Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Lord's Buttocks (1)
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Inside the iron bars, two Jews with their eyes blindfolded and hands bound.
Princess Hina, having witnessed something utterly unbelievable, posed a question.
"Um, Prophet Mother... what on earth are these people...?"
"Sinners. Jews, the tribe of Satan who committed the gravest of sins. And this Sunday, devotee Helena—"
Cutting her off, Cult Leader Park Geum-deok placed a dagger into Princess Hina's hand.
The blade, sharp as frozen chill, gleamed under the light as if howling for blood right then and there.
"You will offer these offspring of vipers directly before the Lord's altar yourself. By ripping out their hearts while they're still alive."
"Huh...?"
Princess Hina's thoughts froze for a moment.
After the ticking wall clock echoed several times, her hand clutching the dagger began trembling wildly, like aspen leaves in the wind.
"I can't do it. I can't. Absolutely not! I swear I can't. Ugh...!"
A scream spat out amid tears.
Judging the situation unfavorable, Maria swiftly pressed a chloroform-soaked cloth to Princess Hina's mouth and knocked her out.
"We'll take measures once she wakes."
"Hmm, her condition's really not good, is it? Devotee Maria? You think we can proceed with the Second Coming ceremony in this state?"
Pointing at Princess Hina slumped on the floor like a corpse, Cult Leader Park Geum-deok asked Maria.
Maria gripped the riding crop at her waist with one hand and replied.
"I will use any means necessary in the remaining time to deepen her faith, Prophet Mother."
"We've only got five days until Sunday. Even if it breaks her completely, push harder."
"We'll handle it definitively. Please don't worry."
Maria hoisted Princess Hina over her shoulder and exited the underground prison.
Watching her retreating figure, Cult Leader Park Geum-deok lit a cigarette.
The narrow cell quickly filled with smoke. With her final puff of gray cloud, she added what she hadn't said to Maria.
"Once the Second Coming ceremony ends anyway... devotee Helena—or Princess Hina, whatever—whether she goes mad or drops dead, it won't matter one bit."
* * * *
Even on Sundays, some people showed up for work at the Ammunition Automobiles Naju Research Institute.
Ammunition Group's military-style culture was pervasive. That made weekend overtime—a nightmare for any office worker—possible.
Necktied employees walked in, canned coffee from the convenience store in hand.
Suddenly, something caught their eyes. A massive three-story detached house-sized object that definitely hadn't been there moments ago.
"What is that? Some kind of late-night marketing stunt? But does Ammunition Group even have a food division?"
A colossal peach.
This monster, boasting 8 meters in width, length, and height, stood on the Ammunition Automobiles research institute lawn in the shape of a pink peach.
"Nah, what kind of food company marketing is that? It's probably just promo material to soften the group's image."
"Yeah, with a name like Ammunition and a flame logo, it's gone as far as it can. My kid's only three, and he's already scared of Daddy's company name."
The employees were more positive than expected.
But the manager clearly wasn't pleased with the giant peach. The institute director rushed out in slippers, jabbing his finger accusingly.
"What the hell is this! What's this monstrosity doing here? What were the security team doing!"
"Calm down, Director. I ordered it."
"Chairman... you?"
The director looked baffled.
Tilting his head, he approached the giant peach, inspected it from all angles, and cautiously asked me.
"Uh, Chairman. This giant peach... it's made from what I think it is, right...?"
"Correct. It's a large mining dump truck. No buyer, so it was parked on the institute's line."
"Whoa! As expected of the Chairman! Sure, Ammunition Group's macho image is proud and all, but these days, a softer vibe is..."
This guy seemed to be misunderstanding something.
This giant peach wasn't for rebranding the group image or some vigorous chairman's idle amusement.
"No. Whatever you're imagining, it's not that. You're all wrong. This thing's purpose is—"
Sheer presence.
A massive presence to flash like lightning in the minds of those thrashing in hallucinations.
With that presence... I would convey one simple, easy fact.
To those deceived by someone in the name of God, and even deceiving themselves.
"To let people know one truth. That salvation by the words of a single cult leader never existed in the first place."
Thud, thud. I rapped my knuckles on the pink hunk of metal.
The cheerful, drum-like ring. Feeling its weight in my body, I recalled the call from Uncle Kim Won-cheol a few days ago.
-Huh... finally got through. Hello, Chairman?
* * * *
'I can tell just from your voice you're suffering.'
-I never thought I'd get beaten at this age. Just wait till I get out. I'll raid the Ammunition Group liquor warehouse first thing.
