Chapter 116:
Chapter 116
As Seo Gangrim showed signs of scrutiny, Yu Harang's expression turned slightly sad. She looked at Seo Gangrim with a hint of tears and said, "This is really great....... It's a big reward......."
"I understand. I'll be your friend."
"Yes, you will!"
After Seo Gangrim reluctantly agreed, Yu Harang finally put on a smiling face. Then, she took out more snacks and piled them in Seo Gangrim's hands.
"Here, Seo-ssi. Eat."
"Isn't this your treasure, Your Holiness?"
"Because you're a friend, I'm giving it to you specially."
Saying so, Yu Harang picked up a snack and started nibbling on it. It was obvious how stingy she was with her food. Seo Gangrim thought of the previous life's Yu Harang, a simple child who loved to eat.
"The church does not give out snacks?"
"That's right."
The food brought by the believer just now consisted only of white porridge and seasoned vegetables, giving it the appearance of temple cuisine at a glance.
Seo Gangrim, after silently staring at the snacks, spoke, "Outside, there are many delicious things other than these snacks."
"Really?"
"Yes. Among my friends, there are many who like sweet things. I'm sure you'll like them too."
Shin Sooah, Jang Taeheon, Yoon Bom, Yoon Geoul, and Father Yohan... Although Father Yohan had not encountered Yu Harang in their past lives, it was certain that he would like her if they met.
"Aren't you curious about the outside world, Your Holiness?"
"The outside...?"
"I can take you out."
Yu Harang's eyes seemed to waver with hesitation for a moment. However, a resolute answer soon followed.
"No, you can't."
The face that had been excited just a moment ago now sat calmly, exuding an aura that didn't suit a young child. Yu Harang spoke in a composed tone, "I am the head of Seong-eung Church. There are many people waiting for me. I cannot abandon them and leave."
Although Yu Harang had perceptive eyes that could grasp the essence of things, those eyes were obscured by Yu Sun-min. Yu Harang had been brainwashed long ago, and even if the truth were revealed to her, she would deny it. Even knowing that her followers were brainwashed by Yu Sun-min, she believed that there must be some reason for it.
'Would forcibly kidnapping her be the best option?'
"Well, thanks for the interesting story. For now, step back. If you come to play occasionally, I'll give you snacks..."
At that moment, Yu Harang stopped speaking and turned towards the door. Seo Gangrim also heard the sound coming from that direction. It was the footsteps of several people.
"People are coming, hide quickly. If you're caught by High Priest Yu Sun-min, it'll be a big problem! Hide over there!"
Yu Harang urgently pointed to a nearby curtain. Seo Gangrim hesitated, then quickly hid himself after seating Yu Harang on the throne. Almost simultaneously, the door opened.
"High Priest Yu Sun-min, what's going on?"
Seated, Yu Harang looked at the people who entered with a nonchalant expression. Yu Sun-min, surrounded by believers, stood calmly with a composed face. He casually tilted his head.
"I've come to greet you."
Yu Sun-min said this while looking around, as if searching for something. Yu Harang, with a hardened expression, sat nonchalantly.
"I heard that you've dismissed everyone, so I came to see what's going on. You haven't had a meal."
"I haven't eaten yet because I don't have an appetite."
"You should take care of yourself. And..."
Yu Sun-min spoke with a smiling face, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
"There's nothing like that."
"Do you think a divine being would harbor lies? Did I teach you to imbibe falsehoods?"
Faced with this, Yu Harang couldn't bring herself to refute. Her body stiffened as if caught in a spell. At that moment, a calm voice was heard again.
"Tell me honestly what happened. What happened between the time people left? Speak."
A gentle yet firm command. Yu Harang's face turned pale, but slowly her mouth opened. There was fear evident on her face.
"A believer... one of them... transformed into a mouse and entered..."
"Where is it now?"
Yu Harang, lips tightly sealed, slowly raised her hand. Her trembling fingers pointed in the direction where Seo Gangrim was hiding.
Yu Sun-min glanced over there and said, "Drag him out."
As soon as Yu Sun-min's command was given, one of the believers swiftly pulled aside the curtain. Seo Gangrim immediately released his [Invisibility] and revealed himself.
'Even if I hide my current form, I'll eventually be exposed. Yu Harang has special abilities.'
Releasing [Invisibility] through [Forced Dispell] would inevitably reveal his abilities to others. Yu Sun-min laughed sharply at the sight of Seo Gangrim revealed in front of the people.
"I don't know this guy... A mouse sneaked in."
The believers drew their knives from their waist and aimed at Seo Gangrim. Seo Gangrim, with one hand covering his face, quickly examined the Destiny of the people.
'They are all brainwashed. They are ordinary people.'
Judging by their pupils, it seemed they were all brainwashed. According to principles, using abilities against ordinary individuals was not permissible, but now was not the time to adhere strictly to such rules. Suppressing them at this level was not difficult for Seo Gangrim. However, the problem lay with Yu Harang.
'Can I safely take Yu Harang with me?'
Suddenly, Yu Harang was held by Yu Sun-min. Though she seemed terrified, it was clear that Yu Harang was on Yu Sun-min's side. There was no point in fighting others here, Seo Gangrim concluded.
While Seo Gangrim was assessing the situation, Yu Sun-min gave orders to the people.
"Capture him. We need to hear his story."
"Yes, High Priest."
The believers gradually approached Seo Gangrim. Everyone's gaze was anything but normal. Yu Sun-min's command instilled an immediate aggressive stance in them.
