A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 175

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 175: The Night Before (3)

The inside of the church was dark. Even in the midst of that, what caught the eye was the fact that there was no cross.

The place where a cross, the symbol of a church, should have been hanging was completely empty.

Instead of that….

“…?”

There was a god statue. No, I wasn’t sure if that thing could even be called a god statue.

It looked like some kind of monstrosity. It was a hideous sculpture with all kinds of monsters—Cerberus, goblins, dragons—tangled together.

Bow.

A woman with a gentle appearance lightly bowed toward that sculpture.

“This is our Divine Beast.”

Divine Beast….

What a strange name they’ve given it. As expected, are they truly cultists?

“…It’s magnificent.”

I barely managed to speak, forcing my reluctant lips to move. The woman chuckled softly.

“That’s right. Thanks to our Divine Beast, we can live peaceful lives today as well. Their power is truly mystical.”

The woman’s eyes were moist as she looked at the god statue. I recited my prepared lines.

“…I heard this place follows unique doctrines. My acquaintance also studied those doctrines and practiced the teachings, and a disease that wouldn’t heal for so long was cured overnight.”

“Ah, you said you came on the recommendation of an acquaintance, didn’t you? I remember you saying you wanted to join as a believer through today’s special baptism.”

“Yes, that’s right. I was so curious about what those doctrines actually were that I couldn’t sleep all night. I wondered if I too could be saved by studying the doctrines…. If I could escape from this hell.”

We were set up as people who wanted to newly join this religion.

Poor lambs who had desperately knocked on their door through the introduction of an acquaintance who had been ‘saved’ at this place.

Originally, cult members never could just pass by people in pitiful situations. Because they were the ones who fell for their temptations most easily.

“Ah…. I see. When you say hell, what kind of…?”

Sure enough, the woman asked back with a sympathetic face. Just as I was about to answer, Lee Cheong-ryu wrapped his arm around my shoulder and spoke instead.

“This guy is my younger brother, and he has an incurable disease. He keeps saying he hears voices…. And that he sees strange things. We went to the hospital but it just couldn’t be resolved. He’s still young, so I’m really worried.”

Hearing voices? That’s my setting?

“It’s roughly accurate, isn’t it?”

“….”

Lee Cheong-ryu winked from behind his sunglasses. I pressed my forehead.

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s just an excuse anyway, we can make up whatever…. We just need to lower this person’s guard.’

As long as we achieved the goal of breaking down her guard, this kind of improvisation was fine.

“Ah! Now I see you’re brothers. Many people come to our church as families. An incurable disease, how difficult that must have been for you.”

The woman seemed to be convinced by Lee Cheong-ryu’s handsome face and nodded her head.

“Then before you receive the special baptism, shall I start by explaining about our church? Baptism works best when it’s based on faith. I’ll tell you everything without hiding anything.”

“….”

“Also, about the incurable disease… don’t worry. You’ll definitely be cured.”

How? You don’t even know what my disease is.

‘That’s too strong a conviction.’

Who would take responsibility if it doesn’t get cured? I barely managed to hide my doubtful feelings.

“Now, please come this way.”

* * *

The woman guided us in front of a painting. It was a mural that filled one entire wall of the church.

“Hmm, is this a painting of a dungeon?”

“That’s right. You know it well.”

“Haha. Of course I’ve never been inside one, but I’ve heard things here and there. Wow, it’s drawn exactly the same.”

Lee Cheong-ryu continued the conversation precariously, as if walking a tightrope.

‘Honestly, this would be enough to arouse suspicion….’

The fact that they let us into the church without any procedures was also strange. Something was off.

Lee Cheong-ryu also seemed to be deliberately making risky moves to figure out whether this was a trap or not.

Just in case, I examined the woman’s expression…. But there was no sign that she had figured out our true identities.

‘She has a face like she’s intoxicated somehow. It seems like she has no interest in anything other than showing us the excellence of their religion….’

How scary.

The woman pointed at the mural and continued her explanation mechanically.

“Have you never felt any doubt? About the beings called dungeons and monsters?”

“….”

“What exactly are they that they set foot on this land? I’ve always thought about that since 20 years ago. And the ones who gave me enlightenment about this were the priests of this place.”

