"The Beasts on the ground cried out that they did not need God, so God indulged them and left his position."
"Endless light fell, and the starry sky, the bright moon, and the blazing sun appeared simultaneously in the sky."
"The Beasts wailed under the light, begging God to return to his place."
"Only after the light cleansed the earth did God return, shedding tears for the dead Beasts, nourishing the earth, and restoring its vitality."
"Those tears are compassion."
The words of god · Barren Era
Adam closed the book in his hand and did not continue reading. He knew very well what the rest of the content was, and he only looked at this book for its illustrations.
Limited by printing capabilities, the illustrations in the missionary book The words of god, which had the same content, varied in different regions, usually drawn by the best local artists.
Therefore, from this book, one could roughly understand the local painting level.
Given the Cooper family's circumstances, they could not afford any books. Thus, the book was lent to him yesterday by priest Fra. Fra thought highly of him, believing that if he studied at theology school for a period, he could also become a priest.
Adam politely declined the suggestion, stating that the tuition was too expensive. Although Fra felt it was a pity, he still lent him this book.
Adam recalled an unpleasant experience and couldn't help but rub his temples.
He currently felt extremely insecure. With his identity in a country like the Heavenly Sound Country, he felt as if he could smell death at any moment.
He desperately needed power. However, for some reason, Adam's understanding of this world's power system was far inferior to his knowledge of theology. At least in theology, he had mastered some rituals with extraordinary power, which could be used to disguise himself.
Therefore, Adam's current extraordinary ability relied solely on the powerful physique brought by his werewolf transformation to fight. It was fine for bullying ordinary bandits, but once he faced other extraordinary ability users, the encounter might not be so pleasant.
"So, I still need to be careful tonight. Baron Mansla must possess extraordinary abilities." Adam went through some information he had learnt in the past.
Although he didn't understand the extraordinary power system, he was very clear about other information.
Any noble must possess extraordinary abilities. Nobles who failed to master extraordinary abilities were likely fakes, or their nobility was of impure heritage. Such nobles would soon be stripped of their noble title and become commoners.
That Baron Mansla, being able to establish a considerable foundation in Roya City, naturally possessed extraordinary power.
"It is said that noble extraordinary abilities are related to their crests? " In Adam's original world, nobles also had what were called crests. Crests were not only decorative emblems but also records of genealogy, honour, and merit. In this world, crests were a representation of power.
However, the power of crests required a corresponding bloodline to cultivate, so Adam didn't consider it much.
Watching the sky darken, Adam greeted Arlis and Maggie, ruffled Lina's small head, and returned to the attic where he usually sleeps.
Taking off his outer clothes and lying on the bed, he listened as the sounds downstairs gradually ceased. Adam silently pushed open the attic skylight, carefully listening for any movement around. Only after confirming there was no abnormality did he begin to transform.
The moonlight streaming in through the skylight illuminated Adam's face.
His skin was not fair, and his gaunt face gave him a resolute feeling. Black bangs subtly covered a scar resembling a sideways-orientated V symbol below his eyes. His dark pupils, with the next blink, had already turned into dark red beast eyes.
Every muscle and every bone in his body moved, especially his face. His muzzle elongated, his fangs became grotesque, his ears sharpened and stood erect, and the black hair on his head turned white during this process.
In just a few breaths, a furry, bipedal giant wolf with white fur all over appeared in the attic.
The feeling of werewolf transformation was very strange, and Adam found it difficult to describe the detailed sensation in words.
During this transformation, Adam felt a surge of restlessness, originating from his bloodline. Adam estimated that his bloodline was about to mature, but he didn't know what would happen after it matured.
Adam bent his waist to avoid hitting the ceiling and making noise. After the transformation, his height changed from 1.5 metres to 1.8 metres.
After listening once more, Adam silently leaped out of the attic, jumped down from the rooftop, hid in the shadows of the moonlight, and quickly moved towards his destination.
The werewolf transformation ability originated from the bloodline. This bloodline was not merely blood, nor was it entirely what Adam understood as genes in his previous life; instead, it contained something more mysterious within it.
Unfortunately, Adam did not know how to harness the power of the bloodline. Instead, he was more familiar with how to conceal its peculiarities.
The moment he landed, Adam's slender claws extended, allowing him to firmly grip the ground. His strong body instantly transitioned from extreme motion to extreme stillness. He hid his body in the shadows, and even his breathing seemed to stop.
The transformed Adam was different from his usual self. Although he maintained a certain degree of rationality in his transformed state, his personality and thought patterns would undergo some changes.
If one had to compare, it would be like the state of sobriety versus drunkenness.
Adam in his human form was more cautious, enjoyed thinking, and preferred to formulate detailed and thorough plans for everything he did. Adam in his werewolf form was more like a predator.
Unlike the common stereotype of werewolves, Adam in his werewolf state was cold, cunning, and decisive, possessing powerful and keen predatory instincts.
Two people carrying oil lamps walked past on the adjacent street but completely failed to notice Adam hidden in the shadows. With a single pounce, he could snap the neck of either of them, not even giving them a chance to cast a divine spell.
"Are we finally going to catch that evil fellow?"
"Yes, hurry up; don't let him escape."
The two were wearing priestly robes, confirming they were priests from the church. From their conversation, it was not difficult to tell that they had found another evil creature.
Adam silently waited for them to leave, having no further thoughts, only hoping that their next destination would not be the Cooper family.
His figure flashed past the street corner, and Adam had already scaled the courtyard wall.
The two fierce dogs in the courtyard, upon seeing Adam, did not bark wildly. Instead, they wagged their tails and ran over, acting very affectionately.
This should be considered Adam's personal talent. After a few scouting trips and several contacts across the courtyard wall, these large dogs became extremely familiar with him and were willing to be close to him.
He patted the dogs' heads, telling the two large dogs to go back and lie down. Adam quietly climbed up the wall covered in climbing vines, his sharp claws firmly embedded in the wall. Because of the climbing vines, he didn't have to worry too much about leaving traces.
Through a second-storey window, Adam observed the situation inside the house. His nose twitched twice, and different scents were registered by him.
In his werewolf form, Adam's sense of smell became much more acute. Although he didn't particularly like to use this ability, it was because the environment in most parts of this world was not very good. Some overly unpleasant places could even be called toxic fog zones.
"Still not extinguished the lights?" Looking at the brightly lit interior, he observed further. He did not intend to contact the Baron today.
After arriving here, he quietly crouched by the window, sniffing various scents while listening intently.
Information was very important. The details revealed by subtle cues could allow him to gain more initiative in future interactions.
At 3 AM, after confirming that everyone in the mansion was asleep, Adam quietly entered the house, circled around, and then left, taking a different route to return back to the Cooper family.
After confirming there were no abnormalities around, he returned through the skylight. He could vaguely hear some commotion from a distance, but that had nothing to do with him.
Waking up in the morning, Adam went to the well to draw some water, intending to clean himself. His sense of smell was too sensitive, making him somewhat of a clean freak.
As he passed an intersection with the water bucket, he noticed that a platform was placed there, and it was already piled high with wood. It seemed the one being chased last night hadn't escaped. Later tonight, perhaps a bonfire party would be held.