Chapter 62: Heavenly Ordeal (4)

I opened the door to the Heavenly Ordeal Sect.

I was on edge, wondering what might come flying at me, but nothing did.

To be precise, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

The facilities of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect were a strange mix of good and bad.

The interior design and furniture were top-notch, but the smaller items looked cheap.

What kind of bizarre mismatch was this?

But seriously, why was no one coming out?

Are they not doing business?

Looking into what seemed to be a conference room, I saw documents scattered everywhere.

I quickly skimmed through them.

===

Baek Ho-sik

Rating: VVIP (high-ranking businessman)

Degree of Grudge: Medium-low (resentment from less than 100 people)

Stole and corrupted other men’s women, destroying families and accumulating grudges. There were numerous instances of violence and murder in the process of stealing these women. Although substantial evidence of these acts has been secured, it should only be used as a last resort due to the client’s powerful connections.

Go Jun-cheok

Rating: VIP (three-term politician)

Degree of Grudge: Minor (resentment from fewer than 10 people)

Suspected to have accumulated grudges from relationships with classmates during high school and college. During the client’s school years, there were more than two suicides in his class. About five committed suicide after reaching adulthood. To better handle the client’s grudge, more details need to be uncovered before it is resolved.

Dok Go-min

Rating: VVIP (high-ranking businessman)

Degree of Grudge: Medium-high (resentment from more than 1000 people)

Operates a ‘house of pleasure’ for the elite. The elite can do anything they want in this house. The victims are mainly orphans or those declared dead, who do not exist in official records. The resentment from these victims is stronger than that of average souls, hence the adjustment to a medium-high grudge. Inform the client and increase service charges accordingly.

Andrew Van Buren

Rating: VVIP (global financier)

Degree of Grudge: High (resentment from more than 10,000 people)

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===

What is this?

I kept looking through the documents.

They detailed the horrendous deeds of various people. It seemed most of the clients of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect were such individuals.

The next document explained the service plans of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. It outlined how one could avail of their services.

“Junior members get protection from minor grudges once, and if you subscribe and become a member, medium grudges are blocked twice a year? And if you become a VIP…”

To become a member, one had to pay over 800 million won annually. 800 million won. I guess that’s nothing for the rich. So how much do VIPs pay?

“If they didn’t do things to deserve divine punishment in the first place…”

My fist clenched involuntarily.

The document crumpled in my hand.

I threw the document into the trash can and looked around.

In the hallway next to it, the history of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect was depicted in paintings.

Heavenly Ordeal Sect claims to have originated from shamans who would take on calamities on behalf of kings and nobles.

These shamans sacrificed themselves, taking on tribulations with a sense of duty.

In modern times, the Day of Spiritual Awakening arrived, and divine punishments became visible to people.

They also became more powerful, beyond the capacity of Heavenly Ordeal Sect to handle.

At that moment, when divine punishments were ruthlessly striking the world, a young girl with blue hair appeared and calmed all the tribulations.

Heavenly Ordeal Sect educated this girl and established the current organization.

“Nayu.”

A premonition struck. That young girl with blue hair.

No matter how I looked at it, she resembled a young Nayu.

Now I began to understand.

Why Nayu was always in pain.

It wasn’t because she was possessed by a ghost.

She was calming the tribulations of those wretched scum.

Using Nayu to make money like this.

I was so furious I couldn’t control my expression.

“I will save you. I promise.”

It was highly likely that Nayu was here. After organizing my thoughts, I walked deeper down the corridor.

But seriously, why wasn’t anyone coming out?

Why was it so quiet?

Did they all run away in the middle of the night?

Well, I figured I’d find something if I kept searching.

I thought as I walked down the corridor decorated in an oriental style.

*****

Nagu was confident she could persuade Yoo Hajin.

According to the Heavenly Ordeal Sect’s investigation, Yoo Hajin liked money.

And he liked women too.

Money and women. With the power of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, both could be provided infinitely.

Nagu signaled the high-ranking members of the Dream Illusion Sect she had hired. They nodded and chanted, forming seals with their hands.

+Yoo Hajin, Yoo Hajin, if you join our Heavenly Ordeal Sect, we will grant you incredible wealth.

Among our clients are powerful and wealthy figures from the Middle East. We will share 10% of Heavenly Ordeal Sect’s wealth with you.+

Mountains of gold, a grand mansion, and beautiful servants. Finally, exquisite cuisine. All these visions unfolded before Yoo Hajin’s eyes.