“…What kind of enlightenment?”

When I asked the question, the woman caressed the mural with one hand. Then she opened her mouth like someone living in a dream.

“That’s a very good question. We think all of this is…. a kind of ‘revelation.'”

“A revelation.”

“Yes. Actually, monsters—that is, our Divine Beasts—are not evil beings. They’re simply guides trying to save us to a new world through dungeons. But the Awakened of our world have completely misinterpreted that intention and are persecuting the Divine Beasts.”

At those words, Hong I-jo, who had been quietly listening all along, tilted his head. He seemed unable to understand the woman’s explanation.

I couldn’t understand it either, for that matter.

The woman continued speaking.

“Think about it. Ever since the mysterious power called mana appeared, many incredible things have been happening. Injured bodies heal overnight, people fly through the sky… All of this is a blessing. A blessing that weak forces like science could never dare to explain.”

She was a Non-Awakened. In that case, it wasn’t unreasonable for her to think that way.

“Oh, it’s truly… regrettable. If I had been an Awakened, I would have understood the will of the Divine Beasts and entered the dungeons to be saved.”

Because she had never experienced it. The overwhelming feeling in front of monsters, the terror that the head attached to your neck might fly off at any moment.

Monsters were creatures of horror. Not blessings or salvation.

Through the woman’s sigh, Lee Cheong-ryu asked a question.

“Hmm. Do you think some kind of utopia will unfold if you pass through the dungeons—? And that’s salvation.”

“Oh my. You’re someone with talent for interpreting doctrine. Utopia, that’s right. If we just follow the words of the Divine Beasts, someday there will be a transition to a mysterious world. Our Bishop also says…”

Just then, the sound of giggling laughter and children’s voices could be heard.

“Evangelist! Evangelist!”

“Oh my, goodness. Just a moment.”

The woman asked for understanding and turned her gaze toward the children.

“You mustn’t run around here. The Evangelist told you she was doing important work, didn’t she?”

“Ugh, sorry. But I already finished all my training for today! Can I go out to play now?”

They were children dressed in pure white clothes. They grabbed onto the hem of the woman called Evangelist’s clothes, their eyes sparkling brightly.

“You finished already? That’s amazing. Alright. But the three of you must hold hands tightly and stay together. You absolutely must not leave the area near the church. Understood?”

“Yes! We understand! Then we’ll be going—.”

Were they the children of believers? But it was strange that all three wore identical clothes for that to be the case.

“…What are those children doing?”

“They’re children our church is raising. As you know, only Awakened can enter dungeons. Non-Awakened bodies can’t survive inside dungeons.”

“Yes, that’s… right.”

What did that fact have to do with the church raising children?

“So we gather children who show signs of awakening and have them live at the church. People who are already awakened foolishly deny our doctrine, and we can’t very well bring in and raise full-grown adults…”

The woman called Evangelist waved her hand toward the children running out.

“Instead, we’re raising those children as offspring of the Divine Beasts from a young age. In preparation for when they awaken later and enter the dungeons.”

“What?”

“They’re pure souls. Once they awaken, they’ll surely be saved in the embrace of the Divine Beasts. Sigh, I’m envious…”

This was crazier than I thought. I suppressed the urge to immediately spit out curses.

“….”

Hong I-jo frowned and stared intently at the children’s retreating figures.

‘This is giving me a headache.’

To raise young children into Awakened that suited their tastes, nurturing them from before their sense of self had even formed. It was clearly a crime.

“Should we execute now?”

“Hmm, no—. This is interesting though?”

“You can make jokes even in this situation?”

I whispered at a volume the Evangelist couldn’t hear. Lee Cheong-ryu lowered his voice in response to my irritated question.

“It’s not a joke, this is genuinely interesting. I had no idea they were making this kind of interpretation about dungeons. It’s a fresh perspective.”

“….”

“Though it’s complete bullshit, of course.”

He erased his expression. Soon he looked at the Evangelist with eyes like he was viewing an inanimate object.

“Let’s hold back for now until that ‘priest’ who’s supposed to perform today’s special baptism shows up. No matter how many regular believers we catch, it won’t amount to much.”

