ALL NOVEL Chapter 158
The nun who operated an orphanage supported by the Jeokhwa Family and occasionally traveled back and forth to help soothe the mental pollution symptoms of Yeonjeongmun.
However, contrary to the old woman’s words that she met a terrible end due to a mutation, the nun in the photo stood on the altar before them, not a hair out of place.
Having become the suspicious leader of a cult worshiping in the underground, surrounded by a putrid smell.
Lee Hyun glanced around.
Everyone in attendance was praying, holding the same type of jewelry in their hands.
A cross that appeared to be flipped, with an elongated top.
And on Yeonjeongmun’s neck in his memory was an ornament of precisely the same shape.
It was clear who had passed it on without needing to see.
Moreover, the implications of that fact were unmistakable.
The fall of a great noble family. Behind that horrific incident known as the Jeokhwa crisis, was none other than the influence of that woman.
“Dear saints of the heavenly gate. Have you been keeping your body and mind holy?”
Though no one responded, the woman continued speaking without a care in the world.
“I hope you enjoyed your happy dreams to the fullest. Dreams that you don’t want to wake from, dreams you want to remain in forever. Because that would mean your brain has matured more richly.”
The woman cast her gaze to the attendants lined up below the podium.
They immediately bowed their heads and left the church covered in a black veil, disappearing into the sewers.
“Now, let us all pray. Until the angel’s banquet is over…!”
The woman, truly filled with piety, clasped her hands together.
“The center where your paths converge is our union; the branches reaching towards the heavens signify our ascension; thus, by opening the gate to paradise, eternal life awaits you…”
“Amen.”
“Ah, amen…”
The woman continued her long sermon.
In between, the choir filled the hall, and Jin Yeseo, without realizing it, followed along.
Then, with an awkward expression, she whispered to Lee Hyun sitting next to her.
“So what are you planning?”
“We should capture her if possible. That way we can extract anything. Of course, if things don’t go as planned, we’ll have to kill her.”
Lee Hyun added as he focused his gaze on the podium in a prayerful position.
“…Anyway, we’ll need to cut off her right hand, no, both hands. Regardless if we capture or kill her.”
She was the woman who had even brought down the head of the Jeokhwa Family.
Though her identity remained unknown, there was a possibility that she was using unknown interference-type mental magic.
After all, bizarre dark magic has been discovered almost daily. Perhaps the interference magic that Yeonjeongmun showed was also derived from this woman.
However, if it was a type of magic, simply severing both hands could easily contain it.
Drawing complicated magical formulas with lines and dots is something only hands can do among all body parts.
“That’s easier said than done…”
“Shh.”
While Jin Yeseo wore a perplexed expression, Lee Hyun, sensing an unusual presence, signaled her to be quiet.
Thud… Thud…!
Then, just as Jin Yeseo resumed her pose to pretend to pray, the heavy sound of multiple footfalls echoed, shaking the ground.
They were approaching rapidly through the sewer towards the hall filled with people. Jin Yeseo felt the presence of something unknown.
Grurrr…
Slither, thud. Slither, slither…
It sounded like a low growl from a beast. It felt as if something slimy was crawling on the ground.
Soon, the sludgy presences spread throughout the hall.
And one of them began to approach behind where Lee Hyun and Jin Yeseo were seated.
‘W-what is that…’
A creeping sense of unease. Then, something heavy plopped onto Jin Yeseo’s shoulder.
She couldn’t even begin to guess the identity of what was behind her.
Even recalling the monster biology encyclopedia, she had never seen a monster with such characteristics.
It didn’t just rest its weight; it was slithering something forward.
Jin Yeseo trembled and looked down at her quivering eyes.
Thick and elongated, a pale gray color.
Multiple huge tentacles that looked exactly like those of a mollusk were wrapping around her upper body.
*
“Hiiik…”
Jin Yeseo barely stifled a scream as she bit her lip. Yet even that slight movement made the tentacles jerk.
Then, they began to probe her even more fervently.
Jin Yeseo could not endure the situation. Tears were about to fall from her eyes.
In the meantime…
Suddenly, one of the tentacles touched the cross ornament she was holding in her hand.
It was the item she had received from Lee Hyun beforehand.
Grurrr…
The pale tentacle paused and scrutinized it before, as if nothing had happened, detaching from her, retracting all of its tentacles, and swiftly retreating.
“Hah… hah…”
Finally, Jin Yeseo exhaled the breath she had been holding. It was tinged with a bit of tears.
She turned to Lee Hyun sitting next to her. He was already watching her while holding the blade in his arms.
