Ch.161Chapter 161 – Paradise Cult (2)

# On the official completion day of New Pyongyang, a grand ceremony was held, led by the Pyongyang City Hall and Paradise Church. Many influential figures attended the event, including presidents of UN Security Council member states supporting Paradise Church, politicians, religious leaders, and guild masters from famous hunter guilds. It seemed excessive for a mere city completion, but it signified Paradise Church’s growing influence.

“Can you see it? This is a cutting-edge spatial fluctuation sensor that detects gate occurrences and provides early warnings. Developed by Professor Park Jeong-gwang, an authority in mana-physics…”

The new city built atop North Korea’s former capital boasted impressive scale and facilities, worthy of its enormous investment. True to its slogan of standing against demons, its monster countermeasures were thorough.

Gate detectors, evacuation facilities, and military bunkers were scattered throughout the city. Screen panels installed on sidewalks helped guide citizens during evacuations. The voice of a guide explaining the new city’s features came from the panels.

“In New Pyongyang, each district has a church that serves as a place of worship, security maintenance, and administrative facility. No matter when or where a gate opens, holy knights can deploy within the golden time. Each church houses enough troops to handle B-rank gates independently, and when coordinating with the Korean military, they can even handle A-rank…”

Sister Grace was busy expressing admiration while watching the particularly lavish military parade, seemingly meant to emphasize the city’s safety.

“It’s truly amazing. I’m so relieved that our children will live in such a city. Honestly, leaving Seoul and moving to a newly built city wasn’t an easy decision…”

But Shin Jaehyuk couldn’t agree with her. Hiding his feeling of being in the middle of a tiger’s mouth, he asked with forced composure:

“By the way, where’s Sister Seongha?”

“My goodness, looking for Seongha first because she’s your childhood friend. As soon as we arrived, she said she had paperwork to do and left. You know she got an important position when the cathedral merged with Paradise Church, right?”

Jaehyuk’s expression hardened. His sister?

“This is the first I’m hearing of this.”

“Really? I guess you didn’t know because you haven’t been in touch. Come to think of it, it’s been months since you two met. Go find her and show your face.”

Sister Grace marked Yoo Seongha’s location on the map. The government building that served as both city hall and central church. The place where the completion ceremony was currently being held.

‘Is my sister also a hostage of Paradise Church? I need to check if she’s safe…’

Suppressing his anxiety, Jaehyuk hurried on his way.

Indeed, the ceremony was in full swing in front of the government building plaza, with distinguished guests in attendance. Famous media outlets were competing to capture the scene. Reporters whispered among themselves.

“Look over there. It’s Takehashi the Black Demon. I heard he injured his wrist fighting Kim Jaemin, but he seems fully recovered. I thought the Black Demon disliked such events?”

“He’s still the guild master of Sword First. He needs to advertise that he’s still going strong. Besides, now that the Association has collapsed, S-rank doesn’t mean much anymore. He’s probably trying to establish connections with new powers.”

“Ah… Paradise Church is known for having deep pockets.”

“More interesting is that person over there.”

“Who? That big guy… Oh! Could it be?”

“Yes, Skyscraper. He hasn’t appeared on camera for years, leading to rumors that he retired due to injury or even died. Just confirming his survival is headline-worthy…”

Jaehyuk entered the building from the back, avoiding people’s eyes. A man in a black suit stopped him.

“You can’t enter freely. This area is restricted to authorized personnel only.”

As Jaehyuk was struggling with the situation, someone behind him intervened.

“Wait, I know him. Let him in.”

“Who? Ah… Deputy Director Hong Harin.”

“Hong Harin? What are you doing here?”

Jaehyuk was delighted by this unexpected encounter. However, his delight quickly turned to discomfort.

“‘What are you doing here?’ Hey, where have you been wandering for months? Disappearing from France without a word and not answering calls!”

“C-calm down a bit…”

“How can I calm down when I got chewed out by Park Jugwan because of you!”

Seeing Hong Harin, who normally didn’t show much emotion, react so intensely suggested she had accumulated a lot of anger and worry. After barely calming the fuming Harin, Jaehyuk made his excuse.

“Sorry, I had personal business. It was a sudden problem during my France trip, so I couldn’t contact you. But I’m back in Korea now, so it’s all good, right?”

“Is that something to be so casual about? All airports must have been under surveillance, so how did you enter the country… No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know and get more stressed. I’m already exhausted providing security for all these VIPs gathered in Pyongyang…”

Complaints she couldn’t voice in front of her subordinates came pouring out. Jaehyuk had to listen to Harin’s lamentations for a while. When her venting subsided, he asked:

“By the way, have you heard of someone called the ‘Holy Maiden’?”

“Holy Maiden? Are you into online games again? Is that why you went off the grid for months?”

“No, that’s not it… I heard there’s a position called Holy Maiden in Paradise Church.”

Harin looked puzzled.

“Really? That’s news to me. I thought Paradise Church’s key positions were just the Pope and Cardinals?”

Even Hong Harin from the National Intelligence Service didn’t know. Jaehyuk felt the urgency he had forgotten while talking, realizing his enemy was keeping their identity well-hidden.

“We’ll continue chatting later. I need to meet someone first. Do you know where Sister Seongha is?”

“Oh, yes. I was just coming from seeing her. It’s my first time seeing her in almost a year.”

“That long?”

“We were both busy. She travels abroad frequently for work, so it’s hard to meet her. You knew that, right?”