“…That would be better.”

I accepted Lee Cheong-ryu’s opinion. Yu-kyung’s voice continued in my ear.

Crackle.

[…With that kind of doctrine, no wonder it hasn’t been exposed to the surface until now. Saying dungeons are salvation, and whatnot. If they spouted even one word of that outside, they’d be buried alive for sure.]

There were countless families who had lost loved ones to monsters.

The Strange People Cult’s doctrine wouldn’t gain much popularity no matter how much they preached it outside.

‘So that’s why every incident they caused was so calculated.’

There was a reason they had been causing incidents and gathering believers so precisely and meticulously.

In return, the effects would certainly match the effort they put in.

‘But there will definitely be people who find that bullshit appealing. We need to root them out before their influence grows larger.’

Cults start with exactly this kind of ‘appeal.’ That’s the first step of their underground work.

The moment you step in out of curiosity, the situation spirals out of control.

“Oh, speaking of which, there’s something I should tell you about the special baptism that will be held today.”

The Evangelist clapped her palms together.

“You seem really lucky. Truly. Today, instead of the priest, someone much more special is coming.”

Someone much more special?

“Who is that…?”

Before my question could even finish, Yugyeong caught on to what would follow.

[…The Bishop?]

…Ah.

“It’s the Bishop himself. The Bishop’s baptism has special power, different from the baptisms of ordinary priests.”

The Bishop is coming suddenly.

“I’m meeting him for the first time today too. The Bishop’s words are only passed down to us, and ordinary believers like us can’t meet him carelessly. To think he would grace us with such a precious visit so suddenly. I was so excited I couldn’t sleep all night.”

Yugyeong let out a groan.

[…We’ve been found out after all.]

“…!”

[Everyone focus. We’re executing now! If the Bishop comes, all the believers here will have time to escape. We need to capture them first, starting with that child abuser.]

I bit my lips hard. It was a sudden order, but there was no time to hesitate.

“Lee Cheong-ryu.”

“I was already preparing—”

Lee Cheong-ryu extended his hand. I could see his Gate writhing and appearing outside the church window.

Crash.

Bang!

The Gate spat out thick steel reinforcement.

The steel reinforcement surrounded the church’s exit, completely sealing off any holes the believers could escape through.

“…What is this…?”

The evangelist who was grasping the situation panicked.

“Y-you people! What on earth is this?!”

Crack.

I broke the cumbersome mask. There was a difference in sensation between my disguised body and my actual body, making it difficult to control my movements.

Lee Cheong-ryu and Hong I-jo also released their disguises in turn.

“Gasp…”

The evangelist who recognized them stepped backward.

“…Illegal profit extortion through religious activities. You are charged with child abuse.”

Hong I-jo pulled out an arrest warrant and thrust it in front of the evangelist’s eyes.

“N-no. I’m…”

When the commotion started, other people from the church appeared one by one. They tried to understand the situation with bewildered faces.

“What’s happening? What’s that strange thing outside the church…?”

“Evangelist? What’s wrong?”

“D-don’t come out, everyone! Hide or run away! Do whatever…!”

Clank.

Hong I-jo moved his iron chains, lightly capturing the non-Awakened believers.

“Shh.”

The arrest was easy. S-rank power was more than enough to capture mere ordinary people.

“What about the recording?”

“Perfect.”

Lee Cheong-ryu waved the recorder. Is this enough to be relieved for now?

‘It was fortunate that we not only heard the ridiculous doctrine, but also luckily overheard the fact that children are involved.’

“Lee Cheong-ryu. Let’s hurry and wrap this up before the Bishop comes.”

“Right, right.”

Lee Cheong-ryu approached to help Hong I-jo move the believers to another location.

That’s when it happened.

“Oh my… You seem to be looking for me. Everyone, please calm down.”

Footsteps could be heard. Someone was calming the believers while approaching this way.

“Ah…! Could it be…! You really came…!”

The evangelist bound in iron chains had a face filled with emotion. When I turned my gaze to where she was looking… there was.

“What on earth is all this about?”

A silver-haired Bishop dressed in pure white robes.

…Everything was just beginning now.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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