Western paranormal incidents differ from the Eastern ones, not as cryptic or insolvable. The main theme of Western paranormal activity follows certain patterns, and understanding these can make resolving spirit incidents relatively straightforward.
In Western paranormal events, many spirits have a sort of cause and effect relationship.
Moreover, their appearances and possessions are not unfounded. Compared to demons from hell with a physical presence, earthbound spirits are inherently weaker, requiring three stages to fully possess a human and control their body and consciousness.
These three stages can be summarized as follows:
A human enters their territory, triggering some catalyst or medium, marking the spirit's appearance.
Upon appearing, spirits start with minor disturbances, such as voices, footsteps, or even physically pulling on their victims, causing mental distress and pressure.
This second stage usually leaves ordinary people unable to remain calm. For instance, knowing something invisible is in your room would naturally cause fear. If it were York in his previous life, he'd admit to being scared, unable to withstand the daily disturbances that lead to nervous exhaustion.
Thus, the harassment from the spirit gradually intensifies, further breaking down the victim's will.
By this time, the spirit moves to the next stage: possession.
And from the three proofs provided by Ed, it's clear the spirit is nearing the edge of this third stage—possession.
This final step is very dangerous.
In summary, successful possession indicates control over the victim's consciousness, putting the victim's life at risk.
"Although you're recognized by the church, applying for an exorcism permit still needs to go through the headquarters, and we're running out of time," York calmly noted, sensing surprise on the other end of the phone.
"I'm an ordained priest of the church; I don't need a permit. So, for the safety of the victim, it's best if I handle this personally..."
[Random Task Triggered] [Random Task: Exorcise the spirit, save the Perron family] [Success Reward: +5 points]
[Accept?] York, having just finished speaking, saw the task window pop up, smiling broadly at the timely mission.
"Accept the task."
York mentally accepted, and the task panel vanished.
Meanwhile, Ed's voice came through the phone, filled with relief. "Father York, it's great you can come personally. The address is Harrisville, Rhode Island..."
Noting the address, York, carrying the box, headed back to his resting room, calmly asking.
"Is Lorraine there?"
"Lorraine? She's right here next to me," Ed replied, and then a gentle female voice spoke up.
"Father, I'm here."
"Good, Lorraine. You still have the cross I gave you, right?" York reached the door of his resting room.
"Yes, Father."
Hearing Lorraine's voice, York was reminded of the almost imperceptible aura around her.
It was a strong curse, the source and danger of which he couldn't pinpoint, so he had given her a cross that had been with him for over a decade to suppress the evil presence.
"If you're in danger, you have my permission to use my cross and read from the Holy Bible..." York said as he tossed the box aside and opened the wardrobe to pick up his exorcism tools.
"The merciful Lord will forgive you; you need not worry."
Perhaps his words, invoking the Lord so earnestly, caused a moment of silence on the other end before a response came.
"Father, about the church..."
York, stepping out of the resting room with his backpack, smirked slightly.
This parallel world's church was somewhat domineering, controlling and monopolizing the right to handle paranormal incidents through its doctrines, like the exorcism permit, similar to requiring police approval for solving a murder case.
Of course, there was a reason for this.
The church could maintain such a stance because it was inherently opposed to demons and had the power to resolve these paranormal incidents.
So, the exorcism permit was also to prevent accidents, as the background of some paranormal incidents isn't simple. An uninformed attempt at exorcism could trigger a larger chain reaction or even result in the victim's death.
Professional matters required professionals, like himself.
With this in mind, York calmly stated, "You're registered demonologists with the church, so I trust your ability to recognize the severity of situations. With me involved, you also need not worry about the church..."
A deep breath came through the phone: "I understand, Father."
"Good." York, having made a somewhat blasphemous declaration, smiled calmly.
"We'll discuss the rest when I arrive."
After ending the call, he made the sign of the cross towards the Jesus statue and left the church hall with a determined stride.
Hanging a "Gone for a few days, please forgive my absence" sign on the door, York headed home to prepare his exorcism tools. He always made sure to have adequate tools before setting out, or else he'd feel uneasy.
Regrettably, York's "cheat" didn't include the standard transmigrator's storage space.
Upon arriving home, York wasted no time heading to the underground warehouse to organize the exorcism tools for the trip.
For dealing with unseen spirits or souls, his favorite was the shotgun with specially made salt bullets. The shotgun's versatility allowed him to adapt to any situation, even against physical monsters, by switching ammunition types as needed.
With this in mind, York walked to the weapons rack, immediately focusing on the shotguns, and picked one up.
Holding the classic shotgun, York automatically recalled its specifications.
The Winchester M1897, weighing 3.6 kg, with a barrel length of 29 inches, capable of firing 12 or 16 gauge shells. The magazine could hold five rounds, with an additional one in the chamber, allowing for a total of six shots.
Furthermore, the Winchester M1897, an external hammer shotgun without a trigger disconnector, allowed for rapid firing.
This meant by holding the trigger down and repeatedly pumping the fore-end, the shotgun would fire as soon as the fore-end and action returned to the forward locked position.
Caressing the Winchester M1897, York smiled to himself.
"It's you, buddy."
Having decided on the Winchester M1897, York inspected the shotgun in his hands, ensuring it was in good condition before returning to the shelf stocked with ammunition. As mentioned earlier, his underground arsenal was notably abundant in bullets, a result of long-term preparation and accumulation, to the point where he had lost track of the exact count.
