episode_0158

The nun who ran a poorhouse supported by the communists and occasionally visited the main house to alleviate Yeongjeongmun’s mental pollution symptoms.

But contrary to the old woman’s words that the mutation would have brought her to a terrible end, the nun in the photo was standing on the altar in front of them without a single hair on her head.

He became the leader of a suspicious heretical cult that worshipped underground.

Lee Hyun looked around.

Everyone present was praying while holding ornaments of the same shape in their hands.

A cross that appears to be upside down at first glance, with the upper part extending longer.

And around the neck of Yeonjeongmun in the memory was an ornament of exactly the same shape.

It was obvious who had delivered it.

Moreover, the implications of this fact were clear.

The fall of a great noble family. Behind that terrible incident called the communist uprising, none other than that woman’s influence was infiltrated.

“Church of Heaven’s Gate Saints, have you been keeping your body and mind in a devout manner?”

There was no answer, but the woman continued talking as if she didn’t care at all.

“I hope you enjoyed happy dreams. Dreams that you don’t want to wake up from and want to stay in forever. That way, your brain will mature more deeply.”

The woman looked at the attendants lined up below the stage.

They immediately bowed their heads and left the chapel covered in black curtains, walking away into the sewers.

“Okay, let’s all pray. Until the angels’ banquet is over…!”

The woman clasped her hands together in a pose of utmost piety.

“The center where your paths converge represents our unity, the branches stretching toward the sky represent our ascension, and so open the gates of heaven and step into it, where eternal life awaits you… ”

“Amen.”

“Ah, Amen… ”

The woman continued her long sermon.

Jinye Seo unconsciously followed along to the chorus that filled the hall every now and then.

Then, he looked at Lee Hyeon sitting next to him with an embarrassed expression and whispered.

“So what are you going to do?”

“If possible, we should capture them alive. That way, we can dig up anything. Of course, if the situation doesn’t allow it, we’ll have to kill them.”

Lee Hyeon, who was staring at the podium in a praying posture, added.

“… Anyway, I have to cut off his right hand, no, both hands. Whether I capture him alive or kill him.”

She was a woman who even brought down the head of the Red Army.

Although its identity is still unknown, it is possible that it is using some currently unknown interference mental magic.

Even now, strange black magic is being discovered every day. Perhaps the interference magic that Yeonjeongmun showed could also have originated from this woman.

But if it is some kind of magic, it can be sealed simply by cutting off both hands.

Because out of all the body parts, only the hands can draw intricately intertwined magic formulas using lines and dots.

“That’s easier said than done… ”

“Shh.”

Jin Ye-seo was making a puzzled expression.

Lee Hyeon, who was sensitive to any movement, signaled Jin Ye-seo to keep her mouth shut.

-Thump… thump… !

And as soon as Jin Ye-seo puts her hands together again and pretends to pray, the heavy sound of several footsteps that shake the earth resonates.

They were gradually approaching the hall where people were through the sewer. Jinyeseo could soon sense the presence of something unidentifiable.

-Krrrr…

-Slurp, thud. Slurp, slurp…

It sounded like a beast growling lowly. It sounded like something slimy was crawling on the floor.

Soon the sticky sounds spread throughout the hall.

And then one of them started to approach behind where Lee Hyeon and Jin Ye-seo were sitting.

‘What, what is it… ‘

A feeling of anxiety creeps in. And then, something heavy is placed on Jin Ye-seo’s shoulder.

He had no idea what was behind him.

Even if I recall the contents of the dictionary of demon biology, I have never seen a demon with these characteristics.

It wasn’t just carrying weight, it was also swooshing, extending something forward.

Jin Ye-seo looked down with trembling eyes.

Thick, elongated, grayish white.

Several huge tentacles, resembling those of mollusks, were wrapped around her upper body.

***

“Heek… ”

Jin Ye-seo barely managed to swallow the scream that was about to burst out, biting her lips. However, even that was detected by the tentacles, which began to twitch.

Then he began to explore her even more fiercely than before.

Jin Ye-seo couldn’t bear this situation. The tears that were forming in her eyes were on the verge of falling to the floor.

Meanwhile.

Suddenly, one of the tentacle’s legs touches the cross decoration she is holding in her hand.

It was an item that had been given to me by Lee Hyeon in advance.

-Krrrr…

The gray-white tentacles stopped moving and examined her for a moment. Then, as if nothing had happened, they detached themselves from her, pulled back all their tentacles, and quickly moved away.

“Haa… Haa… ”

Only then did Jin Ye-seo let out the breath she had been holding in roughly. There were also a few tears in her eyes.

She turned her head to Lee Hyeon, who was sitting next to her. He was already looking at Jin Ye-seo while holding the blade in his arms.

