LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 50
About 100m away from the temporary tent.
Demon Guild players standing guard were in a standoff with people wearing white coats.
The white coats of the Baek Myung Church cultists that I had seen before at the Guro-gu Gate.
There were roughly thirty of them.
Although no battle had broken out, it was a scene where a strange tension could be felt.
If it weren’t for the lighting set up by the Demon Guild, it would have been a dark night where they couldn’t even distinguish each other.
What reasons could they have for coming here at this late hour?
“Oh my, what brings you distinguished folks here at this late hour?”
Choi Seo-jin, with his characteristically brash tone, slowly stepped forward.
Then, a man quietly walked out from among those wearing white coats.
He looked back and forth between me and Choi Seo-jin. And he politely bowed and greeted us.
“Pleased to meet you, Team Leader Choi Seo-jin. I am Shim Jin-gyu, the head of the Busan parish of the Baek Myung Church. I apologize for suddenly visiting at this late hour. We didn’t come with ill intentions, so we would appreciate it if you could withdraw your hostility.”
“Trespassing on someone else’s operation area and saying you don’t have ill intentions… Isn’t there a contradiction in your words?”
“We committed this rudeness to prevent a possible disaster. We will offer our deep apologies for that part.”
“If all problems could be solved with words, why would wars exist? Don’t you agree, Pope Kim?”
“I certainly do.”
I nodded and quietly observed that man and the Baek Myung Church followers behind him.
Last time, they were a group from which faint mana could be felt, but now, clear divine power could be felt from them.
And that was from all thirty of them.
Moreover, the individual levels were not mediocre either. Considering that divine power had not been open for long, it was no exaggeration to say that each individual possessed quite devout faith.
Perhaps sensing my gaze?
Shim Jin-gyu looked at me and smiled softly.
“It is truly fortunate that the sect leader of the Limen Church seems to have resolved the disaster.”
“This person is not the sect leader, but the Pope. Mind your language, pagan. You are not someone who can casually converse with him.”
“Luna.”
“You know? I don’t really like guys who look so pale and sickly.”
Luna was already wearing plate armor again.
Ready to fight at any moment. That meant she was also wary of the Baek Myung Church followers.
I patted Luna’s back a few times, and then spoke to Shim Jin-gyu in a low voice.
“What do you mean by a possible disaster?”
“I believe the Pope has already recognized it. One of our visionaries detected a divinity from another world trying to invade Earth. Therefore, the head of the grand parish urgently dispatched us here.”
At those words, Team Leader Choi smiled sarcastically and said,
“Foreseeing sudden gates and foreseeing divinities from other worlds. As rumored, the divine powers of the Baek Myung Church seem quite extraordinary.”
“It’s not divine powers, but holy power, Team Leader Choi Seo-jin. The one we serve does not wish for innocent humanity to suffer. That is why He has granted us such powers of foresight.”
“You say you serve such a righteous cause, yet you bring troops and hold a show of force?”
“We were merely assuming the worst-case scenario.”
“Parish head, you don’t seem to know this, but the only ones allowed to enter our guild’s operation site are our guild’s guests. And you people are not our guild’s guests. Do you know what that means?”
Kwaaaaang!
Red mana exploded from Choi Seo-jin’s body.
It was mana so rough and violent that it was hard to see him as an injured person.
No matter how much healing I did for him, it was truly a monstrous recovery power.
“I suppose your so-called visionaries also foresaw that I would get angry.”
The honorifics quickly disappeared, replaced by hostility.
It was similar to the expression of a beast whose territory had been invaded.
Team Leader Choi gathered mana as if he would extend his fist at any moment.
An ordinary person would have been terrified, but that guy named Shim Jin-gyu didn’t seem to be a pushover either.
“Judging from Team Leader Choi Seo-jin’s condition, I believe you would have experienced something unpleasant if the Pope of the Limen Church had not arrived in time.”
“So?”
