafening horn blared and Clara’s eyes widened as a speeding truck slammed directly into him. The impact launched his body several meters before it crashed lifelessly onto the pavement.
She shivered violently at the sight, unable to speak.
On the shattered phone lying beside the corpse, the a transaction notification appeared. The one hundred billion dollars had been reversed.
His wish had been granted but the price had simply exceeded every remaining second of his lifespan. He received the fortune he desired but he never lived long enough to spend a single cent.
