Chapter 90: The Cult (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 90: The Cult (2)
I made plans to meet Joo-won in person to hear more about the situation.
"You know the Church of Saram123, right?" he asked, looking haggard as he fiddled with his coffee cup.
I nodded.
"Yeah. Did Ji-woo noona fall in with them?"
I had seen her participating in the Church of Saram123's activities before, but I never expected it to be this serious. Or maybe she had just fallen in deeper since then.
Joo-won began to explain.
"They say the Church of Saram123 has various... denominations, I guess you could call them. Aside from the one the general public knows about..."
To summarize his explanation:
The Church of Saram123 wasn't a single, unified entity. It was split into various factions or denominations. The largest of these worldwide was the Church of Salvation, officially named the Humanity Salvation Hope Society. This was the Church of Saram123 that frequently appeared in the news and was widely recognized by the public.
However, outside of the Church of Salvation, countless other factions related to the Church of Saram123 had sprung up like weeds across the country.
If the mainstream Church of Salvation had a lighthearted vibe, feeling more like a Saram123 fan club than an actual religion, some of the more minor factions had taken things too far and morphed into genuinely bizarre organizations.
In short, they were cults.
"...You know how people join the Church of Saram123 like it's a trend these days. Ji-woo's involvement was casual like that at first. Sometimes I even tagged along with her to their gatherings. But at some point, it seemed like she was getting too deeply involved. She started talking to me about this weird group called the... 'Cheonin Cult.'"
The Cheonin Cult.
That was the name of the cult Ji-woo noona had fallen into.
"She was saying their leader is Saram123's proxy or whatever... It's total nonsense, right? Anyone can see it's a cult."
"Yeah."
Where the hell did a proxy of mine pop up from without my knowledge? It was absolutely absurd.
The rest of the story went exactly as one might expect.
Joo-won tried to stop and persuade her, but she wouldn't listen. Then, at some point, she cut off all contact entirely.
He visited her apartment, but it was empty. He tried reaching out to her other friends and her family, but none of them could get in touch with her either.
"Exactly when did she stop contacting you?"
"It's been almost a week since she completely went off the grid."
"What about school? Oh, is it break right now...?"
"Yeah."
"Have you tried filing a missing person report with the police?"
He let out a heavy sigh.
"I did. But they said her physical safety has been confirmed."
"You mean she answered the police?"
"Yeah... Ji-woo told them she's currently safe and requested that nobody contact her anymore. Because of that, the police said they can't investigate it as a missing person case..."
If the person could be contacted without any apparent issues, it couldn't be classified as a disappearance. He had begged the police to just tell him where Ji-woo noona was, but they refused. Since the individual in question refused contact, the police had no authority to hand over their location to a third party.
After all, she wasn't a runaway minor; she was a consenting adult acting on her own free will.
I looked through the chat logs with Ji-woo noona that hyung showed me. Him telling her to snap out of it because it was a cult, and her denying it. A drawn-out argument.
They had kept fighting until she sent a final text saying she was sick of it and telling him not to contact her anymore. She hadn't replied for days since then.
"Even if the police say they reached her, it's driving me crazy. What if Ji-woo is in some kind of danger? No matter what, she's not the type of person to just cut everyone off like this..."
He had a point. The Ji-woo noona I knew was an incredibly bright and cheerful person. To think she'd get tangled up with a cult and cut off all contact—what a mess.
"...I'm seriously considering joining the Cheonin Cult myself. Maybe then I'd be able to find her."
"Don't do that, hyung. That's a bad idea."
I stopped him. Just from his explanation alone, it clearly wasn't a normal group. It could be dangerous.
All I could do was listen to him vent and tell him to hold off on doing anything reckless and wait a little longer.
* * *
After returning home, I looked up what this Cheonin Cult was all about.
A quick internet search revealed they actually had a shiny official website.
— Saram123's Proxy, Leader Shin Doo-rang, will guide you on the righteous path.
"Ha."
I scrolled down to read the cult's introduction, scoffing right from the start.
— The fate of the current world rests solely in the hands of Saram123, and Leader Shin Doo-rang is the sole proxy directly appointed by Him.
The people of the world remain foolishly ignorant. In the end, the world will face destruction, and only those with the deepest faith in Him will receive salvation. This is a time of testing, where Saram123 is sorting out His true believers.
Once the time of testing concludes, the Day of Fall and Salvation will begin. Just as The Tower offered the Ark on the 6th Floor, most non-believers will eventually die and fall to become monsters. Conversely, a minority of true believers will receive His salvation.