York took out ten boxes of each type of bullet: two hundred lead bullets for humans, two hundred silver-plated bullets for supernatural beings, two hundred salt bullets for spirits, and two hundred single-projectile bullets for larger entities.
In addition to these, as if fearing an unexpected turn of events or a shortage in firepower, York also decided to take an extra shotgun with him. Soon, he was laden with bags and pouches, leaving the underground arsenal. Before departing, he hung a cross, soaked in holy water for ten days and blessed by himself, behind the door, then headed to the garage.
As previously mentioned, being a modern priest, York naturally owned a vehicle.
A Ford Raptor, with its fierce design and massive body, perfectly matched his persona, embodying the essence of a beast paired with a warrior.
After loading all his gear onto the back seat, York, considering himself quite the warrior, got into the driver's seat, set the GPS, and hit the gas pedal. The black Ford Raptor took off into the night.
Destination: Harrisville, Rhode Island.
Behind the departing Raptor, the garage door slowly closed...
Rhode Island is located on the east coast of the United States.
Harrisville, a small town in Rhode Island, is situated in the northern part of the state, close to the Massachusetts border. Therefore, the journey was not short, requiring several hours. To prevent the spirit from advancing to the next stage, York mostly floored the accelerator.
Along the way, he occasionally faced inspections, but his status as an official priest and his fully prepared firearm permits, concealed carry permits, and other documentation, deterred anyone from stopping his vehicle. Some officers even made the sign of the cross respectfully after the inspection.
"Father, Godspeed."
York nodded and drove on.
In such a manner, what was supposed to be a three or four-hour trip was shortened by York to just two hours.
Somewhere in Harrisville.
A few adults stood in front of a lonely house, clearly awaiting something. A couple leaned against a wall, looking relaxed, while another pair, looking exhausted, stood by the door, the man embracing his wife. Two men sat on the steps, evidently bored with waiting.
"Mr. Ed, I want to say..."
The man by the door, with a simple look but signs of hard labor on his face, turned to the man resting against the wall, whose demeanor seemed more refined.
"Uh... I remember you mentioned that exorcism is an ancient ritual requiring years of experience. Is the priest you mentioned such a person?"
Hearing this, Ed glanced at his wife Lorraine beside him, exchanged a look, and nodded seriously.
"Yes, you can trust Father York, Roger. With him here, this place will become very safe."
"That's great..." The homeowner, Roger, seemed relieved.
Ed offered a reassuring smile, knowing the pressure Roger was under. This house, bought with all their savings, was their last resort; moving was not an option, as the curse of the spirit would follow them unless resolved.
"Thankfully, the priest is coming personally..."
Lorraine, sensing her husband's thoughts, gently grabbed his hand.
As they prepared to smile warmly at each other, the sound of an engine approached.
Vroom!!!!!!!
Not only Ed but everyone heard the roaring engine.
Then, at the end of the road, a black, formidable pickup truck appeared before them.
"The priest is here!"
Ed's face lit up with joy, and before anyone could react, he and Lorraine stepped forward to welcome the respected priest.
Regaining their senses, Roger and his wife joined the Warrens, watching the imposing pickup truck approach with some hesitation.
"Mr. Ed, is this the Father York you mentioned?"
As the truck kicked up dust, coming closer, Ed replied with a relaxed smile.
"Yes, that's Father York's vehicle."
"Eh?" Roger was taken aback, not expecting a priest to drive such a powerful vehicle, contrary to his impression of a low-key clergyman.
"Wow, a Ford Raptor!" exclaimed the two men who had joined them, with one adding, "This priest must be fierce."
"I agree," said the other, nodding.
Meanwhile, York had already noticed Ed and the others. Seeing Ed and Lorraine together, he felt a bit fed up.
As the couple always managed to feed him an ample dose of "dog food," York parked the truck in front of the group and leaned out the window towards Ed.
"Ed, give me a hand."
Nodding, Ed moved to the back door, asking York, "Father, was the road okay?"
York turned off the engine, took the keys, and remembered the dirt tracks as he replied, "It was fine."
Allowing Ed to open the door and start unloading, York stepped out of the vehicle.
Lorraine, along with Roger and his family and the two men, approached.
"Father..."
York glanced at Lorraine and the others, sharing a brief embrace with her, and asked, "Everything seems okay?"
With a smile, Lorraine said, "Thanks to your cross, today was calm."
She then introduced the people behind her.
"Father, let me introduce Roger and Karen, the homeowners."
Roger, facing the robust and reassuring presence of Father York, expressed his gratitude.
"Father, thank you for coming."
Gratefully, he extended his hand.
York glanced at Karen and the surroundings, discreetly shaking Roger's hand.
"It's my duty."
Karen, with traces of wear on her hands, also gratefully extended her hand, saying, "Thank you for coming, Father."
York, ignoring the marks on her hand, gently shook it and replied warmly, "It's okay, no need to thank me."
bình luận đoạn văn
Tính năng bình luận đoạn văn hiện đã có trên Web! Di chuyển chuột qua bất kỳ đoạn nào và nhấp vào biểu tượng để thêm nhận xét của bạn.
Ngoài ra, bạn luôn có thể tắt / bật nó trong Cài đặt.
ĐÃ NHẬN ĐƯỢC