Chapter 90
I made an appointment with Joo-Won to meet in person and hear more about it.
"You know the Person123 Church, right?"
Joo-Won, looking haggard, said while fiddling with his Coffee cup.
I nodded.
"I know it. Did Jiwu fall into that?"
I had seen her participating in the Person123 Church's activities before, but...
I obviously didn't know it was this serious. Or maybe it had gradually gotten worse since then.
Joo-Won began to explain.
"They say the Person123 Church has various denominations, or whatever you call them. Aside from the ones people generally know about..."
To summarize his explanation:
I didn't know much about religion, but anyway, the Person123 Church wasn't unified into one; it had various types, like denominations or something.
Among them, the largest denomination Worldwide was the Salvation Church, officially named the Humanity Salvation Hope Society.
It was the Person123 Church that frequently appeared on the news and was popularly known by the public.
However, aside from this Salvation Church, many denominations related to the Person123 Church had sprung up like mushrooms after rain in the country...
If the Salvation Church, which could be considered the major branch of the Person123 Church, had a lighthearted feel like a fan club cheering for Person123 rather than a religion.
Among the other minor denominations, there were strange organizations that took things even further.
In short, they were a Cult.
"...You know how people join the Person123 Church like it's a trend these days. At first, Jiwu was just lightly involved like that. Sometimes I even tagged along to their gatherings.
But at some point, she seemed to start falling too deeply into it. She started talking to me about this weird organization called the 'Cheonin Church'..."
Cheonin Church.
That was the name of the Cult Organization Jiwu had fallen into.
"They say the Cult Leader here is Person123's Representative or whatever... It's nonsense, right? Anyone can see it's a Cult."
"Right."
Where did my Representative pop up from without me even knowing?
It was absurd.
The rest of the story was as one might guess.
Joo-Won tried to stop and persuade Jiwu, but she wouldn't listen, and at some point, they completely lost contact.
He went to her apartment, but it was empty, so he contacted her other friends and Family, but they couldn't reach her either.
"Exactly when did you lose contact?"
"It's been almost a week since we completely lost touch."
"What about University? Ah, is it vacation right now...?"
"Yeah."
"Did you file a Missing Person Report with the Police?"
Joo-Won sighed.
"I did. But they said her physical safety was confirmed."
"You mean she answered the Police's call?"
"Yeah... Jiwu told them she's safe right now and that she wants people to stop contacting her. So the Police can't investigate it as a Missing Person Case..."
If the person could be contacted without any issues, it wasn't a Missing Person Case.
He begged the Police to just tell him where Jiwu was right now, but they said they couldn't disclose that either.
Because if the person themselves refused, the Police had no authority to carelessly share their location or address information with others.
It wasn't a runaway teen; it was an adult acting on her own free will.
I looked at the chat logs with Jiwu that Joo-Won showed me.
Joo-Won trying to stop her, telling her it was a Cult and to snap out of it, and Jiwu denying it. An argument.
They kept fighting like that... until a few days ago, when she sent a final message saying she was sick of it and not to contact her anymore, and stopped replying.
"Even if the Police got in touch with her, it's driving me crazy. What if Jiwu is in some kind of danger? No matter what, she's not the type to just cut off all contact like this..."
That was true.
The Jiwu I knew was a very bright person, so for her to get involved with a Cult and cut off contact... what in the world was going on?
"...I'm seriously considering joining the Cheonin Church myself right now. Maybe I could find her then."
"Joo-Won, don't do that. I don't think that's a good idea."
I stopped him.
Just from the explanation, it wasn't an organization of Normal Persons, and it could be dangerous.
All I could do was listen to Joo-Won's lamentations and tell him to wait a bit longer instead of doing anything dangerous for now.
* * *
After returning home, I looked up what the Cheonin Church was.
When I searched the internet, they actually had an official website.
- Person123's Representative, Cult Leader Shin Du-Rang, will guide you on the righteous path.
"Hah."
I scrolled down with my mouse and read the church's introduction, which made me scoff right from the start.
- The fate of the World currently rests solely on Person123, and Cult Leader Shin Du-Rang is the Sole Representative personally appointed by The One.
- The people of the World are foolishly unaware. In the end, the World will be destroyed, and only those with the deepest faith in The One will be saved. Now is the Time of Trial, where Person123 separates the True Believers.
- When the Time of Trial ends, the Day of Fall and Salvation will finally begin. Just as the Tower proposed the Ark on the 6th Floor, most non-believers will eventually die and fall into Monsters. Conversely, a minority of Believers will receive The One's salvation.