Uncle Kim Won-cheol's voice sounded drained.
Living by the cult's rules must be grueling. Even a special forces guy like him was losing steam.
'You can take the real estate too. Anyway, how's it going? Can we extract Princess Hina before that Second Coming whatever?"
-No way in hell. Even this call is a miracle.
Unlike our planned daily check-ins, this was his first call since infiltrating the cult.
Clicking his tongue, Uncle marveled at the goings-on inside [Lord's Garden].
-Security's airtight from the start... Try sneaking around, and you'll get an axe to the head, split like firewood.
'Then we've only got [That Method] for the Second Coming ceremony.'
[That method].
A bit rough and brute-force... but it would deliver undeniable presence.
Against people lost in mass hypnosis, this would shatter the cult leader's authority on the altar.
'When's D-Day?'
-Sunday night at nine. Right when the new moon makes it pitch black, I guess.
'They're dead set on blocking outside interference.'
-The more I think, the more insane they are. Oh, yeah—they're saying something about... a peach being the Lord's buttocks?
Lord's buttocks?
Typical cult nonsense. What kind of ridiculous naming is that?
'Lord's buttocks? No, what's that blasphemous crap?'
-Like the cleaning lady said, they're mixing hallucinogens into peach fruit juice. Drink it, see heaven—that's why it's the Lord's buttocks.
'My God.'
I've sometimes thought Grandpa's naming sense for Ammunition Group was off.
But today? Gotta retract that. Before Lord's Buttocks, Ammunition Group or whatever is just ordinary.
-Anyway, no internet here, so I'll relay the Second Coming details quick verbally.
He seemed wary.
Lowering his voice, Uncle Kim rapidly reported only the essentials.
Damn good intel. Worth giving him the whole liquor warehouse.
'You did great. See you at the Sunday Second Coming.'
-Don't save Hina and ditch me.
'Just don't drink the Lord's Buttocks. Get high on hallucinogens in that mess? You're done for. You know that, right?'
-Tch. Kinda curious about peach-flavored hallucinogen... Guess I'm doomed for heaven anyway.
Call ended with words that'd make a narc leap.
Seriously... peaches are off my list forever. That Lord's Buttocks juice, and this colossal peach dump truck looming before me.
Snapping out of the memory, I instructed the director to climb into the driver's seat.
"Start her up right away. You know how to drive a mining dump truck, right, Director?"
"Pardon? O-of course. But where to...?"
"Not far. Less than twenty minutes from here."
Pre-set voice-nav ready. At the mechanical "Where to?", I named the cult without hesitation.
Like a knight before a campaign.
"To [Lord's Garden]."
* * * *
-Woof! Woof! Woof woof!
Does it know today's the Second Coming? The Doberman guard dog barked fiercer than usual.
Leaving the beast that'd rip any intruder's throat, Cult Leader Park Geum-deok questioned the missionary.
"Everything prepared without issue?"
"Security's doubled from usual. No devotee will dare defect."
"External interference?"
"You know how things work around here."
[Lord's Garden] had lurked in Naju for twenty years.
Their entertainment industry influence and funds ran deep into local control.
"Local cops, fire department, township office, agricultural co-op—all deaf, blind, dumb to today's events."
"Nearby residents are in Seoul by now on filial tours, so today, no worldly hands reach us."
Missionaries had bused local farmers to Seoul for "filial piety tours."
Everything meshed perfectly for the Second Coming—like flawless gears.
Because what must never happen would unfold here.
"Truly [Lord's Garden]. A temple where only the priest wields the blade."
"More importantly... isn't Princess Hina a bit too far gone mentally?"
"Ah, that."
Princess Hina, the ceremony's figurehead and symbol.
With her extracting hearts for the altar rite, intense mental torment had been heaped on her.
Violence beyond sanity's limits, too.
"That fanatic Maria whipped her like mad. But she'll act on instinct without thinking, so it's enough."
"Hmm... Understood."
A horn pipe wailed just then.
Drums swelled to its eerie tune, hazy smoke drifting into the dark night sky before their eyes.
Then, from beyond the curtain, ecstatic fanatic cheers erupted.
"Prophet Mother! Appear to us! Foolish sinners beg salvation!"
The fanatic fervor peaked.
As the once-subtle drums thundered heart-burstingly, Park Geum-deok rose and strode to the altar.
Voicing aloud her true desire, hidden behind the false god.
"Alright then... let's begin. The Second Coming that will make me a conglomerate heiress by the holy Lord's hand."