Even Nagu, who knew it was an illusion, was almost swayed by the intricacy of it. But Yoo Hajin was not moved by such illusions at all.

Nagu was greatly surprised.

And Nayu, who was suffering under the weight of the Heavenly Ordeal, was a bit surprised too.

“N-Nayu is a bit surprised.”

Nayu knew well.

Yoo Hajin really liked money.

Yet he was giving up so much money.

He was even ignoring all that wealth, as if he couldn’t see it, searching for someone.

Realizing that the person he was looking for was her, Nayu smiled faintly.

Despite the pain, being able to smile was truly amazing. Nayu wanted to protect such a world.

At that moment, Nayu’s cheeks flushed.

“N-Nayu’s face feels hot.”

Nayu touched her cheeks.

Why had her face grown hot?

The fact that Yoo Hajin, who loved money so much, was giving it all up to find her was making Nayu feel strange inside.

When the illusion of money didn’t work, the next illusion unfolded.

It was the illusion of power.

The illusion showed Yoo Hajin leveling mountains with a gesture and manipulating the news to control the world with another.

+Yoo Hajin, Yoo Hajin, our Heavenly Ordeal Sect holds the weaknesses of numerous power holders. If you join us, we will grant you unrivaled power in this world. If there is a truth in this world, the public will only know the truth you choose to reveal. We will give you the power to decide what is true in this world.+

But Yoo Hajin ignored all these illusions. Seeing this made Nayu’s heart beat faster.

Nagu, on the other hand, was in disbelief. “He’s rejecting all these temptations?” She stammered, unable to believe it.

The illusionists, flustered, conjured the next illusion.

As everyone marveled, only the suffering Nayu smiled.

Then the next illusion unfolded.

It was an illusion of lust.

Beautiful young girls, half-dressed, frolicked around Yoo Hajin. Even a boyish-looking illusion sensually touched these girls, seducing them.

Just hearing their sweet voices felt like it would melt one’s brain in pleasure.

In fact, a few members of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect watching the illusion collapsed with their eyes rolled back.

Amidst this erotic illusion, a voice spoke.

+Yoo Hajin, Yoo Hajin, our Heavenly Ordeal Sect can fulfill your every desire. What are your preferences? What kind of play do you want? Heavenly Ordeal Sect has madams and strong connections to satisfy any preference or play.+

Yoo Hajin stopped walking.

At that moment, it felt as if Nayu’s heart stopped too.

Yoo Hajin looked at all the illusions and said one word.

“Nayu.”

Yoo Hajin’s expression was filled with rage.

He didn’t spare the illusions a single glance.

Nayu stared intently at him.

“I will save you.”

With those words, Yoo Hajin walked down the corridor.

The young girls let out sweet voices, trying to hold him back, but it was futile. Just by touching him, all the illusions shattered.

Seeing this, Nayu clutched her chest.

The countless resentments of people, the divine punishments materialized from those resentments, and the despair echoed within those punishments didn’t matter right now.

Her heart raced because the man, as if oblivious to all the illusions, was determinedly searching for her.

“Nayu’s heart, thump thump...”

Her heart was beating so fast.

To feel this happy in the end, despite everything.

Nayu really loved this world. Thinking about the world where Yoo Hajin would continue to live made her want to protect it even more.

Then, a sound echoed from the distant corridor.

It was the sound of a locked door being smashed by something like a hammer.

As Heavenly Ordeal Sect members panicked, Nagu shouted.

“Don’t panic, everyone! The barrier of this room was personally constructed by Celestial Immortals, it cannot be breached by an individual! So...”

But before Nagu could finish, the wooden door shattered. It was the core of the barrier. To tear apart that door with sheer force…

Everyone fell silent, staring at the man standing where the door used to be. No, to be precise, everyone clamped their mouths shut and trembled.

Ignoring them, the man looked for Nayu.

“Nayu.”

Then he found her.

Nayu was laid on something like an altar.

Seeing the man, she gave a faint smile.

But the man’s expression was filled with horror.

“Nayu?”

Nayu’s face was deathly pale.

Blood was trickling from her eyes and nose.

She looked as if she was on the brink of death.

“NAYU!!!”

Yoo Hajin shouted and rushed towards Nayu.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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