Let's Do Business (2)
No matter how armed with fanaticism old man Heo was, it would be a lie to say he wasn't anxious.
That said, this anxiety had absolutely nothing to do with the Mother of All Things or Lee Seop.
'What if people don't recognize the effects of our holy water?'
It was anxiety about people—pure and simple.
He and his Providence Church brothers knew Lee Seop's Divine Power better than anyone, but outsiders didn't.
What good was producing miracle holy water all day if no one knew about it? It'd be dead in the water.
"We need to promote it. The problem is, conventional methods won't work."
That was why old man Heo had thrown himself into promotion from the very start of their business venture.
"We know the holy water's effects better than anyone. But there's no scientific way to prove them."
"Elder Heo, isn't there a good way?"
"It's a step down in class, but that's the route we have to take."
"You mean that thing we always see on internet news outlets?"
"Exactly."
Lee Seop had entrusted the foundation's management to old man Heo.
Even if he was old and out of touch with the times, his years running a business in the past still held weight.
"Old folks' needs are best understood by other old folks, heh heh heh."
No—perhaps in super-aged Korea, old man Heo's silver expertise was even more effective?
"Aigoo, Grandpa! You really don't get modern trends!"
"Yeah, fake hype ads like that don't work on young people anymore."
On top of that, Heo Jae-su's granddaughters, Yu-mi and Yu-na, had rolled up their sleeves too.
"Yu-mi, let's make TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter accounts right now!"
"Okay, sis!"
"We need videos too. Who's the best example in our neighborhood of holy water's killer effects?"
"How about Park Yeon-ju? She hates her dark skin from her multicultural family."
"That girl you've been hanging with lately? Perfect! Let's do it now."
"I'll prep the video, sis! Should we ask Grandpa for a camera?"
"Phones are fine for shooting. TikTok vibes are better with phone footage anyway. Just ask for editing software and a computer."
"Sweet! Let's get top specs for gaming too! But will Yeon-ju agree? Her face'll be all over the internet."
"Show her the whitening effects first, then promise a bottle a day for a year. She'll bite."
"I'll go ask her right now!"
The two granddaughters became marketing staff for Providence Anima Beauty.
Still minors, they weren't full-time—just part-time handling communities and SNS.
Thus began a marketing blitz targeting both silver and youth generations.
With the holy water's divine effects and word-of-mouth spreading through communities and SNS, the holy water business exploded beyond all expectations.
My initial goal was a solid, hidden meta—build power quietly until we had real influence, staying a closed-off cult.
The holy water business was meant for a concrete user base of insiders only.
But things had gone sideways.
The reaction to holy water was hotter than expected.
Our followers were just too damn good.
"Lee Seop-nim..."
"Reporters and a few YouTubers are outside."
"The government sent an official request to re-inspect our holy water..."
"Even academia..."
The Providence Church elders, led by old man Heo, looked at me with helpless eyes.
"We need to normalize this."
Revealing Divine Power to the world was premature.
So I decided to douse the flames.
"Do you have a wise plan?"
"Frontal assault."
"Pardon?"
I strode boldly toward the outsiders camped outside.
"Whoa, he's out!"
"Subscribers, he's finally here—the head of the company making that rumored holy water!"
"That's the Providence Foundation rep?"
"Lee Seop-nim, I'm Kim Yu-han from Daily Hanseong! A word, please!"
"What are the ingredients in Providence Holy Water?"
"Rumors say Providence Foundation is a cult—true?"
Cameras swarmed me.
"Brothers, peace be upon you."
I stared into the lenses, arms spread wide in the purest smile imaginable.
I restrained my Divine Power as much as possible.
Focused to avoid triggering passives like Warm Conversation.
"I am Lee Seop, firstborn messenger of the Mother of All Things, the Weaver of Providence. Hear me! This world is corrupt and doomed. Only a new faith, a new religion, offers salvation!"
I bellowed it with the wild eyes of a mad fanatic—no one would doubt my sanity was shot.
"By Providence."
"By Providence."
My staff responded in kind, tracing Providence Church signs and chanting. Some teared up, praying on the spot.
"Yes! Providence Holy Water from our foundation is true holy water! Purified by our believers' daily prayers—that's its core ingredient!"
.....?
Uh?
???
The feverish press froze solid.
"Want to go to heaven? Saved from the coming apocalypse? Join Providence Church! Buy our holy water! The more you buy, the more faith points you earn!"
