episode_0574

Beijing, China.

A sinkhole with a diameter of 100 km suddenly appeared, causing over 10 million casualties, and Beijing naturally turned into a cursed city where people stopped walking.

People call it ‘Hell City.’

This is the city that contains all of China’s unhappy memories and sorrows.

A man and a woman walked slowly in a dark part of a deserted city.

Although less than half a year had passed since the disaster occurred, the city was completely devastated as if it had been hit by a nuclear weapon.

The one leading the way is a tall blond man with a sculptural appearance.

He spoke to the woman following him.

“Ellis. Do you remember the day the disaster struck Beijing?”

“It was in August, right? I don’t know the exact date, Dad.”

“You don’t have to know the exact date. What I want to ask is what happened that day.”

“On that day, black pillars appeared all over the world.”

“That’s right. Dad started investigating from there. He thought there must be a causal relationship between the two incidents.”

“Hmm.”

Is that why you came all the way to Beijing? But I thought the conclusion was that the two incidents were not related.

Although she had a few questions, Ellis quietly followed Isaac.

Even if you ask, they won’t tell you anyway.

We pass by huge apartments and buildings that look like they are falling down.

It’s been quite a while since I came to Beijing, avoiding the eyes of Chinese police.

There is only one piece of information I found out.

The information that there are no civilians in Beijing is incorrect.

People were seen everywhere.

In this quiet, or rather dead, street, people were glaring at each other.

The evil-looking eyes and cunning look were enough to give Ellis the creeps.

“Are they criminals?”

“That’s right. Once you get here, it looks like you’re giving up on public security. Not only Chinese criminals, but also a lot of violent criminals from all over the world are hiding there.”

“….”

Isaac stroked Ellis’ nervous shoulder.

His own daughter, Ellis.

My father wanted to show only good things, but as a guild leader, he had a lot to show his successor.

“You just have to go a little further.”

Isaac spoke in a whisper and accelerated his pace, with Ellis following closely behind him.

The business trip called the successor class has already been over a week.

At first, the goal was to collect information about Lucifer, but even after the outline was established, Isaac did not return.

[I have a place to take you.]

With just one word, Ellis was brought all the way to Beijing.

Even if I wanted to ask, I kept repeating that I would know when I saw it, so I gave up on asking.

‘… Upset.’

The road Isaac and Ellis took was an alley.

There was unpleasant graffiti and dirt everywhere in the alley.

Lewd remarks or swear words are undesirable.

Dried blood and dead bodies made Ellis feel dirty.

“Dad. That’s….”

“We’re here. That’s where we’re going.”

Ellis’ body twitched.

A gloomy entrance decorated with human skulls.

It looked like a chief’s ornament made by Indians in the past.

As I approached the entrance, I saw a tightly closed iron door. The fact that the iron door was covered in blood gave off an even more dangerous atmosphere.

As Isaac approached the entrance, he placed his hand on the largest skull and quietly chanted.

“Arma di Maestro.”

Talent, talent… .

The iron door opened with a creaking sound, and Isaac went inside.

Ellis was quite embarrassed, but she wasn’t stupid.

You shouldn’t look around or show any signs of embarrassment here. Ellis naturally followed Isaac.

The inside was complicated like a maze, but Isaac walked as if he had been there many times.

There were so many things I wanted to ask about this situation, but I couldn’t be the first to open my mouth in a place like this.

All Ellis could do was quietly follow Isaac.

Before I knew it, I started going down to the basement little by little.

The unpleasant smell of dirt and rusty iron stings my nose.

Just when I was wondering if it would be okay to speak, Isaac spoke first.

“You know about the organization called Pandemic, right?”

“Of course, Dad.”

“Pandemic is a terrorist organization of demons with the strongest power among the terrorist organizations in the world. There is no political conflict or religious reasons. However, they are not anarchists. It is an organization that slaughters civilians just for pleasure. .”

“I know, too. The recent disintegration of the organization has waned our momentum.”

“Yeah. I’m sure everyone knows that.”

Isaac stopped in front of a basement.

kkiiig-

When I opened the rusted iron door, a musty smell wafted out that was so bad that it made me feel sick.

After Ellis followed her into the room, Isaac snapped his fingers and a weak light came into the room.

“Ellis. Pandemic is not just a terrorist group.”

