episode_0066

Seoullo (2) ― 1st floor, Hanmaeum Redemption Bridge

Ha ha ha ha ha-

The first floor, where we arrived with the executives, was already in the midst of a festival full of laughter.

A red carpet runs from the central staircase to the stone statue, and various types of white flower petals beautifully decorate the edges of the carpet.

chuck-

With the sound of rifles rattling, the knights lined up one after another on the red carpet.

“Waaa—!”

“It’s the leader! The leader has arrived!”

“I love you! I love you, leader!”

With the cheers and applause of the believers just around the corner, two familiar children came running.

It was Park Him-chan, the son of Shin Ji-hoon and Kim Eun-byeol, who I found at a department store.

“Hahaha- Come slowly. Slowly.”

Park Himchan, who was so nervous that he lost his footing, and Shin Jihoon, who was walking next to him, smiled brightly and hugged him.

A bright white flower necklace was placed on me as I looked at the children in my arms with wonder.

When I patted the children on the back with startled laughter, they cautiously backed away and shouted in bright voices.

“Thank you for protecting us today too, leader!”

“It’s suspicious that our Chani only chooses to say special things today… Is this what your mother taught you?”

“Uh… no! That’s my opinion!”

“Hahaha— Clerk Shindo paid close attention!”

As I stared at Kim Eun-byeol with a light smile, her face turned as red as a tomato.

He patted the head of Park Him-chan, who smiled awkwardly, and this time looked at Shin Ji-hoon and said.

“So, Jihoon, are you doing well too?”

“Yes! I am also diligently reading the book the leader gave me~”

“Yes. Soon we will be building a school and bringing in teachers, so we need to prepare well in advance. Do you understand?”

“Always keep this in mind~ I will keep it in mind again~”

“We should create an oratory contest at Salvation Church as well! Only then will our Jihoon be rewarded!”

Ha ha ha ha ha-

All the believers responded to my joke with happy smiles.

The congregation looked at the two children returning with warm eyes and then gazed at me again.

I walked slowly along the red carpet and climbed onto the platform in front of the stone statue.

And I looked down at my faithful followers.

Believers gathered around dozens of round tables.

High-quality food filled the table and a glass of wine in each hand.

I also smiled as I held up the wine prepared on the podium.

“There is plenty of wine, so everyone, don’t run too fast! I’m especially worried because believer Kim Cheol-soo’s face is so red.”

“Hahaha― Sorry, leader!”

Ha ha ha ha ha-

He smiled brightly and said to Kim Cheol-soo, who was lowering his head with an embarrassed expression.

“You should apologize to the person next to you rather than to me. The look in your wife’s eyes is very scary. Kim Cheol-soo, believer, please protect your back.”

“Yes? Oh, my gosh—”

Kim Cheol-soo flinched as he faced his wife’s gaze in the cold wind.

Ha ha ha ha ha-

And, looking at the believers smiling even louder, I raised my wine glass higher.

He met the twinkling eyes of each believer and filled his voice with mana.

“We have so many things to celebrate together. There will be more in the future. Whenever that happens, I always plan to throw a grand festival. Ah, our vice principal is holding his head at what I just said.”

Seong Ga-eul smiled and shook her head in accordance with my words.

That smile spread to everyone, and they also raised their glasses and waited for my next words.

“If there is something happy tomorrow, tomorrow will also be the festival of Salvation Church. The next day was no different. Some people might say that they are jealous of us. If every day was a festival, wouldn’t it be a festival? But I want to ask that person again.”

I tilted my head and shook my wine glass slightly.

The eyes of the believers staring at the flowing wine wavered together.

“Why can’t every day be a festival?”

The believers responded to my playful question with bright smiles.

Completely disconnected from the outside world.

Days of laughter that those walking through hell cannot hope for.

A grand festival that I gift and that only Salvation Church can hold.

“Is praying just by kneeling and putting your hands together? Prayer is not that special! Our prayer today will be to share a drink together! Smile and talk to the person next to you with a warmer body! Please give me a warm hug!”

As I finished my last words, I drank the wine in my wine glass in one go.

My eyes naturally drew half-moon shapes as the spicy sweetness coursed down my esophagus.

“Now! Let’s pray!”

The believers who responded to my chant drank the wine they were holding at the same time.

A spicy breath and scorching heat spread all at once.

The brightly smiling eyes of the believers became even more hazy.

“What did I tell you to do next?”

As soon as I finished speaking, stories began to spread all over the table.

Shin Woo and Lee Gyeong-min share a joke while patting each other on the shoulder.

The elderly people rescued from the department store filled each other’s drinking glasses.

The wine fills the glass and closes it again and again as the wine is being laughed out loud at some joke.

Those rescued from Starlight Church smiled and shared food.

Seo Hye-won, whom I had not seen in a long time, was handing the lobster meat she had prepared to the woman next to her.

Kim Cheol-soo, who was being scolded and slapped on the back like a bomb, hugged his wife with a face that was about to burst red.

The faces of Kim Cheol-soo and his wife, who was shaking her head in disapproval, looked the same as decalcomania.

Happiness blooms on everyone’s faces.

That true happiness will make them and me stronger.

I flew through the air while checking the ‘Proof of Faith’ that lit up the first floor so brightly that it was dazzling.

[Priest Stone Statue Lv.2]

When I reached the large stone statue, I stretched out my hand to its right chest.

White light penetrated my right hand and into the statue.

