"There are quite a lot of people in the city."

Lin Ye looked through the car window at the streets outside. He had assumed that a place overrun with cultists would have a smaller population, but to his surprise, it was unexpectedly crowded.

Moreover, there was no chaotic atmosphere here; the public security seemed quite good.

"Yeah, it might be related to the policies. Getting married and having children at the appropriate age is the duty of every citizen. Otherwise, you'll be breaking the law and face severe punishment. Plus, the childbearing subsidies are pretty high."

Catherine looked down at the soft red carpet beneath her feet. She really hated those policies. Nothing was more frustrating than being forced into marriage by the law.

Especially for a kid like her.

"Policies, huh?"

Lin Ye emotionlessly sensed the nearby neighborhoods. The cultist base was just outside the city, yet inside, everything was peaceful. The ruler's policy for dealing with cults wasn't to ban them or kill all the cultists, but to force citizens to produce new sacrificial offerings on time.

What a truly disgusting city—so twisted it was almost funny.

"I don't think it's right either. I even thought about resisting, but unfortunately, I've always been timid and just muddled through. I never had the courage to fight back."

For Catherine, being able to live a life where she could eat three slices of bread a day without anyone bothering her was already happiness.

"Courage is important, but courage without preparation is no different from stupidity. You didn't do anything wrong."

When Lin Ye was little, he had also thought about running away from home, but he eventually gave up on that idea. It was just too inefficient. Better to wait until he was an adult and leave the proper way.

"...Haha, you're right."

Catherine let out a dry laugh. She didn't dare say that her method of resistance didn't require any preparation at all—just enough courage to see it through.

"...Suicide isn't a form of resistance. Chances are, no one will feel sad about your death. At least, the people you want to resist won't."

Even without using his mental energy to cheat, Lin Ye could easily see through Catherine's thoughts.

"...Where are we going now?"

Catherine flashed a somewhat foolish smile, trying to change the subject.

"Let's grab something to eat first. You must be hungry, right?"

The alienated body pulled the sports car over to the curb. Lin Ye and Catherine got out and headed toward a roadside restaurant.

"Uh, Divine One, I might not have enough money on me."

Catherine said a little sheepishly.

She had basically never eaten at a roadside restaurant like this and had no idea what the prices were, but unless the food was free, she couldn't afford it.

"No problem. Before we left the base, I had those kind believers grab me some of the local currency. There's a whole box of bills in the trunk. After I leave, it's all yours."

The alienated body followed behind them, carrying a wallet stuffed full of cash.

"Huh? Is that okay? As payment for work, isn't that way too much..."

Catherine looked conflicted. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't earn that much money even if she worked her entire life.

"You're underestimating me. As a deity, I wouldn't use those worthless pieces of paper as payment."

The alienated body pushed open the restaurant door. Lin Ye entered and randomly picked a seat by the window.

"Actually, that amount of money is already a lot to me."

Catherine took the menu, which was filled with dishes she had never seen before.

"This is your chance to make a wish to a deity. Miss this, and you might never get another opportunity in your lifetime. Are you sure you want to refuse?"

Lin Ye called over the waiter and casually ordered a few dishes.

"...I'll pass."

Catherine hesitated for a few seconds before finally ordering a piece of bread that looked delicious.

"Wise choice."

Soon enough, the waiter placed the dishes on the table. Lin Ye tasted the exquisitely crafted dessert. The food here was surprisingly tasty.

Too bad his real body wasn't here; he couldn't take out Alice's snack bag. Otherwise, he could have ordered a few more desserts and stashed them inside.

"How is it? Is the bread good?"

Lin Ye finished the dessert quickly. He didn't particularly love sweet things, though he didn't dislike them either. It was more like he'd eat them once every month or two.

"Delicious! The crust is crispy, the inside is soft, and it goes down smoothly without choking... Is this really bread?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Catherine had the expression of someone encountering something completely unknown. This piece of bread had practically changed her entire understanding of what bread was.

She had grown up eating bread, after all.

"...Is it really that good?"

Seeing Catherine's happy expression, Lin Ye ordered a piece of bread as well.

"This is the best bread in the world."

Catherine looked directly at Lin Ye for the first time and said in an exaggerated tone.

After a while, the waiter placed a piece of bread in front of Lin Ye. He took a bite.

It was freshly baked. The golden crust was slightly charred, and the inside was filled with a creamy, milky filling. It wasn't too sweet but had a unique fragrance.

"It's pretty good."

It was a decent piece of baked bread. But still, just bread.

"Ah, sorry. Am I being too noisy?"

After finishing the bread, Catherine seemed much more energetic.

"It's fine. I used to eat alone a lot. Being too quiet sometimes reminds me of those days."

Lin Ye drank a beverage with a hint of bitterness. He didn't like the taste, but it paired well with the dessert.

"Do deities also eat alone?"

Catherine looked at Lin Ye with some confusion.

"At first, my situation was pretty similar to yours. But even when I was little, I didn't have to eat bread every day."

And he certainly never ran into such amusing scenarios as being kidnapped by cultists.

Lin Ye got up and left the restaurant. Catherine, feeling a bit stuffed, followed behind him.

"Where to now?"

Catherine rubbed her slightly uncomfortable stomach. She realized that this delicious bread was surprisingly filling.

"I'm taking you home. You've been kidnapped by cultists for so long—your parents must be worried, right? And by the way, it's not that the bread is filling. It's because I've been eating using your body. That means you just ate several desserts, two pieces of bread, and downed two large drinks."

Lin Ye sat in the back seat of the sports car as the alienated body started the engine.

"Huh? So I was just talking to myself the whole time? And moving around without realizing it?"

Just thinking about that scene made Catherine want to die from embarrassment.

"Not exactly. To anyone else, you were just sitting there eating nonstop. Aside from your appetite, nothing was unusual."

And there was no one else there anyway.

Even that cultist who had snuck into the back kitchen trying to add some 'extra ingredients' to the food had already become part of the Parasitism Network.

For Lin Ye, clearing out the place was easy.