WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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Chapter 138: Inquisitor Falkenstein
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The next news item. Six people were found dead in an upscale home in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, and police have launched an investigation.
The deceased include Kim, the president of a mid-sized construction company, as well as bodyguards and a secretary, for a total of six. No visible external injuries were found at the scene.
All the victims were found bleeding from their eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and other parts of their bodies, but the exact cause of death has yet to be determined.
Police are focusing on the lack of evidence of an intruder and the absence of any unusual entries in the home's access records.
More surprisingly, several such mysterious deaths have been discovered across Seoul, raising the possibility of terrorism involving biochemical weapons...
"The Mystic Association couldn't handle it in time."
"It isn't easy to deal with something like that overnight. The construction company president lived in a high-end apartment complex, of all places, so I suppose the cleanup was delayed. Security must have been tight."
At a twenty-four-hour soup-and-rice place in Songpa, we watched the news over breakfast after spending all night digging and filling in dirt.
"The Association won't say anything, right?"
"They said to give them a heads-up before causing trouble next time."
Well, several hundred people had suddenly died across Seoul. The cleanup could not have been easy.
"I didn't think there'd be more. I never imagined there'd be several hundred."
"...That was terrifying. You said the souls of demons and demon worshippers you kill get absorbed, right?"
Tell me about it.
I nearly freaked out when I saw all the souls rushing in after the Declaration of the Holy Realm.
It was not all of Seoul, only about a third.
That was roughly the area of the triangle connecting Bukhansan, Cheonwangsan, and Munjeong-dong.
And even by a rough count, over five hundred demon worshippers inside it had died all at once.
"This is a dangerous situation. There were that many demon worshippers hiding in Seoul, watching your every move."
Just as Pastor Go said, I had not expected them to suddenly interfere in our fight to secure the dragon node.
They did not look like powerful wizards, but this meant demon worshippers were hidden throughout society like that.
"Hey, even a member of the National Assembly died."
"A lawmaker was a demon worshipper? The world's really going to the dogs."
I had declared the sanctuary on the spot because I did not want to play a game of nerve with demon worshippers over a dragon node, and a whole bunch of cockroaches I had never expected had dropped dead.
"If I could, I'd declare all of Korea, no, the whole world a sanctuary."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. We don't have that kind of money, and finding the land alone would be no easy task."
It was better not to even consider things that were physically impossible.
I guess the idea was to work through realistic goals one by one.
"Right. You went ahead and declared the sanctuary, but buy the campground first. Put up a fence and protect the Holy Vein."
Just as we had entered the land without permission this time, someone else could do the same.
There would be plenty of people after the dragon node, even if they were not demon worshippers.
"Yeah. I was planning to meet Chairman Choi again soon."
"Khh~ Fuck yeah!"
Cheers erupted from the corner.
It was the vampire brothers who had spent all night digging around for dragon nodes.
"Hey, Drac bros. How's the beef blood soup?"
"Kh... Master, this is art."
"Good, good. I'm glad you like it. I asked them to leave out the garlic, so make sure you check before eating."
Maybe because they were vampires, they seemed to enjoy the blood soup made with congealed cow's blood.
Should I start serving blood soup without garlic as their regular meals?
It was nearly time for the vampires to sleep.
I needed to load them into the van, take them back, and get some rest myself today...
Beeeep!
My phone suddenly rang.
It was an unknown number, but when I answered, the caller was definitely someone from the council.
[M-Mr. Baek? This is Choi!]
"Ah, Chairman Choi? What's going on?"
"[The, the bid! I'll take care of the bidding matter myself! P-P-Please make sure Pastor Park hears about this!]"
Beep! Beep! Beep!
"What was that about?"
"Uh... I think we can buy the campground right away."
"Really? That's good."
What brought on that sudden change of heart?
Chairman Choi had seemed completely intent on weighing me against President Kim and selling it for as much as possible...
"Ah! President Kim died, right?"
This... probably gave Chairman Choi the wrong idea.
That I had openly killed President Kim because he was interfering with the bid...
Well, I did kill President Kim.
Still, it was a good killing.
* * *
These days, whenever I entered the Mystic Association, people seemed to recognize me everywhere.
"That's Gari Bodhisattva."
"Gari Bodhisattva? The one who subjugated the Mountain Lord?"
"I heard Lord Choi of Cheonghak and Seon Master Unjeong praised him highly."
"There's even a rumor that he killed Kim Gicheol alone."
"Kim Gicheol? That Black Knot-level cult leader?!"
Until recently, nobody had known what Gari Bodhisattva really was, but rumors could not be stopped.
"Gari Bodhisattva."
"Ah, Team Leader Kang. What brings you here?"
"I received word at the entrance that you had arrived, Gari Bodhisattva, so I came running out. Let me escort you inside."
As Team Leader Kang Gihan led me in, they asked how I had been.
"I heard you killed some demon worshippers recently?"
"It was pretty sudden, wasn't it? We had to deal with those bastards before they ran. Um... Will there be legal trouble?"
Team Leader Kang grinned.
"If we worried about legal issues, most exorcist work would be a problem. Demon worshippers are eradicated without question, so don't worry."
That made sense.
I had heard Interpol was mobilized to track some demon worshippers.
Most of them killed people and offered them to demons, so murder charges were practically standard.
"But I never expected as many as 532 demon worshippers to die simultaneously..."
"Ah, that..."
"Why don't you discuss the details with our division chief?"
At those words, I felt like the time had come.
I had been far too obvious this time.
And the method itself was difficult to explain.
It was about time.
Guided by Team Leader Kang, I headed for the Special Task Division chief's office.
"Chief, this is Kang Gihan. I've brought Gari Bodhisattva."
Come in.