“yes?”

“Their purpose is clear and they are already spreading roots across the world.”

Iris Guild, the world’s best information guild.

Among them, Isaac, a man called the Emperor of the Night.

Once he sets his sights on his prey, he never loses sight of it. No matter how hard you try to hide information, there are always gaps.

In particular, groups other than individuals cannot escape Isaac’s embrace.

for example… Even the truth about the pandemic disguised as a simple terrorist group.

It was all within his grasp.

Isaac took out a book from the rusty bookshelf.

The book, which looked like a diary, showed signs of being used until recently.

“Dad, now I want you to tell me why you came here.”

“If you read this, you will know the answer, Ellis.”

Ellis swept the tattered bookshelf.

[My memory is blurry. When I came to, two weeks had passed and before I knew it, I was part of the pandemic. What on earth happened?]

[This time, a month has passed. How much will it be this time? First it was an hour, last time it was two hours. Is it three hours this time? So what next time? No, why am I in a pandemic?]

It felt like someone’s diary.

But I don’t really understand what you’re trying to say.

“…what is this book?”

“This is the diary of a Mine who was part of Pandemic. It seems that he was a talented Mine who held the position of Maestro’s secretary for quite a long time, but they say he went missing one day. This is his diary.”

Ellis quietly turned the next page of the diary.

[There is little time today. This is because I came to my senses when the boss and maestro were in front of me. It was only a week, but fortunately I was able to manage my expression quickly.]

[I saw something incredible with my own eyes. Hundreds of Majins in front of him knelt down as soon as they saw the Maestro. Just by making eye contact. How did this happen?]

[I think it’s a kind of mental brainwashing. Boss Maestro. He must be controlling my mind. The cycle of coming to consciousness is random. And that’s only an hour. The good news is that the cycle of regaining one’s sanity is getting faster on average. I’ll have to find a way to escape somehow.]

“… What is this? Mental brainwashing?”

“There is a darkness lurking in the world that you are not aware of. The darkest part of all is the pandemic.”

[World destruction. Descent into Hell. Pandemic has ridiculous goals. At first, I thought the Maestro’s mind was strange, but the moment I saw the jet-black Holy Grail, I knew it right away. I have to escape from here somehow. And I have to tell the world. … What will happen to me if this diary ends before I escape? Will I be able to escape this monster?]

The diary ended there.

As soon as Ellis had finished reading the diary, Isaac spoke up.

“I have been following the Pandemic for several months, and I have finally been able to understand their purpose. Their goal is the destruction of the world and to descend on Earth a place called ‘Hell’. After cross-checking various evidence in addition to this diary, “I judged that the possibility was very high.”

It doesn’t matter that there is an organization that wants the destruction of the Earth.

Because there are many mentally ill people in the world.

However, if a place with power and ability like Pandemic has such a goal, the world will definitely fall into chaos.

“Who has this information?”

“I never revealed it to anyone, so now it’s just you and me.”

“Why are you hiding this information? You need to tell the world quickly.”

“Elise. Humans are not that altruistic beings. Even if the world were to perish tomorrow, humans are the ones who take care of their own interests, thinking that someone will save the world.”

“But, there is definitely someone who will share the same goal….”

Ellis paused, biting his lip.

He knows that what his father said is right.

He himself was not an altruistic person. Imagining others eating away at the Iris Guild’s interests while the Iris Guild was doing its best to contain the pandemic, it made me think that it would be better to die together.

In the end, someone had to take the lead, but I didn’t want it to be the Iris Guild.

“Don’t worry, Ellis. I will protect you and Irene at all costs.”

Isaac stroked Ellis’ head, who had complicated emotions.

The reason he did not come forward was not because of his interests. Things like Lee Kwon were not important at all compared to Ellis and Irene.

There just wasn’t enough conclusive evidence yet.

“There will be many people who will take the lead as you said. So, we should have been more careful. We had to make sure that the pandemic was eliminated. Ellis, please turn to the last chapter.”

The pandemic is taking root all over the world.

People think that the Pandemic has collapsed, but the Pandemic can be resurrected at any time as long as the boss, the Maestro, is alive.

Therefore, you must definitely stop breathing.

Sreuk-

Ellis turned the pages of the book.

On the last page, there were passages written that seemed to have been written down from time to time.