With a mix of resentment and sorrow in her voice, Jin Yeseo spoke.
“Y-you were watching, so… ugh, why didn’t you help…”
“…If it was trying to eat you, then yes, I would have. But since it only probed and then left…”
“…”
It was a rare moment where the man’s voice held a hint of apology.
Jin Yeseo glared at him with teary eyes before turning her gaze away.
His statement was factual after all.
“Kek…”
“Cough…”
Thud, thud…
Crunch, crunch…
Before long, a bizarre banquet began. Sporadic screams echoing from all directions pierced their ears, like the sound of crunchy candy being bitten whole.
Yet, those gathered in the hall remained in their prayerful positions, showing no reaction whatsoever.
A jolt.
Suddenly feeling an uncomfortable sensation creeping up his arm, Lee Hyun glanced sideways.
Jin Yeseo was gripping his wrist tightly, having somehow latched onto it.
“…”
An unidentified slimy substance covered her hood and upper body, bloodshot eyes, tears welling up, and a body trembling like a baby bird caught in a storm.
Jin Yeseo had been completely reduced to a mess.
Caught off guard, Lee Hyun was about to say something, but he soon gave up and turned his gaze forward again.
Above all, it seemed like Jin Yeseo herself was unaware that she was clinging to his arm.
Slither… slither…
Splash!
Soon after, they heard the sound of something being dragged along and a heavy object dropping into the sewer in quick succession.
Thud! Thud!
Many strange presences that had filled the room also vanished along the sewer once more.
Lee Hyun recalled the direction the water in the sewer flowed from when he came in earlier.
He felt he might have an inkling of the identity behind that sound like candy being bitten.
And even the source of the rumored corpses with empty heads surfacing daily in Area A.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m f-fine…!”
Jin Yeseo swallowed a tearful breath and bit down again. Her hand still tightly clinging to Lee Hyun’s wrist.
“…I’m going to kill them. How dare they bring such humiliation upon me…”
She muttered, glaring at the woman standing on the altar, reflecting her anger.
“But what was that earlier? Did you see?”
“I didn’t see it clearly. Just got a glimpse of its shape…”
“Was it a monster? Are they secretly raising high-risk monsters in the sewer? Using people as live bait.”
“No, it wasn’t a monster.”
Lee Hyun shook his head with a complicated expression.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. A creature covered in tentacles… what on earth…”
He again gazed at the woman on the altar.
The nun continued speaking, still wearing a serene smile.
“This time, there are many who have been chosen by the angels. Perhaps it implies they’re particularly rich in flavor? Or have the angels grown too large? They are certainly growing quickly, though…”
“Angel? Are you calling those monsters angels?”
Jin Yeseo exclaimed with a horrified expression.
“It’s dreadful. This is madness…”
“Let us pray for those saints who have ascended as one. Together…”
As the woman raised her head, whispering a prayer, she continued.
“Today’s ceremony ends here. And… we have a special gift prepared for you today.”
With a wide smile, the nun clapped her hands lightly.
Soon, they heard a commotion from behind the black veil.
Lee Hyun could recognize them immediately. Judging by their attire, they were officers from the Security Bureau.
Their expressionless eyes mirrored those of the people seated.
They combined their strength to carry in some burden and casually flung it onto a designated podium.
Determining the burden’s identity was not hard at all.
A pig with a mustache.
The head of the Security Bureau, who had been boasting during their conversation earlier.
Given the situation, he wondered if he had been killed, but surprisingly, he was still alive.
With a gag in his mouth.
“Ump! Uhh! Uuhhh!”
“A wizard…?”
“That’s a wizard…”
And as the officers who had been sitting motionless began to murmur.
Their blurry eyes distinctly focused on the fat man laid on the altar.
With rising hostility in their voices.
“Yes. He’s a wizard. The very wizard who discriminated against you, oppressed you, and monopolized all wealth and honor.”
“Ump! Uhh!”
The woman briefly glanced at him and continued speaking.
“This man was caught conspiring to raid our sanctuary. Regrettably…”
She then pulled out a small dagger from her possession. Although it was blunted, it was sharp enough to slice and pierce flesh, looking more suited for inflicting pain rather than death.
“How can a person be so wicked? Trying to take away the last refuge of the poor. Naturally, he must pay the appropriate price, right?”
“Ump! Uhh!”
“You will come forward and stab this man once, to feel your sins in pain.”
Hearing the woman’s sorrowful voice, the man’s face turned pale.
*
“…He didn’t escape; he was captured?”
