Our Love Church (2)
We spent the whole day on the second floor of the cafe, keeping an eye on Our Love Church.
"This is serious."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
Our conclusion? The bastards at Our Love Church were irredeemable scum.
They rotated guards in pairs every two hours, and every second rotation, they'd drag out one person and kill them. Man, woman, elderly, child—it didn't matter. Every four hours, a life vanished.
How the hell do you kill a kid like that?
Just moments ago, they'd hauled out a child. I couldn't believe it at first. But they sliced open a kid who looked about ten years old without a second thought.
Crazy fucking psychos.
It felt like every shred of humanity drained out of me watching them. I was pissed at myself for even observing these monsters.
Whoa, calm down.
I took a deep breath to steady my rage and turned to Jeong Suhyun. "Where the hell are all these people coming from?"
"...Probably capturing survivors."
Jeong Suhyun's face was grim too. The look of someone whose faith in humanity had just flatlined.
"How, though?"
But we didn't let emotions take over.
"Some kind of ability... skill... something like that?"
"We didn't see any a few days ago."
To be precise, three days back. The day I left the Northdong Office for Rocket Mart and climbed halfway up the walking path. No one had been near Our Love Church then. But now? Tattooed guys in mismatched clothes were swapping shifts at the guard post.
That meant they'd set up shop there recently.
"......Then the highest probability is they came from somewhere else."
"Yeah. And they all seem to have skills."
"No survivors in sight, though. Did they all get dragged in there?"
"Maybe. Looks like there's an ability for that."
"Abilities. The world's gone so fucking sideways... How do you slaughter a kid like that?"
Jeong Suhyun had sworn the Northdong Office folks had no status windows, but every one of those Our Love Church psychos wielded skills. Fire from fingertips. Summoned blades. Fists turning to iron. Weak as they were individually, they had real powers—and they used them to kill.
So they're self-sustaining in there somehow.
Something was happening at Our Love Church. My assumption that everyone but me was unawakened? Dead wrong.
Then why no awakeners at the office?
Was Jeong Suhyun lying? I stared him down.
"...What?"
"You sure they have no skills? Those guys are all using abilities."
"...If they did, they'd have used them by now."
He let out a heavy sigh, like the ground might cave in. It was almost funny—he really believed it.
I gave a hollow chuckle. "Did you ever try thinking Status Window? Or saying it out loud?"
"...Well..."
His mouth snapped shut. What? This guy hadn't even tried after I showed him magic?
He scratched his cheek. "Sounds too retarded."
"Dude, you should've at least tried once."
Was this guy for real? I got why the office folks had no status windows—normies wouldn't know the term. But Jeong Suhyun, who'd seen me? No excuse. Especially not "too retarded."
I scowled. "Try it now. What situation do you think we're in?"
"Uh, no."
What if a window popped up? This guy's nuts.
I'd thought he was stable lately, but nope. Total 180.
"Hurry up."
"...Fine."
He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Probably trying it in his head since saying it was too hard.
A moment later, he shook his head, sweating cold. "Nothing. Guess I don't have one."
"You haven't said it out loud yet."
But it wasn't over. I'd shouted Status Window at first too.
He snapped, uncharacteristically pissy. "...Last time, you said that status window crap and nothing happened."
When we talked? Fair, but...
"No, not mid-conversation—just say Status Window. Do it. It's not gonna kill you."
"Oh..."
Was it that embarrassing? Just yell Status Window!
Fair enough, it'd be awkward.
I got it—I'd feel lame shouting it in front of someone too. But in this ruined world, for us, it was crucial. Maybe life-or-death.
I kept staring. He finally muttered,
"St... Status Window."
His fists clenched in shame. I watched with bated breath.
"....Huh?"
His eyes went wide.
"It popped up?"
"Y-Yeah... What the hell is this..."
"What's your job? Skills?"
"Th-This... Is this real?"
He stammered in shock. If everyone awakened by shouting it, that tracked. Other conditions possible, but based on him...
Mom and Dad probably got theirs too.
I sighed inwardly. My last text told them to try it—knowing them, they'd listen.
Thank god.
I focused on Jeong Suhyun. My only ally; his powers would shape our next moves.
"Calm down and check it slowly."
"Ugh. Got it."
I handed him a pen and paper from the cafe counter.
"What's that for?"
"Write it all down. Everything in the window."
"Ah..."
He hesitated, then scribbled fast. A flicker of trust—he saw me as a comrade now.
After that Rocket Mart shit, yeah.
We'd fought side-by-side; some bond made sense. Plus, he needed my power.
"Done."
He passed the paper.
Let's see.
Open Eyes (E): Opens your eyes. See at night like day.
Mana Cost: 1 per hour
What the hell is this?
Similar to mine, but...
His had Earth, Aptitude, Infection Rate—stuff I lacked.
What's the difference?
No quests, just up to skills. I questioned him, puzzled.
"...That's everything?"
"Yeah... No clue what it means. Good or bad? 'Open eyes'—what bullshit is that?"
He misunderstood, but his reaction seemed genuine. No fudged info.
No reason to lie, anyway.
Even if sloppy, he'd list job, skills, stats straight—no need to sneak in aptitude or infection.
So was I the odd one? Or him?
No people to compare—problem.
I shook my head. Nothing clear now.
Can't test on those psychos.
I glanced at Our Love Church. Only them left. No thanks to chatting with that garbage.
Sure, maybe their rules, maybe victims deserved it. But...
Does that justify butchering a kid with knives or fire?
They killed without hesitation. Even Jeong Suhyun, who'd offed three, freaked out. These guys? Casual as post-meal snacks, stabbing hourly.
Impossible to talk with them like normal. Conflict guaranteed.
Then rescue captives inside.
Assuming shouting Status Window grants powers, save them?
Jeong Suhyun's skill is solid too...
Perfect for a gunman. Night vision for sentry or recon? Gold.
Skip moving—hunt people here?
I'd planned to head south with him. Especially after the seventh remnant. No humans in Northdong but him; infrastructure crumbling—Seoul exit made sense.
But...
What if someone has travel skills?
Others had powers now. Status windows, skills. Watcher with Open Eyes? Maybe flight, teleport...
I called him over. "Jeong Suhyun."
No answer.
"Open Eyes. Whoa... vision doubled at least..."
"Jeong Suhyun."
"Ah, yes?"
I sighed. This guy who'd called it retarded?
He shut up, realizing his hypocrisy.
I pressed on. "Test the skill later. What if we take over Our Love Church entirely?"
"Them?"
"Yeah. Tell survivors to shout Status Window—bound to get a good ability or two."