Jin Ye-seo opened her mouth with a voice filled with a bit of resentment and sadness.

“Look, if you look at it, it’s a bit… Hey, I should’ve helped you… ”

“… If I was going to eat you, I was going to do that. But you just kept exploring and retreated… ”

“… ”

It was a man’s voice that rarely contained regret.

Jin Ye-seo glared at him with tearful eyes, then quickly looked away.

His words were also correct.

“Ugh… ”

“Ugh… ”

-Thud, thud…

-Wagjak, wagjak…

Soon the strange banquet began. Sporadic screams from all over the place pierced their ears. Along with the sharp sound of chewing a thick piece of hard candy.

However, those gathered in the hall were still in a praying posture and showed no reaction.

Tingling.

Hyun Lee glanced sideways at the unpleasant sensation suddenly running up his arm.

Jin Ye-seo was holding his wrist tightly at some point.

“… ”

A sticky, unidentifiable mucus covering the hood, upper body, and some of the hair, bloodshot eyes, tears forming at the corners of the eyes, and a body trembling like a baby bird caught in a storm.

In an instant, Jinyeseo was in shambles.

Lee Hyeon, who was about to say something, soon gave up and looked ahead again.

Above all, it seemed as if even Jin Ye-seo herself was unaware that she was holding his arm.

-Slurp… slurp…

-with a splash!

Soon after, there was the sound of something being dragged, and the sound of something heavy falling into the sewer.

-Thud! Thud!

The many strange sounds that had filled the room also disappeared back into the sewer.

Lee Hyeon recalled the direction in which the water flowed in the sewer that he had seen on his way here earlier.

Somehow I thought I knew what that sound of someone chewing on candy was.

And even the source of the hollow-headed corpse that floats up to Section A every day.

“Are you okay?”

“Okay, ugh… It’s okay.”

Jin Ye-seo swallowed her tearful breath and clenched her teeth again. Her hand was still tightly holding Lee Hyeon’s wrist.

“… I’ll kill you. How dare you shame me like this… ”

And he glared at the woman standing on the stage as if projecting his anger and muttered.

“… But what the hell was that just now? Did you see it?”

“I couldn’t see it properly either. Just a little shape… ”

“Is it a demon? Are you secretly raising high-risk demons in the sewers? Feeding them to people.”

“No, it wasn’t a demon.”

Lee Hyeon shook his head with a complicated expression.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before. A creature covered in tentacles… What the… ”

He looked again at the woman on the altar.

The nun continued speaking with a gentle smile.

“There are many people who have been chosen by the angels this time. Does that mean the taste is rich? Or maybe the angels have grown too much. They are definitely growing fast, though… ”

“Angel? You just saw those monsters and called them angels?”

Jin Ye-seo said with a disgusted expression.

“This is horrible. I’m not in my right mind… ”

“Let us pray for the saints who have ascended to heaven. All together… ”

A woman with her hands clasped together and mumbling a prayer raised her head.

“Okay. That’s all for today’s worship. And… Today, we have a special gift prepared for the congregation.”

The nun smiled brightly and clapped her hands lightly.

Soon after, a noise is heard from behind the black curtain.

Lee Hyun recognized them immediately. Judging from their attire, they were police officers from the Security Bureau.

Expressionless eyes, like those of those sitting in their seats.

They came in with their hands together, carrying some sort of load, and threw it down on a place that looked like an altar.

Figuring out what the luggage was wasn’t that difficult either.

A pig with a mustache.

It was the branch manager of this security agency who had been boasting during our conversation earlier.

Given the circumstances, I thought he might have been killed, but surprisingly, he was still alive.

With a gag in his mouth.

“Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! ”

“Wizard… ?”

“It’s a wizard… ”

And then, a murmur began to slowly rise from among those who had been sitting motionless.

Their blurry eyes were clearly staring at the plump man who had been lowered to the altar.

With a voice that was growing increasingly hostile.

“Yes. He is a wizard. The wizard who discriminates against you, oppresses you, and monopolizes all the wealth and honor. ”

“Ugh! Ugh!”

The woman glanced at him and opened her mouth.

“This guy was caught plotting to raid our sanctuary. Sadly… ”

Then he took out a small dagger from his bosom. Although it was sharp and blunt, it was strong enough to tear and tear flesh. It was an object that seemed more suited to inflicting pain than death.

“How can people be this evil? Trying to take away the last remaining shelter for the poor. Of course, they should pay the price, right?”

“Ugh! Ugh!”

“Please come forward and… stab this guy with a knife once. So that he can feel his own sins in pain.”

And the man’s face turned pale as he heard the nun’s sorrowful voice.

***

“… You didn’t run away, you were caught?”

Jin Ye-seo, who was watching the scene, muttered.