When I opened the door, I found a sedate office, with Park Bokrye, the chief of the Special Task Division, seated in a chair.
She looked ordinary.
Like an elderly neighbor you might find in any neighborhood.
At least, that was what I would have thought if not for the old man's ghost beside her.
【H-Hag... That monster ghost is here again!】
Long time no see, old man. Gari, keep him company for a bit.
Clack!
【Eek!】
The old man's ghost shrieked and hid behind Mrs. Park.
"So, Gari Bodhisattva. Is Pastor Park doing well? I heard he went through quite an ordeal in Europe."
"Yes. Doesn't he contact you separately?"
"That man's a big shot. Even when he contacts people, he only contacts other big shots."
By big shots, she probably meant the head of the Mystic Association.
As one of the heads of the Five Great Lineages, it made sense for Pastor Park to handle official matters through the Association head.
"So, you killed over five hundred demon worshippers simultaneously this time?"
"Um... If you put it that way, then yes."
"I busted my ass all night covering that up. You should at least give the Association staff bonuses."
Who knew there would be over five hundred?
I almost wanted to applaud the Association's ability to reduce that number to a little over a dozen in the news.
"Should I treat everyone to burgers?"
"You have plenty of money. What do you mean, burgers?"
"I'll put coffee on my tab, so please share it with the staff."
How much would I need to put down?
"Forget it. Anything over 30,000 won is considered a bribe, so public servants can't accept it. You really can't take a joke."
Mrs. Park shrugged and turned to Team Leader Kang.
"Step outside. I want to have a talk with Gari Bodhisattva."
"Yes, Chief."
After Team Leader Kang left, Mrs. Park stared at me.
"What do you think of demon worshippers, Gari Bodhisattva?"
"Well... they should all die?"
"Perhaps it is because you are with Pastor Park. Church folks generally think that way."
Mrs. Park turned over a file.
It contained personal information and photographs, most of them apparently taken at airports.
The nationalities varied.
"Quite a few demon worshippers have been entering the country lately. This is not particularly attractive land for demon worshippers, either."
"There are places more attractive to demon worshippers?"
"Of course. This country is supposedly developed, and CCTV is everywhere. If they cause trouble, the risks are inevitably high."
"I guess it is easier to get away with things in developing countries."
"Especially since places like that often do not even have a proper Association."
I understood why.
In other words, this was a dangerous country where their main job, human sacrifice, was not easy either.
If I were a demon worshipper, I would probably target a less developed country rather than one with well-established public safety.
"You look like the type who would beat demon worshippers up even if we left you alone. Since you're doing it anyway, take Association commissions and make money."
"It is work that needs doing, and if you're paying me too, I'll gladly take it."
I took the documents Mrs. Park handed me.
There were quite a few targets. I should divide them up with the pastors.
"Then go."
"That's it?"
"Then what else would I ask? Whether you are the owner of the sanctuary declared over Seoul?"
"Ah."
I almost asked whether she already knew, but agreeing would have been an admission, so I stopped myself.
Mrs. Park grinned.
"You really are young. That reaction just confirmed that you own the sanctuary."
"Uh... did it?"
"That reaction makes it even clearer. You need to learn to be bolder."
It looked like she had seen through everything.
"I understand why that old Pastor Park hides things. There are too many wicked bastards in this world."
I understood what she meant.
My identity had practically been exposed already, and demon worshippers were openly coming after me.
"Be careful around people. People like us need to be especially careful."
I mulled over her advice as I left the office.
* * *
I stopped in front of a commercial building on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
"Smell~ That musty stench means we have the right place."
Clack, clack.
I had shared the Mystic Association's information with the church people.
The Mystic Association had launched raids as well. They said it was to attack demon worshippers simultaneously and give them no time to flee.
"My lord... I smell something."
"Yeah, I smell too."
After Kohaku, the Mountain Lord added,
"The little fox was not referring to your spiritual scent, my lord. The stench of blood is overpowering."
The smell of blood?
"We need to hurry. What if these sons of Satan are offering innocent people as sacrifices?"
I hurried into the building.
Prepared for possible traps, I put Gari in front and fastened my holy armor coat.
Tap, tap.
I did not try to hide the sound of climbing the stairs.
It was an invitation for anyone who wanted to rush out to do it quickly.
But with every step up the stairs, the smell of blood became clearer, and I raised my guard to its limit.
"These bastards aren't even trying to hide?"
"There do not appear to be any guards outside, my lord."
"Or perhaps there are none left."
"What do you mean by that?"
Creeeak!
Following the Association's information, I opened the door to the second floor, where the bastards were supposed to be hiding.
In the middle of the empty commercial space was a naked man tied to a chair.
"Uh..."
Just as I was about to rush over, a foul stench hit me from the man bound to the chair.
He was not innocent.
It was the contaminated smell unique to those connected to demons, people who had sold their souls to them.
I could not possibly mistake that smell, so why was he tied up over there?
"Did they have an internal conflict?"
I headed inside while watching my surroundings, but the man's condition was horrific.
About half his teeth had been pulled out, and nails driven through the backs of his hands fixed him firmly to the chair.
Even the nails driven beneath his fingernails did not look ordinary. They gleamed in the moonlight as though made of silver.
"My lord! Over there!"
At that moment, a door opened in the direction the Mountain Lord pointed.
It seemed to be a bathroom deeper inside the building, and a skinny naked man emerged from it while drying his hair.
The man, whose upper body was covered in tattoos, broke into a wide smile when he saw me.
"Brother! Well, well, fancy meeting you in a place like this!"
The naked middle-aged man strode toward me without hesitation and abruptly held out his hand.
A large hand still stained with blood even after he had washed.
"I came from the Vatican. We haven't met before, have we?"
He was a middle-aged man with a truly terrifying smile.
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