Half the World (5)

Half the World (5) — Marin Hotel, Jung-gu, Incheon

Day 3 of Proselytizing — Midday.

The rustle of paper echoed through the quiet suite. I glared back and forth between Paradise's minimap and the blueprint hovering in midair, eyes wide open.

"So this spot here needs to become the central plaza of the believers' residential zone, right? Yeah, this is the one."

Muttering to myself, I selected a structure from the Paradise Management tab. Looking down through the minimap at the land the believers had just unlocked, I placed a fountain there.

The moment I nodded, a model of the fountain rose up in the newly unlocked zone. Below, believers knelt and prostrated themselves in prayer before the fresh spring, while Seong Gaeul stayed buried in her work at the Holy Temple. I also spotted Kim Haeil off in the distance, carrying out his daily quests in one of the more remote activated zones.

Once I'd confirmed nothing was out of order, I stroked my chin and replayed yesterday in my head. In just two days, I had poured the Liquid of Subordination deep into Jeong Seonga's womb. Despite the staggering volume, her womb had swallowed every last drop of my sacred fluid. Her legs, heaving and spread wide open. And inside them, her pussy — spread to fit my cock like a keyhole — hadn't let a single drop of semen escape. Steeped in my sacred essence, she'd become a different woman entirely. In one way or another, her whole being had probably been remodeled to suit my convenience.

The Liquid of Subordination, as expected. A skill so reliably useful it had even whipped the iron-walled Seong Gaeul into heat — and now it came with Divinity backing it up, too. That said, considering Jeong Seonga's past wounds, it didn't feel strange to think her case had dragged out longer than it should have. She might already be at the point where I could simply force myself into her and finish inside to mass-produce believers. Still, I shook my head, mindful of my promise to Seong Gaeul. I needed to be a cult leader, not a rapist.

But then why is Seong Gaeul, who got steeped in the Liquid of Subordination until she was pickled through, still fine?

Was she genuinely, terrifyingly resilient? Or had she already soaked so deep that this was her baseline? Shaking my head back and forth, I opened the shop window and set fresh dishes out on the table, pulling a new drink from my inventory as well.

Someone was cautiously approaching my suite.

Knock, knock—

The door opened in time with the knock, and I greeted the survivor standing in the hallway with her head bowed.

"Hello."

"Ah... um."

She flapped her mouth open and shut, then ducked her head again. This was the second survivor to come calling at Purple Wing.

"It's okay. Take your time, tell me what's up."

"S-Soyoung's not awake, so... so we..."

"So without an awakened one, there are things you can't get for yourselves."

I studied her as she nodded, trembling. From her deeply flushed cheeks, I could tell this was a fairly personal request. A few likely candidates came to mind — sanitary pads, or tissue for handling bodily waste.

"Did Seonga deliver the food I sent you all? Was it eaten well?"

"...Yes. Th-thank you..."

"Haha— don't mention it. I ordered way too much like an idiot, that's all."

After all, while their leader lay unconscious and daily life grew difficult, a brand-new awakened one had gone out of his way to provide for them. There was no way hearts wouldn't stir, even if they wanted to stay unmoved. With a flicker of hope, I spoke gently to the survivor who'd come.

"Since you're already here, why not come inside and talk? So your name is..."

"...Kim Jian."

"Ah, Jian. So what Jian has to say is a little on the confidential side too, huh?"

I quietly pointed to the table where she stood listening to me.

"Do you like chicken feet or pasta? Or I've got tteokbokki too, if you'd rather."

Kim Jian gave the smallest of nods, then carefully took one step into the suite. I beamed at her.

First steps are always the hardest, whatever they may be. If a comrade who'd traveled somewhere forbidden came back hauling gold and jewels instead, what would the other survivors think?

"Thirsty?"

Things are going to get a lot busier from today.

Day 3 of Proselytizing — Night.

I stood at the entrance, looking down at Jeong Seonga as she sucked me clean.