Time is running out. Do you wish to be among the chosen few? His sole proxy, Leader Shin Doo-rang, will guide you to the righteous path...
.
.
.
It was a long-winded introduction that screamed 'cult.' The funny thing was that they were even using the recent Ark incident as leverage. Did they update their lore regularly?
There was contact information at the bottom of the website.
I pondered for a moment.
'What should I do...?'
The thought that came to mind was: I should infiltrate this Cheonin Cult myself.
It was a cult selling my name and impersonating my proxy. What if Ji-woo noona really was in some kind of dangerous situation? I felt like I should at least find out where she was and what she was doing.
Besides, I couldn't say this had absolutely nothing to do with me, and I felt a bit bad for Joo-won...
My deliberation was brief.
I dialed the contact number on the website. The call connected, and a customer-service-like voice drifted out through the speaker.
"Hello? Yes, I'm calling because I read the introduction on your website..."
* * *
I made an appointment with the Cheonin Cult people and met them at a cafe the very next day.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. You're interested in joining the Cheonin Cult?"
Two people had shown up. One was a girl around my age who looked like a college student, and the other was a middle-aged woman. As is the case with all cult proselytizers, they looked perfectly normal on the outside.
"...If I join, can I really receive direct salvation from Saram123?"
The younger woman smiled brightly as she replied.
"Of course. He never turns His back on believers who truly have faith in Him."
"Is the Cheonin Cult's leader really His proxy?" I asked, feigning skepticism. I figured it might raise suspicion if I acted completely sold right from the start.
The woman clasped her hands together tightly and nodded.
"Yes, our Leader is truly Saram123's proxy. He even made it official Himself."
"Saram123 made it official Himself?"
What kind of astonishing bullshit was this?
The woman continued spouting her nonsense with absolute confidence.
"Yes! Only our Leader and the High Priests have met Him in person."
"...So you haven't seen him yourself?"
"I'm just a regular believer. But if regular believers accumulate enough merit to become High Priests and closely assist the Leader, they can also earn the honor of meeting Saram123 in person."
What a spectacular shitshow.
The woman kept going on about the Cheonin Cult. She babbled about what one had to do to attain true salvation, how time was running out, and how destiny had smiled upon me for finding the Cheonin Cult even now.
I swallowed a sigh, nodding along and acting as if I was slowly being won over.
"...So, what do you think is the best way for us to prove our faith to Saram123?"
"Hm... What is it? Prayer?"
"Of course, praying with a sincere heart that believes in and follows Him is important. But putting that faith into actual action is just as vital."
What was she on about?
"As I mentioned, the destruction of this world is already a given. So, do we really need material possessions anymore?"
"I suppose not."
"Exactly, we don't! Therefore, if you truly believe in His salvation, there's no need to cling to worldly things. Proving that you've let go of those attachments is precisely the proof of your faith in Him. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand perfectly."
I thought the build-up was taking too long. In the end, it was just a roundabout way of telling me to cough up cash.
"To join the Cheonin Cult, you need to start with a very small proof. That's why an initiation fee of 300,000 won is required."
300,000 won, huh. If it was just money, I could pay it easily.
"If I join, can I meet the Leader right away?"
The woman shook her head.
"After joining, you have to go through a probationary period before you can be personally baptized by the Leader."
"So I can't meet him immediately?"
Why so strict? He's just some cult leader.
Seeing my slight hesitation, the woman spoke up quickly.
"Our Cheonin Cult periodically holds something called the 'Chancheon Rite'. It's a sacred event where all regular believers gather to receive the Leader's guidance."
Chancheon Rite? A rather grandiose name.
"All the Cheonin Cult believers gather for it?"
"Yes! During this time, the prospective believers who have completed their three-month probationary period are also personally baptized by the Leader and promoted to full believers. This Chancheon Rite takes place every three months. And coincidentally, the next Chancheon Rite is just a few days away."
"So if I join now, I'll be able to participate in the very next Chancheon Rite?"
"Ah, no. You can be promoted to a full believer as soon as your probationary period ends, and then you can join."
I pondered this. An event where all the believers gather. Wouldn't I be able to find out where Ji-woo noona was if I went there?
"Where does this Chancheon Rite take place?"
"At the Cheonin Cult's Holy Land. You can only go there once you've finished your probationary period."
It didn't seem like they had any intention of carelessly revealing the location. Well, this 'probationary period' was probably a vetting process. People doing shady shit wouldn't just accept any random stranger off the street.
I dropped the question about the location and put on an earnest face.
"Didn't you say the time for salvation is running out? I can pay more money if needed, but is there any way I can participate in this upcoming Chancheon Rite right now?"