Seo Gangrim took the initiative.
*Swoosh!*
"Ugh, agh!"
"Come on, capture him! He's trying to escape!"
After knocking down a believer blocking the entrance, Seo Gangrim quickly escaped outside. People chased after him, but Seo Gangrim's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Yu Sun-min, veins bulging in his neck, shouted, "Search for him! Don't let him escape!"
"Yes, High Priest!"
The believers rushed outside in haste. Yu Sun-min also left the room and ran towards the area with broadcasting equipment. He grabbed the microphone with an urgent expression.
"I inform all believers."
Yu Sun-min's voice echoed through the facility via the microphone. People who were chatting and laughing froze like dolls upon hearing his voice.
"We have confirmed the presence of an intruder. Close all doors and search for the intruder."
The light disappeared from people's eyes, and their expressions seemed to bleach out. They listened to Yu Sun-min's voice and mechanically began blocking all entrances.
*Thud, clunk!*
Thick iron doors were closing, creating a sound that was out of place. The windows were also sealed with metal plates. The building was now so tightly sealed that not even a single mouse could escape.
"The intruder is a young man, approximately 180cm tall, with the ability to transform into animals. If any animals are found within the facility, kill them all."
After giving these instructions, Yu Sun-min turned off the microphone. As he was grinding his teeth, a senior believer beside him cautiously asked, "Is he a family member of a believer?"
"No. He probably didn't come for that purpose. Sometimes, family members or messengers come to find believers who have lost contact. In fact, such intruders of that kind don't cause much trouble. We can brainwash them with the 'voice of brainwashing' and turn them into another believer."
"Considering he's not susceptible to brainwashing and uses abilities, he must be quite powerful. It's a shame I couldn't see his face properly since he covered it immediately."
Seo Gangrim had blocked his face right away, preventing [Physiognomy] from activating properly.
Yu Sun-min pondered and muttered, "Moreover, he came directly to find Yu Harang. It seems he knows quite a bit about our church. Could it be that the tail has been stepped on?"
"We've blocked all information leaking to the outside, but... he might be someone from the Destiny Protection Bureau."
At the mention of the bureau, Yu Sun-min's brow furrowed even more. If the Bureau is keeping an eye on Seong-eung Church, that would be the worst-case scenario.
Yu Sun-min sighed deeply and said, "If he manages to escape and calls for reinforcements or officially launches an investigation, it will be troublesome."
"What should we do then?"
"It seems we have no choice but to expedite our preparations. We need to accelerate our plans."
At the mention of expediting plans, the senior believer's expression turned astonished. He asked cautiously, "Is that okay? You were planning to catch the outsider for punishment..."
"There's no other option. It's better than becoming the target of an investigation once it's officially launched. So, you go and make preparations."
The senior believer nodded, bowed his head, and left the room. Yu Sun-min rubbed his head as if troubled.
At that moment, a voice was heard from outside the door.
"It's Yu Harang. May I come in?"
"...Come in."
A moment later, Yu Harang entered in a wheelchair. She had a very anxious look in her eyes.
"High Priest Yu Sun-min, are you planning to capture and punish the outsider from earlier?"
"Yes. That's necessary."
"Poor soul. Lost in the corrupt outside world, not even knowing where they wander..."
"Why are you so concerned about that outsider?"
A sharp voice interrupted Yu Harang's words. Yu Sun-min was looking at Yu Harang with eyes as sharp as his voice, as if trying to delve into her thoughts. His gaze seemed like he was trying to uncover her innermost feelings.
"I knew you're collecting items from the outside world, Your Holiness."
"…!"
"I thought it was because you were immature and I pretended not to know..."
He approached Yu Harang, aligning their eyes. When their eyes met directly, Yu Harang unconsciously lowered her head.
"Do you want to go outside with that outsider?"
"No, no! I just..."
"Are you planning to abandon the countless people in Seong-eung Church who cry out for salvation, wanting to be saved by you? Will you abandon all those people?"
Yu Harang bit her lip in silence. In the midst of the silence, a small voice emerged.
"...I never had such thoughts. I am the head of Seong-eung Church, standing by the side of the weak. For that cause, I will do anything."
It was a voice filled with sincerity. Yu Sun-min seemed to have noticed this fact as he finally relaxed his expression and smiled warmly, as gentle and affectionate as when preaching.
"Yes, that's how it should be."
He patted Yu Harang's head satisfactorily. Yu Harang silently received his touch. Although Yu Sun-min's anger seemed to have subsided to some extent, Yu Harang couldn't feel completely at ease.
'That guy... I hope he managed to escape safely.'
Yu Harang was worried about Seo Gangrim, who had already been chased by all the believers. Despite his ability to transform into animals, there were hundreds of believers pursuing him.
'If he gets caught, it will be a big problem...'
Yu Harang couldn't even imagine what would happen if Yu Sun-min caught him. However, it was clear that it wouldn't be a light punishment.
As Yu Harang remained silent, Yu Sun-min slowly pushed her wheelchair towards the exit. Yu Harang, noting the direction, asked, "You're not bringing me back to my room?"
"Yes. The location has already been exposed, and..."
Yu Sun-min smiled and continued, "I've decided to advance the date of the ceremony to today."
At the mention of the ceremony, Yu Harang's expression stiffened. In contrast, Yu Sun-min continued to smile, a sinister and cunning smile as he said, "So, I'll entrust the ceremony to you, Your Holiness."
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