episode_0088

Cultists – ‘Square’, a special base in Guro-gu, Seoul

[Cult leader please speak out.]

I looked up with a small smile.

What does he want from me?

Do you really want me to be a saint?

By verifying and proving everything I have done so far.

Are you saying that you want to become a truly respected great person?

Or confess all the sins I have committed so far in front of the believers.

Are you saying that you should even wash your filthy body after repenting?

Being reborn with a pure white body like that.

Are you literally asking me to become a god?

This was the only advantage Han Gu-won could boast even before the apocalypse occurred.

I know myself.

I know myself standing in front of the mirror without any exaggeration or delusion.

‘I am not God.’

I’m just a ‘cult leader’.

The only way for me, who had nothing, to reach the top.

The guy suggested it, and it was my desire.

There is no sacredness or nobility in that desire.

There is no devotion, no purity, no chastity.

There was only a sticky, dark wish.

That’s why this moment is so foreign to me.

He put me in a position to prove that I am a saint.

He called me a ‘cult leader’ there.

And on the other side, ‘I’ was established as a being that should be denied.

Contradiction.

I stood in front of a court called the Mirror.

A square of contradictions where everything doesn’t look right.

Above the sky above the square.

I remembered the first day as I watched the brilliant sunlight breaking into small pieces.

From the day when the sunlight that was taken for granted was not taken for granted until today.

Uncharacteristically, I ruminated on the past and gathered my distracted mind.

My story from the time I opened my eyes and awakened until now.

It was a series of events where I gave away one of the ten I had.

Whether it’s safety, food, or your heart.

The type didn’t really matter.

For those who have lost everything and are literally facing an ‘apocalypse’.

The small house I provided was the only shelter.

The small bread I gave him was the only thing that kept him full.

The little words I gave were the only comfort.

Everyone who received the ‘day’ I had chosen was moved and shed tears.

They willingly bowed their heads in praise and worship.

Thanks to this, I was able to very easily find people who would never bow their heads.

And killed them all.

Zombies, mutants, semen magicians, Sergeant Kim’s gang, and Seo Joo-won.

Everyone who has ever met me has had to choose one of two things.

Obey or die.

I lowered my head from looking at the sun and turned it to the right.

I nodded as I looked at ‘Han Gu-won’ standing on the opposite podium.

The person I met for the first time who I couldn’t give to or kill.

Moreover, that guy knows everything about ‘me’.

It was a moment when the saying, “If you lose your fight, you will burn out,” becomes an insult.

Like the cliché, the moment has come for me to overcome myself.

That is the greatest hardship and ordeal that the system thinks a saint must face.

I was filled with long-winded sentiments, but when I think about it, not much has changed.

As always, you just have to win.

As a ‘cult leader,’ I pointed to him and spoke.

“That guy is a snake growing in our hearts.”

“Ah~ It’s so boring.”

I ignored the man’s sarcastic voice and only looked at the believers.

“Even in the vast light, there is bound to be darkness. Rather, because it is a bright light, the darkness becomes more intense. Do not be disturbed, my children.”

The shocked believers held both hands again.

“Face the snake that will constantly harass you.”

“Look at your voice. Have fun with snakes~”

I looked at the guy who lowered his voice in mockery and spoke again.

“Keep in mind. That’s a snake.”

Paaa!

After my last words, light came down from the sky.

The light that hit the center of the two platforms formed a single shape.

It was a two-armed scale.

Numbers were printed like an electronic display on a scale that was tilted sharply toward me.

[50:950]

I was able to figure out the intuitive structure without any additional explanation.

The moment the court ends, the side with the scales tilted will win.

It’s literally a modern court.

‘Han Gu-won’ standing in front of a thousand jury.

I slowly watched my congregation.

The number ’50’ written in front of the scale.

We still had 950 believers, but that didn’t really matter.

The trial has just begun, and I’ve already lost 50 supporters.

Because my true feelings came out.

For the first time in a long time, believers’ faith is shaken by an unexpected variable.

[First question.]

The system declared a revision.

[who are you?]

As soon as the system finished speaking, Han Gu-won grabbed the microphone.

“I.”

He pointed his finger at the ‘cult leader’ and opened his mouth.

“I wanted the world to perish. It wasn’t a very great reason. It’s just because I live an unsatisfying life. I hoped to get something without effort. He is a defeatist who blames society and gives up by blaming someone even when things get a little difficult.”

A computer appeared in front of the guy who continued to talk calmly.

He continued speaking very naturally, fiddling with the mouse here and there.

“The only thing I was good at was gaming. However, his skills were not good enough to become a professional gamer. A loser who treats the games other people play for fun as his life and won’t let go.”

I tried to listen with a calm expression, but it was a little difficult.

It was quite an annoying experience to see my own face saying the thoughts I had in my own voice.

