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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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“It’s too soon.”
Ha-yeon tilted her head at Jin-seo’s words.
Too soon? What did she mean? They had such clear evidence.
“Jin-seo, you drank the holy water too, so you know, right? The reason the Truth Cult has grown so rapidly, and the reason your parents are so deeply engrossed in it, is definitely because of that holy water.”
“I agree that’s highly likely. But we don’t have definitive proof yet.”
Ha-yeon believed they did have proof. But Jin-seo disagreed.
“You said you would report this to Enforcer Kwon. How would you even report it?”
“Well, I’d say the Truth Cult is using the holy water to lure in followers…”
“What if the holy water isn’t the cause?”
Ha-yeon didn’t understand Jin-seo’s question. Hadn’t they just experienced the effects of the holy water firsthand?
“Maybe the holy water is just a distraction, and they’re actually using magic or superpowers on the followers?”
Jin-seo pointed out a possibility Ha-yeon had overlooked.
Drinking the holy water caused hallucinations and euphoria. That much was certain.
However, it wasn’t 100% certain that the holy water was the cause. The ritual of drinking the holy water could be just a part of a larger process, with magic or superpowers involved behind the scenes.
“If that’s the case, even if we report the holy water as suspicious… in the worst-case scenario, the police could investigate and find nothing wrong. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s true, but… in that case, they could investigate the use of magic or superpowers-”
“Enforcer Kwon said the police don’t investigate based on suspicion alone. And even if they did investigate, what if the cult has already hidden any potential evidence? What happens then?”
Once investigated, the Truth Cult would be even more thorough in hiding evidence. Any further investigations would be unlikely to uncover anything illegal.
Ha-yeon, as an Enforcer, thought Jin-seo was worried about that.
However, Jin-seo, as an ordinary citizen, had different concerns.
“If… if the Truth Cult gets away with it, they’ll definitely try to find out who reported them. Only followers drink the holy water. And if they find out I involved the Enforcers…”
“Even the Truth Cult can’t access internal police investigation files.”
“No, you saw how deeply my parents are involved. What if they’ve lured in someone within the police? Then it wouldn’t be difficult to identify the informant.”
If that happened, the Truth Cult would undoubtedly retaliate. This was a group that had harassed Kwon Tae-ho’s office relentlessly over a single video.
Furthermore, Jin-seo’s parents were deeply involved. Jin-seo herself could run away, but her parents couldn’t, or rather, wouldn’t.
“So, you’re afraid of retaliation if the investigation goes nowhere.”
“I want to save my parents as soon as possible. But to do that, we need solid evidence to take down the Truth Cult in one fell swoop.”
Ha-yeon couldn’t argue with Jin-seo, who was trying to dissuade her out of concern for her parents.
It wasn’t just that Jin-seo’s argument made sense, but also that Ha-yeon was still inexperienced as an Enforcer.
If Kwon Tae-ho were here, he would have asserted his own opinion. Of course, only if he deemed it necessary.
What about Yoo Seol? She would have likely persuaded Jin-seo with a more logical argument.
She would have appealed to the reasonable possibility that the holy water was the cause, or reassured Jin-seo about protective measures for her parents during the investigation.
But Ha-yeon couldn’t do either. While her sense of justice had driven her to accept this undercover mission, that same sense of justice prevented her from dismissing Jin-seo’s concerns.
Although asking her to delay both reporting to the police and Kwon Tae-ho seemed a bit excessive…
‘She must be that scared. It’s like her parents are being held hostage.’
And here, Ha-yeon made another mistake.
Looking closely at their conversation, Jin-seo was conflating reporting to the police with reporting to Kwon Tae-ho. If Ha-yeon had pointed that out and explained the difference, it wouldn’t have been difficult to persuade her.
“Alright. Let’s do as you say and investigate further to gather more evidence.”
However, overly concerned with Jin-seo’s feelings, Ha-yeon made the wrong decision.
“As you said, there’s a possibility that it’s not the holy water itself but some other superpower or magic, but I still think the holy water is the most likely cause. So, let’s focus on obtaining a sample of the holy water.”
If they could get a sample outside, they could determine whether the holy water was the cause of the mass hallucinations, or if there were other factors involved.
“The Truth Cult doesn’t know we’ve infiltrated them yet. So we can take our time, attend a few more services and events, and observe the situation.”
A sense of unease washed over Ha-yeon.
Jin-seo had been so desperate about her parents, yet she was now suggesting a slow and steady investigation. It didn’t quite add up.