Chwup— jup— chwup—

Having already taken my sacred fluid into her womb twice, she had dropped straight to her knees at the entrance the moment I made my request before she left — as if she'd been waiting for it. She sucked my cock with eager enthusiasm, but her clumsy fellatio meant her teeth kept bumping against my shaft. She couldn't have been blind to her own inexperience, either. I grabbed a fistful of her hair as her eyes kept darting up to check my reactions, and began moving her frustratingly tentative head like I was working a joystick.

"Glrk— gurk—"

Before long, my glans slammed into her tonsils again and again. She kept gagging with wet, phlegm-choked sounds, but desperately refused to spit out my cock. Lips sealed tight to the end, her face soaked with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drool, she kept checking my responses.

"Hmm."

I let out a low groan and lifted her head a little. Feeling her mouth and throat clench tighter at my reaction, I pumped her faster along my length.

Gulrrrk— gluk— gulrrk—

"Ah, I think I'm about to come. Can you bear with it a little longer, Seonga?"

She gave a small nod through her coughing fit, and even began moving on her own little by little, as if keeping time with my rhythm. I savored her mouth-pussy to my heart's content.

Churip— gluk— grlrrrk—

"Kuh."

As the surge of climax crested, I seized Jeong Seonga's face in both hands and rammed my cock all the way to her throat.

Byuruk— byurrk—

Then I rose onto the balls of my feet and didn't let her go until every last throb of my orgasm had been wrung dry. Jeong Seonga, clutching my cult robes in a death grip, worked her throat diligently and managed to receive and swallow every drop of my sacred essence. Her body glowed white, just as it had yesterday.

"Puha— haa— haa—"

The instant I released her, she gulped down air in great heaves, and I took the time to admire her face. A long trail of saliva ran from her chin all the way to the floor, her features ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a mess of tears and drool. She wiped away every filthy trace with her arm, then looked up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at me and smiled brightly.

"D-did I do well?"

"Mmm... no?"

"...What?"

I shook my head firmly at her, frozen with shock. She stared up at me blankly, pupils trembling, her face one breath away from bursting into tears. I took a single step closer.

"Ah!"

Seeing what hung close before her, she gasped and lunged forward.

Chwup— jup— churrrk—

"Good girl, Seonga."

Only now reminded of her remaining task, she got to work, and I kept stroking her head as she diligently polished every inch of my cock. Once she'd finished cleaning me, she straightened my cult robes, tied her ribbon into a neat little bow, and nestled into my chest. She hugged me tight as if she'd never let go, pressing her face into my chest and murmuring.

"C-can't I just live here from now on? When Soyoung-unni wakes up, I'll come say hi and then go wherever Oppa mentioned."

Ah, that's a problem.

I patted her back with a calm hand.

"If Seonga stops delivering, who's going to bring everyone their food? If I showed up, they'd probably all faint from fear."

"She's so smart, our Seonga is."

I looked down at her for a long while with a proud expression, then handed over today's ration of food. Clutching the bundle brimming with warmth, she spoke up with a somewhat serious face, raising her voice like she was delivering a grand speech — then ducked her head with an embarrassed look. I burst out laughing at the sight of her waving both hands, the bundle and all.

Oh really?

And someone had helped themselves to a share just this afternoon.

"I've been ignoring the unnis anyway, no matter how much they nag me about it. Don't worry about unnecessary spending!"

Jeong Seonga lifted her chin halfway, proud as could be. I drew her back into my arms and stroked her hair.

Naturally, no two people are the same. Even within a single community, every person wants something different — the foods they crave, the grievances they carry. The discomfort they'd been suppressing beneath the unprecedented catastrophe of the zombie outbreak was about due to stick its head out. And my propaganda materials would only whet those desires further.

Which is exactly why—

"She's so smart, our Seonga is."

She was doing far too well for her own good.

Day 5 of Proselytizing — Midday.

"So Shim Soyoung still hasn't woken up?"

I asked, resting my chin on the crown of Kim Jian's head.