“Ah, I think I might have heard something…”

“You thoughtless guy. She should be on the third floor. Keep in touch more often… I worry about you.”

***

Heading to the place Hong Harin had indicated, Jaehyuk saw a familiar figure from behind. He sighed with relief.

‘Thank goodness. She doesn’t seem to be hurt.’

Hearing the sigh, Yoo Seongha turned around. Her face immediately brightened as she greeted Jaehyuk.

“Jaehyuk!”

Seeing that she appeared fine, Jaehyuk finally relaxed. Paradise Church didn’t seem to be openly threatening her. But he still couldn’t completely let his guard down. Who knew what tricks Paradise Church might be playing.

“Sister, it’s been a while. Everything okay?”

“Yes. I’ve just been busy working. Coordinating during the merger between Paradise Church and our cathedral…”

She self-consciously smoothed her disheveled hair.

“Paradise Church… they’re not making you do anything strange, are they?”

“Strange? What do you mean?”

“Just, you know. Dangerous things.”

“Hehe, do you believe those weird rumors too? Don’t worry. There’s nothing like that. In fact, their employee benefits are as good as any major corporation.”

“…If you say so.”

Jaehyuk hesitated at Seongha’s seemingly normal appearance and finally closed his mouth. He couldn’t just bluntly tell someone working so diligently that Paradise Church was dangerous and demand she resign.

“Oh, perfect timing. I needed to give this to you anyway.”

Seongha handed Jaehyuk an envelope.

“By the way, do you know Cardinal Ronin? He specifically asked me to deliver this to you personally.”

“Ronin…? Never heard of him.”

“He’s like the Pope’s personal secretary.”

Jaehyuk opened the envelope and checked its contents. His expression immediately went blank.

Inside were several photographs and a ticket. The photos showed Yoo Seongha, Sister Grace, orphanage children, and other people Jaehyuk knew. On the back of one photo was written:

-You understand what this means, don’t you?

Barely managing to control his contorting face, Jaehyuk crumpled the photos out of Seongha’s sight and put them in his pocket, then checked the ticket.

Seongha commented:

“Oh? It’s a seat assignment for the main hall? People were scrambling for tickets to hear the Pope’s speech… There was even an auction, and scalpers were charging whatever they wanted.”

It was a seat prepared specifically for Jaehyuk alone. He understood Paradise Church’s demand: if he didn’t want the people in the photos to get hurt, he should quietly come to that seat. A simple but effective threat he had no choice but to comply with.

***

‘…What’s their intention?’

Jaehyuk pondered amid the journalists and dignitaries filling the main hall. Taking hostages just to make him listen to a speech? Paradise Church’s psychology was incomprehensible.

‘Assassination?’

He immediately dismissed the possibility that came to mind. This wasn’t a good place for sniping someone. Besides, he didn’t think assassination was possible against someone like him who had achieved partial immortality.

‘Then why…’

While he was pondering, the event began. An elderly man with white hair took the podium accompanied by a choir. It was the Pope.

-“Respected citizens, distinguished guests, and all attendees honoring us with your presence, thank you for…”

After ordinary welcoming remarks and congratulations on Pyongyang’s completion, the Pope, who had been building suspense, began his main speech.

-“Today, I wish to speak about a remarkable saint who has been performing good deeds unknown to others.”

The Pope’s gaze swept across the audience. For a moment, Jaehyuk felt as if he had made eye contact with the Pope.

-“Everyone, do you remember the Incheon Disaster? That incident was when humanity first recognized the existence of the Four Heavenly Kings and confirmed the vague speculation that demons have a hierarchy.”

Why is he suddenly bringing this up? People murmured at the topic that deviated from the event’s theme. The Pope continued undeterred.

-“Do you remember what happened here in Pyongyang? When Belphegor’s subordinate massacred innocent citizens and summoned Belphegor. It was an incident that impressed upon us that even a single monster could start a war.”

At the Pope’s signal, the hall darkened and a video played on the screen. It was body-cam footage from a hunter who participated in the Belphegor battle. The well-edited video focused on one person. Though the quality wasn’t great, the face was still recognizable.

-“The media reported that the Black Demon defeated Belphegor with Sword First guild members, but this is not the truth. Both Belial and Belphegor were defeated through the sacrifice and struggle of just one person.”

“Right, there were rumors about an S-rank hunter hiding his identity in Korea. Could it really be true…?”

People sitting near Jaehyuk glanced at him. They noticed his striking resemblance to the person in the video but hesitated to approach him directly, seeing his face filled with killing intent.

More videos continued to play.

-“That’s not all. The protagonist of the large-scale invasion in Eden, the person who resolved the tourist kidnapping incident in France—it was all him.”

In the clearer footage, Jaehyuk was facing what could only be described as a mythical army of monsters. It was the battle against the Demon King’s army that had swarmed the walls of Jedo.

“If that’s true… this person single-handedly prevented the destruction of the Korean Peninsula and the Empire?”

“My goodness… who on earth is he?”

-“Despite holding only a B-rank hunter license, he never hesitated to enter the most dangerous battlefields. Unlike some hunters who chase wealth and fame, he thoroughly concealed his achievements and served only for humanity.”

The spotlight in the hall focused on Jaehyuk. Everyone’s eyes and broadcast cameras converged on one person.

The Pope narrowed his eyes and smiled at the frozen Jaehyuk.

-“Today, at this gathering, I wish to officially canonize him as a saint of Paradise Church. Please, come to the stage, Mr. Shin Jaehyuk.”