“The destruction that I prayed for every day has come true. I dedicated myself to evil, killed zombies, and struggled at my last chance. At the same time, I was worried that the world would completely collapse and longed for a more perfect playground.”

[70:930]

“At that playground, I raped a woman and killed a guy who annoyed me. As if I had learned it, I obsessively believed it to be the truth and practiced it. That is the essence of my salvation that you all believed in.”

He pointed to the microphone in front of me and smiled.

It meant that his remarks were over.

[80:920]

I grabbed the microphone as I watched the number of believers continue to decrease.

“Trajectory does not tell everything. Jesus was a woodworker and Buddha was a prince. However, they ended up being completely different from the past.”

Everything about humanity could not be determined by the past.

I tried to appeal it to believers.

“There is a true scenery that can never be seen at the beginning of a green and dense forest. The beautiful and mature scenery can be seen only after climbing to the top and reaching the end. Do not be shaken, my children. You are now standing at the top with me.”

[70:930]

“Do not be fooled by the snake’s whispers, my children. Trust me, who you have all seen so far. If you don’t trust yourself, who will you trust?”

[50:950]

“Fuck, you’re just being so fucking stupid.”

The guy sarcastically looked at the numbers that came back.

“Look at how everything the kid says is ambiguous. He’s just a cult leader. It’s amazing!”

I only looked at the believers as if I couldn’t hear what he was saying.

He smiled softly and comforted the agitated believers.

[Second question.]

A second question came to us.

[Was your salvation accomplished with good intentions?]

Han Gu-won took the microphone again.

“Absolutely not. To me, salvation was a means, it can never be the essence. Humans are thoroughly social animals. So do I. I did not want to become a king with no one to serve in a kingdom left alone. naturally… ”

Guwon Han pointed to the believers wearing white clothes.

“I just needed subordinates to remind me of my self-esteem and greatness. ah! Of course, it also relieves sexual desire very comfortably. Remember, for me salvation was a thorough by-product.”

[150:850]

“Yes! All you have to do is change your mind! Even if that guy’s eyes are open like that, how would he know? It’s not like it says on his face that his faith was shaken! Doubt it! Be more suspicious!”

The scale, which was suddenly tilted towards me, moved up a little.

I also took the microphone again and spoke.

“Good intentions do not necessarily lead to good results. Rather, you have probably seen many times where human good intentions have led to terrible things.”

Being good never means being competent.

You survived in the end and are standing there like this.

“Imagine. Moments that would have happened without me. Think backwards. If there were good results and there were no problems in the process, it is not wrong to say that it was good intention.”

[‘Cult leader’ threatened the jury. We will impose sanctions.]

[The criteria will be readjusted to be more favorable to ‘Han Gu-won’.]

[200:800]

“Teacher! You said that the results are more important than the process, but now that I look at it, the process seems to be quite important too, right?”

I ignored his sarcasm and raised my head to the sky.

sanctions?

So, are you saying that making people aware of the fact that I have been feeding you all this time is also a threat?

[Third question.]

The system presented a third topic, ignoring my gaze.

[Are you proud in front of everyone as religious leaders?]

The topic I was concerned about came up.

Immediately after catching a glimpse of Han Gu-won holding the microphone like a fish out of water, he looked up at the sky and opened his mouth.

“Is there also a right of veto?”

[Rather than skip verification, 200 jurors turn away. Are you okay?]

“… Do it like that.”

[400:600]

Before you know it, a flat scale has been completed.

“Ah why! Do you think something is hurting you a lot? Huh?”

He curled his fingers into a circle and then thrust his index finger back and forth.

Lee Ji-woo and the other women were fine, but Seong Ga-eul was the problem.

How I made Seong Ga-eul my person…

If you take it out with your mouth, it is quite damp and soggy.

The moment he says that out loud, the situation gets out of hand.

It’s just a matter of skipping over a subject where defeat is all too certain.

If that bastard opens his mouth like that, the subsequent topics will also suffer.

I stared with expressionless eyes at the guy who was provoking me as he continued to click his tongue.

It was harsh.

A system that does not clearly state the rules and an environment that is overwhelmingly unfavorable to me.

In addition, a zero base is imposed, ignoring all previous foundations.

I still don’t know how my believers, the jury, tip the scales.

It was literally the true hardship and ordeal that the system had hoped for.

still.

I still had the upper hand.

The faith I have built cannot be shaken that easily.

[the last question.]

[Have you saved everyone who wanted salvation?]

Perhaps because he exercised his veto earlier, Han Gu-won grabbed the microphone even more eagerly.

“No! at all! Believers of the Church of Salvation, listen! The salvation given by your great religious leader is not perfect. The standards will also vary depending on the mood of the day. Let me tell you one interesting example. There was a guy in a department store who begged for his life. He was truly an awakened person. But I just killed him. Why?”

I managed to keep a calm expression.

The moment I shake, everything ends.