“We dispatched troops in advance to prepare for the rampage of the Abyss Dungeon, but isn’t this something that should be praised instead? What do you think, Team Leader Kim Dong-shik of the Ministry of Ability Management?”
Then, Team Leader Kim, who was waiting a slight distance away, answered with an awkward expression.
“…There are no legal issues. It is also a place designated as an Abyss Dungeon, and above all, they did not enter the dungeon.”
Upon hearing those words, Team Leader Choi Seo-jin growled roughly and said while glaring at Shim Jin-gyu,
“If you’ve confirmed that the Abyss Dungeon has disappeared, can’t you just shut up and leave?”
“We simply wanted to have a conversation with you.”
“Bullshit. What kind of grand words do you want to spout while confronting our kids? What does Pope Kim think?”
I slowly nodded at Team Leader Choi’s words and replied,
“Let’s hear them out and then decide?”
“Khukhukhu. If it’s nonsense, I’ll plant that parasite-like bastard’s head into the ground.”
“Uh, you’ll leave us out of that, right?”
“Good things should be shared. The Limen Church and the Demon Guild are practically a community bound by fate, aren’t we!”
“Well… yes.”
“Alright. It seems their business is with Pope Kim, so I’ll step aside for a moment. If I sense anything strange, I’ll turn them into pulp.”
As expected, Team Leader Choi also noticed that their business was with me.
Nevertheless, the fact that he’s doing this much for us means he wants to support us that much.
Team Leader Choi lightly clenched and unclenched his fist, and stepped back for a moment, and I slowly approached Shim Jin-gyu with Luna.
Shim Jin-gyu still spoke to me in a soft voice.
“The head of the grand parish is very interested in the Pope.”
“Is this head of the grand parish a young beauty by any chance?”
“That’s not the case, but she is more devout and wise than anyone…”
“Well, our church is not very favorable towards pagans, so I’ll have to decline the interest.”
“I see. That’s a pity.”
“I’ve been unable to sleep properly for two days, so I’m sensitive.”
I lightly stretched my neck and then smiled at Shim Jin-gyu.
“So quickly get to the point and get lost. Pagans.”
I don’t believe these guys really came here for the sake of other people.
They knew there was a divinity from another world in this Abyss Dungeon.
In other words, the Baek Myung Church originally came here, targeting the divinity from another world.
Just like last time at the Guro-gu Gate, we always end up meeting these guys in unpleasant places.
So how can I have a favorable impression of them?
Despite my clear hostility, Shim Jin-gyu smiled softly.
And he politely bowed again and said,
“The head of the grand parish wishes to meet you in the near future.”
“Me? Why?”
“The head of the grand parish also wishes to arrange a meeting with the religious leaders of the four major religious orders, including the Limen Church, Protestantism, Buddhism, Catholicism, and Won Buddhism.” (TN: Won Buddhism is the Korean version of Buddhism)
These Baek Myung Church bastards.
They were quiet for a while, but what the hell are they up to?
The morning after the long night had passed.
As soon as morning came, quite sizeable news began to be reported all at once.
And those news reports were all about the Baek Myung Church.
-National Awakeners Alliance signs business agreement with the emerging religion
-Players of the holy attribute who have adopted
The Baek Myung Church had perfectly partnered up with the National Guilds Alliance.
They seemed quiet lately, so I had forgotten about them for a while, but they hadn’t been idle.
It seems they had been in contact with the National Guilds Alliance side under the surface.
Honestly, I didn’t expect the two to openly partner up like this.
Maybe it was the logic that the enemy of an enemy is a friend?
“They really went all out.”
I sighed and shook my head.
This place is currently the Pope’s office at the Limen Church temple.
Both the story that guy Shim Jin-gyu told last night and the story of the Baek Myung Church and the National Guilds Alliance reported this morning.
There was a need to discuss future plans.
There were a total of five people gathered here, including myself.
Me, Leo, Luna, Min-soo, and finally.
“Since we’re in the same boat, it’s only right that we overcome this together. Huhuhu.”
“You’re injured, so you should rest a bit.”