"Ah... I'm sorry, but this is strictly dictated by the cult's doctrines."
The younger woman glanced at the middle-aged woman beside her. When the middle-aged woman shook her head, the younger woman spoke apologetically.
"I'm sorry. But you really don't need to be so anxious. Joining the Chancheon Rite in three months won't be too late at all."
"When exactly is that?"
"Ah... Hold on a second." The woman checked the date on her phone and replied. "It's April 16th."
"So that's almost a hundred days away? If the rite is every three months, does that mean the upcoming one is in about ten days?"
"Yes, yes. That's correct."
"Is there really no way for me to participate in this one?"
"I'm sorry. There is no way to shorten the probationary period..."
Ten days, huh.
Regardless, I handed over the 300,000 won initiation fee to maintain contact with them for now.
"I'm so glad you made a wise choice. You are now standing at the starting line towards true salvation, Brother."
The woman grabbed my hands with both of hers and offered a brief prayer.
Brother, my ass...
After that, I went through a brief background check. I gave them my name and age, and for my occupation, I introduced myself as a college dropout currently working part-time.
"It was wonderful meeting you today, Brother. I'll see you again soon."
We agreed to meet again shortly, and I parted ways with the two women.
Upon returning home, I thought about what to do next...
[Saram123: Villon, by any chance, can you get me something like a tracking device?]
I contacted Villon. A reply came almost immediately.
[Chicken Sandwich: Of course. What kind exactly are you looking for?]
Villon agreed without asking a single question or demanding an explanation. I described wanting a tracking device that could be secretly attached to a person, like something out of a spy movie.
[Chicken Sandwich: I see. If tracking a single person is what you want, I can provide a tool that hacks their phone entirely. It will easily allow you to check their GPS data as well.]
[Saram123: Then I'll ask for that one. Would it be possible to get it within a week?]
[Chicken Sandwich: Absolutely.]
I had no desire to wait several months just to check out this Chancheon Rite. So, what was the plan? Why not just attach a tracking device to a Cheonin Cult believer? They said it was an event that all believers participated in, meaning everyone would be heading there for the upcoming Chancheon Rite.
It was a simple thought: attach a tracker to one of them and follow their trail.
I received the hacking tool Villon promised just a day later via his Mana Stone courier.
[Chicken Sandwich: You just need to connect this to the charging port of the target's phone.]
According to Villon's explanation, I only needed to plug it in for three seconds and pull it out to gain complete administrative access to the target's phone. Scary stuff.
Another day passed.
For the first time in my life, I headed out to participate in religious activities. And as a believer in a cult that was actively selling my name, no less.
"Welcome! Over here."
I met up with the woman who proselytized me, and we headed somewhere together. I learned her name was Lee Hye-ri, and she was a year younger than me. Not that I cared about any of that.
Anyway, the place we arrived at surprisingly wasn't sketchy at all. It was a study cafe. I had imagined some dark, gloomy basement where fanatics were cheering madly, but it was nothing like that.
They had simply rented out a room in the study cafe. We introduced ourselves to people we had never met before, chatting and laughing harmoniously. That was it.
Was it because I was a newbie? I guessed this was their way of slowly breaking down people's defenses and drawing them in.
Regardless, it wasn't a particularly difficult task. Slipping the hacking tool into Lee Hye-ri's phone, which she had left unguarded on the table, and pulling it back out was a breeze.
We ate food, drank coffee, and after the gathering ended, I returned home to verify the results.
"Oh, it worked."
Following the instructions, I connected the secondary tool I received along with the hacker module to my own phone. Just like that, I could see right into Lee Hye-ri's phone as if it were my own.
I snooped through all her texts and messenger app chats. Looking through the contents... this Lee Hye-ri woman was exceptionally obsessed with the cult.
I managed to get all the information I needed.
The exact date for this Chancheon Rite was January 15th. Exactly five days from now. And sure enough, it seemed Lee Hye-ri was also heading to the cult's headquarters to participate.
Five days flew by.
From the early hours of dawn, I tracked Lee Hye-ri's real-time location as she began to move. Looking at her route, she was leaving the capital area and heading down toward Chungcheong Province.
My plan was to head straight there as soon as she arrived. I would go, find Ji-woo noona, and confirm she was safe. As for what I would do after that, I hadn't exactly decided yet.
Lee Hye-ri's location came to a halt in the middle of a mountainous region. The exact area was Boeun County in Chungcheong Province.
It seemed she had arrived at her destination.
Dressed in a hat, mask, and with my hoodie pulled up, I activated the Warp Device.
Let's see what these cult bastards are really up to.