But Ha-yeon didn’t think too much of it. She figured Jin-seo simply wanted to be cautious.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
The two parted ways. Jin-seo waved to Ha-yeon as she walked away, then collapsed onto the ground, her strength leaving her.
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“Gasp…! Gasp…!”
Jin-seo’s shoulders trembled as she caught her breath.
There was nothing physically wrong with her. It was a physiological reaction to the release of tension.
And that tension stemmed from the guilt she was carrying.
‘What… what have I done…?’
Jin-seo knew her own words didn’t quite make sense. Yet, she had used her anxiety and flimsy logic to persuade Ha-yeon.
She couldn’t believe she had done it. Jin-seo recalled the euphoric feeling she had experienced during the service.
‘It felt so good…’
It was the ultimate pleasure, surpassing any other pleasurable experience she had ever had.
Jin-seo was already captivated by the ecstasy induced by the holy water. That was why she had persuaded Ha-yeon. She wanted to prolong the investigation, to drink the holy water again.
She knew it was wrong. Her desire to save her parents, to expose the Truth Cult, was still genuine.
However,
At the same time, her still-developing mind was blindly chasing the pleasure she had experienced for the first time.
‘It’s okay. It’s just a few more times. I’ll just drag it out a little longer, and then, when Ha-yeon unnie finds solid evidence, we’ll end it. And we’ll all go back to normal. Dad, Mom, and me…’
It was the typical addict’s mindset – just a few more times, and then I’ll quit.
But Jin-seo was just a teenager, too young to recognize the fallacy of her thinking.
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Meanwhile, as agreed with Jin-seo, Ha-yeon didn’t report anything substantial to Kwon Tae-ho. She simply sent him a message saying she would investigate further and let him know.
Fortunately, a second opportunity presented itself sooner than expected.
Two days after the service. The Truth Cult’s regular volunteer activity.
The Truth Cult was holding a free meal event for the homeless. Ha-yeon and Jin-seo volunteered to help.
“Please form a line here! There’s no need to rush! We have enough food for everyone, so please line up slowly!”
Although it was called volunteer work, the true purpose was proselytizing. The volunteers handed out pamphlets with information about the Truth Cult along with the food, and priests walked around, engaging the homeless in conversation.
“Thanks for the meal, but I don’t believe in God. You’re all just spouting nonsense about some invisible god, aren’t you?”
“Haha, the Dion we believe in is different from the gods of other religions. While he hasn’t yet manifested in this world, he watches over us through the Heavenly Maiden.”
“Heavenly Maiden? What’s that? Is she pretty?”
“Of course. She’s as beautiful as a work of art crafted by God himself. If you’re curious, come and see for yourself. The cult headquarters holds regular audience sessions. One look at her, and all your doubts will melt away.”
“Hahaha! That pretty, huh? I’ll have to check it out. Do they serve food there too?”
“Of course we serve food to guests who come from afar.”
The priests were skilled at handling the flippant homeless people. Ha-yeon realized this was how they expanded their influence.
After the volunteer activity ended, the volunteers headed to the cult headquarters to move the equipment. That wasn’t the end. A short service was also scheduled to reflect on the day’s work and reaffirm their commitment.
“Now, lastly, let us partake in the holy water and receive Father Dion’s blessings.”
Of course, this was the part most followers were waiting for. Ha-yeon could clearly see the intense desire burning in the eyes of the followers, who had been so devout and pious until now.
-Pour.
The mid-level priest officiating the service distributed the holy water to the followers. Ha-yeon looked around, trying to figure out how to secretly obtain a sample.
-Gulp.
“Oh?”
She saw Jin-seo drink the holy water without hesitation and clasp her hands together in prayer.
“Ah… ahhh…!”
Tears began to flow from her closed eyes. She looked just like any other devout Truth Cult follower.
‘She’s… acting… right? Well, with so many people watching, she has no choice but to drink it. And there’s nowhere to hide it…’
Ha-yeon, after some thought, drank the holy water herself. The familiar sensation washed over her.
“Mmm…”
Fortunately, this was the regular holy water, so Ha-yeon didn’t hallucinate. She just felt a pleasant, slightly floaty sensation, like being mildly intoxicated.
“Oh, Father Dion! Please grant us your protection and blessings!”
“May the Heavenly Maiden’s grace be with us!”
Ignoring the fervent prayers and hymns of the followers around her, Ha-yeon discreetly followed the priest with her eyes.
More precisely, she was watching the jar he had used to distribute the holy water.
After the service ended and the followers had left, the priest headed towards the inner part of the headquarters. Ha-yeon cautiously followed him.
