Seoul's Fanatics (3)
“Have all the people we need to gather already come together?” The deputy leader glanced at the gathered crowd in the room, then walked over to the calendar.
“Tomorrow it begins.”
The current date was January 2nd. Tomorrow would be the day the disaster the leader had spoken of would unfold. The deputy leader checked his watch and prepared to step outside, then slowly approached the people.
“Everyone, today is the day before ‘that day,’ so let’s all move there together.” At those words, the crowd rose from their seats and began preparing to move.
While the people were getting ready, two burly men in black suits slowly approached the deputy leader.
“Deputy Leader, what should we do with the people waiting outside?”
“Leave them. They have family or friends, so they won’t dare to attack.”
“Understood. Then we’ll only deal with those who try to interfere.” The deputy leader paid no attention to the people outside.
A short while later, roughly ten people emerged from outside.
“Follow me.”
The deputy leader led the way at the front.
Walking at the head of the group, the deputy leader preached to the disciples he had gathered.
“Everyone, the day is almost upon us. Gather your strength.”
“Deputy Leader, are we really going to escape the disaster?”
“Of course. Once we reach that place, you will be free from the ‘disaster.’ You’ve all suffered greatly until now.”
After exchanging a few more words with the disciples, the deputy leader smiled brightly at them. When he turned his back, however, an evil smile formed on his face.
Those fools… With this many people, how much of that ‘thing’ will they hand over?
The disciples following him walked along with happy expressions, unaware that some of their memories had been twisted by the fruit.
The deputy leader was walking along, lost in his happy thoughts, when suddenly the surroundings grew chaotic.
Whispering. Murmuring.
“What’s going on?”
The deputy leader, still lost in his sweet thoughts, looked around at the commotion.
Two men in black suits approached.
“Deputy Leader, please take a look at this.”
“What?”
“Over there.”
Following his gaze, the deputy leader saw a man and a woman kneeling and bowing to something on the roadside.
“White Dragon! You have come to save us from the ‘disaster’!”
“White Dragon! Please save us from the ‘disaster’!”
Those people believed the White Dragon had come to rescue them from the disaster.
But the deputy leader believed none of it.
In truth, the disaster was nothing but a fabricated story. The appearance of something to save them from it was nothing but a lie.
Because of that word “disaster,” however, the other disciples had stopped and were staring.
“Everyone, those are fakes. We should proceed to the place. The White Dragon is here, isn’t he?” To prevent further delay, the deputy leader shouted at the disciples.
Once they reached the destination, his mission would be over. The deputy leader wanted to obtain the fruits as quickly as possible and had no desire to waste time here.
Just as he was about to lead the disciples forward,
“Eh?! It’s really the White Dragon!”
“The White Dragon!”
The crowd’s exclamations rang out.
Before the two men who had been bowing, a white something appeared.
Is it really the White Dragon?
The White Dragon that only appeared in myths.
The deputy leader stared, wondering if it was truly the White Dragon, but something felt off.
He had imagined a majestic, colossal White Dragon, but the creature before him was no larger than a loach.
Wait… where have I seen that before?
That loach.
He was certain he had seen it somewhere.
The deputy leader quietly recalled the memory.
Where was it?
While he was lost in thought,
The man who had been bowing stood up and shouted toward the crowd.
“Everyone! The White Dragon has descended to save you from the ‘disaster.’ You can rest easy now!”
“Really?!”
“Wow! Then we’re good, right?!”
At those words, the disciples’ faces relaxed with relief.
The deputy leader was taken aback.
He needed to take the disciples with him, so he hurriedly stepped forward and shouted at them.
“No! That is a scam! Hurry…!”
“It’s not a scam. With the White Dragon right here, how could it be?”
“Hey, who are you?”
The deputy leader’s words were cut off by the man who had spoken.
To confirm the identity of the man wearing a robe that covered his face, the deputy leader looked directly at him.
“Eh?! You!”
He recognized him.
The man who had come to the building recently to receive the fruit.
And the “White Dragon” he had thought he had seen before was the creature that man had been carrying.
“Everyone! This is a scam! A complete scam! This man is the one who came to our building not long ago! Surely some of you have seen that White Dragon!”
“Huh? Now that you mention it, I think I might have…”
“Really?”
While the crowd murmured,
The White Dragon opened its mouth.
“Are you doubting me?”
The White Dragon’s voice was now serious and heavy, unlike before.