“What are you going to do?”

“… I need to help you.”

Lee Hyeon paused for a moment and then answered.

“I don’t like him at all… but he’s the only one who can help us in this situation.”

He said, holding the handle of the blade he had hidden in his bosom.

“Now is the chance, there are no attendants or monsters. Let’s capture the nun, rescue the branch manager, and leave this place. There seems to be another way behind that curtain.”

“… Okay.”

“When you count to three, run out. I’ll take care of the woman. You subdue those officers and rescue the branch manager.”

Jin Ye-seo nodded, her resolve strengthened by Lee Hyeon’s words.

The two began to manipulate the particle array to draw out a magic formula.

“One, two… three.”

And the moment Lee Hyun’s words fell, the two, with their bodies strengthened, ran towards the altar in one breath.

Before the woman could even turn her head, Lee Hyun swung his blade and severed both of the woman’s arms. Thump, thump. The sound of two objects hitting the floor was heard immediately afterwards.

-dump!

And then, in an instant, he turns back and hits the nun’s nape hard, causing the woman to collapse helplessly on the floor without even being able to utter a single word.

“… After.”

Hyun Lee, who had finished her work easily, turned her head to the side.

Jin Ye-seo, who had just knocked down the police officers, was just about to untie the gag from the man’s mouth.

The fat man looked at the two with a moved expression on his face and nodded repeatedly.

“Oh my, oh my… How can I repay this favor, you unworthy Lee Deok-gu… ”

“You. Didn’t you say you were a wizard? But how can a wizard be caught by ordinary police officers?”

“That’s… I was drunk and fell asleep… and my particle array was stolen… ”

However, I immediately flinched at the sound of Jin Ye-seo’s sharp voice.

“What the… ”

“Okay. Stop it.”

Lee Hyeon briefly stopped Jin Ye-seo, who was full of anger, and spoke to the branch manager.

“Do you remember how you got here?”

“Yes, yes! I see. These guys didn’t blindfold me because they were stupid enough to kill me. They were going to kill me right away… Those damned kids… I treated them so well… ”

He looked at the fallen figures on the floor and let out a swear word.

“That’s great. Could you give me directions? Come out with us.”

Then he turned around and spoke to Jin Ye-seo.

“You take the vanguard. I’ll carry the nun and follow behind. ”

“… Okay. Then right now… Wait… Behind me! ”

It was the moment when Jin Ye-seo nodded.

Jin Ye-seo suddenly looked over Lee Hyeon’s shoulder and made a face of shock.

Lee Hyun immediately turned around and checked behind him.

The nun who had fallen on the floor was standing up without a sound and staring at him. Without any anger, a faint smile still on her lips.

What was even more bizarre was that the woman’s arms were still there as if nothing had happened.

On the floor, the woman’s two arms that had clearly been cut off earlier were still lying around, as if they were someone else’s arms.

Lee Hyun reacted as soon as he recognized him and flew his body. The tingling danger signal continued to stimulate his instincts. He revised his judgment. Capturing the woman alive was impossible, and he decided to dispose of her on the spot.

The edge of his blade dug into the woman’s heart faster than the blink of an eye. The solid weight of the blade told her that it had definitely hit her heart.

But the woman didn’t move at all. Instead, the smile on her face only deepened.

“What the…!”

Hyun Lee, who felt that something was seriously wrong, tried to pull out the blade again. However, it did not move at all as if it was being held inside.

The woman with the blade stuck in her heart soon started walking towards Lee Hyun. The blade pierced her back, but she didn’t care at all.

The woman stretched out her newly formed hands and grabbed Lee Hyeon’s face.

“… That’s amazing.”

Clear eyes full of curiosity.

And as if her interest was piqued, she smiled faintly and pressed her lips to his forehead.

-side.

And as if he had become a stone statue, Lee Hyun stood there frozen, not moving an inch.

All this happened in a split second.

***

-…ah!

“… ”

The short boy lying in bed tossed and turned. The sleepy boy was enjoying the sweetness of the soft pillow and warm blanket.

-Hyun-ah…!

“Umm… ”

“Lee Hyun! Mom told me to wake up! You keep being lazy!”

The sound of angry footsteps of someone approaching.

And at the shout heard right in front of him, the boy buried in the blanket opened his eyes with a start.

“How old are you and you still sleep in? Huh!”

“Uh, uh… ?”

The boy let out a groan of embarrassment and quickly looked away.

A creaking bed, an old ceiling, a slightly chipped window frame. These scenes are so familiar that they are almost everyday life.

Somehow his pupils shook violently as if an earthquake had occurred.

He raised his upper body and immediately turned his head to the side.

And then he couldn’t continue speaking.

“Mom…?”