Chapter 75

Na Seokgyung being dead wasn’t my business. A bastard who deserved to die simply died—proof that cause and effect really do exist in this world.

The problem was the articles that followed the breaking news.

News │ A New “Grotesque Murder?” Victim Identified as Illegal Guild Master ‘Na ○○’

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∆ The site where Na ○○’s corpse was found. Interview with Inspector Kim Chaea on scene.

Around 4 a.m. on the 18th, in Busan’s Gangseo District, the body of Na ○○, identified in early November as the master of an illegal guild, was discovered.

It was found by a local resident, Han ○○ (61), who was out hiking. Exact cause of death is still unknown, but witnesses claim Na’s corpse was covered in densely inscribed writing.

Han (61) said, “It was horrific. I still can’t get the image out of my head,” and reported suffering mental distress. The Special Response Team and police, who had been tracking Na, have launched an investigation to determine the precise circumstances.

Na (38), known as the head of the “Infinite Guild,” had been under suspicion since early November for running loan-sharking operations, illegal establishments, and occupying Gates unlawfully. His members are currently under investigation.

Letters carved all over the corpse. It was a blatant message that Na Seokgyung had been murdered.

'No matter how deranged Na Seokgyung was, he wouldn’t carve writing all over his own face.'

By the afternoon, the story had spread across the internet, labeled a “grotesque murder” and wrapped in conspiracy theories.

[cafe] Free Board

Title | Why Today’s Grotesque Murder Is Scary as Fuck

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Reasons today’s grotesque murder is scary as fuck:

They copied the words straight from the body. The meaning is shady as hell.

Drive out all evil

Only the good remain

Create paradise

Receive Heaven’s command

At first glance they look like old idioms, but no—they’re just strange phrases.

Still:

Drive out all evil → remove the wicked.

Only the good remain → only the righteous survive.

Create paradise → build a paradise.

Receive Heaven’s command → accept Heaven’s will.

It’s suspicious as hell, and creepy too. And apparently it’s linked to a cult’s doctrine.

Check out the last line of their prayer—it’s identical. Fucking terrifying.

So people are saying the cult killed him and dumped the body....

I stared at my phone, deep in thought. Drive out all evil, only the good remain, create paradise, receive Heaven’s command....

And cult doctrine.

'Fuck. Cheonmyeonggyo.'

What was this timing supposed to be—perfect or fucked? Yesterday I was talking with Ryu Taeyoung about Cheonmyeonggyo, and today evidence drops that they committed a murder?

'Way too damn coincidental.'

But within hours, the whole issue was buried. The original posts that had been scrapped everywhere disappeared, and the scraps vanished one by one.

Comments shifted over time, following the articles’ lead.

Comments

― Believing this kind of conspiracy crap, lmao.

― ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) More than anything, it feels wrong to consume a murder case as entertainment. Don’t care about the writing—I just feel bad for the victim.

― He was an illegal guild master, right? You think he didn’t have enemies? Loan-sharking, illegal dungeon drugs—guy had a laundry list of crimes. Who cares if he died.

― It’s not even confirmed murder. He just turned up dead, and the media used flashy words for clicks.

Any attempt to question the case got drowned out in noise. A few days and it would vanish without a trace.

That’s when I knew. Cheonmyeonggyo was already moving openly.

At quitting time, Do Yehyun called.

—Hyung, are you busy?

“No. You saw the news?”

—Yeah. That ajusshi died.

“Right... though there are too many men old enough for you to call ‘ajusshi.’ I get it. Na Seokgyung’s dead.”

Until morning I’d chalked it up to divine punishment. But if the “divine” here meant Cheonmyeonggyo’s heaven, that was a serious problem.

Word was, Na had been running every kind of exploitation, from forced labor to violence. Was that still weighing on Yehyun?

But what he said next was something else entirely.

—Hyung, why were there prayers written on Na’s body?

“Prayers?”