"No. She's breathing and she doesn't have a fever, but she just won't wake up."

Sitting on the bed, she answered me in a soft, measured voice, then carefully slid my arm off her body.

That's taking a lot longer than I expected.

Had Kim Haeil really poured that much emotion into his strikes? Awakened ones slept for a full week straight after their first awakening, so if she still hadn't risen after seven days, I'd genuinely have to take some kind of action.

"Haa— haa—"

For her sake, breath spilling out hot, I tightened my arm around her even harder.

"...Oppa. Could you kiss me?"

I smiled, gazing at her fluttering eyelashes.

"Call me Cult Leader-nim, and I will."

"...Cult Leader-nim?"

She slowly turned her head, confusion written all over her face.

"W-were you religious? Did you go to church?"

"No."

"Then why...?"

"No big reason. Just... think of it as a pet name. Easier that way, don't you think?"

"...A pet name."

Kim Jian squirmed against my arm again, cheeks red. She'd been timid and faint of self-assertion from the very first moment I'd met her, and she couldn't refuse a request I framed with this much affection. Not at night, and not here in this bed either. She gave a small nod, then looked back up at me and spoke.

"...Cult Leader-nim, please kiss me."

Smiling softly, I tilted my head slightly and pressed my lips to hers.

Mwah— mwah—

The sweetness blooming from her moist lips made me pause the kiss for a moment.

"...It tastes like strawberry?"

"Hehe—"

She grinned with pride and held out a small cylindrical object. It was the lip balm I'd given her as a gift.

"Is that why you asked?"

"Yes. It tastes good, right?"

"Can't resist it."

I scooped Kim Jian up in my arms and walked to the bathroom. It was time to give her a telekinesis shower. Until her next turn came, there was plenty of time to shower and bestow my grace upon her a couple of times over.

Was the next one Jihye? Or Haemi?

By now the women seemed to have quietly worked out their own schedules among themselves for when to come to me. And of course, I played dumb and welcomed them all, opening my door each and every time. In the Marin Hotel, where time was all anyone had, meeting me was the only rest — and the only play — they had.

"Jian, who am I?"

"...Cult Leader-nim."

"Good girl. I suppose the Cult Leader will have to reward you."

Day 5 of Proselytizing — Night.

"Everyone's been raving about you to my face, Cult Leader-nim, you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have no idea? 'Oh, he looks so kind, oh, he's such a pillar of strength,' on and on — that same unni who swore up and down on the first day that a murderer had come, that we were all going to die!"

Jeong Seonga chattered away at me as we lay side by side on the bed.

Ah, Haemi.

I smiled, thinking of the woman who had come and gone just a few hours before Seonga lay down.

"It's fine. If there's anything you need, ask me for anything at all."

"Tch— ...Cult Leader-nim."

Hugging my right arm, she asked carefully. I turned my head to look at her.

"The reason you were here in the first place was to win me over, wasn't it? So then... can't you come with me now, to where that scary comrade of yours is?"

I gave her a benevolent smile, her anxiety radiating off her in waves.

"I'm sorry. I can't abandon the people who need me and walk away."

"...I'm sorry. I was only thinking of myself."

Jeong Seonga squeezed my arm tight and asked again.

"Then... can I ask you just one more thing?"

"Of course."

"You're not going to just vanish one day, are you? You told me you'd be my last, not just my first."

Her eyes brimmed as she spoke.

"...You won't abandon me, right?"

I turned from the ceiling toward her. Our eyes met, and I gently cupped and caressed her face.

How many days had it been since Jeong Seonga last mentioned her grandmother?

I understood her. To her, I was the sunlight that had returned to a life she'd believed would hold nothing but pain. The most precious last lifeline there could be.

I whispered softly to her.

"Of course. I want to help everyone here. I'm going to show them all my Paradise."

I can help them, can't I?

At my question, she nodded slowly. And toward that nodding face of hers, I quietly opened my mouth.

"...Then there's something I'm curious about."

It was about time to draw the period at the end of this sentence.