The Priests of the Light Temple
There were ten high priests in the Light Temple. Among them, the tenth-ranked Paulon shouted with a bewildered expression.
“W-what are you doing? Hurry up and save me!”
Even with his desperate cries, no one moved. Everyone just stared at Jin Chen and the bandits with faces full of fear.
Jin Chen sneered. “These bastards think they’re real priests. I had high hopes for the Light Temple, but guess what?”
“You dare insult the Light Temple! Are you not afraid of divine punishment!”
“Go ahead and call them. Let’s meet the god of light while we’re at it.”
“W-what?”
“What, can’t you call? The Dawn Temple called so easily.”
Paulon’s eyes widened in horror as they sank deep into his flesh.
“Y-you mean… you’ve actually met the god?”
“Can’t believe it, huh.”
“Shut your damn mouth! Do you think I’d fall for your nonsense?”
“Of course I should. I have no intention of letting this end with words.”
“W-what does that even mean?”
Paulon couldn’t finish his sentence. Jin Chen had already punched him straight in the face.
WHOOSH!
“Kyahaaa!”
The fist that slammed into Paulon’s face. The bulging flesh on his cheek.
“How many times have you been beaten that your priestly body is this fat?”
BAM BAM BAM!
“Kyaaaaak!”
The moment Jin Chen’s fists moved like crazy, Paulon started squealing like a pig.
“P-Paulon-nim!”
The knights and soldiers flinched, but the bandits stepped forward to block them.
Geunyuk-i swung his axe with an aura blade gleaming on its edge and shouted. “Where do you think you’re going? You’re supposed to play with us!”
With that, the bandits went to work again.
KRIEEEE!
“KYAAAAAH!”
Screams that made the air ring out. The knights and soldiers hadn’t even managed to swing their weapons before they started getting beaten by the bandits.
BAM BAM BAM!
The magnificent armor was now crumpled like trash, and the weapons they had been holding rolled uselessly across the ground.
“Kyaaah! T-the god…”
Just as the knights and soldiers crawled on the ground searching for their deity, Paulon had already turned into a used rag.
The once-pure white clothes were now stained with blood and dirt. His swollen eyes wept, his smashed nose bled, and his thin lips were swollen and split.
“P-please save me…”
Paulon clung to Jin Chen’s leg, begging for his life.
“Don’t worry. We take everything except lives. Ah, of course…”
Jin Chen met his eyes and continued. “If you’re my enemy, that’s one thing.”
Paulon’s body trembled violently when he saw Jin Chen’s icy eyes.
At the same time, the dirt-stained front of his pants began to darken with urine.
Jin Chen clicked his tongue. “Tsk. You really do everything, you little pig.”
“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“How can a priest like you be beaten like this? Did your god get complacent because there are too many believers? Or do you not even think of me as your own?”
Paulon couldn’t answer. He had never seen the god himself, nor heard his voice. The only thing he had received was immense holy power after receiving baptism in the temple as a child.
Using that power, he had committed many unforgivable acts in the name of the god of light.
Jin Chen saw right through him. “Have you ever heard this? Even orc shit can be medicine.”
“‘Orc shit can be a magical ingredient’… yes, I’ve heard that.”
“It’s similar. To me, your situation is exactly like that. Orc shit.”
“No way! That’s impossible! The holy power in my body is proof!”
He wanted to shout it, but he couldn’t. The brutal beating was about to continue.
“I-it’s true! We are orc shit!”
A sight that even a high priest couldn’t pretend to be.
“Hey! You little bastard!”
“Hiiiiick! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”
Seeing Paulon on his knees and groveling, Jin Chen clicked his tongue.
He turned his gaze to the women hiding in one corner and asked. “Are you all temple people too?”
Their bodies visibly shook.
“W-we are…”
The women were too scared to speak.
From their reaction alone, it was clear they had never done this willingly.
“This bastard’s not a pig… he’s a dog!”
“N-no, I was mistaken! You ladies! Speak the truth right now! You said you volunteered to serve me! If you don’t speak properly, I won’t leave you alone…”
WHOOSH!
Paulon flew through the air, hit by Jin Chen’s foot.
He crashed into the base of a tree and rolled to the ground, letting out a scream of pain.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Stop your yapping. I’m talking to you.”
“Kyaaah, I-I’m sorry…”
“Sorry ends it? You humiliated me?”
“I-I never…”
“If that’s the case, then that’s what it is.”
FLASH!
In an instant, Jin Chen stood right in front of Paulon.
He began to kick him relentlessly.
BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!
“Kyaaaaah! P-please forgive me…”
“Forgiveness? That’s what you should ask your god, not me! Have you forgotten? Will he come down to stop me when he hears your desperate pleas?”
“Kyaaah! L-Light God, please have mercy!”
“As expected, he doesn’t come. You little orc shit!”
“Kyaaaaah! Kyaaaah!”