Jin Yeseo muttered as she witnessed the scene unfold.
“What will you do?”
“We need to help him.”
Lee Hyun took a moment before responding.
“I’m not thrilled about it, but currently, he’s the only one who can help us.”
He tightened his grip on the blade hidden in his coat.
“This is our opportunity, with no attendants or monsters. Let’s capture the nun and rescue the site leader so we can get out of here. There seems to be another way behind that veil.”
“…Got it.”
“When I count to three, we spring for it. I’ll take care of the woman; you subdue the officers and rescue the site leader.”
Jin Yeseo nodded, resolving her determination in response to Lee Hyun’s words.
The two began tracing the magical formula using a particle array manipulator.
“One, two… three.”
At that moment Lee Hyun’s voice fell, and both enhanced their bodies, dashing toward the altar in an instant.
Before the woman could fully turn her head, Lee Hyun swung his blade, severing her arms at once. Thud, thud. The sound of two objects hitting the ground followed.
Thwack!
Then in a flash, he turned and struck the nun’s neck fiercely, causing her to collapse to the floor without able to let out a whimper.
“…Huh.”
Announcing the easy finish, Lee Hyun turned his head sideways.
Just then, Jin Yeseo, having knocked out the officers, was freeing the man tied up by his gag.
The fat man, tears welling up on his touched face, bowed repeatedly to the two.
“Oh dear, oh dear… how can I ever repay this grace received from my unworthy self, Deok-gu…”
“You. Didn’t you say you were a wizard? How does a wizard end up captured by ordinary officers?”
“Well… I fell asleep drunk, and while they stole my particle array manipulator…”
But under Jin Yeseo’s harsh questioning, he immediately shrank back.
“What kind of nonsense is this…”
“Enough. Stop it.”
Lee Hyun briefly restrained a furious Jin Yeseo and turned to the site leader.
“Do you remember how you got here?”
“Y-yes! Yes! They foolishly didn’t blindfold me. Were planning to kill me on the spot… those damned bastards… Look how well I treated them…”
He spewed a torrent of curses while looking at the officers sprawled out on the floor.
“Great. Please guide us. Let’s escape together.”
Lee Hyun then turned to Jin Yeseo and said,
“You take the lead. I’ll carry the nun and follow from behind.”
“…Understood, then right now… wait… behind!”
The moment Jin Yeseo nodded, she suddenly glanced behind Lee Hyun, her face filled with horror.
Lee Hyun immediately turned his body to check the back.
The nun, who had collapsed on the floor, was now standing up without a sound or presence, staring at him. Without a trace of anger, she wore the same gentle smile.
What was even more bizarre was that her arms remained attached as if nothing had happened, despite the fact that the amputated limbs were still lying on the floor nearby.
The moment he recognized her, Lee Hyun reacted and shot forward. The prickling sense of danger continuously prodded his instincts. He revised his judgment. Capturing her was impossible; he decided to dispose of her on the spot.
His blade pierced through the woman’s heart faster than a blink of an eye, and the palpable heaviness indicated it had struck true.
However, the woman did not move. In fact, the smile etched on her face deepened.
“What the…!”
Lee Hyun sensed something was profoundly wrong and tried to withdraw the blade. But it wouldn’t budge as if something inside were holding it.
The woman, with a blade embedded in her heart, began to walk toward Lee Hyun. The blade protruded from her back, yet she seemed unconcerned.
Reaching for him with her newly formed hands, she grabbed Lee Hyun’s face.
“…How intriguing.”
Her bright eyes radiated curiosity.
And as if fascinated, she leaned in closer, pressing her lips to his forehead.
Smack.
In an instant, as if turned to stone, Lee Hyun stood stiffly, unable to move.
All of this transpired in the blink of an eye.
*
-…Ah!
“…”
The chubby boy lying in bed stirred. Half-asleep, the boy was savoring the sweet sensations from the fluffy pillow and cozy blanket.
-Hyun-ah…!
“Umm…”
“Lee Hyun! Your mom said to get up! Are you going to keep being lazy!”
The furious footsteps of someone approaching stomped loudly.
At the command heard right in front of him, the boy jolted awake, springing out of the blanket.
“How old are you and still sleeping in?”
“Uh, uh…?”
The boy let out a confused groan. He turned his gaze around.
The creaking bed, the old ceiling, the slight crack in the window frame. Those landscapes were not just familiar but part of his daily life beyond that.
For some reason, his eyes were shaking violently as if an earthquake had hit.
Sitting up with a start, he turned to the side.
And he was left speechless.
“Mom…?”