“That guy was a man! A male awakener too! His abilities are really bad, but he’s still useful! We haven’t even completely laid the foundation yet, but are you a male subordinate? This must absolutely kill! What if I fuck the girls I’m supposed to fuck? This is a must-see! So, to summarize briefly… ”

[ 500 : 500 ]

“I just killed him because he was a man.”

[600:400]

The scales tipped in favor of Han Gu-won.

Looking at the scale that was tilted toward him, he bowed excessively and expressed his gratitude to me.

I held the microphone and closed my eyes for a moment.

You’re so good at bringing up things that are vague in your memory.

Salvation.

It was a word that represented the One Mind Salvation Church.

Such salvation was denied to me by my own mouth.

I myself trampled on an ideology that should be thoroughly protected.

I had to say something to refute this, but I couldn’t think of anything to say that would turn this moment around.

It felt like I was standing naked in front of believers.

[Cult leader please speak out.]

“… … .”

The system urged me to remain silent.

[Cult leader please speak out.]

I held the microphone and opened and closed my mouth several times.

Shouldn’t it be true?

no. Believers are not fools.

Those who have realized more deeply than anyone else that Han Gu-won is also me.

But…

[I understand this with the intention of organizing the words a little more. There is still the last free speech left.]

The hand holding the microphone relaxed after hearing the system’s words.

This topic was also very fatal to me.

No, I guess only those topics were selected in the first place.

“Ah~ Your expression is so bad. why? why? why? Would you like me to take a look?”

He stood in the center holding a microphone.

[Han Gu-won. Lastly, speak to your believers.]

Okay, you have the last word, right?

I continued to think even as I watched the guy raise the microphone to his mouth.

I figured out a way to win.

“You guys have been brainwashed. Brainwashed as a mob. It doesn’t matter how smart or educated you are as an individual. This is because individuals and crowds are completely different. Well, if I say it this way, it doesn’t really make sense, does it? So, shall we start by talking about each individual?”

Could I have said something like that?

When I was just playing games, I never even thought about that.

I burst out laughing and looked at the guy’s back.

He pointed to the believers and said.

“You may suffer from dependent personality disorder, learning lethargy, or the gap between ideals and reality. You guys are amazing, but the world doesn’t recognize it. So what? You think there’s something wrong with the world. It still fits perfectly. The world is going crazy, right? It’s not your fault.”

“The desire to be dependent that all humans have, the lethargy that continues to dominate the body, the state where only dreams are high while reality is a gutter. All those things, who scratched that itch? What is the result of that wish?”

The guy pointed at himself and laughed.

“That was me.”

He listed the facts step by step like a teacher.

“Once you all came together and came to be called the Salvation Church, I instilled a common ideology.”

Salvation and prayer.

“And we made a common enemy.”

zombie.

“Didn’t you make a lot of believers around you so that you could clearly feel that you weren’t the only one?”

The believers turn their heads and check each other.

Their eyes were so shaken that they could be clearly seen from afar.

“I know. know. I know everything too. Still want to believe it? That’s what it means to be human. It’s especially worse for women. Once you join a group, you really hate being ostracized. I know everything too. Still, humans know grace, but do you want to trust the religious leader?”

This guy is coaxing the believers.

“So you should be suspicious. Is the opposite of ‘believe’ ‘doubt’? It’s ‘I don’t believe it’. believe. Believe, but doubt.”

Let’s go!

The direction of a scale that tilts sharply without you having to look at it.

“Especially, you all heard it. It’s not quite what you imagined, is it? Something’s a little unclear, isn’t it? But you know what?”

He spat out his last words and returned to his seat.

“If you grasp at it with the feeling of grasping at a straw, is it still a straw in the end?”

thud-!

The sound of a weight being completely tilted.

I headed toward the center, consciously trying not to look at the scale.

Still, I couldn’t ignore the face of the guy looking at me with a serious smile.

“Is there a time limit for speaking?”

[doesn’t exist.]

“Then make a chair and sit down. Because I think it’s going to be a long story.”

“Oh my~ The leader is angry. I was so mad~”

I ignored the guy who was getting angry until the end and stood in the center.

My believers whom I saved, gathered, and led until now.

However, now the sentencing jury doubts me.

‘… ‘It was long.’

It’s been a little more than a month since I left the sanctuary happily.

I closed my eyes, soaking in the sunlight that had continued to bathe the square since earlier.

Kill Seo Joo-won and save the people.

Open the door to salvation and save people.

Solving special bases and rescuing people.

Murals, jewelry, the message of the system, and now this square.

Its purpose is now clearly visible.

Another me and fatal questions.

And the visual element that makes me nervous is the scale.

He’s asking me to be sincere.

From beginning to end.

To me, whose job requires deception.

To the cult leader.

Yes, I will do it.

The heart you wanted.

I’ll tell you in front of thousands of eyes.

No matter how it ends, it will be settled now.

I slowly opened my eyes and picked up the microphone.