The narcissistic young foundation head,
"Right! Our Lee Seop, divine leader, is the firstborn blessed with Divine Power!"
"Reporters here! Believe in the Mother of All Things now! Salvation awaits!"
"Ooooh! By Providence! By Providence!"
And the frenzied old folks and staff worshipping him—it was perfect.
"It really is a cult?"
"Doesn't look like acting..."
The outsiders got it quick.
"Ah, now I see."
"All those reviews and videos—rigged by the cult."
"Figures."
"Yeah, tests showed it was just toner."
"Ugh, another cult?! Sick of 'em!"
"Sigh, when do these damn cults get punished?"
Even the on-site reactions screamed it—online would be worse.
All the former Providence Holy Water fans were now branded cultists.
Korea had just weathered a cult measles outbreak.
Politics, culture, economy, media—even police.
The public's shock at cults' infiltration lingered. Politicians and officials freaked at any association.
A new cult emerging now just fatigued everyone.
"Lee Seop-nim, holy water pre-orders have plummeted."
"Phew, relief. We were struggling with supply anyway."
The cult coming-out worked wonders.
Interest vanished overnight; online, we were lumped with Genesis Church, One Church, Love Church tier.
"Still holding steady sales though."
"Those who've tried it know the effects are real."
In exchange for some face-time, we reclaimed our concrete sales base and hidden meta.
Good enough for now.
"But sorry for our Yeonok-dong kids. Yu-na hyped holy water at school..."
One lingering issue: our neighborhood kids.
"Heh heh, no worries there."
Heo Jae-su brushed off my concern casually.
"We've blanketed schools and hagwons our Yeonok-dong kids attend ages ago. Easier to find non-users now."
"Right, it boosts studying too, so we sprinkled plenty to keep our kids confident."
"Mix with diffusers for focus and better grades? Kids obsessed with scores became potential Providence followers ages ago."
"But parents and teachers?"
"Grades are religion to parents. Teachers felt our gift holy water's beauty effects too."
"Our church's spread is faster than I thought. Any status charts?"
"Knew you'd ask. Here, Lee Seop-nim."
Old man Heo produced a hand-drawn national map, meticulously crafted.
"Gangbuk hagwon district: 70% under Providence influence. Also footholds in Gangnam, Daegu, Gwangju, Cheongju, Sejong, Suwon, Dongtan."
Frightening. We'd seized north Seoul schools and hagwons beyond Yeonok-dong.
Nationwide, spot expansions via holy water had begun, like a pointillist painting.
Now I saw why big cults targeted hagwons and universities. It worked great.
'No wonder follower counts spiked lately.'
Glanced at my Status Window. All counts up except fanatics.
'At this rate, we can expand faster and bolder.'
Checked Stigmata Bestowal (B) next.
Consumes 300 Divine Power to grant a job to a qualified Devout follower.
(Details)
• 1 Cleric (C) per 100 General followers.
• As current class is Priest (B), 1 Cleric (C) per 100 Devout followers.
• As current class is Priest (B), 1 Cleric (C) per 100 Fanatics.
• As current class is Priest (B), max classes limited.
• Current max bestowable: 10 Clerics.
• Stigmata can be withdrawn at any time.
Should be 28 Clerics by rights, but B-rank limits capped at 10.
Annoying restrictions piled on with growth, but whatever.
"Anyway, good we deflected the aggro."
"Um... Lee Seop-nim? Sorry, but too early to relax."
Hong Dong-su, Providence elder and ex-Vietnam vet with HID and NIS ties, chimed in as I eased up.
"Still eyes on us?"
"Yes. Dae-hoon."
"Yes, Elder."
A young man stepped forward from the meeting room wall at Hong's gesture.
Kim Dae-hoon, recent NIS black ops, discarded by the government.
Hong had recommended him for his skills; I'd baptized him recently.
"Report to the Firstborn. NIS agents infiltrated as followers."
"Really?"
"Yes, aliases but faces match old colleagues."
"Interested in our Divine Power?"
"Doubt it. Just scouting new cult."
"NIS busy—drugs to religions, nowhere safe."
"Cults meddling in politics and police sparked backlash. Big scandals every time. Now treated like drug cartels."
I nodded understanding at Kim's report.
We're real, not cult—but outsiders see textbook cult.
"What to do, Lee Seop-nim?"
"Watch them. If smart, they'll join sincerely someday."
"As you will."
NIS watch didn't scare any of us here, me included. No fear, no unease.
"New followers always welcome."
Just pure joy.