Fortunately, perhaps because it was a weekday, the headquarters was mostly empty. This made it easier for Ha-yeon to tail the priest.
-Creak.
The priest entered one of the many priest’s offices in the headquarters.
Ha-yeon peeked through a small window in the door. The priest she had been following was the only one inside.
-Creak.
After some time, the priest finished his work, left the office, and went home. Ha-yeon watched from around the corner, and once the priest was out of sight, she made her move.
-Click.
The doorknob was locked. But that wasn’t a problem for Ha-yeon.
Ha-yeon quietly cast a spell. A simple unlocking spell, one of the basic spells taught in Enforcer training.
-Click.
Fortunately, the office door didn’t have any magical locks, just a regular mechanical one. Ha-yeon slipped inside and carefully looked around in the dark.
‘Found it.’
She found the holy water on the desk where the priest had been sitting. It was in a regular plastic bottle, about half full.
Taking the whole bottle would be suspicious. Ha-yeon pulled out a small bottle she had prepared and carefully poured some of the holy water into it.
With that, she had secured a sample.
Ha-yeon was about to leave.
But then…
‘That is…’
She spotted another bottle of holy water. It was in an ornate glass bottle, clearly identifiable as holy water.
Unlike the one she had just taken, this one wasn’t transparent but a light pink.
‘…’
Ha-yeon recognized it as the holy water for Returnees that she had drunk before.
‘The Returnee version is stronger. This might be a better sample.’
Fortunately, she hadn’t brought just one bottle. Ha-yeon approached and carefully poured the pink holy water into another bottle.
-Pour.
A clear sound, accompanied by the sweet aroma characteristic of the holy water, filled the air. Ha-yeon unconsciously swallowed.
‘…No. I can’t. I can’t be crazy enough to… I saw what happened to the others. I absolutely can’t…’
Ha-yeon desperately fought the temptation. But then, a thought, an attempt to rationalize her desire, crossed her mind.
‘But… I don’t know for sure if this is actually holy water, do I?’
The regular holy water was in the same type of bottle as the one the priest had used, so she could be reasonably sure. But this one… she couldn’t be certain. Perhaps it was just a drink or perfume with a similar aroma.
-…Gulp.
With a plausible excuse, there was no need to hesitate any longer. Ha-yeon slowly lifted the bottle.
‘Just a little. Just a tiny sip to see if it’s really holy water…’
Ha-yeon tilted the bottle and took a sip.
And then…
-Thump!
“Ah…!”
Her legs almost gave way. She steadied herself against the desk, biting her lip as a wave of euphoria washed over her.
It was strong. No, intense.
It was far more potent than the Returnee holy water she had drunk before. She tried to resist, tensing her body, but a soft moan escaped her lips.
“Hmm… mmh…”
A white flash sparked before her eyes. Ha-yeon knew it was a precursor to a hallucination.
-Bite!
She bit her tongue hard. The sharp pain pushed back the hallucination, bringing her back to reality.
“Gasp…! Gasp…!”
Ha-yeon stood up, catching her breath. It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like minutes.
‘This is definitely the holy water. And…’
There was no one around. No one had used magic or superpowers.
Therefore…
‘The hallucinations and euphoria are definitely caused by the holy water. With this, I can uncover the Truth Cult’s secrets…!’
Ha-yeon tucked the sample bottles deep inside her pocket and hurried out of the office.
She had definitive proof. There was no need to hesitate any longer.
Or rather, she felt like she couldn’t hesitate any longer.
Even as she left the headquarters, the temptation of the holy water in her pocket tugged at her mind. Ha-yeon desperately fought the urge as she ran down the hallway.
-Click. Clack.
“!!”
Footsteps echoed from around the corner.
‘Oh no!’
Distracted, she had been too slow to react. The hallway was a straight line, with nowhere to hide.
“Hmm?”
As Ha-yeon panicked, the owner of the footsteps appeared around the corner.
Sky-blue hair shimmering in the moonlight. A pair of small wings sprouting from her temples. And a halo softly glowing above her head.
Although her eyes were covered with a black cloth, her gaze was fixed on Ha-yeon.
‘That’s…!’
Ha-yeon recognized the distinctive features. She had memorized the information on key figures before infiltrating the Truth Cult.
‘The Heavenly Maiden…!’
One of the leaders of the Truth Cult. The messenger of Dion, the god worshipped by the Truth Cult followers, and the living proof of the cult’s doctrines.
The being tilted her head and asked.
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badum badum
