Chapter 63 All sinners shall repent!

I found myself looking around for no reason. I’m not going to end up becoming a thief, am I?

It wasn’t like I was committing a crime, but I felt strangely nervous.

I looked down at the entrance again.

’Could it be a dungeon? The info window isn’t popping up, so probably not. Who made this place? A hidden piece?’

I had never seen a hidden piece like this before. I took a moment to catch my breath, then went down.

Thump-thump.

I descended the cold stone steps. The door closed by itself with a sound.

This is a horror story cliché.

’What could happen?’

Of all places, this was under the Lord’s statue. It felt completely bizarre.

The stone steps looked quite old, and there were cloths or curtains hanging on every wall, though I couldn’t tell which. It looked about a hundred years old.

When I went down, a large cavern appeared.

’It’s cleaner inside than I thought?’

It was so clean it felt somewhat empty. However, paths extended in all directions. I thought it was some kind of ant nest.

’Which way should I go?’

A total of four passages were visible. I needed to explore to figure out where this place was.

I surveyed my surroundings, trying to find where a human presence was strongest.

’This way.’

When I listened closely to the path on the far right, I heard what sounded like human voices echoing.

I advanced in that direction. As I stealthily got closer, the human presence grew stronger.

Soon, the sound changed to singing, like a hymn.

’Hymns in a place like this underground?’

Tilting my head, I passed through the entire passage. I peeked inside, hidden by a curtain.

"The Lord shall descend, and all sinners shall repent!"

"Those Who Recite Sins, Heavenly Divine Punishment Agents! The world shall be submerged in a black flood, and angels shall descend from the Outer Cosmos!"

I let out a hollow laugh. This is the hideout of Those Who Recite Sins, isn’t it?

Should I call it a church? It’s a cult, so I don’t even want to give it the name ’church’.

’Hmm? What’s that corpse?’

Surprisingly, a corpse was hanging from the ceiling where the hymns were being sung.

It was a middle-aged man wearing what looked like expensive clothes, but he was so covered in blood that I couldn’t tell who he was.

The cult members all looked up at the corpse and said in unison:

"We recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins, we recite sins!"

Fuck, I’m going to go insane.

I was inwardly horrified when I heard footsteps behind me. Fuck, I’m going to get caught like this!

’Ugh, I’ll hide here.’

I hid behind a curtain hanging on the wall. Even if I hid here, if someone looked carefully, they’d eventually see my feet.

"Hmm...."

One of the believers was staring at where I was. Should I silence them? Just as I thought that.

Suddenly, a voice came from where the hymns were being sung.

"Brother, have you arrived now?"

"I apologize, my stomach hurt...."

"The Lord has forgiven you. Come and sing with us."

"Yes, Pastor."

The person who seemed to be the pastor and the believer went inside. I was speechless for a moment.

Did you not see me? Or are you just pretending not to, gritting your teeth?

’That’s strange. Ah... my title!’

The epic-grade title, Presence Concealment.

A stealth-exclusive effect that prevents detection by enemies below my level.

I can’t believe this would shine here. Wow, its performance is definitely reliable!

’This could be fun if I play it right, couldn’t it? It means they won’t know even if I follow right behind them, as long as they don’t see me, right? Infiltration mission, start! Assassin-o!’

I licked my lips and turned my body towards another direction. Just in time, a quest popped up.

『Side Quest - Lucian Creed』

◆Infiltration, You Can’t Stop This

-Objective: Explore the hideout of Those Who Recite Sins and enter the archives.

-Reward: Dexterity +3, Mental Immunity Potion x2

The reward was unusual. Stats aside, a Mental Immunity Potion?

’It’s a potion that grants immunity to mental interference itself for 1 hour.’

Anyway, it would be useful. It would also sell for quite a bit.

I began my exploration.

I skipped the singing area and wandered through the other places.

I wanted to get anything useful, even a single line of information.

’It’ll take an insane amount of time to search this ant nest-like place, but let’s do it. It’s worth it, isn’t it?’

This is a cult’s hideout, no less. If I raid it, something’s bound to come out.

So I kept moving around. After wandering for a long time, I realized something.

The paths I saw in the cavern.

Each of those paths had its own concept.

Some areas were decorated as worship halls or meeting places, while others were used as dining halls, and there were also places where cult members rested or slept.

Moreover, the last path was blocked by an iron door, making it impossible to enter.

Instinctively, I sensed that something was beyond it.

’Is the archives beyond this?’

The problem was I couldn’t open it and go in. It looked like a really shady place, the kind where you’d find a conspiracy if you raided it, but it was blocked.

But if I broke in, it would cause a commotion. If I messed up, I might provoke all of Those Who Recite Sins.

’Besides, the cult leader might find out someone’s snooping around.’

According to the information I’d gathered previously, the cult leader was in this Weaverpool Territory.

No matter how strong I was, I couldn’t take on the entire cult with him alone.

’And besides, this is a stealth action now, hehe.’

I tried to stay calm. First, I went back to wandering around.

Then I spotted the pastor I’d seen earlier, wandering alone.

’Oh, that direction is where the believers sleep. No way?’

The pastor cleared his throat for no reason and headed somewhere. I followed right behind him.

My breathing should have been audible, but this guy was walking as if no one was there, like a lie.

’Fuck, this is kind of funny, doing this. Crazy, I’m right behind him.’

Following the pastor, my prediction was correct. It was even a private room.

The pastor knocked on the door.

"Sister, are you there?"

There was no answer. The pastor immediately smiled like a snake.

"Looks like the drug worked well."