“If I eat a hearty meal, I’ll recover quickly. And I’ve made up my mind to become the temple’s guard dog from now on, so I need to familiarize myself in advance.”
Also present was the man who volunteered to be the temple’s guard dog, Choi Seo-jin.
“I don’t recall asking you to be a guard dog…”
“Then should I really be your pet dog?”
“No, really, why do you keep mentioning dogs?”
“Dogs are loyal animals. They don’t betray their master.”
“…This is really making me dizzy. Let’s just be friends. Not dogs, but friends.”
“Friends! The perfect expression. The Demon Guild will strive to be a friend that the Limen Church won’t be ashamed of from now on.”
I’m already feeling troubled, but Team Leader Choi is making me feel even more troubled.
Originally, I was planning to wait and see about the alliance with the Demon Guild.
So I was planning to postpone it under the pretext that other members opposed it, but Leo, Luna, and even Min-soo actively supported the alliance with the Demon Guild.
I could understand others having a favorable impression of Team Leader Choi, but Min-soo was unexpected.
But I soon realized the reason why Min-soo actively supported the alliance.
“With the help of the Demon Guild, we’ll be able to distribute the holy stone bracelets a bit more smoothly.”
“Brother Min-soo. What does distribution have to do with the Demon Guild?”
“The parent company of the Demon Guild is…”
Around the time Min-soo was about to fluently continue his explanation, Team Leader Choi quietly raised his hand and said,
“It’s customary to introduce oneself. Min-soo. I’ll continue the explanation.”
“Understood, Team Leader Choi.”
Team Leader Choi continued Min-soo’s words with a smirk.
“I’m not sure what you’re trying to distribute, but as long as it’s not illegal products like drugs, we can provide assistance. Have you heard of the Yusun Group by any chance?”
“I know. They’re famous for electronics, right?”
Yusun Group.
I remember it as one of the top five chaebol in the business world.
“Yusun Electronics is also an affiliate of the group, so you could say that. Anyway, the Yusun Group is also quite well-known in the distribution sector. One of my younger brothers is the CEO of Yusun Distribution, so I’ll look into it.”
“Ah, your younger brother is the CEO… Wait a minute. Yusun Group, wasn’t it a chaebol?”
“That’s right.”
“…Oh my, don’t tell me.”
“What you’re thinking is correct. Haha! It’s a bit embarrassing.”
…So, this muscular beast of a man is saying he’s the son of a chaebol family?
While I was feeling confused, Min-soo quietly whispered in my ear.
“Team Leader Choi Seo-jin is a 4th generation chaebol. That’s the reason the Demon Guild can survive without belonging to the National Guilds Alliance. Selected as the No. 1 chaebol 4th generation who has killed the most people in the world by force…”
“Please don’t select something like that!”
Wow, but I’m really getting dizzy. Have I been prejudiced all this time? Being a 4th generation chaebol is really unexpected.
As I was feeling confused, Team Leader Choi laughed heartily and said,
“I can’t say I didn’t benefit from my parents, but the Demon Guild is something I and my kids directly built. At least don’t misunderstand that.”
“Ah, I’m not misunderstanding that.”
I always thought he was definitely skilled from the beginning.
I’m just surprised by the unexpected background.
A person who seemed to have lived like a natural-born savage turned out to be a diamond spoon; how shocking of a twist is this?
It seems we’ll be getting help from an unexpected place.
New believers are new believers, but we urgently need a stable source of funds to operate the church.
I guarantee that with the added help of a large corporation, the holy stone bracelets will truly become a mega-hit product.
I cleared my throat and then nodded and said,
“Alright. Let’s discuss the details properly later.”
“Anytime is fine.”
“Then shall we slowly start the meeting in earnest?”
The reason I gathered people like this today.
“The Baek Myung Church has proposed to us the formation of a consultative body related to divine power. I would like to discuss this with you.”
It was to discuss matters related to the Baek Myung Church.
To be exact,
“I intend to designate the Baek Myung Church as an enemy of the Limen church.”