—Yes. We pray that all evil be driven out, that only the good remain, that paradise be created, and that Heaven’s command be received... That prayer.

“...?”

Had I misheard? How the hell did Yehyun know that prayer?

No way.

I asked, uneasy:

“You a Cheonmyeonggyo believer?”

—Cheonmyeonggyo...?

“Then how do you know that prayer?”

—Customers told me when I worked at the shop. Some of the hyungs and ajusshis went to their services. I never went.

“Customers? What customers tell you that?”

—Mostly VIPs....

What the fuck was this now?

Solve one problem, and the next is already tangled into it. Everything was knotted tighter than shit.

'No wonder Cheonmyeonggyo clung to life all the way to the end in the original.'

Half intrigued, half annoyed, I shifted my phone in hand and sat on the couch.

“Who were these VIPs?”

—I don’t know exactly. But they were the ones who usually rented hunters. Remember what I told you yesterday?

“Yeah. I remember.”

So: VIP customers, renting hunters, and Cheonmyeonggyo.

At this point, one suspicion was unavoidable.

'Were these bastards their funding source?'

Of course cult fucks have shady backing. No wonder Infinite Guild had weirdly generous welfare. They were funneling cult money straight through.

—I don’t really understand what was going on.

“Neither do I. Don’t even know if it has anything to do with me.”

Though later, it definitely would.

In the original, Cheonmyeonggyo was a massive influence. Kwon Taehan had headaches over them. Sung Uijae, famous for his my-way attitude, wanted to crush them. Tae Hyunjin, too.

'I’m interested, but that doesn’t mean I have to throw myself in.'

Thinking coldly, that was the truth.

But humans... you can’t help being curious, can you? A group that swayed three S-ranks, captivated both civilians and Awakened, rented hunters, tied to Infinite Guild, connected to the Special Response Team captain’s little brother—

Of course I was curious.

'A civilian-level cult leader swaying S-ranks....'

If I could just learn how, I’d love to benchmark it. With S-ranks gunning for my head, that kind of leverage could be my lifeline. Whether it was Kwon Taehan returning from the past, or Im Haekyung with his mental powers, I was drawn in.

I didn’t want to be a believer. But a cult leader? That sounded tempting.

—...Hyung?

“Just thinking. Anyway, I’ll tell the police about Na Seokgyung. Don’t worry too much.”

—Okay....

“And forget the prayers, forget anything related to Cheonmyeonggyo. It’s a cult.”

—A cult?

“Yeah.”

Yehyun couldn’t afford to have a foot in every door. Dealing with Im Haekyung’s brainwashing was enough. A cult on top of that?

I kept my tone light.

“Just chalk it up to justice served.”

—Huh?

“Think of it that way. Bastard did wrong, got punished. You feeling regret over Na Seokgyung’s death?”

—No! Not at all.

“Good. You’re with me—if you looked elsewhere, how do you think I’d feel?”

—......

“Not good. Right. I’ll have the cops or Seowon dig up more. You don’t bother. Focus on training.”

At that moment, I noticed Joo Seowon at the kitchen sink with a glass of water.

'He didn’t come down just for water.'

I stared at him lingering there while I wrapped up the call.

—Yeah. I don’t feel anything for Infinite Guild—or Na Seokgyung. Honestly, it’s confusing, but I guess I feel relieved.

“Good. I’d almost have been jealous.”

—...Hyung’s the only one I’ve got.

After the way he pocketed Im Haekyung’s card? Hardly. But I just raised my brows and nodded.

“Right.”

—You at home?

“Yeah. You coming?”

—Yes. On my way.

“Alright. Come safe.”

—Yeah....

We hung up. Seowon was still holding a cup that had to be empty by now. I looked at him a moment, then smiled faintly.

“Seowon.”

“......”

“Your week’s up. What now?”

At that, he set the cup down on the table. Right. Time to hear the secret Seowon had been hiding.

More important to me than Cheonmyeonggyo.