He grabbed the doorknob and twisted it.

’He’s trying to screw a sleeping woman. Fucking bastard.’

Somehow, the picture became clear. These bastards really weren’t creative.

How are they all like this?

Clunk, creak.

I followed the pastor directly into the room. I might end up watching someone else’s unexpected sex like this, but...

I’m not interested unless I’m the one doing the ’eating’, you see.

Inside, a blanket was spread out, and a female believer was sleeping. She was completely defenseless.

The moment the pastor was about to take off his pants, I put my sword to his neck.

"Alright, that’s enough!"

"Gah! What?! When did you get here? Who are you?!"

"I have some questions for you. I’d appreciate it if you answered truthfully."

"Who the fuck are you, you bastard?!"

Wham!

I delivered a calf kick. He couldn’t withstand it and collapsed.

I kicked him lightly so his leg wouldn’t break. And he still collapsed?

First, I struck the back of his head with the edge of my hand.

"I’ll ask the questions, and you’ll answer. Understand?"

"Y-yes...!"

"Is this the hideout of Those Who Recite Sins?"

"Y-yes. Are you an inspector?"

"I’m someone higher than that."

I bluffed. The pastor’s face was a sight to behold.

His eyes widened like a low-ranking demon encountering Michael in hell.

"Th-this is the Weaverpool Branch...!"

"A branch? Is there a separate main base?"

"Yes."

He said that and then shut his mouth. I sighed and grabbed him by the collar.

"You need to tell me where the main base is too, you bastard. Only then can I let you go after we’re done talking, right?"

I coaxed him sweetly. The pastor licked his lips.

"I don’t know where the main base is either. Even if I look like this, I’m just a low-ranking member!"

"Then let me ask. Why is there a place like this right under the Weaverpool Territory? Who made it?"

"This is one of the underground passages that has existed since the past. We just renovated it."

Underground passages, of course, it had to be that. Every territory is bound to have underground passages.

Still, they hid it very discreetly.

"There was also a place blocked by an iron door earlier. Where is that?"

"...The archives."

"The archives?"

"It’s mainly where documents are kept, and there’s a safe too. No one can enter there. Not even me!"

"You sound like you’re lying."

"It’s true, really! I swear!"

This bastard really seemed like a low-ranking member. Of all people, why did I have to catch someone like this?

He grovelled to me.

"I’ve told you everything I know, please let me go. Release me!"

"One last thing. You have a cult leader, right? Is that bastard here?"

"Yes, he doesn’t appear often, but he usually shows up at night."

"Alright, you’ve worked hard. I’ll let you go."

I took half a step back. Then the pastor smiled, adjusted his pants, and tried to get up.

Slash!

[You defeated an enemy!]

[You obtained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]

I immediately cut off his neck. The pastor, who fell spewing blood like a fountain, turned into light and disappeared.

"I’m releasing you from that disgusting life."

Leaving him behind, I briefly looked at the female believer.

She was a plain-looking woman with small breasts.

Even that counts as a woman, huh.

Leaving a scoff behind, I returned to where the iron door was earlier.

’The problem is here.’

Fearing someone might come, I hid behind the curtain and glared at the iron door.

Step, step!

As I was wondering how to open it, someone approached. I subtly peeked and saw a pastor, half-bald, passing me and heading towards the iron door.

"My Lord, descend into my heart."

Surprisingly, the pastor placed his hand on the door and began injecting black energy.

’Is that Kahlum?’

It looked like Kahlum at first glance. The pastor easily opened the door and went inside.

That pastor, he’s not a low-ranking member.

I hastily followed him in. Inside, there were indeed many documents.

Calling it the archives was no exaggeration.

There was even a huge safe visible. What could be in there?

’If there’s just gold, silver, and treasures, I could live a life of leisure forever, couldn’t I?’

The pastor, looking around, muttered to himself as if troubled.

"Ah, I can’t remember. Where did I put the spare Kahlum...."

"I don’t know about Kahlum, but I’m right here."

I put my sword to his neck. The pastor flinched and froze.

"Alright, let’s begin the questions. I ask, and you answer. Easy, right?"

"Y-you? Right... I understand."

I asked a few questions. A Q&A ensued. But it was disappointing.

He was no different from the previous pastor. Except for confirming that this place was the archives.

"Well, it’s fine. The things here will serve as information or evidence anyway."

"H-hey. You’re messing with the wrong people right now."

What the hell is this nonsense? Unless this cult holds state power, they wouldn’t be saying something like this.

The pastor trembled, yet his lips curled into a sneer.

"We, Those Who Recite Sins, have already grown too large. What can a mere mercenary like you do? And alone at that?"

He seemed to be mistaking me for a mercenary. What kind of misunderstanding is this?

I grinned and retorted.

"Of course I can. If I want to, I can even kill an evil god."

"What?!"

"Because I’m the Debauched Hero."

Thrust!

This time, I stabbed the pastor in the neck, killing him.

[You defeated an enemy!]

[You obtained 3000 Collector Points (CP)!]

The pastor collapsed with a gurgling sound. He turned into light and disappeared.

I immediately began to raid everything in the archives.

Documents, materials that would serve as evidence—I swept them all into my ring.

Among them were several Kahlum encased in iron cases.

Finally, I stood before the safe.

"It doesn’t look like it’ll open easily. Anyway, you can’t escape me either."

I said, snapping my fingers.

"I am the inescapable Hero!"

Even the safe went into my ring. Now I’ll be super rich, won’t I?

However, I didn’t have time to examine them.

I headed outside. Let’s get out of here quickly!