- There is not much time left. Do you wish to become one of the minority of Believers? Cult Leader Shin Du-Rang, The One's Sole Representative, will guide you on the righteous path...
.
.
.
A blatantly Cult-like, lengthy introduction.
The funny thing was that they were even bringing up the recent Ark Incident. Did they update this diligently?
There was also contact information at the bottom of the homepage.
I pondered for a moment.
[What should I do...]
The thought I had right now was...
To personally infiltrate this place called the Cheonin Church.
It was a Cult Organization selling my name and impersonating my Representative.
What if Jiwu really was in some kind of dangerous situation?
I felt I should at least check where she was and what she was doing.
Anyway, I couldn't say it was completely unrelated to me, and I felt sorry for Joo-Won...
My deliberation was short.
I dialed the contact number on the homepage.
The call connected, and a voice with a customer service tone came through the Speakerphone.
"Hello? Yes, I'm calling after reading the introduction on your homepage..."
* * *
I set up an appointment with the Cheonin Church people for the very next day and met them at a cafe.
"Nice to meet you. You're interested in joining our Cheonin Church?"
Two people showed up.
One was a girl around my age who looked like a University student, and the other was an older middle-aged Woman.
As with all Cult proselytizing, they looked like perfectly normal people on the outside.
"...If I join, can I really be directly saved by Person123?"
The Woman answered with a bright smile.
"Of course. The One never turns away the Believers who truly believe in Him."
"Is the Cult Leader of the Cheonin Church really His Representative?"
I asked that on purpose.
I thought showing too much belief from the start might arouse suspicion.
The Woman clasped her hands tightly and nodded.
"Yes, our Cult Leader is truly Person123's Representative. The One even proclaimed it Himself."
"Person123 proclaimed it Himself?"
What kind of surprising nonsense was this?
The Woman confidently continued her drivel.
"Yes! Only the Cult Leader and the High Priests have met The One in person."
"...So you haven't seen Him yourself?"
"I'm just an Ordinary Believer. But if Ordinary Believers accumulate more holy deeds and become High Priests who assist the Cult Leader most closely, they can enjoy the honor of meeting Person123 in person."
What a spectacle.
The Woman continued to explain the Cheonin Church.
How to receive true salvation, how there wasn't much time left to be saved, and how it was fate that helped me learn about the Cheonin Church even now.
I suppressed a sigh, nodded, and reacted as if I was gradually being influenced.
"...So, what do you think is the best way for us to show our faith to Person123?"
"Hmm... What is it? Prayer?"
"Of course, praying with a heart that truly believes and follows Him is important. But putting it into action is just as important."
What was she talking about?
"As I mentioned, the destruction of this World is already decided. If so, do we need material things anymore?"
"No."
"That's right, we don't! So if you truly believe in His salvation, there's no need to obsess over worldly things. Proving that you've let go of that obsession is the Proof of Faith. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand perfectly."
I thought the build-up was long.
In the end, it was a demand to hand over money.
"To join the Cheonin Church, you must start with a very small proof. So, an initiation fee of 300,000 won is required."
300,000 won.
I could just pay the money, but...
"If I join, can I meet the Cult Leader right away?"
The Woman shook her head.
"After joining, a Probationary Period is required to receive baptism directly from the Cult Leader."
"You mean I can't meet him right away?"
Why was it so strict? For a Cult Leader.
When I looked a bit reluctant, the Woman quickly spoke.
"Our Cheonin Church periodically holds something called the 'Chancheonje', a sacred event where all Ordinary Believers gather to receive the Cult Leader's guidance."
Chancheonje?
What a grandiose name.
"All the Cheonin Church Believers gather?"
"Yes! At this time, Prospective Believers who have completed their three-month Probationary Period also receive baptism directly from the Cult Leader and are promoted to Official Believers. The cycle for this Chancheonje is also three months. And as it happens, the next Chancheonje is just a few days away.
So if you join now, you can participate in the next Chancheonje right away. You can be promoted to an Official Believer as soon as your Probationary Period ends."
I thought about it.
An event where all the Believers gathered.
Then wouldn't I be able to check on Jiwu's whereabouts there?
"Where is this Chancheonje held?"
"At our Cheonin Church's Holy Land. You can only go there after completing the Probationary Period."
They didn't seem to have any intention of carelessly revealing the location.
Well, having a Probationary Period was probably a sort of verification process.
Since guys doing shady things wouldn't just accept anyone.
I didn't ask further about the location and spoke earnestly.
"Didn't you say there isn't much time left for salvation? I can pay more money, so can't I participate in the Chancheonje right away too?"