At the White Dragon’s words, every eye in the crowd turned toward it.
“No, how could we doubt the White Dragon?”
And the deputy leader answered.
“Hahaha. The White Dragon? A loach-sized creature like you!”
“What did you just say?”
“I said loach.”
At those words, the White Dragon did not flare up.
If it had been the usual creature, it would have exploded with anger, but this time it remained calm.
“You have no qualification to escape the disaster.”
Those words from the White Dragon.
Then suddenly, white light began to burst forth from the White Dragon’s body.
Ku-kuk-kuk-kuk!
A massive vibration and sound echoed from somewhere!
“W-what is happening?!”
“What’s going on?!”
The people scanned the area, searching for the source of the vibration.
When they found it, they could not hide their shock.
“A m-monster!”
“A g-golem has appeared!”
“The disaster has appeared!”
A massive golem stood before their eyes.
Staring at the golem that boasted a considerable level, the people froze in place, perhaps from fear.
“Even so, you still won’t believe me!”
“No! We believe!”
“We believe!”
The other people looked at the disaster that had appeared and trusted the White Dragon.
But one person was different.
The deputy leader did not think that even if a golem had appeared, it was the disaster.
“Where on earth did that golem come from?”
Staring at the appeared golem, the deputy leader did not think it was the disaster. He only saw it as a monster appearing.
“Everyone! That is a scam! It is not the disaster!”
The deputy leader shouted at the wavering crowd, but their minds had already convinced them that the White Dragon had come to save them.
Damn it! If I had just brought them here, my role would be over and I could receive the fruits…
Only an hour’s distance from the gathering place, if he had taken them there, his mission would have ended and he could have received the fruits. But right now, it seemed impossible.
Koong! Koong!
The appeared golem, its heavy body dragging along, headed toward the deputy leader.
“Ugh.”
Staring at the golem approaching him, the deputy leader judged it an unbeatable opponent.
He prepared to flee.
The White Dragon, watching the deputy leader, spoke.
“If you catch that guy and bring him before me, I will let you escape the disaster.”
At those words from the White Dragon, everyone in the crowd turned to look at the deputy leader.
Damn it!
The deputy leader quickly tried to escape, but the golem blocked his path and the crowd surrounded him.
He moved quickly, trying desperately to flee, but it was useless.
Soon the man was caught by the crowd and dragged before the White Dragon.
And once the deputy leader was caught, the golem naturally disappeared.
Seeing that, the people believed even more that the White Dragon was the being who would save them from the disaster.
“Now, everyone. Please hand over the fruits you have.”
I stepped forward and said that. Now that they believed they were free from the disaster, the people began handing over the fruits they carried.
And Mi-seong also slowly approached me and handed over the fruit she had been holding.
“You were looking for your brother, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Really, the White Dragon saved us from the disaster?”
“Yes. So don’t worry.”
Taking Mi-seong’s fruit as well, I placed all the fruits on the ground.
Then, using a knife, I crushed every single fruit.
Crack! Crack!
The fruits began to shatter.
And at the moment each fruit shattered,
“Eh?! Where am I?”
“Where is this place?”
The people looked slightly dazed.
And finally, I shattered the fruit Mi-seong had given me.
Pop!
“Eh?”
Mi-seong swayed for a moment.
And Kang-mi, standing beside her, quickly stepped forward and caught her.
“Mi-seong! Are you okay? I remember you!”
“Eh? Kang-mi? What’s wrong with me?”
Mi-seong had clearly regained her senses and recognized Kang-mi.
Then Mi-seong looked at the face in front of her.
“Eh? Wait…”
Mi-seong thought she might have misseen, tilted her head, and looked at me again.
“O-oppa?”
“Mi-seong.”
“Really, it’s oppa?”
“Of course. What else?”
Even after seeing me before her eyes, Mi-seong could not believe it.
Of course she couldn’t.
After witnessing such a situation and seeing so many horrific scenes, how could she believe it was real?
Family members who might be dead or alive.
Everyone except those who had directly seen their family die believed they were still alive. If they met their family now, they wouldn’t know if it was reality or a dream.
“Oppa!”
“Mi-seong!”
They embraced tightly.
For a moment, too happy to let go, but then they separated slightly, remembering they were brother and sister.
“Puhaha.”
Kang-mi, watching the scene, laughed, finding it amusing.
I wanted to talk with Kang-mi about various things, but there was one thing I needed to do right now.
Now, what should I do with this deputy leader?