Uuuu…

The low resonating sound drew the attention of the believers to the stone statue.

The faith points needed to advance to the next level were a whopping 10,000.

At the same time as the fairly long infusion of faith ended, a pillar of light struck the stone statue.

Paaah-

The white marble shook like clay.

The huge stone statues that looked simply staring straight ahead were gathered together in a round shape.

Then, it stretched again and took on a completely different appearance.

Oh oh oh oh

The believers were in awe of the stone statue, which had become even more holy and majestic.

A pure white marble figure was floating in the air, looking down at the believers.

Both hands were fully open and the hem of their sleeves were flexing as if the wind was still blowing.

The appearance that seemed to be completely unaffected by gravity was truly a product of the special ability called ‘Holy Relic’.

[Your faith resonates with the stronger light emitted by the holy relic!]

[(900/H) -> (1000/H)]

[The final seal of the relic has been released!]

[The power of the ‘Cultist Stone Statue’ is revealed!]

[‘Disarmament’ spreads through ‘One Mind Salvation Church’!]

The long-awaited new power of the religious leader’s statue has been unlocked.

[Disarm]

[As long as the heavenly shield and the cult leader’s statue exist, no armed use is permitted without the cult leader’s permission.]

While checking the new powers of the religious statue, a new guidance message came to mind.

[Currently, a weapon not permitted by the cult leader has been discovered within the sanctuary!]

[The ‘K2 rifle’ was detected by believer Seo Taesan!]

[The ‘K2 rifle’ was detected by believer Kim Hae-il!]

… …

[Do you want to activate ‘Disarm’? (Y/N)]

First, of course, I touched N and looked for the religious leader’s statue in the sanctuary management tab.

[Priest Stone Statue Lv.3]

[This is the first sacred relic of the One Mind Salvation Church and a sacred stone statue in the shape of its leader. The longer you look at this statue, the greater your faith and happiness will increase. The statue level has reached the highest level!]

Reach the highest level of the statue level.

This probably means that you no longer have the power to unlock it.

There is no doubt that disarming is a very good power, but it is not as great as the ‘Heavenly Shield’ obtained at level 2.

You can think of it as adding a finer strainer behind the primary strainer.

It occurred to me that the religious stone statue was probably a sacred object focused on the purpose of ‘safety’.

Although my understanding was complete, I could not hide the inevitable regret that came out.

I expected a fraudulent power equivalent to the ‘Heavenly Shield’.

Healing skills or warp gates.

I was hoping for a skill that would increase the heavenly shield, but I guess I was too greedy.

Well, even if it was the ace of the starter pack, it would be a serious loss of balance to solve everything.

Now was definitely not the time to be extremely downcast.

Because everyone’s eyes were on the more holy statue and me, the wealthy person in front of it.

I slowly turned to the believers and shouted with a bright smile.

“Your faith and obedience! We have created a safer sanctuary!”

“Aaaaa―”

“Now! There is no weapon in the Sanctuary that I do not allow! Only the faithful knights of the Salvation Church will protect believers with the sword of faith!”

“Ohhh―”

I asked the believers again, who could not hide their admiration and joy.

“Everyone! Aren’t you happy?”

“I’m so happy!”

“Then what did you say you do on happy days?”

Everyone’s eyes and mouths formed a circle at the sly question.

Everyone shouted at me at the top of their lungs.

“It’s a festival~!”

“Yes! Enjoy! today! And tomorrow too! Salvation Church will continue the festival!”

“Waaa—!”

I came down toward the central stairs, leaving behind the believers who were becoming addicted to happiness and festivities.

The back was already filled with the sounds of believers singing and clinking wine glasses.

I smiled as I saw the executives and drivers hurriedly approaching me.

And he spoke softly to Seo Taesan, who approached him first.

“It was originally a festival to welcome knights. Everyone, stop protecting me and go enjoy the festival.”

“But, leader… .”

“Hahaha—It’s okay. There is a stronger protective shield, so why worry? Please go quickly.”

“… … Yes, I understand.”

Seo Taesan, who read my eyes, led the knights into the festival.

The believers who saw the knights were seen smiling brightly and gesturing to their tables.

“It’s such a shame. If Seo Taesan had been an awakened believer, he would have been appointed leader without any hesitation.”

“Hehehe― That’s right.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Dad is right.”

As the listeners disappeared, I climbed the stairs with my arms wrapped around Yoon Ah-young and Joo Ju-hye, who were released like ghosts.

As the noise of the noisy festival faded away, Seong Ga-eul, who was next to me, spoke.

“Are you really going to leave it like that? You’re just talkative, you’re young kids who can’t do anything without the help of your telekinesis.”

“I know. I know everything too. Do you really think I’d give zombies a Banzai charge?”

In the first place, they didn’t do anything except pull the trigger.

It also suppressed the speed of the rushing zombies.

The bullets also destroyed the zombies’ heads.

I am the one who filled the magazine and loaded the rifle.

They became my loyal followers, but they did not truly become transcendent knights.

I also had no intention of sending them outside the sanctuary.

Once we find a way to strengthen them, we will begin external activities.

Since they knew exactly what I was thinking, the system must have called them vigilantes.

Of course, there were no special buildings or items.

So, I had to go to Seoul even more.

Now, my top priority is to figure out the hidden elements of Seoul.

For the time being, we will be spending more days outside than in the sanctuary.

So today…

3P is still too much.

One by one.

I smiled as I looked at my favorite executives.

“Shall we start our own festival?”