"Ah... I'm sorry, but this is determined by church law."
The Woman glanced at the middle-aged Woman next to her.
When the middle-aged Woman shook her head, the Woman spoke apologetically.
"I'm sorry. Still, you don't need to be so impatient. Participating in the next Chancheonje three months later won't be too late at all."
"When exactly is that?"
"Ah... Just a moment."
The Woman checked the date on her phone and replied.
"It's April 16th."
"Then that's almost 100 days? That means I have to wait 10 days more than three months, so does that mean this upcoming Chancheonje is held in about 10 days?"
"Yes, yes. That's right."
"Is there really no way to participate then?"
"I'm sorry. There's no way to shorten the Probationary Period..."
10 days later.
Anyway, to maintain contact with them for now, I paid the initiation fee. 300,000 won.
"I'm glad you made a wise choice. Now, Brother, you too stand at the starting point toward true salvation."
The Woman tightly grabbed my hands with both of hers and prayed briefly.
Calling me Brother...
After that, I even underwent a simple background check.
I introduced myself with my name and age, and for my occupation, I said I had dropped out of University and was currently working part-time.
"It was really nice meeting you today, Brother. Then I'll see you again soon."
I agreed to meet them again soon and parted ways with the two.
After returning home, I thought about what to do...
[Person123: Billon, could you possibly get me something like a Tracking Device?]
I contacted Billon.
A reply came immediately.
[Chicken Sandwich: Of course. What kind exactly do you want?]
Billon agreed without asking any questions.
I mentioned a Tracking Device that could be secretly attached to a person, like in a spy movie.
[Chicken Sandwich: I see. If you want to track a single person, I can give you a Hacking Tool that hacks their phone entirely. You can, of course, check the target's GPS information as well.]
[Person123: Then please get me that. Is it possible within a week?]
[Chicken Sandwich: Of course.]
I had no intention of waiting several months to check out this Chancheonje.
Then what should I do?
Couldn't I just attach a Tracking Device to a Cheonin Church Believer?
Since they said it was an event where all Believers participated, everyone would be going there for this upcoming Chancheonje too.
It was a simple idea to attach a Tracking Device and follow them.
I received the Hacking Tool Billon promised through the Magic Stone Courier just a day later.
[Chicken Sandwich: You just need to connect it to the charging port of the target phone you want to hack.]
Listening to Billon's explanation, he said I could completely secure the target phone's permissions just by connecting it for exactly 3 seconds and pulling it out. Scary.
Another day passed.
For the first time in my life, I headed out to do religious activities.
And as a Believer of a Cult Organization selling my name, at that.
"Welcome! Over here."
I met up with the Woman who proselytized me again and headed somewhere.
This Woman's name was Lee Hye-Ri, and she was a year younger than me, but I couldn't care less about those things.
Anyway, the place we headed to was surprisingly not a strange location. It was a Study Cafe.
I had imagined an image of fanatics going wild in some pitch-black place... but it wasn't like that.
They just rented a Study Room in a Study Cafe, introduced themselves to people they were meeting for the first time, and chatted while laughing. That was it.
Was it because I had just joined?
I figured they were drawing people in by gradually breaking down their guard like this.
Anyway, it wasn't a particularly difficult task.
Slipping the Hacking Tool into Lee Hye-Ri's phone, which she had left defenselessly on the table, and retrieving it.
We ate, drank Coffee, and after all the activities were over, I returned home and checked.
"Oh, it worked."
After connecting the other tool I received along with the Hacking Tool to my phone as explained.
I was able to look clearly into Lee Hye-Ri's phone as if it were my own.
I checked all sorts of chats and messages.
Looking at the contents... this Woman named Lee Hye-Ri was also unusually engrossed in the Cult.
I was able to get all the necessary information.
The exact date this Chancheonje was being held was January 15th. Just 5 days away.
And as expected, Lee Hye-Ri also seemed to be going to the church's Headquarters to participate.
And so, 5 days passed.
I checked the Real-time Location Information of Lee Hye-Ri, who had started moving since early dawn.
Looking at her route... she was leaving the Seoul Metropolitan Area and heading down toward Chungcheong-do.
Once Lee Hye-Ri-Ri arrived, I planned to head there right away too.
I would go find Jiwu and confirm her safety.
I hadn't firmly decided what to do after that yet.
Lee Hye-Ri's location stopped in the middle of a mountainous area.
The region was Boeun-gun in Chungcheong-do.
It seemed she had arrived at the destination.
Dressed in a hat, mask, and even a Hood pulled over my head, I activated the Warp Device.
Let's see.
What these Cult bastards are doing over there.