And here and there, a name caught my eye.

[Lee Ho-yeon. Who on earth is Lee Ho-yeon that the Maestro is looking for with his eyes lit up? I don’t understand what the Maestro is saying about having to stop him from doing what he does. The only human who can stop the descent of hell. Does such a thing exist?]

[Today, Hoyeon Lee defeated Chiron. He was not an ordinary cadet, as he was hiding his ability to overpower an apostle. If you could ask him for help… .]

[It was just as the Maestro said. Without him it would be impossible. Hoyeon Lee. Just his presence… .]

“……Lee Ho-yeon?”

Ellis opened his eyes wide.

I checked again and again, but there were notes summarizing Lee Ho-yeon’s whereabouts written throughout the note.

Stop the pandemic terror, capture the executives, and subdue the monsters called apostles.

It was the same as the actions of Lee Ho-yeon, whom he knew.

Hoyeon Lee caught the eye of Pandemic?

That kind of thing can happen. Because Pandemic is a place where terrorism is committed not only to civilians but also to powerful people.

However, the passages written here describe Lee Ho-yeon as if he were a savior.

“Yes. Lee Ho-yeon. It’s not impossible that it’s someone with the same name, but… it’s more likely that it’s Lee Ho-yeon, a genius wizard who is born once every 10,000 years, rather than the young man Lee Ho-yeon somewhere in Korea.”

“…Yes, I guess so.”

“I don’t know what’s going on with him, but… he’s on the radar in the pandemic. We need to help him, Ellis.”

Hoyeon Lee… .

I remember him always looking for information about pandemics and hell.

What on earth are you doing?

*

Come back again.

As soon as she returned to the Iris Guild, Ellis was hugged by Irene without even being able to take off her outer clothes.

Ellis’s sincere resolution had to wait for a while in the face of Irene’s tears.

“Eh, Ellis… I’m glad. I’m glad….”

“Yes, sister. It’s been a while… has it?”

“Of course! It’s been over a week! Isn’t our Ellis hurt anywhere? Guild leader! No, father! Are you crazy? Where on earth have you been hiding with our Alice?!”

“I’m sorry, Irene. I never thought you’d be so worried about your dad… Hmm. Irene.”

“Elise, Ellis….”

Where did the dignified appearance of the guild leader that he showed up until now go to?

Ellis sighed as he looked at Isaac, who was holding onto Irene, who was sobbing.

Mother and daughter are so similar.

“I’m sorry, sister. I should have contacted you, but I wasn’t in the right situation to do so.”

“It’s okay. I’m so glad that Ellis is alive….”

Irene held back her tears and felt Ellis’ warmth.

I don’t know how worried I was inside because there was nothing I could do even though my younger brother disappeared.

“Nothing happened. It was just a simple business trip, so don’t worry too much, sister. I didn’t even wash properly, so just let me go.”

“Uh, yeah… I’m sorry, Ellis.”

I couldn’t wash it.

Neat Ellis values cleanliness.

It means that it is a valuable experience, but let’s let it go for now.

“I’m sorry too, Irene. I never thought you would be this worried….”

“Guild leader. I have a lot to report to you. Please wait in the guild leader’s room.”

“Huh? Ah, yes. Okay, Team Leader 1.”

Isaac left Irene with a shy expression.

His daughter was awkward today.

“Sister. Didn’t you say Lee Ho-yeon is in the guild now?”

“Elise. How did you know that?”

“As soon as I arrived, I heard the overdue report. It was written by the leader of Team 1 that she was visiting for important work. She said she was waiting for the guild leader.”

“Uh, right. … But how about getting some rest today? Ellis, you look so tired.”

“It’s okay. I’m not a kid anymore. And it’s important. I just happened to have something to say, so call me now. I’ll take a shower first and then come back.”

Irene blinked as she watched Ellis heading to the shower room in the training room.

I have clear dark circles in my eyes, but I’m not tired. As a sister, I was so sad.

… And as soon as you arrive, are you looking for Lee Ho-yeon first? How sad my sister was.

Now is the time for a tearful reunion with my sister whom I haven’t seen in a long time. Ellis.

‘I shouldn’t have given Lee Ho-yeon something like a suit.’

Irene left a message with a sullen expression telling her to vacate the living room.

Still, I couldn’t ignore what Ellis told me to do.