Only after being beaten for a long time did Paulon finally pass out.
Only then did Jin Chen turn around with a satisfied smile. “Alright, let’s get started.”
“Yes! Boss!”
The moment Jin Chen’s words ended, the bandits moved busily.
Paulon and the temple soldiers kneeling with all their armor stripped off.
In front of them were piles of treasures and gold coins—all taken from the carriage he had been riding.
“This isn’t a procession of priests… it looks like a funeral procession. How in the world did you gather this much treasure?”
“W-we were just passing through. The nobles begged us to stay in their territories and forced us to load it into the carriage.”
“You didn’t want to accept it?”
“Y-yes, please believe me.”
Paulon woke up after two slaps.
Clear handprints marked both cheeks as he wore an aggrieved expression.
Jin Chen nodded with a strange smile. “Yes, that’s possible.”
“R-really?”
“The Light Temple is famous. And you’re a high priest? Of course they wanted a connection with you and forced unwanted gifts on you. Right?”
“Y-yes! That’s what I said!”
Paulon nodded vigorously, his fat cheeks wobbling.
Jin Chen met his eyes and reached out.
“Hiiiiick!”
Even just looking at his hand made Paulon panic.
Jin Chen patted his shoulder and said, “It’s fine. It’s fine.”
“Y-yes!”
“But there’s something I’m curious about. You giving treasures to nobles probably isn’t the first time, right?”
“Y-yes.”
“Then what happened to all that treasure?”
“O-of course we donated it to the temple.”
“You, who are so greedy, actually donated it straight to the temple?”
Jin Chen gripped Paulon’s shoulder tightly and continued. “It seems you have guts. Even after being beaten this much, you still have some left.”
“Aaaah! I-I never!”
“Then tell me. Where did you stash it?”
“T-the house next to the temple. I kept it there.”
“Hmm. Just from looking at you, I can tell the amount is considerable. What do I do with it?”
Jin Chen tapped Paulon’s shoulder and thought.
Paulon rolled his eyes and said desperately. “I-I’ll give it all to you if you let me go!”
“You can be trusted?”
“As a servant of the god, how could I lie!”
“I see you can.”
“I-I mean it! Please believe me!”
Paulon spoke with sincere conviction.
Jin Chen watched him silently and nodded. “Good. I believe you.”
“T-thank you!”
“Thank you? Just promise me you’ll keep it.”
“Don’t worry. I will definitely come back.”
Jin Chen nodded at the determined Paulon and stood up. “You have to. Otherwise, you’ll really suffer.”
“Eh? What do you mean…”
“Better experience it yourself. How much it hurts.”
Jin Chen grabbed Paulon’s collar with his left hand.
He lifted him in an instant and moved his right hand like lightning.
POK POK POK!
One straight finger began piercing Paulon’s body.
“Kyaaah! Kuu!”
Holy power remained still. Jin Chen had expected resistance.
Paulon let out pained groans each time he was stabbed in the vital points.
It didn’t take long for his confused expression to change.
THUD!
The moment Jin Chen released his collar, Paulon’s eyes snapped open and he screamed.
“Kyaaah! Kyaaaaaaaah!”
CRACK CRACK!
A chilling sound came from Paulon’s body as he began to twist.
The knights and soldiers of the temple trembled and closed their eyes in terror.
H-he must be a demon’s subordinate!
Everyone thought the same when Jin Chen turned to them with a bright smile. “Alright! I have some jewels of my own. Hey, you there!”
The moment they heard that, everyone opened their eyes wide and shouted desperately.
“W-we have none!”
“The audience with the lord was only with Paulon-nim.”
“I swear on the god of light, Calia!”
“Same here. I didn’t even see the bribe.”
Starting to claim their innocence in panic.
“First, you should go back. I’ll just give you the Bone-Fracturing Muscle-Displacing Art.”
“Bone-Fracturing Muscle-Displacing Art?”
They understood one thing. They didn’t have to endure that horrific thing.
“T-thank you!”
“M-may the god of light bless you!”
“I won’t be greedy from now on and will live with all my heart.”
“Ugh! Thank you for saving me!”
Jin Chen waved his hand. “Stop the stupid talk. Tell that guy twice a day like this—how much it hurts. Remember to keep your promise. Got it?”
“Y-yes! I will pass it on.”
“Good. Now go carefully. If you pass by here again, I’ll greet you warmly.”
“If we pass by, we’ll definitely say hello!”
The atmosphere around them grew strangely weird, as if Jin Chen was dealing with bandits or street thugs.
Jin Chen smiled satisfied and told the bandits. “Pack your things. We’re leaving.”
“Yes! Boss!”
The bandits moved busily and stuffed the treasures, armor, and weapons into the spatial storage bags created by Sybel and Geunyuk.
“Leave a few weapons behind. If we go out with nothing and get killed, only we lose.”
“Boss, what do we do with the women?”